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My JW mom has shunned me numerous times and disassociated with my brother. She wasn't supposed to have anything to with us. 30 years later the elders got upset with me for not signing her medical power of attorney when she didn't want her non-jw flesh and blood family having it. Now they want her family to be there now that she has dementia. Your family should always be most important. Since I wasn't baptized I am allowed to be around her. Sadly my brother got baptized to please her and because it was expected of him, so he was shunned for fading out. For years I have felt deep hatred towards God for the pain I felt he (the organization) caused breaking up our living family. It took me years to find peace with our creator. Realizing our source is all encompassing compassion and love. Now I can love others no matter their background, social status or beliefs. Much love to you Fifth! ❤
I’m grateful that Fifth has the courage to share his pain in public regarding being shunned. It makes me feel comforted to hear someone share something that us ex JWs feel and hold inside. Everything he says is accurate about the JW organization.
1:20:36 Near the end of this really fun interview, you were asked if you would still want a relationship with your family / father who is still in the ORG. There was a very long pause. I understand that very long pause. Mostly because being included in the lives of our family members who are still convinced that living within the ORG is "the best life ever" would with no doubt come up with conditions and demands of us to have to change something about ourselfs to be worthy of being in their presents and able to speak to them. Good for you for bypassing all of that iner mindfuckery by being a good man and simply saying that you get why your father had chosen this religion as a good way of life. I see the same thing about why my mother was recruited as well. You are going to love raising your son and however many more children you will have outside of the Watchtower. It's bittersweet yet very delicious. It's also good to hear you say that you see yourself as a good artist. You come across as confident, not by any means conceited. Thank you for sharing this healing journey that you're on. It is motivational. It is encouraging and shows us that it does get better. 😘
This was a beautiful, very transparent, and intelligently spoken interview. As an ex-JW myself, I can totally relate to Fifth's statement about being depressed and not understanding the point of living. I feel that my children (son and daughter) saved my life and gave me a reason to live. I have never known unconditional love and found myself in a cycle of people pleasing, seeking validation and approval. I survived on my own for 20+ years (outside of the religion) suppressing my feelings, feeling neglected, unloved, having trust issues, and guarding my heart. Despite my mom cutting me off my entire adult life due to the religious beliefs, when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I showed her unconditional love and cared for her until she transitioned at the end of 2020. Even during that time, I was treated like garbage from some of her associates and family in the religion. However, some did show compassion for me as a human 🙄 and I appreciated that. I have been able to heal and forgive my mother. Going through my spiritual journey has taught me a lot about myself and strength. The religion teaches nothing about life purpose, abundance, self-love, meditation, and higher frequencies. Wishing everyone free will, peace, love, & abundance in life. Blessings!
I can relate to when you said your kid saved your life. So did mine; becoming a mother awakened something in me that was incompatible with the religion, unconditional love. I knew I was never going to shun my son if he ever turned away from the org, and I knew that I couldn’t go on teaching him that this kind of behavior in our religion was okay. he was 8 when i walked away; he was on the fast-track to becoming another little poster child for this cult, just like you and i were. It was around that time I discovered your channel in its early days. Now he’s 15 and we both appreciate your lyrics so much. Please continue creating this life-saving, life-affirming content; it can’t be said enough how much it’s needed. We will continue to show our support ❤
I can also relate to this. When I was in this religion, I thought many times about ending my life, but my two children stopped me from doing it. I felt so emotional emptiness and tired of doing the same things over and over and going to the meetings with a fake smile trying to convince others that I was happy. you are not supposed to be unhappy because that is an indication of being a spiritual weakness. I'm the only jehova witness in my family. I have not been disfeloship, I just stopped going to meetings and preaching. I raced my children as jehova witnesses even though none of them got baptized. I know there are good things that they learned, but my heart hurts when I realize that I deprived them of a normal life 😢 I still struggling with self-esteem, and it is difficult to have sincere friendship with people and I believe that my children go through the same due to the way I raced them 😢
When you asked if he wanted a relationship with his family, I just couldn’t help but cry. It’s heart wrenching when your family treats you as though you’re dead.
This was an excellent interview, our lives mirror each other Fifth. All I can say is pour yourself into your son, and show him what unconditional love looks like.
One of Michael Jackson's friends/employees talked about how he was pushed out of the JWs because they heard he was using a gun during the filming of the Smooth Criminal video. She said his mother called him after they called her and they said he had to give up show business or leave the faith. She said Micheal was so upset he was crying. He was already on thin ice with them after the Thriller video.
Thank you I’m a jw but I’m 16 and in the future I want to be a rapper and singer with morals of course 😂 but I appreciate your courage to follow your dreams 🙌🙌 keep up the good work and never give up 🎉 may be in the future we’ll collaborate 😊( I found out about you from your interview with the truth hurts) ❤❤❤
I was raised around the organization by my mother. Her mother served as a full-time pioneer until bad health stopped her. I didn't get baptized intill my early 30's. My wife a former Baptist got baptized with me. I grew within the organization and served as an elder for about 10 years and wife a full-time pioneer. We went in active for about 8 years. Went back for about 4 years before we finally wrote letters in March of this year to our congregation removing ourselves as JW'S. Mainly behind the wide spread CSA cases. Of course my family who are still in don't talk to us. And I'm totally fine with that. I knew that would come with it. I have found true happiness and joy in living the best life I can live with my wife and her family! Many thanks for this video and for what you are building for your son! Congrats🎉🎉🎉🎉!!!
Your personal waking up story was one of the most impactful stories I viewed when I first started waking up. Thank you Fifth for your activism, transparency and courage
FIFTHHHH!!! The pause💔….when asked about still wanting a relationship with your family…let me tell you something! You ARE my brother so you need to know you can reach out directly if you EVER go into your “darker” places and you need to be heard. So many of us still feel conflicted and “weird” about that topic. I’m raised in the Town so you know I know the mindset on allll of this interview. I know we chatted a couple years ago on Fb and at yoshis but hear me when I say…you betta call somebody when you get that “yuck in your gut”. This interview was AMAZING and you are so fortunate to have this long time friend to ask you these questions with so much empathy and understanding and support. You are loved and it shows in this young man. I’m soo proud of you but it’s ok to take your quiet time for yourself when you feel “uninspired”. I have some tips to share on how I cope so let’s chat when you’re ready. 🤩Awww!! Thanks for finally releasing this entire interview. (Cause I’m nosy like that😝). The people need you to “tow THIS Line”. 🤴🏾👑
I really appreciate it and yeah I definitely remember us chopping it up at yoshis a few years back, it’s always nice to know I have people close by that I can tap in with it 🙏🏿 💯 thanks for all of your support
I’ve listened to countless JW and exJW videos on YT and this was by far the best. I’m sure many people were blessed by your message and I pray that God will continue to bless you and your family.
I’m so happy you found a way to keep this upstanding man in your life without judgement he really cared about you and was a devoted friend, I love it ❤
Straight fire. As I was watching this I was thinking about how as JW’s we were told that the greatest satisfaction of life was to devote ourselves to this lifesaving work by evangelizing. Yet, we never felt like it was a truly satisfying and meaningful life to live. But now, you really HAVE saved lives and are currently saving and will save down the road. You can officially call yourself a pioneer now 😂 😂 out here in these streets blazing trails. Ok but for real… you’re truly making a name for yourself and I wish you and your family all the riches and desires that are out there for you. Live life to the fullest today!
Thank you Fifth ! ! 😃👍✨ Absolutely AWESOME interview! ! So good to hear from 5th again. I used to listen to his channel when I 1st started allowing myself to question and investigate things as a JW. Everything he stated about being raised a JW is 100% accurate. My situation was even more extreme. Thankfully I don’t have a JW family to shun me.
Great interview bro . I just left the jw after 24 years smh 3 months ago . I’m 29 now and I’m trying to get my wife out of it but it’s not working smh . Stay strong bro with the shunning bull smh . These exjw interviews give me so much courage bro yall don’t even know , my whole life I felt like I could never control my life I just felt like damn from birth my life is chose for me .
This guy describes me. Growing up as a witness was really f***ed up. We didn’t have a normal life growing up. We were robbed of our youth. Armageddon was pounded in my head, had me scared! Couldn’t have any girlfriend or be close with the females when I was younger. I’m 38 and now getting life together.
@@FIFTHofficial Reach out to him and stop him from going back haha. I know I've heard another rapper mention growing up a JW but I can't remember who that was. Something tells me it was one of the Luniz... but that could be incorrect.
Excellent interview Fifth and loved the camaraderie with Nate, so many memories flood back with a long friendship! The very best advice I can give if thinking of leaving JWs, or already left….make friends with school mates and or workmates, there are so many great people within your community, just leave yourself open. You will find so many will actually want to hear your story and will even help acclimate you to your new experiences. Keep yourself open to new healthy experiences and opportunities. And you set yourself up for success😊. In the JW world you are set up for failure 😢.
I was a true believer and doer, so you speak my story 100%. Now being out, have you thought about using your talents in some form of public service in a way that supports the black community? Your voice is strong and you have a way of dissecting information and issues in a way that people would definitely respond. BTW, I used to be offended by the comment that we would be in trouble outside JW. I was in university so yes my life took a turn, but not for the better secularly.
Listening to you share brought tears to my eyes..to know I’m among countless individuals trying to heal from this madness talking ab it is healing & to have this platform is priceless.. I’ve done therapy! Which has helped me a lot.. I’m still wrkn on me and I’m thankful for my decision to separate myself.
My best friend is a JW, and when I have voiced concerns about the org and disfellowshipping/shunning, he insisted that it was all blown out of proportion. I was told that all these people saying these things are jaded and exaggerating it. For the record, he is disfellowshipped for living a lifestyle the org does not approve of. He was baptized. His family doesn't shun him. I don't think he really knows what goes on within the org and I think his experience is not the norm for other baptized JWs. He also states that because I was not born into it or ever been a part of it, then I don't know or understand what goes on. I told him I find it hard to believe that all these thousands of people are lying about what is happening or has happened to them.
If I were disfellowshipped and still believed that the org was the true religion, I would say the same thing. It’s common for people who still believe to downplay it. I hope your friend figures it out soon. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏿
@@FIFTHofficial I hope he does too. He also has it in his head, "that this is the only organization I would be involved in, because of the love and support I feel," which is sad to me too. How can you feel loved and supported when you are disfellowshipped. It didn't dawn on me until after the conversation was over, that his entire faith apparently is based on emotions and feelings rather than facts on what the Bible and Jesus really teach
People are easily brainwashed in these religious cults.They are forbidden to question the teachings and to disagree.They are told to only look up information on their website. Totally controll!!
I was in for 30 years, just left last week! This man is 100% accurate and genuine as it gets. An excellent example of surviving the brutal tactics of a supposed loving organization. Frauds is what the governing body are.
Wow brother, as PIMO who is now trying to fade away, you story and music is helping me heal. Thank you. Asere mis respetos y un abrazo de un hermano cubano.
Appreciate this. Lots of similarities to my own experience. This is very helpful as there are many times people who left the org feel alone. Knowing there are others out there is one thing. Seeing you speaking in a positive way without trashing them is a good thing. Even if there are several areas the org doesn't deserve that respect. Kudos to you 💕👍
Great interview! You made me laugh a lot. It’s good for us to have a sense of humor about the insanity. Thank you for all you do for the EX JW community. You are helping a lot of people. They are leaving in droves. The real truth is starting to shine. ✨💫
even kids can get it! Growing up being told that every non jw was going to die. and I would ask even the kids and babies. and my mom would say if the parents aren't jw and since the goal was that everyone on earth will have a chance to hear and learn about jw"s then the kids and or babies would be just like the parents. but also being told the God is the most loving God who give this only begotten son for us 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃
@@FIFTHofficial idk if you remember me and my family because i was younger then you. but maybe you remember my brother demetrius he was my oldest brother he pasted in 2000 at 18 but he was closer to your age. I grow up with your family and back in the day your name came up alot in our family my stepdad be screaming at my brothers why can't his sons couldn't be more like you in the bay point/ Loveridge congragation you was the Example of the perfect jw son
@@lovenikkilove oh wow really? Of course I remember Demetrius that was such a sad situation I’m really sorry for your loss. Send me a message on IG @officialthefifth I know your fam very well
@@FIFTHofficial Im 52 yo but supporting not only you but your new family. Ex JDUB here and non apologetic. Not looking back. Look, it's tough and every day we heal know your not alone. Love and stick to those who love you and LIVE . Peace
on the point of being df i remember going to blockbuster and seeing the youngest daughter of the browns and she was maybe 18 19 and she was df and I wanted to run over and talk to her. but my mom stopped me and said she's df and no one can talk to her until she get back right with god and the elders. and I said If she cant talk to us and we can't have worldly friends how will she get closer to god. my mom never answered me. just told me that questions like that is why she df now
The GB of the Watchtower organization uses the skills and talents of people to do all their work for them whether its cleaning, construction, or doing research to find the information that they use to give to its members but call themselves the faithful and discreet slave.
Members working for free, Bethelites get a hot $130 per month...but the GB has property & stock portfolios worth 8 billion dollars! Follow the money trail and find the real truth.
no at 12 your not ready to take care of a wife but also when your 18 plus even if you can't take of a wife your encouraged marry but also don't get any extra education or training that will take you away from the meeting and fs because the more yall struggle the greater the blessing.
Good interview. He may of been a prodigy but not because he gave speeches/talks to the congregation at 5. They get all kids doing this as soon as they possibly can get them up there. It indoctrinates children and makes them feel special. It also teaches JWs that just because you say it, it is true... (How could a 5 year old possibly know what he is saying is true or not)
Been a witness now for over 17 years and I am amazed at the stuff some people say. Mostly I hear about people who dont want to live by Bible principals anymore so they look for things to give them a reason. Which I’m fine with but don’t go on RU-vid and exaggerate how things are done. I have been a police office, in the military and the JWs are the best people to be around. Simple fact is JWs don’t baptize babies, don’t get baptized unless you agree with their beliefs. Simple as not buying a car you don’t want to make payments on. lol.
Your channel was the first one I took seriously. Your JW record was clean but your parents still shunned you. I realized then that my parents behavior towards me had nothing to do with my teenage “rebellion” but that it really is a cult.
I think I might have met you in the Bay area when Portuguese was a pre-group. This was YEARS ago. We had the whole thing as a territory and basically went looking for Portuguese speakers: knock, knock fala Português? 😂 There was a sis who got bit in the rural territory, by a dog, because when I saw the dog and his ears warning us, I refused to get out the car and she tried to make herself look good by saying the angels would protect her. The angels were clearly on break 😂
😂 wow that’s crazy I don’t remember the dog bite incident. I think the first time I did anything with Portuguese was 2012 so if this was before then it would’ve been before my time
Visto en retrospectiva y conociendo los otros casos que ha llegado a presentar, además de otros canales de activistas que he visto, creo que no lo expulsaron porque les era "útil" ¿Dentro de su familia había quienes tuvieran privilegios altos?
Freedom always comes at a high price, but your free. The rules for celebrities with a big pocket do not apply. Can you imagine Serena W. wearing over the knees skirt, and preaching? Prince was too femenino to be accepted, but he donated. The hypocrisy in this cult never ends to amuse me. Eres libre!
Shunning is so unnatural ! I am shocked how intelligent people can be convinced this is of God! How can any God in his right mind say shun someone not because they left God but because they simply decided to worship in a different way then you do, so so sad
Nah cuz I’m 19 now…got baptized at 17…I was like playing with yall imma be poor if I don’t go to college…y’all said my Bible train conscience🤣Uni it is
I feel you, and I’ve been hearing more about that lately. In this interview I was more so referring to when people say they know a JW who left the org and is not shunned by their families. Usually it turns out that person wasn’t ever baptized.
Like me, sometimes you have a double life and the “worldly” friends know you’re a witness. They just don’t know that you’re considered bad association in the congregation and some surrounding congregations. I’m glad you’re out. 👊🏼
My man Fifth, I know it’s crazy what this religion has done to us but please don’t become part of the ones that stop believing in God or Jesus all together because we’re led astray. Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and/or life!! Make no mistake about it. I know it’s hard for us to believe these thing for obvious reasons. All I can say is that HELL is real and demons are real and Satan is real, surely we must understand that the opposite of all those thing is created