Why I Left Jehovah's Witnesses - Former Elder / Pioneer

This is my story about how my conscience would no longer allow me to remain as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and caused me to step down as an elder and begin fading away from this organization.

0:00 Intro
1:51 My background
3:35 Why I started my research
10:26 Warning for family/friends of the real research beginning
17:28 The straw that broke the camel’s back (ARC)
22:12 The fading process begins
34:46 Making the final decision to go POMO
39:15 Elders ask if I want to DA
42:42 The lies about me begin
47:14 My list of major issues (by no means exhaustive)
1:06:53 Message to JW viewers
1:10:30 Message to non-JW viewers
1:11:22 Message to friends/family
1:12:38 Paying it forward

[kikimone]

I was raised as a Jehovah witness but at 14 I was disfellowshipped because my cousin molested me. I was severely beat by my parents and they swept it all under the rug. I am 50 now and have just been able to heal from all of the abuse and hurt that this organization brought to me. Thank you for sharing your story with me.

[youfunkithing]

I was born a JW and finally left after 15 years, during my time I witnessed all forms of child abuse, physiological and mental abuse, shunned by my life long friends and family. When I finally got out I was not prepared for life in the real world and I have struggled to cope ever since and now at 47 I feel compelled to do or say something! Well done to you for speaking out

[dailybrotherswritings]

GOOGLE is probably the greatest nightmare of the Watchtower Organization.

[mstexas]

I was a JW for 15 years but I got very tired of being told by the elders that I was a terrible wife and if I was a better wife my unbelieving husband wouldn’t be the way he was and he would care for me and his children Basically I deserved being treated the way I was It was my own fault
I left the organization and I am living a very happy life I am a born again Christian
I totally agree with this video
Do your research and be like the Bereans in Thessalonica they searched the scriptures for themselves They didn’t just take the apostle Pau’s word

[a.w.]

Third generation former Witness. I was unbaptized yet disassociated (shunned) for the crime of visiting my disfellowshipped dad. That's literally it! Nothing more. I was 15, unbaptized, yet forced to endure near total isolation. I lost all friends, had no one. It was a callous punishment for a child. The elder who read my letter of disassociation from the stage smirked and laughed at me after he walked off the stage and passed by me sitting in the back of the hall. Decades later, I'm still traumatized by the shunning. THE WITNESSES ARE A CULT, PERIOD. GET OUT AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

[feliciam]

The empathy you show with the content warnings and in the way you talk about the people in your former congregation is beautiful. You seem like a genuinely kind person, and I am glad you chased your truth.

[angieleejohnson]

Thank you for sharing! I suffered a lot of trauma throughout my childhood as a JW. It all got sweep under the rug Getting dissfellowships was their answer. I became addicted to drugs for 21 years. I have almost 8 years clean.

[krism]

I was a bible study for 3 years of a JW (Philippines), I was constantly asked when am I gonna get baptized. I felt some pressure regarding that topic. I always say to my self, I don't want to do something because I was pressured to do it or someone decided it for me. So I never get baptized in a JW.

After that I decided to leave, something inside me wants to leave. I was so scared to leave. It felt like when I leave the JW org, I'm gonna leave or reject God and so God would leave or reject me too. So I prayed, i poured my heart out to God before leaving. I visualized Jehovah holding my hand and I said if ever a time comes that I will rebel or let go of my hand away from Him I said "please don't let me go" wherever I go please don't ever let me go. Then I went on in life for years with no affiliation with any religion.

Now, 17 years later I found the Truth. John 14:6 - Jesus said to him. I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:1
[1]“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

Believe in the Father "and" believe also in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8, 9
[8]For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, [9]not of works, lest anyone should boast.

1 Corinthians 12:3
[3]Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

No religion can save you. We cannot save ourselves because of good works. Jesus is the only savior.

Galatians 2:21
[21]I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Acts 4:12
[12]Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 16:13
[13]However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 14:26
[26]But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

I pray that whoever come across with your video will know Jesus and accept Him as his Lord and Savior in Jesus name. Amen.

[anaederael]

I was raised as JW in the 80s and 90s. I was disfellowshipped at 15 because I had questions about the "truth". The elders interrogated me at the hall, alone, for hours until I finally gave in and told them to just disfellowship me if they weren't going to answer my questions. So they did. It's taken me 25 years to finally be okay from all of the things that were swept under the rug as a kid. My love and support is with all of us here in the comments that survived that religious trauma.

[glenyshoughtondouglas]

You sound like one absolutely beautiful human being and a real and true gentleman. I’m happy you got out and are living your best life.

[fizzypop]

Great video! I was a mormon for 27 years, so this makes perfect sense. If you replace the words Witness, Johovah's Witness, etc. with Mormon, you've got the same video. They're both cults.

[feliciachetty]

OMG I faded a few years ago. My son, who is now 26 had questions. This is a very informative video. My congregation was family. After my dad's passing last year. My divorce from a "witness" who cheated on me for 19 years of out 25 year marriage. I know I made the right decision. My outlook on life. My outlook on people has changed. I have more appreciation for God. I love life and people more. My life is exactly where it needs to be.

[theblackgambit]

I’m a 42 yr old JW as we speak, and I’m slowly starting to pull away. The lack of answers to simple questions over the years has began to really bother me over the years. It’s really hard to abandon the only thing you have been taught your entire life. Man I gave up so much and sacrificed so much and I don’t see the benefit.

[Intuition]

I left too! The sisters were VERY MEAN to me and I was often punished for asking questions that were off limits. As a female in the organization, I was discouraged from thinking independently. I asked questions and got no answers ever since I was a child, my parents treated me as the black sheep for researching things outside of the organization. Unlike my brother. He always did as he was told, and played the game.

[rosscob]

20 years out of the JW’s as a publisher and growing up in the organisation, even now just hearing the JW lingo gives me chills it’s almost like PTSD, keep up the good work …🤜

[ashleyrenee]

40yo female, born into JW, 3rd generation, never baptized as JW, left the org around age 13 and never looked back. The amount of emotional, mental and spiritual distress I endured is nothing short of cruel. The deeply ingrained "church hurt" took nearly 20 years to even start to overcome. Proud to say I finally found my church home around 30 in a baptist church that loves and accepts you as you are. I was baptized in this church 7 years ago and will marry my soon to be husband in this church this year. The calling to use any and all available materials to further my knowledge/understanding and relationship with God has allowed me to develop more spiritually in the last 10years of my life than I ever could have imagined in the first 30years. Thank you for sharing your story!

[jcj]

Please do NOT ever take down this video because I sincerely believe it will reach others as it did myself 7 days ago. I wasn't scared watching your video its full entirety because I noticed that your presentation was VERY tactful and cautious but yet very effective in appealing to my critical reasoning.

Throughout my 40 years as a 3rd gen born-in, I have always had questions but was scared to speak against it to my family and friends because I didn't want to be labeled as an "apostate". Earlier this year though, I started having these feelings in which I couldn't shake off. Such as I kept feeling as if my life was being controlled by the organization. For instance, although a female, I always wondered why the brothers couldn't wear beards. I never regular pioneered because it just didn't appeal to me to get 90 then 70 hours in the ministry, sometimes in the very pressing heat. (I live in the South US). I always wondered why reporting field service time wasn't in the Bible.

I could not ever keep up with the routine such as personal study and preparing for Meetings. I haven't read any of the latest releases in the last few years. For the past year I have felt disappointed in myself because I had found myself reporting "false" time to just not appear weak. I answer one comment a month and most of the time it's just reading a scripture.

I had felt a disconnect from the organization and was wondering why. I now see that my Awakening journey was already in motion. I watched your video 7 days ago and have found myself in a rabbit hole of research. I have gotten the Ray Franz book since your video. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. I am going to be in PIMO state because all my friends and family & extended family are still very plugged in.

[juanramos]

My grandmother used to say" when the truth speaks, the lie trembles".

[Gottahavemycoffee]

I was a JW for over 20 years, a Pioneer for 8 years and worked at Bethel for 4.
Although I believed in what was taught, In my heart deep down, I was torn between what was taught and the reality of what I had witnessed over the years regarding children... one Prdtor was a Circuit Overseer, who was caught, but never held accountable because the parents didnt want it to go further, so, instead of disfellowshipping, he was transferred to another State, still able to hold onto his position as a CO.
I witnessed this sort of thing on 3 occasions with 3 different members.
When I stood up and made some noise and asked questions, I was the one who was made to feel that I was in the wrong.
I was put in front of the Committee and repremanded.
I no longer was allowed to work in Bethel, or Pioneer, with the agreement not to be disfellowshipped.
But I became a marked person.
My family started to turn against me for bringing them shame, my brothers and brother inlaw were Elders.
It's been over 20 years since I walked away from the JW Org, my family and my husband.
The healing took years due to the mental and emotional guilt I felt, but with the support of ones like yourself, I'm living my life guilt free and I've been working with Child Protection Services since 2014.
Finally, I am happy.

[maryflowers]

Congratulations on one million views! That's awesome! I saw your video 2 years ago and I am so happy that it is getting this many views!