This raises the question: Who is an. Already, members of the Watchtower are already being asked to donate money. And so after learning from the Bible that God commissions or sends people to communicate the truth, Andrea came to the conclusion that those who wrote the Let God be True book could not have been commissioned by God. Watch Tower was spending tens of thousands per year to New York City just to maintain their tunnel and air-bridge spaces between buildings. Shunning and the BITE Model of Mind Control in the Jehovah's Witnesses 2010 Elder's Book Amber Scorah writes about exiting the Jehovah's Witnesses in Leaving the Witness. Jehovah's Witnesses detained in inhumane conditions June 4, 2021 Number of Jehovah's Witnesses on trial in Lipetsk grows June 2, 2021 Christian attorney gives advice for staying on good side of law June 1, 2021 Crimean Pentecostals fined for violating Russia's anti-evangelism law May 31, 2021 American prayer breakfast figure feted by Ukrainian . 726 Followers. The Jehovah's Witness Religion is Literally Dying Off : r/exjw - reddit I have a loving husband that I adore. Robins Kaplan Files Lawsuits Against the Jehovah's Witnesses Parent Coronation Street favourite Julia Goulding has confirmed she's back on the cobbles. It is just too much even for them to handle. These elders are being retrained, and have been called disobedient by the branch. In March 1997, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Jehovah's Witnesses, sent a letter to each of its . Its hard to say. We grew up together. For Ali Millar, the experience of writing her difficult life story wasn't cathartic, it was traumatic. Five Scary Core Beliefs of the Jehovah's Witness - JW Answers ET on April 5, 2019. Like Stockholm Syndrome victims, Jehovahs Witnesses continue to support the only organization they think has the answers, identifying with and revering their captors men who have little sympathy for the victims of child abuse, shunning, or death by blood policy. Just because they make the claim doesnt make it so. In Namibia, the government has denied Watch Towers plea to remove itself from employer status, since this forces Watch Tower to pay social security benefits to all full-time workers such as Bethelites. A typical Jehovahs Witnesss life is basically consisting of work or school and field service along with several weekly meetings and Bible studies, or should I say, Watchtower studies. Jw.org Website The Internet is what is really hurting the Watchtower organization bigtime because in the past, information could be controlled and managed. Jehovah's Witness pervert who got sexual kicks from strangling children jailed despite cover-up by congregation. Aside from the Bethel layoffs, all non-essential branch projects were either cancelled or put on hold. Jehovah's Witnesses, a millenarian denomination of Christrianity, follow strict guidelines regarding the use of blood in medical practices. I went to university, where I made even more friends who showed me that being in the world is completely fine, and that debate and discussion is also OK. Jehovah's Witnesses 'use the Bible to victim-shame,' sex abuse survivor says. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. "(We) encourage them to make urgent contact with the Department of Social Services so . Something went wrong, please try again later. I had to see it, I had to look it up, and I had to read myself. Is it the sign of the end or just the end of a religion? There is a question regarding the longevity of JW.org given the events of the past few years. Jehovahs Witnesses are taught to welcome doctrinal changes. I began a life where constantly questioning and improving my beliefs and ideas and always being open to those of others were my only constant doctrines. The rest will live forever in a paradise on Earth, never meeting the person who died for them - Jesus Christ. Inside The Lost Jehovah's Witnesses Tunnels Under Brooklyn Heights Simple forgiveness isnt in their vocabulary. Many of these were good kids too. On February 4, 2019, rumors of the release of a new Elders manual, meant only for the eyes of the top leaders in each congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses (JW), began to surface on ex-JW forums across the Internet. Much of their growth from these nations is from people being born into the religion. I've never showered as much in my life. Jehovah's Witnesses with 1.3 million members in the U.S. who hand out brochures on sidewalks and subway platforms and ring doorbells are one of the most visible religious groups in the . The present study of 50 Jehovah's Witnesses admitted to the Mental Health Service facilities of Western Australia suggests that members of this section of the community are more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital than the general population. I expect this is partly due to many young ones being DF or DA due to "misconduct" because children and teens are held to the same rigorous standard as fully realized adults. The graph below shoes how the 18-29 crowd have aged up, but new young adults are not replenishing the numbers. I dont think Ive ever seen my mum cry so much, so often. Jehovah's Witnesses, a sect formed in the 1870s and eventually incorporated as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, maintained for much of their early history that 1914 would mark the end of . Jehovah's Witnesses - News, views, gossip, pictures, video - mirror For what Christian would ever call somebodys baby a little enimy of God? Now if they all say this, surely not all of them could be the truth huh? What effect has the Internet had on the religion of the Jehovah's Contrast this to the July 2009 issue of Awake! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. When there has been no specific date set . Are people REALLY leaving??? - Jehovah's Witness For them to stay in the organization and have an approved standing, they will have had to squash their inner self, and adopt an organizationally-created identity. I knew the Bible back and forth. I was very well versed in the Bible. Nothing is added, subtracted, or changed to conform to societys standards because, in the Church Of Christ, the Bible is the basis of their faith. They compared the doctrines taught by the churches with what the Bible really teaches. -65% of JWs are women, compared to only 35% men. Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that humans have an immaterial nature. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Tony Morris declared on multiple occasions that he was incensed with European trousers for men, designed by the homosexuals he hates so passionately and followed this tirade by producing a side by side photo of what proper trousers look like versus tight pants. She listened and protected her faith and the teachings of the Jehovahs Witnesses until her beliefs could no longer defend her. 10 Reasons Why Jehovah's Witnesses Are Unhappy - Medium We have far more than they realize we have, and there is nothing they can do to stop the flow of information outside of headquarters. The Supreme Court of Canada will rule this year in a case involving shunning and discrimination, and if Watch Tower loses this case, the repercussions will be felt worldwide. They believe that ony 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses will go to heaven. Does a recession/pandemic/war indicate Armageddon? Believers honor Jehovah, the God and Creator of all things. "Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it is their responsibility before God to respect and co-operate with the authorities." A spokeswoman for Social Services Minister Anne Ruston has welcomed the statement but implored the organisation to contact authorities. With the recent crack-downs on college education, the Watchtower is looking less and less like a spiritual paradise, and is looking more like North Korea. Jehovah's Witnesses - latest news, breaking stories and comment - The 12 Outrageous Facts about Jehovah's Witnesses you need to Know When you stand in the public square and represent a religion, its just a matter of time before the public connects the dots, and the carts are sent to the junkyard, one at a time. But fortunately, after having been out for a number of years, many of us are getting to know who we really are and what gives our lives meaning. As she started to lose trust in the unsteady teachings of JW, Andrea turned to the Church Of Christ for doctrinal stability because, in the Church Of Christ, everything that they follow is written in the Bible. Instead, Andrea spent her time attending meetings at Kingdom Hall, sharing her faith, and being with her family. My father and i have discussed this. (source: Pew Research: https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/jehovahs-witness/) and https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/26/a-closer-look-at-jehovahs-witnesses-living-in-the-u-s/). The rules just keep right on getting tighter and tighter due to the fact that theyre in full damage control, and they want to keep as many people in the organization as they possibly can. By Brendan Cole On 7/28/20 at 11:09 AM EDT News Russia Intensifies Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses with 110 Armed Raids The. Followers famously wont accept blood donations - nor do they celebrate birthdays, claiming such celebrations displease God. Tell your story. It will be 1 friend out of 6 shunning rather than all of them - not nearly as effective. As education becomes increasingly important to eek out even a meager living, Witnesses are already being forced to become more educated. She converted a lot of people to that religion.. While they may appear nice and friendly, once you get into the inner-workings of the organization, you quickly discover that the niceness and friendliness is very short lived unless you follow everything to the letter within the organization. Jehovah's Witnesses Run Away From Bogus Copyright Claims After Judge Jehovah's Witnesses Abandon Key Tenet - Los Angeles Times There is dissent in South Africa right now because of the fixed per capita amount assigned to each publisher who attends a circuit assembly. There are millions trapped inside a mental prison, but we can help them. (Immediately prior to dates the end was specifically expected, such as 1914, 1925 and 1975, growth increased to as high as 20%.) I have several observations to add to this. At 18 I turned my back on the cloistered isolation of my familys faith and began a life where I was free to question ideas and beliefs. Watch Tower is in the process of implementing a new records management program along with a destruction of documents procedure which is designed to ensure that no documents exist which would tie Watch Tower to any legal responsibility or repercussions. The mountain of bullshit has finally gotten high enough that it's starting to collapse on itself. Its psychology 101. Kings County, New York - On May 18, 2021, in New York City, Robins Kaplan LLP filed three lawsuits against the Jehovah's Witnesses parent-organization, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. ("Watchtower"), on behalf of survivors who were sexually abused when they were minor members of two different New York State congregations. This religion is indeed a cult and a terrible one at that. it is one to really be avoided at all costs and it is really dangerous. And, I think the issue is much broader than what the simple statistics are showing. THE Jehovah's Witnesses religious denomination has been accused of selling assets and sending cash offshore to avoid paying Australian child-sex abuse victims. 1. I have just loaded my spiritual cannon, and I am about to fire away! Their whole going out to knock on doors sounds commendable, but truth be known, the reason why they do it is because theyre trying to earn their own way into Jehovahs new world; paradise Earth. To scan all documents located in Brooklyn, retaining only the hard copies they were required to keep by law. A moment that changed me: quitting the Jehovah's Witnesses Moriah Hughes, 24, filed her lawsuit last month in. Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to welcome doctrinal changes. With a spacious trunk, with low clearance to fit that pesky literature cart! All the books in the Bible.. What would you expect to see if that was a news headline within the coming year? A moment that changed me: dropping out of university | Anne T Donaghue, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Leaving the faith at 18 changed my life completely., remember that first year after Id left the, Former Jehovah's Witness elders call for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, MPsdemand action over Jehovahs Witness abuse allegations, Jehovah's Witnesses accused of silencing victims of child abuse, Child sexual abuse inquiry considers Jehovah's Witnesses UK investigation, Jehovahs Witnesses criticised over handling of child abuse case, Jehovah's Witnesses charity drops attempts to block abuse inquiry, Jehovah's Witnesses did not protect children from abuse, inquiry finds, Jehovah's Witnesses under pressure over handling of sexual abuse claims, Jehovah's Witnesses accused of damaging Otomi religious site in Mexico. Jehovah's Witnesses Face the Challenge of the Coronavirus Outbreak There was always an air of mysti'c never seeing them except on occasion at a district convention. Imagine if Ford was blaming the consumers - saying that consumers had poor judgment for not wanting to buy the Pinto anymore. Sections: politics business autos jobs career education romance computers phones travel sports fashion health Brummies happily shopping and going about their day to day business have seen them in their droves. Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? Ironically, they cant do that, because the organization has already been identified and branded as a spiritual banquet where nothing is lacking. Watch Tower continues to try to plug these leaks like the proverbial dam in Holland, but they are running out of fingers and attorneys to plug these leaks. Nobody at the London HQ would comment on whether the strategy resulted in an increase in followers. Many elders have questioned this vocally, and have described the amount of money charged to each circuit as an invoice. My Story of Leaving Jehovah's Witnesses Lloyd Evans 108K subscribers Subscribe 7.2K 232K views 4 years ago (Cedars' vlog no. If all of this keeps up, it might not be long before you will see jw.org gone from the scene, as well as other things tied to this diabolical evil religion. After completing her Bible studies, Andrea was baptized into the Church Of Christ in 1981. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. AND I'm going to do the most non-Jehovah's Witness-y thing ever and, instead of just making up any shit I please, I will actually supply sources for my data so you can look it up for yourself: - 52% of Jehovah's Witnesses are 50 years of age or older, - Only 29% of Jehovah's Witnesses are parents to children under 18 - a decrease of 8% over the past 7 years. We are so inured to the concept that it has become meaningless. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I remember I was getting ready to leave [for worship service in the Church Of Christ], it was early in the morning and it was on a Saturday. However, the Seventh day Adventists say that theyre the only true religion, the Mormons say it and so do the Catholics and so on. I was allowed to make friends with people outside my congregation. Most congregations have not filed returns for 2 to 4 years, primarily because local elders do not understand how to file returns, and are quite frankly not interested in the business aspect of this religion. Most people who currently identify as Jehovah's Witnesses (65%) also were raised outside that tradition. Jehovahs Witnesses can now be found in Birmingham city centre. Andrea started to panic and pulled Cynthia aside. She didnt party, she didnt drink, and she stayed out of politics. Lets make it happen. According to the organisation, there are currently more than 70,000 Witnesses in Australia. 239) In this video I share the story of my transition from believing. Jehovah's Witnesses said in a statement it did not join because it does not have the institutional settings that result in children being separated from their parents, such as youth groups, choirs . Attending My Father's Funeral But it's a way of thinking that is ingrained in you by the faith, and it's this mentality that makes it so difficult to leave. Youre taught by the organisation that once you leave you will become corrupted by the outside world and inevitably descend into selfishness, meanness and false happiness. . Nov. 20, 2019, 9:49 AM PST. In fact, the July 1st, 1984 issue of Watchtower magazine goes so far as to say that anyone who leaves their religion has decided "to leave the way of truth".. Reasons Why I Left the Jehovah's Witnesses - incmedia.org Yet Governing Body members like Samuel Herd have publicly stated how beautiful their new surroundings are at Bethel how they hear the birds chirping as they observe the serene landscape of upstate New York. PDF The Jehovah's Witness Tradition - Advocate Health In 2017, Russia's Supreme Court declared the group an extremist organization, lumping its. When you factor how many people are baptized vs. the number of publishers the year before you realize that they . However, the Watchtower stubbornly sticks to a one size fits all program for everyone. One troubling result is most high control groups, including the Jehovah's Witnesses and Scientologists, discourage their members from seeking help from mental health care professionals, even when they display troubling signs of acute depression, anxiety, panic disorder, dissociation, suicidal thoughts, autism spectrum disorder or a variety of (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) The pandemic may leave a. I began a life where I could decide what to believe for myself, and I wasnt afraid of someone telling me I couldnt. That our faith is true. You know I couldnt see my life any other way. When a religion starts telling you what to wear, what you can and cant do, whether you can vote, join the military, play sports, read literature from other religions and whether or not you can do certain things within marriage is a religion that is a pure cult. Personally, what this all adds up to for me is this: Young people, and most especially men, are leaving this religion in droves. But she realized she couldnt help her sister if she remained at a distance. 10. In many countries, such meetings would be nothing unusual. Strangely, their newspapers only had good news to publish about the Soviet government, and only had bad news to report about Western democracies. Again, they continue to enforce a one size fits all education and worship program to both children and adults. If the religion continues to have to pay out millions of dollars to the victems of child abuse, and it they continue to loose new converts simply because theyre finding out the real truth about the religion, then theres no way that it will be able to remain standing. However, today, information is in the form of aTsunami which cant be stopped. They dont bring salvation to your door when they come but instead, they talk about a paradise Earth and so on. The faith discourages more than the bare minimum education, advising that higher education is a waste of time that could be better dedicated to ministry (a practice that is deemed so important every individual is required to submit a report card of the amount of hours theyve spent preaching each month), and that it fosters a materialistic and selfishly ambitious attitude. Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson callously stated in 2015 before the Royal Commission in Australia that he had not even read the details of the victims who had testified before the Commission. She has never found a discrepancy between what is written in the Bible and the teachings taught in the Church Of Christ. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. We shared everything our whole lives, and I felt like I had to give her that opportunity to the point where, if this was the wrong path, at least I would have a chance to change her mind. Many will have had to cover over passions and talents that would have given their lives much greater meaning. . Found some information I thought you all might be interested in. That is why I believe they will never adopt the very common sense solutions that could be so helpful to their members; especially the young ones. This is not to say that there are no enthusiastic young people in the Watchtower organization, because there truly are. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. So if Jesus said that, then that means all of these cultic religions are not the truth as they claim that they are. If a Jehovah's Witness were to break any of the rules they could be spoken to by an elder (the equivalent of a . The major damage has been done and it will only continue to spread throughout the organization as more and more proof of this religions terrible practices are leaked out and spread all over the Internet.