Born-in JW's and Religious Trauma Syndrome 

RTS IS REAL ,,, only those who have been through it can understand.

The children's book was completely inappropriate .

I was exposed to the JW's at age 10 when my Mother began to study with and eventually baptized as a JW. At age 17, I myself was baptized. At age 20 I married a JW sister that I loved with all my heart, and, after 40 years, part of me still dose. When we married I had a job that didn't pay enough to support she and I, so, another Elder offered my a job that paid 3 times minimum which was a good start. I never made it a single day on that job. An Elder that had studied the Bible with my wife actually drove to my house and reads some obscure scripture forbidding me from working there. It was like that every time I found work. My wife and I lived on Welfare almost the entire time I was married to her. Not being able or allowed to support my Family caused me to fall into a state of hopelessness. I was told by this same Elder I didn't have a good job because I Didn't love Jesus. Seriously. Then they walked around behind me saying I was worse then a man without faith because I wouldn't .provide for my wide and kids. That's the basic synopsis, it's actually much much worse then I have time to post here.

I'm a recovering Pentecostal Christian. I still deal with RTS. Fortunately, I got out while I'm still young.

I remember having to study the Great Teacher book with my mother. I remember hating every second of it even at a very young age. It was the innocence within me that hated it. That's how I came to the conclusion that I Am still innocent and good, even after spending 28 years hearing the people I trusted tell me different.

Wow, that picture in the Paradise book was burned into my mind as a child and the child for the very same reasons. Thank you for sharing your experiences. They mirrored mine so closely, including the Malawi persecution stories. I had nightmares as a kid about persecution. I'm in therapy now for the trauma. EDMR Therapy is proving helpful.

Any time I have to step foot in a KH(weddings and funerals only), I am struck by the dead feeling inside those windowless, joyless buildings. It's utterly oppressive.

I remember the nightmares I had as a young child and crying that all my friends were going to die. Criminal if you ask me to teach these topics to children who do not have the reasoning skills to deal with such heavy ideas.

I love hearing people express their experiences!

I'm def looking forward to researching this type of trauma. Thank you for an excellent vid!

When I was a witness, I didn't think I had the right to be happy. Happiness was this unattainable, futurist thing that could not be obtained in this system of things. Correction-happiness was meeting, field service, get-togethers with kingdom music. How sad! The brain washing done by GB is criminal!

This is my first exposure to your channel. I have to tell you that you said many many things that paralleled my own life as a born in JW. I also left the org around fourteen years ago, but only recently have been doing a lot of internal work to extract the watchtower from my psyche. It's amazing to have stumbled across this, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting this together.

They added Jehovah to the New Testament 200 times and predicted end times 5 times. Wolves in sheep's clothing

The paradise book and its pictures....were a real piece of work.

Awesome videos ! Thank you for taking the time for making all your videos

I remember studying all those books as well. I won't allow my JW relatives to give my kids the bible story book or any of the WT publications or videos because of the violent imagery and the indoctrination. I truly believe that being raised JW is profoundly damaging.

You saw that dog too!!! O wow, I didn't realize that stood out to others as children as well. I'm 35 now & just woke up but my parents were/are very devout & kept all the books. I remember at about 4 or 5 yrs old, taking the pretty colorful books off the shelf & looking at the pictures. Yes, that poor puppy bothered me for the longest time. 🐕💜

I'm enjoying this immensely! Thank you for putting it out there!

"You can be happy in a very, very imperfect world." Perfect.

Interesting video, I've always thought a lot of stories were to graphic for young children.

#4747 recommended you (this video in particular). Downloading now. Sure it'll be good!

Christianity is suppose to be about the light of Jesus his joy that attracts others, not doom and gloom.

Sundance where have you been? Please make another video soon. You have so much to contribute! Looking forward to seeing something new :))

They need to loose tax exemption for the lies deception and hardships they cause.

Such a nice video. God bless you...

I love the story at the end! You'd like Martin Luther's doctrine of vocation. He said as people are honest and faithful and kind within their vocations, they are "masks of God" , being used of Him to bless and help others. Whether it's a baker baking bread so people can be fed, a good mother rocking her baby, soldiers protecting you, etc etc. WT teaches that the only works worth doing or of any importance are works related to the Society itself, yuk. Preach, go to meetings, study the pubs, obey the GB . Lather, rinse, repeat.

Jehovah's Witnesses only help their own. Where are their hospitals, orphanages, disaster relief organizations? Christian charity was never really extolled, unless of course it was in regards to other JW's. Apparently they have overlooked to Good Samaritan story.

That peace and security thing has me on edge.

WOW Thanks for the Plug. See you in Tucson soon.

I really appreciate your videos and your sincerity! Thank you for sharing your story. I look forward to hearing more.

Thank you! Keep up the great work.

My sister started studying with the JWs about 15-18 years ago. She brought her entire family into the organization. Well, everyone went to the meetings because she made them. Now, my brother-in-law will only go once in a blue moon if he has to drive them to a convention. Although he hasn't done that in a few years. My oldest niece stopped going about 6 years ago because she didn't believe anything they were saying. She refuses to go back or go to any church for the matter. She celebrated her birthday for the first time last year. I was happily shocked. My middle nephew left a few years ago after going off to college. He hardly ever calls or visits. My youngest nephew is still a JW but I honestly believe he's in it because my sister can be manipulative (although she claims she isn't). She makes him feel guilty because his siblings came out. The other day my sister told me my nephew has changed a lot in the last year. He's very angry and bitter. He's 21 and still not working (unless you talk about the free work he does in the congregation). How can you work when you have to spend all your time going door-to-door, reunions, conventions, bible studies, etc? A few years ago our mother (non-JW) told her not to waste his life in this religion and help him go to school and get a career. My sister got pissed. Funny how momma's always know.

yes, it's difficult to explain to someone who hasn't been there, I will remember you when I start my YT, thank you so much, you have helped and I'm only 6 minutes in. Oh, I just realized this was from July 2016 !!

Superb, thank you, that was perfect in content and tone. I recognised a lot of what you described and have only recently become aware of RTS, but it seems to be a helpful source of advice for me personally. Thank you again, love and best wishes from the UK.

I found your site due to #4747 also. I really enjoyed his video and yours. Happy to be another subscriber. All the very best to you.

One of your finest videos Curtis .. and thank you for the links .. I will enjoy them!

this video is rich in pointing to the struggles i've had...... appreciate your time and effort in making these videos. immeasurable help you are giving. please continue your work. thanks you very much!

So inspiring, thank you so much for providing this information.

I'M A BROKEN UNIT. I UNDERSTAND YOU ALL

I remember a talk given in the eighties brother discussing the greed of the world he showed pictures of baby seals being bashed over the head with blood pouring out, I got up and went to the toilet as an adult now imagine the kids in that KH, I was really shocked at the graphics.And yes in the seventies the cry of peace and security and this generation of 1914 will not pass away was frequently themed.

hi, your comments are really helpful.im 36 and was brought up in the faith, and have suffered the same symptoms as you explain in the video.i really think i am suffering with this also.as i constantly am occupied with thoughts of self saboutage,and am always thinking that my life cant move on unless i am right spiritualy, but i related to the illustration very much and i think its going to help alot with day to day living.it will take some time as the inculcation from a baby is hard to get over, tanks again, ryan.

Great video Sundance. I've really enjoyed looking through this research over the last year. As a former born-in the RTS topic really has helped me understand so much about myself and the mind control influences. I hope to make videos myself in the future. Keep up the great work.

Thank you so much for this, I didn't realize this was something that had a name and I feel relieved to know that other people feel what I feel with certain words or phrases triggering that anxiety. I have less than a year since I left both religion and home all at once, it's gotten a little easier but it still hangs over me but I know it will get better with time.

Thank you...

I was also alive before 75 and know well what you are talking about. Different country but similar memories. I am still in but awakening. Congratulation for your channel.

thanks for sharing ,and taking the time to help. derek

Your observation about how that religion changes is right on. I got involved with them in 1983 at the age of 26, so my bullshit filter was developed enough to prevent me from allowing a lot of problems for myself. I absolutely LOVED what I was learning about Scripture, and how fast I was learning it. After two years I got bored, and so I switched to a Spanish congregation and learned it all over again in Spanish. So now I was very literate in both Bible and Spanish! Those are two very good skills to have. But I never took the religion itself seriously. I remember back in 1984 I was in a car group with three other brothers, and we were talking about what type of secular work we do. The thing that amazed me was how indifferent those guys were regarding retirement plans. Of course, the excuse was "we'll be in the new order by then". I said, "You'd better be financially prepared because this old system could last another twenty years for all we know". They practically laughed me out of the car. I think about how they often accused me of being spiritually weak, because now they probably wish they had the common sense that I was always in their faces with. As I stated in my letter of dissociation to the governing body, "I never subscribed to any of that obey-the-organization crap". So after just nine years of marginal involvement, I stopped attending meetings in 1992. But I figured I would return someday and reassess the whole situation, which I did thirteen years later in 2005. I went back to the meetings and it seemed like I was in a totally different faith! There was much, much more mind control than before. And it was very subliminal, so I started to have panic attacks without at first understanding why. Well, seven months of that and I was gone for good. But it was definitely worth it to have the Bible knowledge that I still use every day, and I thank Jehovah himself for that. Really, nobody is better skilled at using his enemies for the benefit of both himself and his people than the Great Jehovah God the Almighty. And speaking of Jehovah, you do know that NOBODY has brought more reproach on that name than the Watchtower Babel and Crap Society. I'd be scared stiff if I were a member of the governing body today. Judas Iscariot was way ahead of them. At least he had enough sense to dispose of himself.

I totally agree with you! Thanks.

Yes, Watchtower keeps many with great talent in ways that might help the world, if allowed to develop, stunted.Great video!!

I was in it for 40 yrs. (4th generation) Left 20 yrs ago & of course, shunned. I have the "EXACT" same memories as you! It has taken me 20 YEARS to get it out of my head & I still have what I call JW moments! I've been attending a nondenominational church for 10 yrs ( which is the reason I'm being shunned) & FINALLY about 2 yrs ago I stopped thinking about Armageddon everyday!! It's the most ingrained thing ! It takes time to deprogram. This was a great video with great information. Thank you & I'm sure it will help many people :-)

Excellent video. I am going through this and will always be dealing with the effects of religious trauma.

I was raised in a JW family and I was 10 years old when 9/11 happened. While it was playing out on a news segment, I have a vivid memory of hearing my parents say to each other "This is the beginning of armageddon". All I remember thinking is that I'm so young and enjoying life, I don't want armageddon to be here.

Thank you for making such informative videos. The two videos I watched this morning are informative, to the point, and helpful. We will learn from your examples.

So many things you said struck a cord. I was introduced to the religion in the 1970s but was only a member 1987-1992 I faded in 1993 and only woke up Sep 2019. I SUFFERED for so many years from guilt, suicidal hopelessness and the knowledge that I could never be an acceptable member. Indeed, the 4 years I attended the meetings I was soft shunned as a divorced mother. After I quit going I just accepted the fact that the clean earth would not be mine. When 9/11 hit I couldn’t talk for three days. I had no words. I didn’t think it was Armageddon but it was a visceral hit to my sense of security. When Leah Remini’s show came out I saw all the similarities to the witnesses. I too no longer recognized the religion from the 1970s version. It was a short hop to the exjw community videos. I wish we’d had the internet support way back in those dark times of despair. The initial ideology of the religion in the 70s seemed pure and good but its become a juggernaut. It’s comforting to see others understand my deep scary places and I feel safe finally.

I believe alot of exjws suffer from this (RTS)or(PTSD) I know I do and have suffered all my life and it was really terrible in 1975 I was 20 years old with a small child,I swear I didnt sleep for 2 years leading up to it! but it is better since TTAT great to have you out,keep exposing John8:32 there is freedom in Christ not in the 501.c Blessings on your journey

Funny or serious, all your videos help and I enjoy listening to your take on things.

I also remember trying to process talks about graphically described sexual misconduct, persecution or about Armageddon. There is NO provision in the JW organization for little children to learn separately from adults and children are exposed to content that is SERIOUSLY not age appropriate. Remember all the instructions as to what to DO when Armageddon starts ie go home, if no one is home go to the book study, if no one is there go to the nearest book study you can find etc. (For non JWs there were designated houses at which smaller group study ie book study ...would happen) Re maybe the witnesses are right....READ about Canaanite gods. IF Jehovah is a myth / lie...then the lie had a beginning and development. That alone is a fascinating story. Yahwah was added to the Canaanite gods. The Yahweh priests gained power to where Yahweh became the high gods. (Have none of those other gods before or in priority to me ...the 1st commandment of 10 see Exodus 20.) The myth that Yahweh was always the ONLY god and always the high god is very late spin. Once you really process this....there is NO going back. Once you process that humanity is older than 6000 years and that Noahs flood did NOT happen is problematic. If Adam is a myth then no fruit eating fall of man, no need to send Jesus. Then Jesus in turn allegedly taught in Luke 3 that mythical Adam and Noah were his direct ancestors. This means Jesus was crazy, a liar or fiction. Process all this and the Jewish religion and the christian one ....are out of the question. Islam accepts Moses and Jesus as prophets and accepts Yahweh ie same god as the god of Abraham. What I have mentioned so far makes Islam impossible. There is...NO....going back. The thing that makes me most sad oddly enough is not the loss of eternal life. I was taught that the world is an evil place where child abuse is OK by adults I was supposed to trust. I was taught that adults lie...about major pieces of what life is about. The lack of ability to trust the people I was supposed to be able to trust...was a devastating loss. Attention from adults came at a price ie being the Witness they all wanted to see with no independent thoughts or feelings. Even that was withdrawn when I left. As an adult now...I cant IMAGINE...doing...what they did ...to a child.

Thank you so much. It's really soothing to listen to you. I've had to have psychological counselling to help me rescue my mind from years of propaganda. and although I have left I still feel a hold of them that surfaces with trigger words and phrases. I have to remonstrate with myself occasionally to disentangle my thought processes that for years have been trained to sympathise with WT. My sister who is not a believer said it's called "Stockholm syndrome" where you sympathise with your captors and you don't get over it with logic over night. I deal with it by the three R's research, research, research. But I'm careful to avoid the haters whose disposition is to persecute those who have not escaped. to me that's two wrongs trying to pose as a right. Again thank you so much for your comfort.

Thank you for this. When I first joined the religion in 1990 I used to wish that I was a "born in" ... They seemed so much more grounded in their faith and I strove to be like them. Yet at the same time I exercised a bit of freedom to do little things that they considered "major" like studying for my master's degree, hanging out with "worldly" friends without fear that they would taint my religious beliefs, knowledge that celebration of certain religious holidays meant something different to "Christendom" who were sincerely practising their Christian faith and was not as diabolic as the JWs depicted, or even the fact that partaking of the Memorial emblems was not that anathema to me the way "born-in" JWs made such a big deal about only the anointed should do so, etc. My reluctance to leave had more to do with leaving behind the many friends I made because not a single member of my family is JW

I remember the early books you mentioned the pink and the orange.my mum had someone try to study them with me and my 2 older brothers, they had no time for it and scuppered it because The High Chappel was on tv that night and we loved it.Never bought into it but it does linger like a bad smell.

Thank you! I truly enjoyed your video and look forward to seeing more.

Great speech. Enlighting.

I’ve experienced every trigger you’ve talked about for many years. As I watch more and more videos, I too realize that I no longer recognize this religion.

I so remember those images in those books as well as the ones in the watchtower magazine, as a child. Going to school and being different from everyone else. I had so many questions when I was a child. Only, I had to be very careful with the questions. I couldn't ask anything that put the faith in question. You don't dare do that. So, I had to put a lot of thought in the questions. How can I ask this without making my mom angry? I learned quickly that it was best just not to ask. To keep my thoughts to myself. Every jehovah's witness knows what I mean. There are things that you just don't ask. By the time I was in high school, I was living two lives. My life as a witness and my life at school. I wasn't bad while in high school. I just felt free to ask about anything that I wanted, without fear of punishment. When I left home at 18, I started slowly making my move to get away from anything jw. It took some time but I eased on out. Yeah, I went through the shunning thing. I couldn't care less. Those people were not my friend. I knew that. So why would they matter? I had friends in the world who were my true friends. I didn't have to be like them. I didn't have to think like them. They accepted me. Liberating isn't it? I really didn't care what the jw's thouht. I was free from all that.

Hi nice to see your video..This is the first one I have seen of you as well..So glad I stumbled across it..I too was born in and raised as a JW...and when yo mentioned the ''Paradise Lost ,Paradise regained'' I remember that was my first book of my own and that's the book I learned to read from at the age of 2..As I look back and try to remember what That book contained..there were many changes many many changes since even that book book came out...I also remember those same prayers requests for the brothers in Malawi.......And yes..I was seeing a psychiatrist for about a year about 12 years ago because I suffered SEVERE ANXIETY attacks..So bad that if I had one while I was driving..it didn't matter where I was ..I felt like I was going to die and I HAD TO get oUT OF MY CAR and run...either run around my car or jog in place because my heartbeat would be so fast and I was hyperventilating so so bad my fingers and toes would go numb..so I knew I had to increase my actyivity to get my respiratory rate up to balance my breathing...After too many of tehse attacks while diving on the highway I knew I needed some help..They were so debilitating..I would get to work 45 minutes to an hour after the attack and still be shaking so bad it would take me most of the morning to control myself...When I started to go to the psychiatrist...that's when I was diagnosed with RTS...That was the first time I heard of it..I learned how to cope and control my anxiety and stay away from dwelling on WT rhetoric and turn my whole way of thinking around...I am a CHRISTIAN and I now believe in JESUS and I am ''born again'' and I know HE finds good qualities in me..My anxiety stemmed from the fear of losing my life because GOD saw so much bad in me,,,(side note...I always had anxiety attacks from the age of 8...and always started the same ay..believing I was not good enough to be considered by God) I hav been OUT of the WT since 1988/1989...

Thanks for your videos

love your video!!

My younger brother and I grew up with the orange Paradise Lost book. The stories and illustrations were terrifying.Now I am in my sixties. Recently, I purchased a copy of the orange book to send to my brother as a joke. As long as we live we shall remember the infants being sacrifice to the pagan God. Of course, my parents were willing to let us die without a needed blood transfusion. The message was clear to me. You are a powerless child. Evil people will kill you. The images of Armageddon were the worst. Because we were humble, we never thought we would good enough to survive Armageddon. The world collapsing and children, puppies being destroyed was too much. I had great anxiety. Growing up during the Cold War, when there was much aattention to nuclear weapons and nuclear annihilation made it even worse. I just wanted to die with my mom during the Cuban Missle Crisis. Today my brother and I laugh so hard. It is not ha ha laughter, but the nervous laughter of realizing how much a vulnerable, young child's mind was messed up by evil men. My grandmother had delight that she would clear dead bodies after Armageddon. As my generation grew older, we lost our fear of annihilation. We joked that becasue we lived so close to Manhattan, we would blissfully die immediately. The suckers in Vermont were to be pitied. I tried so hard to be a good Witness, to have faith. More was always wanted. I respected my teachers and watched Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, the NY Saturday cartoon and children's show lineup. My mom took me to be on the Howdy Doody show. These were good, loving people. We gave up so much. My rational mind and the fear placed in me by the Witnesses are often at war with each other. The first time I entered St. Patrick's Cathedral, my eye caught a wax figure of Pope Pius. Not realizing what it was, I thougth it was a demon and screeched so hard. Securtiy guards, priests, and tourists ran to my my side. There was a demon frenzy in my Kngdom Hall and the Society. My sister and I did not sleep much. We constantly monitored our bedroom for demons. My gut was always skeptical. There was much more love among normal people than the Witnesses. I spent a bit of time researching religion in American and the Witnesses. Hopefully, I will find time to present the materials on my blog. Children should have some protection from such extreme groups. I do believe in First Amendment rights. Shame on the Witnesses. While I place great blame on the Governing Body, the legal departments and Watchotwer writers. Yet individual Witnesses make moral choices. To choose a publishing company over your own family and children is despicable. Leaving was not easy for me. I leaped to freedom, not knowing what was on the other side. I lived n downtown Manhattan and practiced law across the street from the World Trade Center. People I know died. Fortunately, I was not alone. One cannot help but think of Armageddon. Yet I knew that first responders would help. Witnesses have no skils to help. My residential building met spontaenously. We dragged down chairs so people fleeing could rest. Peope filled water bottles and wetted towels. My mom offered my apartment to people who could not get out of the city to get back home. Because we realize that telepone communcation might go down from heavy usage, we sent a representation from our building to the local police precinct and the fire station to see how we could help with money and supplies. It impressed me that within only half an hour, the city had special places set up to help people. It was an exodus, thousands of dazed, traumatized people. We came togehter as a community, meeting in Union Square Park for a candlelight vigil. Local restaurants donated money as did stores. New Yorkers move quicly and are bright. It was strange to hear the total silence in the city. I heard that the WT locked its doors. The contrast between what I saw my city do and what the Witnesses teach showed me a lot about love and community. I was shamed for being a teen age health aide. Witnesses rely on ignorance. Let me add that every person makes choices in life. If you have never researched or visited groups that are not Jehovah's Witnesses, I implore you to read your Bible without WT literature. Read it as a regular book in consecutive verses. This is the way the early Christians would. Go sit in the back of a local church. Talk with an atheist. Read great literature. if you decide to stay with the Witnesses, it is your choice. I know it caused me great pain. Leaving was no easy. WT had me afraid of people who helped me so much and made my life so rich.

Good common sense advice! Thanks so much.

I remember whenever there was a thunderstorm or earthquake I thought it was armageddon and thought i was going to die if i missed a meeting or didnt get my hours in. Smh. They are so far removed from the true gospel. Im so at peace now that i found Jesus and I know God won't kill innocent children.

I'm a 14 year old girl whom was raised in this religion (cult) at birth. I always used to be a good girl, and i always used to have faith in the Paradise. I had a study since i was little. Every Sundays I'd go study the Bible and some books (Bible, biblical stories, ect.) My mom and brother always enforced it on me. At the age of 11 i stopped going to church. My mom would try and force me by taking away some belongings if I never went. At the age of 12 i got into witchcraft- i also realized I was pan sexual- but in jw that wouldn't be tolerated. At the age of 14 (now) i got more into my craft, and i began doing crystal work, tarot, oracle, and i even found out I'm a psychic. I confessed my crafts to my parents one day, and they began to treat me like some sort of untrustworthy monster- they said there was something wrong with me, and that I'm doing the devil's work (even though I've been doing witchcraft for a while now, and I've been way more happy than I ever was in jw.) Everyday my brother would talk to me when we took a ride around town about how I'm messing up and I'm going to die if I don't go back to Jehova. In 2020 a lot of their prophesies started coming true- hence why my mother and brother used it against me, but in the end I still believe in witchcraft. I'm a pagan and will remain pagan. Now that my mom ever brings up Jehova or jw, i have so much panic attacks. As a matter of fact they're over rn as I'm writing this. I'm terrified, I've depressed, i have religious trauma after what they put me through. My mother doesn't trust me anymore, and if I even write or buy something she automatically says it's witchcraft- she says of traumatized her with my practices- but oh mother, dear mother, if only you've woken up and been in my shoes, you'd have seen a whole other perspective- a whole other story. Maybe you've had good experiences, but me, oh dear, If only you knew what you've put me through. Thanks for hearing my story.

YES YES AND YES I was born in 1970, and you, are telling my story. Having to decide at such a young age if I wanted to die when the end of the world came with my unbelieving dad who busted his butt all day working to provide for his family or living with my mother in paradise all because she attended the cult meetings. Yes, I am still triggered when I hear those words TRUE PEACE AND SECURITY! I can not believe they actually have a web sight!!! We would have been taken into an elders meeting for taking part in an unbelieving society!! Now I see they are on TV and all social media!! WOW sounds like there keeping up with the TRENDS IN THIS SATAN FILLED SOCIETY PERHAPS, THEY ARE IN FEAR OF BEING LEFT BEHIND?????????????????

i had so much potential, destroyed by religion. I could have been a scientist, an artist, a influential member of society.?? I'll never know. you're not to focus on selfish things like a future career when your a child in the jw's organisation you must devote your life to Jehovah , worship, field service. You can get a boring trade but never a career. if you happen to choose not to stick around and live in JW fantasy land when you grow up then you're at a major disadvantage. I think some elite power hungry money hungry people created religion to produce a mass of disadvantaged people so they were placed at the advantage. To have control over the world. Keeping the truth to themselves while keeping everyone in ignorance.

i had RTS all my life and about 8 yrs ago i used drugs to try to talk to god and caught a schizophrenia diagnosis. I had to learn how to think for myself and i'm still in the process of healing. IDK if i will ever lose the schizophrenia though. We all need to stand up to the church and demand compensation

Great video

That's an interesting point about the animals, exactly what my husband would say !

So important to bring awareness to RTS within a Jehovah’s Witnesses

Great video! Yes, many of us suffer from post traumatic church/kingdom hall disorder!

Thank you! We track about the same. I left in 03 but I often think as 9/11 as one of the catylists for much as you discribe. Yes religious trauma. I always think of it as spiritual abuse. Anyway - good work - keep it up.

wow I thought I was the only one that believed in the peace and security lie thanks for sharing that.

I had the exact same thing happen to me!! I saw the little dog,I was heartsick! Even when I saw it again recently,it made wonder why God would so such a cruel thing.That book must have also scared the hell out other kids. Disturbing,& hateful.!

Depression sums up my 25 years of being a witness.. I was never happy. Sisters marking me for ridiculous reasons and bullying by elders , sexist treatment, never being good enough, guilted for not preaching while on vacation, elders wives knowing all your business, No support for women ,only some sexist remarks, "stop being emotional"..Shunned for going to college, shunned for getting off the regular pioneer list!!! My list goes on and on..husband being allowed to pray on platform while admitting he refuses to study with me..sexless marriage. nothing could be worse! No hope for women even in the new order! "still stuck in sexist marriage"..HELL I do not want the Watchtowers new order!I am sure you feel the same.

great video well said i had much the same experience as a child as you growing up a jw all the best jon

You may speak to this...my experience was that I no longer trusted people in the organization and couldn't trust anyone outside of it (I certainly didn't feel understood, seen, cared about / that's my job now, but at the time I just floated in outer space). Currently, I'm finding I don't have any idea of who I am, because I had it drummed into me that anything I was good at outside the Kingdom Hall would take attention and glory away from Jehovah. So, that's my work now. I know the organization likes to point out that those who leave are self-centered and it's all about 'me-me-me' without caring a fig about how Jehovah is feeling...they created the problem. Two things I discovered about Jehovah...one: He's got mighty big shoulders...can handle it. and two: He's not an egomaniac even on His worst day which will never come. Being on a learning curve won't make Jehovah freak out and go on a punitive binge. Keep putting one foot in front of the other...that's my daily work on me.

Read "Battle for The Mind " by W. Sargant .Forty five years ago this book changed my life.

Totally amazing to hear virtually my own story to know i am not the only one to experience this life being brought up as a JW

I wasn't born in. My husband was. He stopped attending meetings before I did. We began to realize JW's did not have the truth at nearly the same time. He definitely has had a hard time not reverting to Armageddon fear, although I had some difficulty with it, too. Will definitely check out the links. Thank you.

Found You. I downloaded it Will watch tonight. Protest tomorrow at PHX TUCSON I WILL RETURN !!!!

Wow! I just found your channel. I would love to hear a conversation between you and bridget fromAZ.

The only time LDS people become overwhelmed and depressed, is gay young people who were brought up in the church, however we as other members do not distance ourselves from them, and their lifestyle isn't spoken of in the congregation. However with JW's they do shun people and when someone was molested and the elders don't accept it, the person has no where to go, and they go into a deep depression.

well done

Keep it up

I'm starting to wonder if their 'ark of salvation' is going to be riding mighty high in the water after they throw everyone with a brain that works out.

Oh my god! I remember the Listening to the Great Teacher book and having to do this study with a male member of the congregation. My mother would take me over there and I had to memorize the books of the Bible, old and new testaments. Then the bigger yellow book I think was called something to the effect of "Bible Stories for Kids" or something like that. My breath caught at every world event when I was a kid. I remember walking in front of the TV one day and Alexander Haig was on the TV making some kind of announcement and I stopped dead in my tracks and fear locked me up thinking they were announcing peace and the start of Armageddon. What brainwashing and fear instilled in CHILDREN!!! Shame on the "TRUTH".

yes i enjoy listening to this send me some more web site's

Hello, Curtis. Ah, the Paradise book. We shared that at John and Anna's house, now Madeline's house.

I remember the graphic pics and crying because dad and grandma and other relitives who weren't JWs were going to be destroyed.. horrible !

Thanks for the video! I've got about 20 years out, with a father still following their lead, and it's nuts....I remember the picture you mentioned with the little girl on the tricycle falling into the pit. Sick stuff for sure. The light does indeed get brighter, just not in the way the organisation says it does.

We're almost same age growing up in the truth early 60s and reading paradise book and great teacher. All of it leads to stress. It's a Cult that wants power,control and money. 50 year's of being minipulated.

This is what you get when you believe in supernatural entities..... you remove yourself from reality and then become vulnerable to abuse etc.... education is the key to the meaning of life.