"My parents had a meltdown at failing to brainwash my daughter" - with Cherie Clark-Spitzer 

That is a really important point you have made about them being able to penalise 2 consenting adults for engaging in sex, but sweep under the carpet all the child sexual abuse. Such hypocrites!

The more I hear ex-JW testimonies about breaking free of the cult, the happier I am that I never became involved in it.

It’s been six or seven years since I fully stopped attending meetings, but honestly I understand living day to day and accepting my death at ‘armageddon’. I had just told myself that I’d rather die in a world of things that make me happy, than suffer as a Jehovah’s Witness for whatever years remained only to CONTINUE suffering as a JW in the ‘paradise’. It’s fucked up.

It will take me a few days to pick up my jaw after hearing her say that her father physically attacked her for religious reasons.

It's awful that the parents blamed her for being assaulted. Also, the parents' nasty statement that "you put yourself in the situation" is a lie. If she had been a boy and gone to the same party and been attacked the same way, would the parents have said he had it coming? No one deserves assault.

I can’t understand how punishing someone when they’re at their most vulnerable could ever be considered loving, it’s so messed up.

Sometimes with a strong religious background, I believe we get into a self punishing cycle because of both guilt as well as a sense of failure.

This video was sent to me by my cousin asking me if I knew this young woman. I knew her when she was maybe 2 or 3. I knew her parents before leaving the organization. If I’m 100% honest it’s very triggering. We were in the same congregation when I was a teen. Very similar story with me and I have so much to say, I don’t know where to start. My heart goes out to her. I feel and experienced much of the same thing. Amazed by your strength and bravery for telling your story, Cherie. So glad you’re awake!

Yeah. Ex-jws, we’ve got to stop calling it “ the truth”.

It’s definitely a lot harder for people that are born into it. I can attest to that. Thanks to Cherie for sharing her story. ☺️

OMG! their double standard are outrageous. Serve it up as it suites them. 2 witness rull out the door when pore helpless babies are involved, sickening.!

Blaming victim...despicable! The man that killed my mother was put on trial by the State; his defending attorney kept blaming my mother with that "the woman in the little white car" terminology; as if to say if she hadn't been there in the wrong place at the wrong time he would not have run over her and killed her! Her fault!

DO NOT ever allow your daughter to go over to your parents' house again. It sounds like your father cannot get over his cognitive dissonance; he's holding on with all his might to the cult.

Teenage rebellion is a necessary stage of development for young people to separate themselves from their parental units. Of course, there is a healthy type of rebellion and an unhealthy way.

Growing up in this can really do a number on you...

The Governing Body always rules: It's the victim's fault.

Ministerial Servent requirements = pulse and a third leg

Yes, I love interviews.

when she calls it "the truth" oof triggering

I really enjoyed this interview. Despite everything she’s been through Cherie’s warmth shines through the screen. Good luck for the future xx

Their conditional love is showing. Whoo your father has some rage issues.

I hope one day I will be lucky to have conversations with you it's like a therapy I been out over 10 years but I just became free mentally like 2 months ago when I found your page

Guys tomorrow is gonna be awkward. In lieu of prayers (since Im a disfellowshipped atheist) maybe share a joke or a similar experience. I’m filling in tomorrow as a pediatric home health nurse for a JW family for their baby just home from the hospital. I haven’t been around witnesses since my judicial committee. My company made the huge mistake of telling them I AM a witness, because they thought that would help talk me up considering I understand the blood issue etc. I let the company know that is could be super awkward for the family and me, and not to share that I WAS a witness with anyone else. Man I feel better just sharing this with you guys. It’s been eating at me ALL DAY. Fingers crossed, good vibes and good luck whatever crap you want to send my way… as long as it’s atheist. Hahaha. Edit: The end of the shift I had a 40 minute conversation with the elder dad. I am now at home sobbing. I’ll comment on Lloyd’s next video or something. While I got across many good points. I’m just having to look at what I used to be in the mirror for the first time, has left me incredibly sad and angry at myself. It was like talking to my very recent self. I am grateful I have Resources to remind me that I was in a mind control cult. At the start of the shift I felt myself immediately go back to a submissive fearful state and just had to tell this elder whatever he asked me. But at the end of the shift even though I felt like I shared what makes me now an apostate, it just brings up huge amounts of self-loathing.

I believe Tibor IS gracious

Ah that is so amazing that Susan's story helped Cherie 🥰 I love knowing that your work is making such a difference Lloyd, well done everyone keep sharing the TRUTH

Really enjoyed this interview!! ❤️

I am pleased to hear she called the police

The Shepard book=. Organization Standards Operating Procedure (SOP)! Lloyd, Thanks for helping so many people wake up! Me included! Great interview!

I love how she described her waking up moment on her back yard. ❤️I think described many of us when she said she knew something was wrong and is not until everything click than she finally open her eyes and realize she is in a cult. Thanks for this interview.

I just L❤VED this whole interview, and I LOVE Cherie ❤ well done Cherie 👏

Obviously, one of the things that cults try to control is a person's sexuality (along with their thoughts, information, emotions); it goes to the core of who we are. People can be easily manipulated and shamed if who they have sex with and how and why is controlled by the cult.

The problem with JWs, and a lot of other religions in general, is that they tend to feel completely self-righteous in anything that they say or do, no matter how badly they are missing the mark. I still talk with my parents, even if I have walked away from their cult a long time ago (never baptized, luckily). My father is a huge narcissist and alcoholic. It never ceases to amaze how easy it is for him to play the holy man and be indignant whenever I point out what a crappy childhood I've had (well, the teenage years and my early twenties for sure) thanks to their fundamentalist beliefs and attempts at indoctrinating me. I'm then somehow made out to be the bad and misguided person that failed, not them. They say that I'm just bitter and angry, and to a large extent they are right. We as cult survivors have every right to be, as we've had decades of our lives stolen, possibly some of the most formative and important ones, too.

My soon-to-be-ex has had a meltdown for years because I, and our three children, have become everything the Watchtower says we shouldn't be: atheists, anti-JWs, one is non-binary, one is in the military, I didn't quit the military, and we've had college education of course... and we all oppose this religion more than any other because of the suffering it has brought us.

Thank you Cherie .. so very brave .. and your voice resonated with me so much .. you are a remarkable woman and you have many years ahead of you to enjoy the best things in life free from fear obligation and guilt... I wish you so much happiness for your future and the future of your daughter. Thank you for sharing your story 😌

This is beautiful. I love your vulnerability in this interview. The second your voice started breaking I lost it. Truly inspiring!!!

You are a very brave, honest and down-to-earth lady, Cherie :) How you managed to refrain from striking back at your dad is amazing, and he's lucky you did refrain! I wouldn't let my kids near someone as violent and abusive as that. Especially with the indoctrination as well; it seems as if the reason why they want to see your daughter is so they can indoctrinate her, not because she's their own flesh and blood. It doesn't matter how much you ask them, nor how much they agree, to stopping talking religion with her, they will continue to do it. They will. Search your feelings, you know it to be true :) Keep your young lady away from them, unless you are 100% there to supervise. They need to learn that their behaviour is neither normal nor acceptable.

I completely relate to Cherie, they made me feel like an imposter in my own family just for having my own thoughts.

I was never baptised, luckily, anyway, i like a week ago, asked my old jw friend how is he doing, he didnt even answer well, and then tried to brainwash me to come back to jw, it was so weird…

When she said "do over" daughter I felt that. I was my grandparents "do over" daughter to the point some people thought I was their actual daughter when we went to other kingdom halls.

WOW, incredible, unbelievable, your story Cherie has exposed the Hipocracy behind this cult and how it divides and destroys families. You're a very powerful and strong woman Cherie, you have overcome some insane obsticles and I hope that you and your daughter have a wonderful and beautiful life outside of this cult. I'll take your story to heart Cherie and I wish you the best in life, and enjoy many beautiful blessings beyond this cult. I was in this organization for 38 years of my life, I'm now POMO, I've been out for over three years already and I'm never going back EVER. Thanks for telling your story Cherie , and Lloyd thank you for another wonderful interview, about someone who was born into the witnesses and left this religion later on in their lives, just like me. Keep the interviews coming Lloyd, I love them.

Don't hold your breath Cherie waiting for any witness to call out of concern! After many decades in that organization ... not one jw gave me a call! Strangely those cult members don't even ask WHY we leave! Congratulations on your final escape, all the best to you~

I lived a similar physical assault from my jw wife only because I didn't want to post a comment about a picture she shared in a family group. I went to the police. I can't understand how they speak so very kindly to people outside and mistreat their supposed loved ones.

Sadly Cherie needs to look at her parents the same way adult children of addicts have to look at their parents. She can love her parents, but because they are involved in a cult they're unable to be parents or grandparents.

I wish Lloyd could give my parents a stern talking to.

Lloyd, all your videos are worthy in their own right but man, your conversations with exJW women are the absolute creme de la creme of your work and your conversation with Cherie is quite simply the pinnacle of your work to date. This is instructive on so very many levels. It is a powerful window into women’s experience of this archly patriarchal organization: Men lording it over women and children, seeing everything from the male-rulers frame of reference, oblivious and/or uncaring of the impact of their patriarchal dictates on women. You and Cherie have said it well: Judicial committees in which “immorality” is the hot topic are ruthlessly male-oriented in which often very young baptised women (some still children!) feel violated and further abused. That these men have little, if any awareness of their dreadful impact on women is a powerful indicator of how totally immersed in their patriarchy they are. Women who go through the judicial-committee mill often end up being blamed - including for the disgusting things men have done to them. This video will be so helpful to so many people - including of course males - and help them see the arrogant men pulling strings behind the illusory curtain. Excellent, excellent work!

Thank you for sharing your story which in many ways mirrors my own. I’m trying to move forward, difficult.

I really appreciated Lloyd's interview with Cherie Clark-Spitzer. I'm so sorry to hear about how she was sexually assaulted at a party and her one female "friend" acted like it was no big deal. That detail really upset me. No, rape is a big deal and it can never be consensual. I did like how she talked about doing a bit of storm spotting for her local weather TV network channel when she lived in Hawaii. I've always thought it would be interesting to be a storm chaser and chase tornadoes in particular, but I don't think meteorological societies really fund that kind of work because it is so very, very dangerous. In fact, some years ago, three storm chasers with years worth of experience were killed while pursing an F-5 twister. I've also had a bit of fear of tornadoes because when my parents and I would visit and stay overnight or for a few days, maybe even a week with some of our relatives in Southern States -- I was always worried about a storm outbreak developing. Some of my relatives have experienced first-hand what it is like to be in these storms. My JW great-grandparents told me stories about what happened during the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, the deadliest tornadic storm in American history, when I was a very young child. Now, my great-grandparents and my JW grandparents were not directly involved with the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, but they remembered when it happened. It was an awful tragedy, and not very many people in the United States, and people living in other countries probably less so, have ever even heard of it -- which is why it is sometimes referred to as "the forgotten storm." I am glad that while working in marketing in the healthcare industry that Cherie was able to find another job after she was fired. The COVID-19 pandemic has been so hard on nearly everyone in one way or another. No doubt this pandemic's global impact will be debated by historians for years to come. It truly frightens me with all this anti-vaccine propaganda going around. I'm disgusted that Cherie was practically blamed for being raped by her JW Elders. Elders often don't treat victims of child sexual abuse any better either. A few years back, Lloyd, commented about a video that gained a bit of popularity on RU-vid of an ex-JW young lady who knew at least three other young women who were sexually assaulted when they were still JWs, and not one of them received any support from their religious community. These women found support and comfort amongst people outside of the Organization, you know, the "worldly" people who only care about "sinning" and other stuff. The part of Cherie's story when she talks about the responses to the abuse she endured at the hands of her attacker, man, that story got me so heated.

I did not expect to come out of this interview wanting to cry. Pimo attempting to leave for the sake of my toddlers and it brought back so many memories of my teen years. My now elder father was physically abusive with me several times over my rebelliousness. To the point where I went to school the next day with bruises so badly I was walking with a limp and struggling to sit down at my desk. The belt and I became very familiar with each other that year. One day in the future I would love to shine light on all of the abuse I endured from both of my seemingly perfect Christian parents. I feel like it has to be very commonly hidden along with the SA within the organization. At one time I was convinced if I told on him he would lose his privileges. Now I realize it probably wouldn’t have even mattered nor been reported.

Really great interview Cherie. Very emotional and raw. Glad to hear you have come out of this on the better side and sorry to hear the things you had to go through.

I can relate. If I didn’t put myself in that situation it wouldn’t have happened. I blamed myself for so long and sometimes still do. The amount of therapy I need man lol

its scary hearing ex witness still using THE TRUTH to describe jw, I am so glad i escaped before i got used to calling it the truth

What a lovely lady you are Cherie, thank-you for sharing some of your story with us. Well handled Lloyd.

Thank you Chérie for sharing your story…I can relate. Similarly to you Steven Hassan’s BITE model put meaning into JW indoctrination, as well as Bonnie Zieman’s « EXiting the JW Cult - A Healing Handbook » I had the same reaction as you!! By the way, your name in French means « cherished » it’s used as a term of endearment. Believe this! 💜♥️

Omg, "set up for failure" hit me so hard. I was on my own at 15. I've been working since I was 10. The money I earned while working in their restaurant went to my care; clothes, school supplies, food. I had no preparation for life. My college money was taken for my "care" in highschool. It's only now at 41 that I'm feeling I can even fully recognize the abuse.

I will always love a good pandemic wake up story b/c I share in that experience. When she got chocked up as she expressed how grateful she was to find Lloyd's channel at the right time of distress and confusion, I feel the same way every time I reflect on my shocking moment of awakening. Great points here like making every effort to get rid of WT labels. You do not have to confess or always tell the truth to company men. Just refuse to reply, play the word game or just lie like the fake religious leaders. And yes, really research and work on yourself before submitting a reinstatement b/c things are not working out for you in the world.

Great interview, good to hear what goes on in that toxic Cult

Great job, Cherie! You're so right, everyone wakes up differently and at different speeds, POMI is a broad spectrum too.

Cherie, I'm so proud of you. Now you can fully live life and discover the true potential that you have inside you

Oh my this interview was a journey! Had my mouth agape and shouting at my screen! Thank you for sharing your story 💕

I relate sooo much to your story! It is so similar to my own. I left as a teenager and then went back in my early 20s for about 4 years because I was a single mom and my family told me they would support me if I came back to the JWs. I relate to that constantly being told I was bad and a problem and like my family was always just waiting for me to screw up again. I appreciate so much your courage telling your story. I feel less alone knowing there is someone out there with a similar story.

Love the overhead cam shots! The bunker looks very spacious! Love this interview, I could relate to being physically out but still holding onto indoctrination for years! It's good to have theses resources like your channel thank you Lloyd for your hard work!

Commenting to help Lloyd. ✌🏼❤️ from Philly.

I can't say I'm a young women with a baby on the way, however I really could relate to one aspect of this story. That is, how this organization makes you feel. When I was a teenager I wanted to hang out with my friends and go skateboarding and this was not what my fully indoctrinated mom wanted for me. Because of this I was constantly made to feel there was something wrong with me and that I wasn't good enough. Because of that I just got worse until I left home. Looking back I just think it's shameful how the religion treats people, they should never be aloud to call themselves a loving organization, they are anything but. And thanks to Cherie for sharing her story!

I had a mother who was a rabid jw. I realized early that she would never respect my boundaries, so I had to patrol them. We never left the children alone with her. When she visited, the watchtowers etc had to stay in her car. She would still test the limits of the boundaries. One occasion she was staying with us because their circuit assembly location was close to us. These assemblies were always at the same time as one of the children’s birthdays. When the table was set for the kid’s’ birthday party, which she offered to lay, I noticed that all of the napkins were folded so the birthday message was inside and only the plain area was visible. Petty and ridiculous but what do you expect from a cult member 🤷🏻‍♂️

Good. I hope that stay melted down to the extent that they leave this evil cult. Well done daughter

I’d give my entire paycheck just to speak to you one on one Lloyd, not on RU-vid tho. I just don’t know what to do but your videos truly so help

Fantastic interview the female perspective of most major religious groups is fascinating There’s literally no incentive for most woman to be apart of most religions This is like generations of indoctrination on her part definitely not mad at her calling it truth but clearly it’s triggering for some It’s terrible that she didn’t get to live her life fully until she became an adult but I love her spirit of standing up and keeping it moving and not passing the bs to her daughter 😉

Now you have opened your eyes , an no longer living in fear / as did Gordon Maxwell ,have you been InTouch with him !!!!!!!!

I had a friend who was a jw and i didnt know they werent worldly ppl until later on and when i saw her dad he gave a hateful stare but then later she left and became a pagan. Then a former manager of mine is a jw and i was the only nonwhite person and he questioned me about taking gloves from work and a few other things so i eventually quit cause i wasnt even allowed to drink coffee cause he assumed it would counteract with my meds which i in turn asked my doctor he said no it wouldnt. So then i just left cause i couldnt take it anymore

Your story was very triggering for me because I related to so much of what you expressed. Thank you for sharing your story.💞

Your story is so much like mine. I was baptized at 18 years old. I was publicly reproved at 17 for being raped. The guy was was a 21 year and baptized. He was disfellowshipped. Out of guilt I got baptized when I was 18

I wonder if she is from Bentonville AR, I have family in that area that she might know.

Love her interview!

Love this video. Thank you for sharing your story,

~if thats all you know thats what your constantly straving for~ dont look at the man behind the curtain.. i felt this way for so long....never baptized thank my lucky stars.but i was born in studied with different elders on and off my whole life totally believed it was the truth i just wasnt getting it....so glad i found Lloyd and the truth hurts, falling tower literally saved me from this toxic org.

Me too!! Zoom meetings and the pandemic gave so many of us space from the indoctrination and time to think for ourselves

we were taught to fight back to a rape; i was in a robbery situation when i was young and the person with the gun told me to lie down and the only thing that went thru my mind was to resist, so i ran and luckily i lived through it

I love Akan-sis, makes me laugh every time.

I did enjoy the interview.

I can pinpoint the actual moment I woke up from a lifetime of indoctrination 4 years ago. It was like you Cherie, reading Steven Hassan's BITE model 🙏 Only then did I allow myself to research the religion my parents had chosen for me, the result being it was like a game of Jenga, it all came crashing down at breathtaking speed! Best wishes from the UK enjoy all the firsts xx

16:20 makes me want to punch a wall.

Fantastic point Lloyd on the two witnesses rule for children but not for adults again more proof of how twisted this religion is and the complete and utter hypocrisy!

I’m in the process of FINALLY disfellowshipping myself, and I was wondering if I was the only one who’s gone through this. I should have known!!! I think we all go through it 🤷🏼‍♀️ I had to hit my absolute rock bottoms to get to this point, but it’s definitely been worth it. 39 years of HEAVY indoctrination doesn’t just ‘fall away’. It’s a process…

My family is the same way. They are not model witnesses at all yet vehemently defend the org as if they were. I think it's guilt driven, they know they don't live up fully to the JW standards so lashing out and defending the org is there way of "making up" for that.

Great video 👍🤩😍Enjoy your freedom and your critical thinking skills. You are a very smart woman cheers 🥂😁

We enjoyed this interview immensely. What a smart lady that presents her thoughts so well. Maybe her parents will wake up someday. Her father made a terrible mistake by assaulting her, didn't he? Sounds like it might have been her calling the religion a "cult" that was the trigger. Jay-dubs get very defensive when the term "cult" is used about them - I think because they're scared to death of admitting that it is not only true, in fact, there is no term more fitting for the group. Regardless of what the trigger was, he needs to be held accountable for his actions and seek professional help for his mental health problems, real help, from someone other than the uneducated jay-dub elders.

Man, when she started talking about not being able to get past that first layer of feelings (due to indoctrination) hit hard.

Schofield Barracks, HI. I was there from 2012-2015.

It's not "the Truth." Please, stop calling it that.

Ugh all they wanted to talk about in the judicial meeting was wether or not two consenting adults potentially shared an intimate moment, when she’s asking them for help…Idk how she didn’t just call them sleezballs and storm out of the meeting

At several parts of this interview I felt like you were talking about me.

Weird, my first df was in 2013. And I too lost my job Jan 1 2020. Must have been something in the water during those times lol

Christ very specifically commands his followers/disciples to love him more than their parents/children. That's what we generally call narcissism.

Is there a way to contact her?

I don't know if anyone else had this issue, but I kept checking out at the persistent euphemisms. "Making bad choices" doesn't share the story, especially if the person is still steeped in the cult lingo. Maybe I'd agree that there were a lot of bad choices in there, maybe I wouldn't. But I can't know if it's just swept under the rug of euphemism (hard drugs or pot? alcoholism or a few beers? unsafe sex or premarital sex? S&M orgies or dinner parties? trusting untrustworthy people? - the choice to betray my trust is _theirs_ ). So I just found, "I don't know what she's talking about" and couldn't keep watching. But I'm so glad she got out and didn't raise her daughter in it. I hope she gets to the point where she doesn't have so much shame about the past that she can't talk about it. (Not that she necessarily will want to share that on RU-vid when she does. Just I felt that the euphemisms were motivated by the same thing as calling JW "the Truth" -- habit and programming.)

The pervert vibes i get everytime i hear about the disfellowship room of shame and how the sex parts are mostly what they wanna hear about. Yukk

Thank u Cherie for sharing with us and I’m so sorry for all u had to go through but this is typical of most jw complete hypocrites

I’m so happy that members of this cult are waking up.

Hey Lloyd, not sure where to leave a voice mail. But I need your take on this....... if you don't mind. I was raised a 3 generation JW. I was pimo for a few years before I walked of the KH for the last time. I brought 3 young wonderful children, my husband was "worldly." No body ever spoke to me or my tiny ones! It tore my heart in two. Now I find myself as the only caretaker of my 88 year old dad. He does all the Zoom meetings and letter writing He is extremely sad and depressed every day At least he use to have meetings to attend.1 My dad was an elder for years. My mom passed away 13 years ago. My brother committed suicide in 1999. My twin sister died one year ago because my dad refused blood for her, while she was unconscious. So here... I am getting a vibe that he is questioning and has lost the false hope of the resurrection. He lives every moment yearning to soon see his wife and kids again. He is so old...but like made older, by waiting for the new system for 66 years. Do you think that in his heart he is struggling and might realize he's been lied to?

They acted just like Jesus did when speaking to apostate Jews, right? I'm really sorry for what you've been through....horrific.