You both look so real and natural now & different 😁 Forgive me but the earlier videos looked like you were making a return visit on us Just post when you really feel you are truly happy to do so Made me feel good to see you again I was recently shunned several times by someone I truly loved, with their dress code he looked so old and out of touch After being so hurt by the experience I'm even more determined I made the right decision to leave (forty years out this year) Freedom smells and tastes so good 😋 Heartfelt love to you and your family None of that fake agape crap 😂
Hands down - best comment! We are both having a good old chuckle haha so so true about the return visit! Thanks so much for your kind words, it feels good to return here and catch up with all of you. I'm sorry to hear about your recent shunning experience, no matter how long we are out these cut like a knife. None of that fake love here lol sending real love right back to you!
I'm 60 years old and 44 years after being thrown away by all family and friends (a virgin, never having seen an R rated movie, never drank alcohol, never smoked a cigarettes, etc.), I'm still not recovered. I'm glad you had each other; cherish that...please. Being alone in a world you know nothing about (other than they're all evil), was traumatizing, and I'm still feeling the affects.
I too am 60 and I was almost the same except I wouldn't let them throw me away, oh they tried, boy did they try but I kept hanging on. I was finally able to marry an elder, even made it to Bethel as a woman. Let me tell you it was not worth it. I never made one true friend in all those years. Finally woke up in my mid 40's and realized when they wanted me gone in my late teens they meant it. All I managed to do by trying to stay in was make myself very miserable. I honestly don't think the trauma will ever be gone.
@@Livelifewell777I’m so sorry you experienced that. I’m still a JW and I must tell you, there’s no real love, no true friendships and everyone at Bethel is miserable, in fact every JW is miserable. The few happy ones find happiness outside the organisation. You leaving is not a bad thing. I wish you all comfort & healing. I carry you & others like you in my heart. I’m just as damaged and I’m slowly losing interest and I’m no longer invested in the religion. It’s horrible.
I left as a 14-year-old teenage boy after being born into it. I was just a dumb little kid looking back on it Now. I was left, lost and wandering around in a world I did not know...all by myself. I made a lot of mistakes, but I was so tough, I have made it 45 years now without friends or family. I'm a lot stronger than they are. They don't realize that they made me that way I have raised five grown children of my own. They are all good people been with the same woman, my whole life no complaints, life is good I like me. ❤
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It really does make a person stronger to go through the things we've been put through and I love hearing how you've turned it into positivity. Thank you for this :)
Thank you for your experience. My family left WT in 2023. I'm fourth generation. All family JW. But my daugters 14 and 17 are so happy. Also my marriage is happier than ever before. It is big thing, big trauma and stress, but also freedom and new life. Your videos were really helpfull for me. Thanks ❤❤. Much love from Europe.
You guys I have to tell you I’ve looked for you so much and I’m so happy you’re back. You both look so good I’m just really happy you’re back keep them coming. I really enjoyed them. and don’t pay any mind to any idiot that’s gonna say something against you or whatever they said it’s just stupidity. You guys are great. Trust me.
We'd love your input in our ex-elder support group! Let me know if you would want to join. I am PIMO with a wife who still believes and the group has been a lifesaver for me. Thank you for your honesty and realism as to the difficulties of navigating life post-cult.
The trauma of being in a cult never leaves you , the best you can do is learn to manage it , which you both seem to have done thru many trials and tribulations (JW SPEAK) ! Thanks for sharing and may God continue to bless your family !
Many trials and tribulations indeed haha We are finally learning that it is more about that day-to-day management, so many lessons learned in the last 5 years and no doubt a lifetime of learning to go!
Thanks for sharing. Wondered how your adventure would go. Was going to add more but just a bit tired. Glad you survived this odyssey to tell the tale!!
It was a mad old journey haha but we learnt A LOT. No doubt a lifetime of learning still to go. I hope you are doing ok, it is wonderful to be catching up with all of you.
Wow what a journey. Funny we left officially 1 May 2023 and I was soo wanting to just leave and travel. We have planned to travel in a year after saving up but it maybe 2 years now. Life throws curve balls and it taught me that we need to work on us and our trauma. I had a big breakthrough of emotions couple days ago.
I admire your resilience. Thank you for your honesty about your life. I wish you the best. And congratulations on your baby boy. I left over 20 years ago. I come from a family of elders and pioneers myself, and was a pioneer also. There has been so much pressure on me to "return to Jehovah" that it´s nauseating. That will never happen. Today I am a devout Christian, I love my Creator YHWH and Jesus Christ, but I have had to repent of belonging to a cult and a false religion. There is way to much convincing evidence about this organizations doctrinal errors and criminal behaviour against its own members. I am forever cured of belonging to another religious denomination ever again.
Thank you for your very kind comment and congratulations on over 20 years of freedom from the cult. You're an inspiration. We appreciate you sharing your experience with us :)
Ihr Lieben, wie schön von euch zu hören!!! ❤️ Ihr berührt mein Herz und ich fühle so sehr mit euch. Bin schon länger bei den Zeugen ausgestiegen (born in), habe all die Phasen, die ihr auch beschreibt hinter mir und ein neues Leben aufgebaut. Dennoch beschäftigt mich das Thema hin und wieder noch, insbesondere wenn Ereignisse im neuen Leben an typische Methoden von Sekten erinnern. Wer so lange durch eine Organisation fremdbestimmt war, braucht eben eine Weile, um die eigene Mitte und den dort verborgenen, so wertvollen Schatz zu finden (oder auch wieder zu entdecken). Uns sind interessanterweise übrigens auch drei Katzen zugelaufen..😉 Alles Liebe und Gute für euch und fühlt euch beide ganz herzlich umarmt!🫶
Thank you so much for your kind words (and thank you to Google translate!). It makes us happy to hear about your experience and moving forward. I love that 3 cats found their way to you, too!! :)
It's so good to see an hear you both again. What a journey, it's been a rough ride. Really hope you're daughter is doing so much better. I wish you both healing , kindness, an a gentle spirit as the pain of the past let's go of its hold. Thankyou for sharing your life with us, take care love Louise 💙
Thank you for your video! Just came across your channel for the first time. I really appreciate your sincerity! A lot of the things you mentioned really resonates with me. My wife and I just left recently, fortunately together. We are at the stage of rebuilding our network, kind of tough thing to do since we were both born in and had no outside friends. It's not easy but the freedom is so worth it!
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. First off, congratulations on making it out and secondly for making it out together. Navigating building a new network from scratch can feel like climbing a mountain at first. Little by little you'll get there. The freedom really is worth it. If there is anything we can do to help, we're here. :)
Nice to see you smiling, glad I stayed subscribed. I don’t watch much ex JW utube now as life busy and moving on. Warmest love from over the Irish Sea xx
Great to see you both! I have often wondered how your life experience went since you sold your home and travelled. I used to chat regularly with you in the comments. I'm 67 years old and born in left 20 years ago blah blah. I was diagnosed with Oesophageal cancer in October of 2022 and had a few months to live. As it happens I'm still here!!! I got some lucky help (long story) and I'm currently having ongoing treatment. Life is short my friends and we have a trauma that we know and share and it took its toll on our lives. I sincerely hope you can sort your lives and be happy with your children and deal with your challenges. The pressures we face in life can be seemingly insurmountable. I was told (im not preaching) in a Hospital Xray ward to go home and get my affairs in order. I can honestly tell you that being free of the lie I had lived in the Cult was a strength not a hindrance. Freedom of mind and a clear reasoning of life is an empowerment and it will serve you well in your lives and that of your children. You are good honest people and would emplore you to hold to your principles and love for each other. Jeeeze!! I hope that wasn't preachy! Would love to have a pint with you some day Mate! I'm in Vancouver BC if your ever here!
So great to hear from you and even better to hear your wonderful words of wisdom. You've said it well, my friend. Love, honesty and good principles are the way and we do our best not to take one second of this freedom for granted, even on the darkest of days. I am so glad to hear that you are fighting hard. How is your treatment going? You have the best view on life and it is something so many of us can learn from. Thank for always sharing so honestly. We'd love to catch a pint with you too if we make it out to Vancouver BC! :)
So good seeing you two again. Glad you're doing well. My husband and I have now been out about 4-5 years as well. I was out first and he woke up about 6-12 months after me. Therapy is so helpful. Your channel does so much good. Post what you can when you can. 🤩🤎
This is so lovely to hear, congrats on your time out! It is no mean feat getting out, especially together. Really look forward to catching up with you all and hearing about your journey. And therapy is something I think we were in denial about needing...we are finally taking the steps to change that. :)
I’ve only seen one of your videos before and then this one popped up. I love hearing from other ex-JWs so I just wanted to say hi! I want to share my story too, to help others!
Thank you for coming back. I was just thinking about you the other day and hoping things were okay with you. You both are so amazing and don't ever let the negative comments get you down, I know way easier said then done. I love how honest you both are. Your right I don't think the trauma will ever be gone. I am 60 this year. Work up when I was mid 40's, there are still some really bad days. So much missed life that I can never get back. The pain emotionally is sometimes almost unbearable. They took so much, never had children, never got an education, saved for old age. People say just move on. But they took everything that helps people to be able to move on away.😢 Just thank you so much for coming back ❤️
This is such a valuable comment, thank you for taking the time to write it. I'm not a huge fan of the term "moving on". I repeated this so many times over the last 5 years and it did no good at all because it really is an unrealistic expectation. Its about managing day-to-day and taking the good days right alongside the bad days. My mum turned 60 last year and left in her mid 50s and I know she shares a lot of what you've expressed. The grief of lost life. Sending so much love!
Thank you, I hope you're doing well. Ah those early days and super raw videos have me wanting to remove them from the internet most days. But it is a journey and they are a point on that journey.
@@TheExjwFamily don’t delete the videos. They are real and they came across that way. It’s a perfect intro for people who are waking up to see the various stages. I was interested as my PIMI sister has now been shunning for over 25 years and I’m a non JW. I wanted to find out what goes through a JWs head and can they come out the other side. It’s too late for me now as our relationship is finished but videos like yours do provide great insight and some comfort to people like me as I thought I was going insane trying to understand JW mentality.
I was wondering what happened to you guys. It's so nice to see you back. What an adventure you had over the past few years - thank you for sharing! I'm sorry that you've sometimes received rude comments on your videos, which re-ignited the trauma. I'm glad you guys made it through your adventures. I hope you keep healing with the passage of time. Much love from Canada.
Very good to see you after all this time! Your stories are appreciated … glad you got through all those chaotic times in your life, now you are both shining lights to help others who are leaving the cult. We have 2 abandoned barn cats and you’re right, they help with trauma, sharing their purrs and love with us. Mucho love from Texas 💞🤠
Cats and more cats I say! Don't tell Paddy, but could quite happily adopt 3 more haha And thank you, it really is good to be back, trauma and all. Very much looking forward to catching up with all of you in the coming weeks :)
For those born into the cult the best quote about the JW organization I have ever heard: "They were the very first abusers in your life." The abuse from them was all encompassing, all aspects of your life. So very hard to get over.
Haha thanks for the comment. Gosh I can't even bring myself to watch our older videos back. Awkward and filled with pain, but I guess the rawness was there for a reason. It has been a mad journey since leaving as I'm sure it is for so many! Hugs right back at you! :)
Missed you two! Glad you are home! I've watched since the very beginning! You encouraged me to start my own channel. Thank you for all you have done to help others! Do what you can, as it feels right for you both! 😉
This is amazing, we've just subscribed to you. :) You're a brave individual to have watched from the very beginning. I can't even bring myself to look at the previous videos, so raw and so much pain. Thank you so much for your kind words, we're really looking forward to catching up with everyone and instead of running from the trauma, embracing it.
@@TheExjwFamily thank you for all the love, courage and heartbreak you have shared... All of it has helped so many others! It was worth your efforts! 🩷
Thanks for sharing your story. There is so much ahead of us when it comes to the uncertainty of life it’s nice to see others are dealing with challenges and surviving. If you are ever in the US, please look us up we would love to have you as guest.
Ive been out for ten years, but ive enjoyed my tome. Writing essays and screenolays and writing songs. Allowing my lind to go out and think. I think my inability tu connect and meet new people has been the hardest thing for me. Starting a RU-vid channel and sharing my sings seems really therapeutic. Im not doing any ex JW stuff because I left and have moved on, for the most part. I like to watch these visynlw and again to see how people cope. I hope you guys are recovering and moving on in peace.
I can only imagine what that was like. I left as a second generation JW back in 2009. I had not spouse or kids. I stepped away from my family due to drama alone. I had no support but I'm blessed that I made friends very easily. What hurt me... I was aimless. I didn't know my purpose anymore I started studying philosophy through Jordan Peterson. (yeah I know) I read Martin Luther Kings sermons, A knock at Midnight and the Strength to Love which is my favorite book! These people inspired me that humans were mostly good. I dedicated myself to helping the people around me. I dedicated myself to challenging myself to make my career the best I can. I went back to school in 2021 thanks to reimbursement for my company. I know I will be an engineer. That's my purpose. Find your purpose too.
@@TheExjwFamily Thank you! Must admit that we’ve had a blast with all the celebrations and holidays. And yes, it has been a rollercoaster so must say again how encouraging this update was. It’s been extremely helpful.
Wow ! my tuesday evening has just been sky-rocketed to a delightful level ✨ i was just thinking of you two last week , , and here you are , , i'm not surprised : ) i'm still here in western pennslyvania and i kept thinking , well maybe they are going to make it out here to the appalachians , , and i could have maybe tried to find out what the heck, but i wouldn't want to appear to nosey , , and i heard enough in this video, that if i heard the hard cold details , i would surely be crying , , ah yes , trauma , it's a good teacher , , , but it's exciting to see you again, ( in my part of u-tube land , you're super-stars ) , , always hoping the best for you and your children and mom ✌
You are far too kind, sir! :) It is really lovely to be back here with all of you, thank you for the warm welcome. How are you keeping? I'm not so sure about superstars....more like super messed up stars haha but we're all in this together. We would love to get down to Pennsylvania, we've been looking into a possible move to the US in the next few years so you may well see us down your neck of the woods at some point.
Dealing with cult trauma is similar to live with a chronic disease. I manage it day-by-day. There are good days and there are bad days. Nevertheless, life is enjoyable. I have been out for over 30 years. Fortunately, I was the only person in the cult (as I was one of those rare person who was discovered by door to door ministry). When I left, I simply went back to my pervious life. To those who are struggle to move on, keep going. It is worth it.
Thanks for you wise words, it took us some time to learn this lesson on managing it day-by-day. And thank you for sharing your experience, I'm so glad you've been out for as long as you have :)
I just joined this exJW group of people, after 30 years of being out. I am still POMI!!! I don't know if I'll ever get over that, because I've looked into other religions since 1994, and they're definitely not following Bible standards of what Jehovah and Jesus have set forth for their people. So my whole adult life has been miserable spiritually. And I'm looking for some peace.
You're going in the right direction. If you keep researching the JW teachings, you'll discover for yourself how far from the scriptures they've strayed. If you want to follow Jesus teachings, you don't need an organization for that. 🥰
@@TheExjwFamily Yes. Doing fine. Great to see you guys again after such a time. I'm enjoying seeing the collapse of the Watchtower Cult with my own eyes in real time.
Very cute couple. Lot of exciting adventures. Ive been so hurt by people in the congregation. Im pomi. I have learned to not be so much of a follower of men as those who allow themselves to hold sacrifice in higher esteem than mercy but rather strive to be an imitator of Christ to the best i can be. One of the main things Christ did is show love and he highlighted the importance of mercy. (Matthew 12:7) So although i am still in i just want to say i love you guys and no doubt so does Jehovah and Jesus. "No bruised reed will he crush, and no smoldering wick will he extinguish, until he brings justice with success." - Matthew 12:20 The Christian hope is alive and well keep your heads up and stay happy. I love matthew 12... lol... oh if you havent already. Check out the chosen. Its a cool tv show about Jesus. Agape to all.❤
Once l saw the witnessocracy of do as l say don,t do as l do, i.e people with good jobs having a good house etc becoming elders or looked up to in the cogregation.while the less well off witnesses hoped for Armageddon and the big houses they could move into when the unbelivers are killed at Armageddon, life's not been easy at times but its better being out of witness world
