Introverted in a High-Control World: The Struggles of a Jehovah's Witness 

I'm very introverted and hated every aspect about being a JW. I don't know how I got caught up in it for 16 years. I faded 18 years ago. Thank you Falon and Jason.

I am shy and introverted. When I was a JW I was called spiritually weak. The so called Elders would tell sisters who asked about me to leave me alone because I wasn’t doing anything with the so called truth. I never gave a comment at a JW meeting. I rarely went out in field service. Perhaps 12 or 13 times in a 20 year period. Finally I stopped attending their meetings and woke up to this scam.

It's great to see more & more former members exposing watchtower.

I love your show so much. I was a young person in the late 70's early 80's. I never heard of a person being introverted. I didn't know what was wrong with me and why everything drained me. There were so many days all I could think of was getting home crawling into my closet and hiding just to decompress. I never did that and I thought I was crazy for even having that thought. Now I know being around people just drained me so much. Especially being around crazy. I have so many stories. One time I was out in service with this extremely zealous brother, he was in his late 30's I was in my late teens. He spent the whole time just berating me because I was not speaking well enough at the doors, I was " killing people" because I was not prepared enough. Well I was working at Wendy's hamburgers at the time part time trying to pioneer. I was so stressed out that day that after a while of him doing that to me, a lady came to the door, and I just spit out Wendy's old-fashioned hamburgers can I help you please. I thought he was going to have a stroke and I was mortified, I was embarrassed for years after that being so stupid, now I realize I was just very human 😢 In our area and I think it is blanket policy because even the latest assembly has it with the wives always sitting in the back and the men always sit in the front of the car. I hated it. First it was my car, I paid for it before we were married. My husband was an elder and pioneer and worked part-time. Anyway I honestly didn't know that was a huge thing until after we were married. I always had to sit in the middle of the backseat as the sister's were heavier then I was, and they always pointed out it was easier for me to sit in the middle than them. I hated it. I didn't have air conditioning and we always worked in the country long drives with all these people that hated me and I sat in the middle. Oh the good times 😩 Then there were the true mentally ill. Like the brother that heard voices while we were at the door. That was actually scary. Or the brother who refused to bath, I honestly thought I was going to throw up. Not to mention you never knew who was going to open the door and what they were going to say. It never was as smooth as the service meeting portrayed. I hate it the trinity, I could never refute it no matter how much I prepared. I was always slammed and shamed for how horrible I was. One time a pioneer sister my age asked me in front of all the other pioneers there were 10 of us what good did I do at the door. I just froze like a deer in the headlights and she wouldn't stop, she just kept at me demanding an answer and all the other pioneers just stared at me, no one came to my defense. I finally muttered that I didn't do any good. She said yes and why did I even try then? Oh the good times. I still shake remembering that day. Then being a elder and the only elder my husband was gone all the time, we didn't have anniversaries, date nights, anything. All meetings I sat by myself and assemblies conventions whatever they're called I was as always by myself. I was shamed so much from the way I walked, to the way I talked to who I was as a person. I just love now knowing I was not alone. .

As a teacher, I saw the struggle of parents with a child with autism or some sort of social anxiety... Marked as 'spiritually weak', they frequently were depressed...😢

In June 1994 An elder physically thumped me on the back of the head with a rolled up Watchtower magazine. He whispered, "Why don't you comment anymore? You need to make comments! Don't you want your mother to find you after her resurrection?" I was 30 years old. My faithful generous JW mother had died the week before. That was the day I was done with Watchtower’s control over me. There had been cumulative small cracks in my JW beliefs, but that damning "thump" broke the dam and I never returned to a kingdom hall as a JW. BTW my sister, who was a JW left too!

Anyone else have PTSD around Tuesday and Thursday evenings?

I remember 5-day district assemblies back in the 1970s

I just stumbled onto you guys last week and am loving your content. It’s a balanced approach, which I appreciate. I’m just at the very start of my journey and I’m trying to soak up all I can. Thank you 😊

Keep up the good work exposing this cult for what it is!

Just found this channel. Makes me so happy to see people wake up!

I agree I hated service parts the whole thing 😂 Great video ❤

Wow....I had no idea that being a JW was that stressful for some people. I'm fairly extroverted so it was very confusing to hear you guys talk about hating the crowds at conventions. Honestly the conventions were my favorite thing about being JW. Still horribly boring and tedious. But at least I got to be anonymous in a crowd. And I very often got to make new friends for the weekend when I was there. But even as an extrovert there was nothing fun about preaching or giving talks.

As an asocial introvert, this would feel like Hell to me.

I use 'gatherings' as a place to get out of my home, that's it.Once, somebody tries to talk to me, I tune out.Not to be mean but, it’s the same conversations just different person &/or setting. Assemblies/conventions just bore me to sleep.And, field service, HATED it, still do.(Coming from a introverted PIMO)

8:54 I am really happy to find your channel. Been watching your stuff for the past week! So, I recall this lady in my congregation - she came to all the meetings. Never commented. Never went out in service. Wasn't baptized (This was around 2010. I started waking up in 2011 and by 2012 I was done). The elders had told her she could not comment because they "had studied every book with her and she would not get baptized." My very awake baby brother & I saw her at the grocery store. I told him the situation. He looked at me and said "well maybe that works for her." This was the very beginning of the end for me. A light bulb popped on. Love your channel and I am now following you on IG. These conversations are so transparent and you are showing everyone how we can just BE. Respect each other. Respect our beliefs. And the REALITY that we don't always agree. The exJW community can get toxic and what you're doing is relevant and necessary. Thank you! 🙏🏽❤️

6:16 this is why I created an anonymous RU-vid channel with a ridiculous email, they’re still the risk of being caught, but it’s smaller, I appreciate you acknowledging that because not everyone does

I actually had to gear myself up for meetings and as an elders wife felt I had to be social, came home emotionally exhausted each time. On Friday nights I could hardly sleep with anxiety and was actually sick each Saturday morning heading out, as well as trying to encourage my kids! We to leave the oranisation to protect my mental health, never looked back.

I’ve forgotten about the ding if you went over. Being on stage pretending to have a Bible study was a lot for me. Thank God we never had to face the audience. Every-time we went out in service, I would pray that no one came to the door when it was mine time to talk. Family study was a nightmare because my father was so windy. If we’re supposed to study for an hr, why has 2hrs past and we’re still on paragraph 1…… The songs that were song were so humdrum.

One day, no questions, repetition, no true friends, stops making sense.

I'm a COMPLETE EXTROVERT and I ALWAYS despised the ministry and was born and raised in from the very early 70s!!! Didn't wake up until I was 46. It was because I didn't like trying to push beliefs on others. Plus I didn't ever feel comfortable walking onto personal property without permission from the property owner. So even those of us that didn't have trouble talking with ppl generally speaking, often struggled with the ministry in various ways. My husband and daughter are totally introverted and they said the same thing... meetings and service were just EXHAUSTING. Plus my husband was a MS for years (they kept begging him to become an elder and he said no over and over!) and very used within the congregation and had to deal with many people in the congregation at every meeting. He is such a nice person normally, but was miserable on Saturday service, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday meetings. I only got my happy, REAL husband Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 😣 And assemblies and conventions... 😮‍💨 He was just unbearable! Poor guy! Great video as always Falon and Jason!

One more experience I just remembered. There was a very prominent elder who gave a talk at the circuit assembly. He started it by saying have you ever woken up on a Saturday morning and thought I would just like to stay in bed I do not want to go out in service. If you have you're only human. He got in so much trouble for saying that, that he was banned from giving talks for a couple years. He's now in his late sixties and as strong as ever in the religion or I like to call it the cult. I love your experience as a sister who said I hate it. After that brother got in so much trouble I was so afraid to speak my mind. 😢 It's all so very crazy.

I think you can make your subscriptions private on youtube.

@21:30 Only Watchtower could be mad at children for learning history and studying the Bible 😂. That's the best thing I've heard all week and I love it 🎉

Egad! I joined late! Can you please repeat everything I missed?

Maybe I will never understand how parents could subject their children to this all-inclusive cruelty. Don't they have any effing sense? I mean, what kind of people are they? And you know what? At some point, we need to stop saying "the organization" did this and that. No, the parents forced their children to do all these humiiating, self-destroying, stupid things, and why? Because they read a bunch of tripe that wouldn't pass muster except with people who fanatically wanted to believe it, no matter what it did to their children.

Who has ever as a kid gone in door-to-door ministry as a JW and pretended to knock on the door I have 😏🤣🤣🤣until my father who was a Elder caught on to what we were doing I am so happy I'm no longer a part of this religion and I have the no trespassing signs on my property on purpose I don't miss The Uninvited company and that was one of my mother's rules house always had to be OnPoint and clean because you never know what brother and sister might decide to stop by unannounced my rule as an adult is do not stop by my home without calling end of story!😮

I'm sorry, but your teacher played you perfectly. 😂😂😂

JW days were the worst days of my life

Most scholars believe that Jesus was born between 6 and 4 BC, and that Jesus' preaching began around AD 27-29. But It has been claimed that Jehovah was the invention of a Spanish monk (Raymundus Martini) in 1270 by inserting (incorrectly) the consonants (obviously this is an error -- the author probably meant "vowels") for the words often transliterated as "Elohim" and "Adonai" in between the four Hebrew letters representing the tetragrammaton of God's Holy Name in Hebrew, which he, as it has been asserted, "translated into 'Jehova' or 'Jehovah'". Such often claim that "Jehovah is a false name" "made up by a Catholic monk". ( So if Jehovah is a false name so are the one who witness for this false hood ) ( NWT ) Romans 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” ( So who ever calls on this false name will be saved )

you should of say yah me too

Really wondering, that people out there still open their doors and listen to all that cult nonsense from strange JW´s people. Never would them allow to steel my time.

Mrs. Crabapple?

Hebrews 1:5-14 NKJV KJV NIV NLT NKJV ESV For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.” But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.” But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

I read "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" and it pretty much kicked my waking up into high gear. There's a chapter narrated by someone introverted who were a part of charismatic church and how they felt all of it being completelly alien... I never read someone describe my life with such precision. WT simply does not acknowledge introverted people and subjects us to daily torture or the nervous system.

Hi! I'm exJW(faded) from Urkaine. Since I quit going to congregation, I lost all my friends and family and suffering from social isolation from society since the beginning of the war. Need some help or advice. If you want contact with me, just leave here you FB.

For me, I always had an outgoing personality. When I was a fully-in JW I was always social, and I was sincere in getting to know people. Even the "outcasts" in the congregation, I would take a personal interest in. But as I started questioning and waking up, I could sense myself becoming more and more withdrawn. By the time I fully woke up and stopped going to meetings, I could barely function on a social level. My social battery is incredibly shallow now. After waking up, I feel like I'm shell of who I used to be socially, and I'm constantly aware of it. 🫤

I’ll never forget I got assigned a talk about zerubabbel. Setting: informal witnessing. Counsel point: use of visual aids What????? For real? That’s about the same time my panic attacks started happening. And my school overseer would tell me “I assign these to you because I know you can handle it and love a challenge” 🫤