Reclaiming Personal Agency: Breaking Free from the Grip of Elders in the Jehovah's Witness Community 

I don’t understand “Depression”. Seems to me that this condition is invented and often used by so many these days.

Another great one. Only thing worse than working for a JW is renting from one.

PIMO Ministerial Servant Here.Coming to the Realization how the elders truly operate was one of the biggest Shocks in my life. I tell people all the time ,if the elders don’t like you the congregation will not like you.And you don’t have to do anything to warrant that attitude or behavior .If the right one(the one with the most Influence) of them have a problem with you the rest will follow. This is a wicked organization that allow men with strong mental illness Govern the lives of so many people under the false flag of love..I’m A advocate for DON’T TRUST I Repeat DON’T TRUST the elders. Psalms 146;3-4

This is what made me finally start researching online the Jehovah’s Witnesses- my 18 year old daughter’s clinical depression. A JW sister told me that I shouldn’t get my daughter a therapist because the therapist could blame her depression on the religion. That led me to wondering if the religion WAS behind the depression and so I started doing research. That research led us all out of the religion and my daughter is now on medication and doing great.

Diagnosed with MDD in March 2017 left the cult in May 2018. Anyone or couple who leaves these organization is a hero in my eyesight.

That man went through so much in the religion only to find out it wasnt the truth! May God bless him with peace of mind and happiness! Another great video from an amazing couple!

Hi JT & Lady Cee, this sounds so crazy! When you’ve been out for a while, you can really see the manipulation and how unqualified the elders are to deal with people’s problems! I’ve been out 9 years, I was 4th generation and was 42 years old when I left! I was able to escape because of my children! It’s a crazy story but I feel so free and it’s so nice to just do what you want on a Sunday, or stay in bed just because! I wish I had left a lot sooner, but the main thing is, I left! Everything is so FAKE with them, it’s great to be away! OMG! JT, when you said we were the outcasts! That’s exactly how we always felt growing up, we didn’t have a witness father and we always felt like there would be gatherings & parties and we were never included! It continued again with me as a grown up with my kids, I didn’t have a husband, he cheated on me so I left him. My son would try to talk to the ministerial servants & elders and make friends, he did have some success, he eventually found it wasn’t real so, we all left!🌺🌺🌺

When I was going through a rough time and went through a therapist thru my EAP at work, the therapist said the same thing! She told me to start examining everything including my beliefs to see where I could make changes to alleviate my anxiety! Eureka!! That's when I woke up!

i can totally relate to elders becoming suspicious when you’re depressed or have some depressive emotional disorder. their advice is always as the same- pray, go out in service . . . but nothing helps. They don’t help. They never recommend professional help. They judge you.

Another excellent interview with a truly wonderful couple. The elder’s “eunuch” comment had me almost scream out loud. The ignorance and arrogance of these elders. And I’m saying this as a former elder who had a similar attitude, sadly.

PIMO brother here, 40 years a watchtower slave. Musical artist here and went through the same crap with elders. Thank you Everett. Just purchased your album so encouraging. JT and Lady C thank you for having this interview. So much like my story.

I was suicidal and thank goodness I didn't listen to elders telling me to stop seeing psychologist. As usual the answer was go out in field service more. It was never the answer to my issues with depression.

I had ask a elders wife about going to therapy for my emotional issues and her response was that “ I had to be careful what I say and not to let them hypnotize me “ .

JT and Lady Cee! This one right here🔥🔥🔥 As a 56 year old former elder, I was having flashbacks. Woke up late 95 and after the District Convention in July 96, I walked away. One of the things that I disliked the most when I was an elder was the pretending to be a therapist/marriage counselor/attorney/judge. None of this was done from a true position of love. It was just an authoritative/dictatorial power struggle amongst a group of men seeing who could be most rigid and usually cold blooded. No fairness. No mercy. No understanding. VERY ungodly and certainly not Christian. Please continue to shine a bright light on this Billionaire Book Club. I wish I could actually meet you guys. Hopefully one day, post pandemic, there will be an Ex -JW cruise or something. Until then, Love, Peace and Blessings from the ATL!

My family was always “low class” as far as JW standards because my father was never an elder…I think he was briefly a ministerial servant, but that didn’t last long because he had his own construction business and didn’t want to dedicate so much time to the organization. My mom was a stay at home mom, but never was a regular pioneer. We rarely went out on Saturday morning service except when the CO was visiting. My sister and I were baptized late in their eyes (I was 17). So yeah, status is everything as far as how you are viewed in the congregation. You feel looked down on, or even pitied at times. I’m so glad my children & I don’t have to deal with that. So much stress & pressure is put on men to have status and women to marry a man with status, kids to get baptized young to give their all in their youth. I think this is why so much depression and anxiety exists within the organization. Always working your butt off and still feeling like it’s never enough.

I can't IMAGINE being a witness as an adult. I was out on my 18th birthday. My anger protected me and inspired me to get out asap. #NeverLookedBack

I usually don't get triggered by listening to the stories of those who have left the organization, but Everett's story brought back a flood of memories! That "religion" is such a CROCK!!! 😠😡🤬

This is amazing. God bless you all.

Love Everett's words at 48:00 let it go & we don't need to carry it with us anymore. If we keep going back to the trauma we are not truly free from it! AMEN!

Great point: Faith is not certainty but a journey a continuous search of the soul.

The elders favorite quote to me was: the reason you having problems in your marriage is either one or both of you not following Jehovah’s guidance. My husband was accused of child molestation of my daughter and they were trying to disfellowship me!! and they were treating him with kid gloves

Never tell the elders anything bad about yourself. They will hound you to do it. Watchtower will tell you to do it. But if you fall for the bait, you will be labelled and quarantined in some way (denied roles in the hall, disfellowshipped/reproved, called "Bad association" and other ways) and they will tell other elders and other congregations if you leave their hall. They will put in token effort to help (likely unhelpful ad bad advice), but their primary job is to protect Watchtower's interest and not yours. Everett told the elders he has depression. So, he was told to be a eunich and denied titles like Ministerial Servant - He was quarantined. I wish I knew this when I was going to the hall.

Excellent video!!! It's a complete shame those "brothers" put him through all of that - constantly jumping through their hoops. I'm happy they have found happiness!

Fantastic to hear Everett and Shardinea’s JW story! They have been through a war and SO mistreated by their JW families. It truly takes great courage for Everett and Shardinea to take the stand they have. It’s enormously hard for those raised in this organization and multi-generational to extract themselves and get to a point mentally where they can finally leave this organization behind. Everett’s music is really resonating and therapeutic and I, as a JW convert of 25+ years who has awoken and left, am all the more appreciative now of how hard of a struggle it is to leave this high control bullying group and remove the tentacles that watchtower implanted into us! Blessings of peace, happiness, comfort and joyful success to Everett and Shardinea and JT & Lady Cee!! Another terrific interview! The “mindset” “mentality” of watchtower is truly being exposed!

I listened to his album several weeks ago and shared it with other people, it’s a great album thank you Everett for sharing your music!

Thank you Shardinea & Everett for sharing your story. Unfortunately, your experience with the witnesses is so typical of what countless witnesses have experienced and continue to experience. It took real courage to share your story so I thank you once again. And of course a big shout out and much love to JT and Lady Cee for bringing us your story!

I really appreciated this video as I too have struggled with major depression and anxiety and was told pretty much the same thing my whole life... That I was spiritually weak and I needed to rely on Jehovah more and just pray. I never felt I could ever do enough and I also felt I wasn't as important as the ones pioneering and like I got forgotten about. I can't wait to listen to all of your music Everette! I played only one song and it quite literally touched my soul. Thank you so much for what you do! Don't stop making that music!

I have been WAITING to hear this story about @everettcarter & his wife FOREVER! so much I can relate to

Most of the elders in my congregation truly cared about me. They were mentally enslaved as well. Beautiful couple💕🙏🏾

I had to come back to comment how amazing Everett’s album is! You can feel his emotion. I will be listening on repeat! Everyone go listen!

Hi Everett and Shardinea, great interview. I can relate to many things in your story. It's almost unbelievable that the elders thought they had the right to tell you not to get married, and your willingness to accept their opinions highlights the undue influence that the organization imposes on the personal decisions of it's members. And the way that your (MS) Landlord treated you shows how easy it is to be taken advantage of, you even believed that it was a blessing from God! Your humility, faith and genuine love for God is heartwarming,

The elders are WTs law enforcement army. It's a twofold system that "rewards" the elder and keeps them in line and the rest of the congregation including the women who believe they have no say, fall in line!!

Hi, Jocelyn from Abq here… Thank you so much for sharing your story. Thanks JT & Lady Cee! I too was very depressed as a young pioneer sister. The only advice from the elders was to stay living with my parents and pioneer. Increase your “Kingdom” activities and everything will improve. I am listening to your album right now. I love it! I don’t feel so alone listening.

Great interview...that house needed to be condemned. Just disgusting and shameful smdh. I was sad, depressed, experiencing anxiety and I left I feel so much better. A true weight has been lifted

@48:25 what a beautiful expression

Thank you Lady Cee and JT for bringing us such a lovely couple! Thank you Shardinea and Everett for sharing your stories with us! 👍👍🥰❤️

YEEEEEEESSSSS! The Tower is Falling

I would never encourage my tenants to get on the roof work on plumbing or electrical issues in my properties. Madness, so many potential lawsuits!!

Brother jt and sister lady cee. Thank you 😊 , Love you

Omg lady cee looking fabulous!! I cannt fathom being treated like this! I had no idea those woth depression are talked to and judged. This floored me..wow

I just listened to his entire album, this man is truly gifted. He has a beautiful singing voice and his rapping is reminiscent to the flow of some of the greatest rappers I have ever listened to. In my opinion this album will be enjoyed by persons who are not deeply familiar with the JW's.nthe album is a work of genius.

You were the most spiritual trustworthy brother in the KH their lost and your gain, that MS with the house was a dishonest shady character, think the elders did not want the CO to see you they were in the wrong and knew it. You tried with all your problems you persevered because you believed, and have integrity. ❤ God got you out enjoy your freedom. Look forward to hearing your music brother all the best for you both. "I would rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that cannot be questioned."

PS what a great concept. “Embrace uncertainty.” We thought we had all the answers when we were in WT and if we had doubts we were branded as spiritually weak. Just the opposite! Thank you for sharing.

I really enjoyed this one. That dude is super cool, and I'll definitely listen to his album

I listened to the album and he really should turn his comments on so we can encourage him!!! Great work! Music is a power tool for getting the message out! He should know that his work is great!!!

My sister who is still a JW has been suffering panic attacks, anxiety and depression for 2 years. Her therapist told her the same that the religion was causing her issues…. That was the last time she went to that therapist. Some people don’t like the taste of the medicine. I pray one day she wakes up, her and my mother

I can't wait to become POMO so I can share my story as a 3rd overlapping generation JW.

Watchtower has Destroyed so many Lives!

Listen, Obey And Be Stressed..

In therapy one of the things I told my therapist was that I didn’t want her to think too negatively about my spiritual family. I used this analogy: Imagine that in your blood family you have that one crazy uncle “Uncle Henry” and your issues (and everyone’s issues tbh) stem from uncle Henry. So here I am complaining and having all sorts of issues with uncle Henry but if I tell on him I could make the whole family look bad. I don’t want that because I love my family and, other than uncle Henry, there are a lot of nice things about my family. So, I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression about my family because I am harping on about uncle Henry!! My therapist loved my analogy!! And she let me come to my own realization over time that all was not as I tried to make it. She so carefully and tactfully helped me as I unraveled myself away from JW. She watched me bawl my eyes out after I read Crisis of Conscience. I had gone to therapy on things completely unrelated to my religion but I’m so glad I was going when I did begin to wake up. Still pretty fresh out as I just woke up in June and I’m currently only faded. No one knows I’m no longer PIMI. This has been even harder because I feel like I’m pretending all the time and it’s so difficult. But my therapist has been a wonderful support. As have these awesome videos. Thank you.

JW is systemic dysfunction. This couple endured abuses at the hands of inept individuals not qualified to help address mental health issues. And the slum lord was allowed to practice as a MS is unspeakable. Wishing the couple continued well-being and blessings. Namaste.

Everyone! Listen to this man's album. It's very well done. Let's promote it and share it.

This is exactly what caused my mom to get disfellowshipped and made me quit afterward.

Everret you rock. I just listened to both your songs, Excommunication and Let Me Speak, my goodness, where were you in 1996 when I left this Organisation, these songs would have helped me a lot. Thanks to youur darling wife Shardinea, for her support and strength.

53:00 THIS! 🎤 This is exactly how I would summarize what I learned from exploring other religions. Going back to the Hall after hearing other preachers that when I found the right one, moved me to tears made me cringe when all I heard at the Sunday discourse was how bad other religions are and how great and so much more loving JWs are. JWs are focused on a hope that the Bible says “no man will know the day or hour”, other religions are trying to help people survive the current life we know we’re living, which makes sense because the Bible says “never be anxious about tomorrow, for each day has its own anxieties.”

Great interview. It's an unbelievable experience but, for those of us who have been there, totally believable. I worked at a company where an MS was employed. He was a complete ass hat also.

Life is a journey when you create your own paths! You don’t realize how unloving these people are until they keep showing you over and over again! Glad you both are moving right along with your life.

This a tragic and insane fact about a tragic situation in Nigeria: JW religion is killing . wesley's africa tv: Ailing Jehovah's Witness dies After Refusing Catholic Church Donation. With all their money they could not help one of their members?

You’ve put into words what I went through when I was under a dark spell for so many years. The overlap of issues, not being able to tell the therapist about the religion (knowing in my heart that I’d be disrespecting jehovahs name) I went round and round needing relief from the guilt. The only way to prevent suicide was to stay numb with pain pills. The day came when there wasn’t a medicine strong enough to stop the torture of depression. In my wise old age I figured it out, so thankful that your channel is available to people to heal.

Lady Cee $ Jay JT, your show is never the same but it always drive a point home. Thank you and thanks to Everret and Shardinea for sharing their unique experience, with pain, humour and eventually victory over domination by the WT.👊🏿👊🏿👊🏿

As I listened to your experiences and noticed your body language one to another, at first there was a distance but as the interview progressed you both became closer and closer. Just the catharsis of telling your respective stories was therapeutic, I'm so glad for you that you got out while you both are still young with your lives before you. Keep looking for that spirituality, you will find that we live in a universe ✨ teaming with life. As Jesus told his two disciples when they asked to be one at his right hand and one at his left, 'my father's house has many abodes'.

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, there’s always one more story that upsets me even more and about them. I’m so happy you broke free. There’s a lot of people walking around in this world that are mentally damaged. And a lot of them are in this organization or should I say book club

Hey brother and sister from my hometown 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

I've just listened to some of his music it's absolutely fascinating and very understanding of the faith of jws and the misery they make you feel .

Excellent interview. As to who's got it right? Perhaps no one has it completely right. Sometime in my early 20s i came to the conclusion that God and religion are two completely different things and each one can and does get along quite well without the other. But, then, I, too, may be wrong. JT and Lady Cee and Everett and Shardinea, God bless you all and I wish for you all the best.

Heard an interview with a JW who had military background along with fireman experience, told the elders he didn't recognize their authority over him and he walked out. They never dfd him or did anything.

It is prohibited to be a JW in Russia, it should also be prohibited in all countries (extreme cult)

Your experience with the elders is disturbing. It reminded me of the time my mom, who was a JW, invited a young couple to stay with her. She had extra space in her house. When they left I happened to be visiting and the condition they left her home in was unacceptable. Clutter, dirt etc even items they didn’t want were just left for us to take care of. Piles of unused WTs, dog eared and trashy. That really opened my eyes about the character of some elders. How could this be God’s org I asked? And yet it took me 10 more years to wake up.

You can love God and still do what you love.

Horrible how they demonize people who experience depression. Some elder told me I’d never get married because of depression. Married 15 years now- happily.

JT AND LADY CEE LOOKING GOOD!Keep up the good work!

I was raised a JW for many years. My gifted youngest son, followed his heart and started to play his music as a profession at the age of 17. Elders jumped on him saying you are a danger to other youths in the congregation. He took no notice and continued with his chosen profession. These elders asked him to come to a committee meeting. My sons nature is to stand up for himself, he did not bend to their will. He was ousted from the congregation. I feel sad for the remainder of the youths, it put fear into them. This was all about power play by the elders. He still plays professionally, and is happily married. Young ones, be good people, and stand up for your rights.

@14:33 this is blowing my mind!!!

@13:47 omg how can they possibly tell anyone to or not to get married! They impinged on our lives to the point of dictating our every movement. Unbelievable.

Amazing couple!! I’m sorry you went thru all this. You are both great!!

They wouldn't want me because I ask questions and know how to use a search engine.

I had elders tell me the same thing. They said the ministry was "the best therapy on earth" 🤮

Oh man I enjoyed this interview a lot. Everett went through similar things like me, I always worked hard to have privileges but never was enough, and it had to do with me being disfellowshipped when I was 18. I also learned that the elders will always believe first the person with the privileges already. Great video guys as always, hope you have Everett & Shardinea again on the channel for a part 2.

Great interview. And its not *where* do we go, but *Who* do we go to and that is Jesus. We worship God with spirit and truth, and pray for Holy Spirit to help us with understanding. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

Thank you. This was a great intreview.

Well, the Watchtower isn't wrong when it says the J-Dubs are the same worldwide. It doesn't matter where you live; as a J-Dub you will go through the same crap every other Witness does.

Shardinea’s comment where she realised that we are not worshipping God you are worshipping people is 💯. As for the accommodation issue that is a worldwide thing and it is usually an elder or min servant being the perpetrator. Years ago was at a gathering at a MS house whole congregation was there he had people living in a concrete shed at the bottom of his garden. So everyone was eating and a stream of people just walked in there somebody asked the person and they said they lived there! When I said that’s illegal I was told it was none of my business by the members who was there.

Great Job 👍 JT and LadyCee

fantastic interview! Thanks!

Wow a eunuch!!! That’s insane! I left the org when I was 16 and I stopped going out in field service even years before then. I feel like I lucked out bc I never had any of these experiences. Yikes. How horrible.

Yesss! I'm always waiting for the next upload.

Playing piano and singing.. Bless!! :)

@ 39:00. That was my family. Me and my single mother.

Great interview you all! Those elders did Everett so wrong, so happy he and Shardinea are out and getting or got therapy! Not only do they let Prince and Larry Graham do their music, but they interview Larry at their big assemblies on how he recruited Prince! Of course, they never say Prince's name, but we all knew who they were talking about. Never seen another interview like that, they even let him do what he wanted on stage, hamming it up big time. I think he needed to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond, IDK, or the years of being kissed up to got to him. It was so weird. All JWs need therapy, including poor Larry.

Dear Everett, I listened to your song and LOVED it. (side note, I'm not sure why it is described on RU-vid as explicit, since I didn't hear any 'explicit' words after listening 3x). Sometimes, I think God allows kind, eager and humble souls, as yourself & Shardinae, to be utterly deprived by this love-anemic, controlling organization, so that they finally MUST emancipate themselves. It hasn't and doesn't deserve your heart brother! An amazing book I've read on recapturing and deepening faith after leaving such a faith-shattering org. is 'Faith After Doubt' by Brian McLaren. Much love to you both!

I'm so very sorry this lovely couple had to endure this. They seem like down to earth wonderful people. I too went through something similar with my husband when we wanted to get married. Elders tried to stop us by insinuating we weren't ready and that we weren't allowed to have our ceremony in the Kingdom Hall because my now husband was into Martial Arts. We were attacked indirectly by the Elders at times when they'd be on the stage giving their talks. Elders in general, from what I saw and told myself at that time in my youth that they frowned upon anyone who demonstrated to have some sort of Talent/Gift and were immediately discouraged from pursuing any of that, they'd often criticized such people and accuse them of not being godly/spiritual. I always felt uneasy about this religion. I was almost convinced at point that i was the one with the problem. In my case, what didn't help was that I grew up in a household dictated by a Narcissistic, Psychopath of a Mother who controlled/manipulated everyone in the home starting with my father, and only brought us up in the religion so she wont have to spend any money on B-days, holidays, and have endless excuses as to why we couldn't participate in School activities or join the band, chorus, drama class etc. She'd tried to use some articles/biblical texts to kill any idea we might've had about wanting to join any of those things in school. At times, She'd be in league with the Elders just to get her way even though some of these elders didn't like her either. And oh how some of these Elders lie! The moment I confronted one of these elders a few years later about how wrong he treated my husband and I he flat out denied ever being involved and I completely cursed him out without a care in the world. By then I was fully awake. I reminded him he was just a man and definitely not a man of God, that we are different people today, we are no longer the young, naïve, manipulated/brainwashed individuals who they can intimidate and step on. Him and every Elder that did us wrong are fair game now. Boy was he shocked and did not know what to do with himself. He wasn't the only elder I confronted. People should keep this in mind always. Unfortunately though, some the sheep are mentally too far gone and too conditioned to see through all the bullshit. Once you stop giving these Elders power and put them in their place it feels so damn good. If these men were truly men of the Almighty they'd be doing things right and such problems wouldn't be an issue. The day my husband and I woke up was one of the best days of our lives, after meeting each other for the first time and getting married 2 1/2 years later.

I’m a psych registered nurse and Ive always thought the elders didn’t know what they were doing; giving advice on mental illness with absolutely no education or qualifications. Telling these men you’re depressed or experiencing mental health issues to them you’re not relying on Jehovah. They will write you off. I’ve seen it so many times smh. The thought process of most elders is just basic tbh.

My JW landlord was a slum lord as well ! Took my money and moved me into a rodent infested place I was told not to move because I was safer with witnesses in junk rather than going else where so glad to be free !!!

Another Great Interview , guys !! 😉 At one point , I actually found myself fluctuating between feelings of Anger 😠 and Depression 😔 . . Just being made Aware that there are STILL young ones ( and Older ones ) . . Going through this , on Account of These CHARLATANS !!! 😈 Looking forward to the Day , THEY are FINALLY REMOVED along with the Rest of FALSE RELIGION . . Once , and for All Time !!! 👏😄

Everett you are very talented.

Thank you so much for yet another great interview ⭐️😊

Great show!!

I'm glad to do you You need to write a book

Lady C's response to the eunuch comment had me cracking up, all due respect. Your weight loss is good

Job well done