I’m a born in JW but I left the org when I was 25. My daughter was starting kindergarten and I didn’t want her having the warped childhood I had. I relate to this episode on so many levels. Being taken in that stupid back room to be interrogated is one of the most traumatic things I’ve ever experienced.
I had one of those interrogation it was ridiculous and traumatic that’s when I decided I wasn’t going back at all. It’s really is nobody’s business what I did I was finally free from their nonsense.
I can relate to this so much nobody has a sense of self in this organization and you are set up to fail from the beginning and they don’t even try to build up someone self-esteem or confidence in any way whatsoever. The fear, guilt, and shame was ridiculous how they intimidate and bully people into staying because Armageddon will happen at any time.
Awesome interview. I like the point he brought up about "Do enough to keep the Elders off your back". That's so true because Elders sometimes can ring the phone off the hook like a debt collector.
Wow! What an honest and insightful and interview. Really appreciated your willingness to share your experience with us Eric. So much food for thought! Excellent interview as always Vevian. Big thanks to both of you and greetings from Australia.
I hated going out in service also. Being a MS is boring and miserable. I didn't mind reading the watchtower on Sundays and the Tuesday meetings weren't that bad but the second Thursday meeting was so boring.
I used to think are we going to hear "let's turn to the Book Of Job" forever? As a teenager the music oh the boring the music just gave me chills to think about. I pictured building an underground studio where I would be able to listen to hard rock lol. The crazy crap we had to deal with because of these hillbillies. @@christinesotelo7655
You’re bang on mate re the hypnotic state and they way they speak. They use the same expressions even the interviews are robotic and unnatural. It’s a script. No one talks like this . Great job guys
Man, I can relate to this in so many ways, a few yrs later as for divorce 35 for my part but that feeling of who am I now? Total cut off, no support. You realize what a farse it all was, in my youth I felt the same way of like what this is as far as belief, is it mine or am I being told. Just members only club the notion of God/forgiveness/ is far detached in the grand scheme of things. It is a corporation cloaked in religion to keep the followers fooled into service. As far as young marriages, there is a high rate of cheating that's not spoken of within the organization.
Another great video Vevian and Eric's summation about the realities of not being able to research this organisation's teachings was what we all know but he just put it into such a great context and it's like just another light bulb moment for us all despite how long we have been out. For me with family still in it really gives food for thought and sharing. Thanks, Eric and power to you!!
Good for him for putting the elders in their place and realizing that they have no power over him. I never connected with the organization either, so I get it. The best gift he could have ever given his daughter was leaving the cult. Another great interview.
When the Jehovah's Witnesses came to my door, I was surprised that I wasn't told to change my name. Every single thing, seems to be 'bad '( Birthdays, Holidays, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc). -' Jehovah's Witness ':' Hmmmmm. 'Robin '. The dictionary defines ' Robbin ', as the shortening form of ' Robbing '. And who is the greatest " robber'?! Who is constantly ' robbing ' us of the truth?! Why... Satan, of course!!!' Have you ever used a nickname, Robin?' Me -' Well.. my girlfriend calls me" Rob ", sometimes '. Jehovah's Witness -' Oh..hmmm 🤔. 'Rob'. The dictionary defines ' rob", as the criminal act of stealing '...' They actually didn't try to get me to change my name. In any event - I told them to get lost. They tried with me, but failed.
Video suggestion:Dealing with addiction as an ex jw. As an exjw, I personally went to a substance to fill my life, and now I'm in recovery. I think that this could be a very interesting topic!
@espaghetti99 -- I think that's a perfect description of what some of those relationships are; two incompatible people who are trapped, but they have to keep going through the motions.
I enjoyed Eric’s observations of the org so much! I am a born in JW nearing 60 and until waking up I never listened to sermons by Christendom’s preachers. It was not until I began listening to other ministers give sermons that I could hear for myself what Eric described about the certain emotionless, monotone way JW preachers talk. It actually feels a bit creepy to me now to listen to JW talks. It does feel like they themselves are under mind control. Great interview😄
Vivian, I enjoy your time spent making videos, they are truly well done. I was associated with the jw's scince I was 5 and although I do not remember the early years. I recall maybe 8 or 9 at a picnic at the Joiners on the river having a large family of boys. I was in most of my life being DF in 2011 two days after my Mom died, because I gave them a tounge lashing when they did not comply with my wishes at the KH during the ordeal where every one of my family attended. I was PIMO and only attended maybe once a year but the things I have learned since from watching your videos its hard to believe I fell for it all. I stopped going regularly at 18 but I still believed it. I will not go farther with things that happened to my family but it was like a curse brought on by the fake religion. That is why I watch exjw videos like yours. Thank you
How many JWs does it take to change a lightbulb in a KH? ... Well, it depends. If it New Light we’re talking about, we need to wait for the next Convention to get new instructions because the lightbulb may have changed itself! ❤
Thank you eric and Vivian for this video you brought a lot of interesting points i left the organisation 1986 always believing that this was the truth. After years of researching this cult i no longer believe this to be the truth .The organisation used to say the truth will set you free when actual matter of fact the research set me free .eric all the best and once again thank you for excellent video of your experience. In this cult.
You're right, all the thought control is obvious. The inducing hypnosis aspect is also something I can see but until you mentioned it, I hadn't heard it talked about.
😂😂😂 loved your video..yep they kept the members in the “delusional” FoG state….too funny, I never thought about it like that but you’re right on so many levels…
Eric….Excellent interview and I will remember that vacuum analogy forever!!! 🙌🏼 so good!! And that The JW org does nothing for the members but use them 😢 Vevian great job as always my dear! Such a sad but unfortunately common story!🤯 Thanks for getting these stories out there! 🥰♥️🥰
This guy is exactly right... as a child, they had me thinking that Jehovah was a man in a business suit that sits on a throne, and like a CEO, He doesn't really know us, just employs us. Gray, bland, hollow, stressful, joyless, flat... this is the impression I had of the religion. And I knew even as a child, "I don't want to live like this."
Glad he sought professional help from a therapist later in his life! And thank goodness for not putting your daughter under the spell of the organization!
Go ahead and Celebrate Your Birthdays. Bid yourself a Happy Birthday Anniversary by giving thanks to God for another year of life he allows you to still be breathing and give a Mother's Day thanks to your Mother for bringing you into this world. Put Happy Mothers Day On your Birthday Cake and include your Parents. This is not a crime and you will not burst into flames over it. Live your life. Live responsibly.
I woke up after 45 years, not born in. Raised 3 children in, 2 of them left in their 20's, last one left in his 40s. He woke me up, w ARC. Faded but lost everyone. Husband betrayed be ruined our finances, abandoned me. So much mental illness, lying, abuse.
Big shout out to both of you,I was born in,became depressed n my teens,because of the org .but could not express it in anyway,such a toxic environment for children to grow up in,with all this nonsense rammed down your throat,day after day....
Watchtower and Awake Magazines are of the teachings of man. The real Lesson we ought to be feeding on and drinking deeply of is The Bible It's self. Learn directly from The Almighty GOD which is the true eye opener, a wealth of life saving valuable lessons and instruction that awakens, it is of great protective guidance that fully Armors you with the intuition to recognize, rebuke and repel religious predators in their tracks.
As a total outsider/never was JW, I married a POMI that was never baptized but was severely programmed/mind controlled from birth because of going to the Kingdom Hall since he can remember. Today in 2024, my Father in law is/was Field Service Overseer (not sure of their titles) and my mother in law a Pioneer that is still devoted to this cult. NO ONE else in the family is a JW so it baffles me as to WHY they choose to stay in despite all the false prophecies and the CSA cases. I’m an ex Catholic that left because I woke up and saw the corruption especially when Priests were being accountable for Child Abuse. My JW father in law would always “tease me” and bring up how Priests are pedophiles, unbeknownst to him that his own Cult/Religion was literally being investigated by the Australia Royal Commission for the exact reason I was being “teased” for. The only conclusion I can come to is my Father in law’s narcissistic personality and self righteous attitude that keeps him locked in to the Watchtower. If it’s anything the Watchtower does, is make idiots and self righteous, narcissistic personalities feel important. It’s truly self serving. Because I was in sales majority of my adult life, I seen the parallels between the JW religion and a Sales job. They use all the same tactics that sales people do: Build rapport, create urgency, and attempt to close on Bible Studies that will lead to baptisms. I could never buy into their religion purely because I see them as a sales publishing company that works for FREE‼️ NO THANK YOU.
Great that you left. I disagree about not writing a letter of dis-association. When you get baptized you performed a ritual which bound you to the org. It's satanic which is binding in the spiritual realm. There will always be something hindering you from excelling because of this. Break the curse by writing your DA letter.
@@Ava2969ny Baptism itself is a ritual. To what were you ritualized into? We were baptized into an organization and not to God. When a person performs a ritual it gives the entity a rite over you. That's why you need to break free spiritually. When I got baptized into the org I had to first write a DA letter to my previous church before becoming a JW.
@@Gr8Believer - yes, that does make a lot of sense. Thanks for explaining it, because I remember being asked by jws if I had been affiliated with a church.
@Gr8believer.... this!!! This is how I felt. In from birth for almost 50 years. I left in 2020 but I felt I was in a "grey space" mentally. I disassociated in May and it's the best thing I ever did. I needed a clean break.
