You dont need to mourn me, I told her once. Watchtower Caught Dumping Chemicals Included with this the commissioning of the Last Messenger! Photo courtesy of Jehovah's Witnesses Public Information Desk Mandee Reid and her son, Charles Reid, of Kansas City, Mo., like Jehovah's . Many of these were good kids too. We are so inured to the concept that it has become meaningless. And its peppy acceleration will get you far and away from Zeb and his feisty cart crashes!. No immaterial soul. 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. People are finally not afraid to talk, and the very massive Ex-JW community is really having a huge affect on Watchtower and on those still inside of it. Growth is pretty much stagnet in America and other countries like Great Brittan, Austrialia and other English speaking nations. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. - About 1% of the entire membership is disfellowshipped every year. (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/). Sections: politics business autos jobs career education romance computers phones travel sports fashion health 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. Other churches give single parents some relief by offering activities and programs for their children to get involved in and bond with other young people. Yes, money is a problem for Watch Tower. The Jehovahs Witnesses have a bunch of rules, regulations and policies much like the religious leaders of Jesus day had. Today it has 252 members, with those who have been associated with Pentecostalism, the Anglican and Baptist churches and the Jehovah's Witnesses dominating the group. Jehovah's Witnesses must believe and teach that their group has been directly appointed by God and Jesus. 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. [1] People are waking up and leaving in droves. This article provides basic information on leaving this faith. Man who raped Jehovah's Witness girls sentenced to 5 years in prison Ria Williams sued the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's. No other religion can do that. 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. And then from that day, I never looked back. 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. I would love it if the young ones were leaving in droves, and I believe because of the Internet this will happen, but I don't see a great deal of evidence at present. Once that happens, shunning will have very little power over JWs. Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Cult? Strangely, their newspapers only had good news to publish about the Soviet government, and only had bad news to report about Western democracies. There's a limit on how long you can tell people that the world is about to end for so long before they get sceptical. Elders at a Utah congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses allegedly forced a 15-year-old to listen to a recording of her rape over and over again for hours as part of a religious inquiry, a. The truth is, Jehovahs witnesses are taught to welcome doctrinal changes as adjustments or new light, and they have a long list of beliefs and doctrines that have changed since the church was established. married a Swedish JW and moved to Sweden.He is pretty much inactive but occasionally attends meetings but is afraid to completely leave bc of being shunned by his wife's family. Many churches offer separate classes, services, or groups for children that are compatible with their maturity level and that get them acclimated to going to church. Statistically, two-thirds of born in members leave, and of those that leave on. The Let God Be True book was written by imperfect men, and imperfect men make mistakes, and it was a mistake. For Ali Millar, the experience of writing her difficult life story wasn't cathartic, it was traumatic. The carts also provide the public with the choice of approaching us or not, which some people appreciate. Jamie Bamber plays Archie Hughes in Beyond Paradise on BBC One. End of the Home Book Study Arrangement Jesus Christ is his firstborn son, is inferior to God, and was created by God. How to Leave Jehovah's Witnesses: 4 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Truly the Watchtower organization has absolutely nothing good to say about any other religion because theyre too busy puffing themselves up over them. Most importantly, these endeavors just might diminish time and resources that are used for going door-to-door. With all the false end of the world predictions that they have done in the past, theyre still crying that Armageddon is coming soon, and that they will be the only survivors of the battle. Jehovah's Witness pervert who got sexual kicks from strangling children jailed despite cover-up by congregation. Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses say church's shunning caused too many suicides The minister who was teaching my Bible lessons (in the Church Of Christ) mentioned the Let God Be True book in my studies, and he asked me if I knew that the doctrines of the Jehovahs Witnesses had changed over the years. When youre a convert, you know what its like to be in the world. He grew up in a Strong JW family in the USA but now thinks most of it is BS and Nonsense, By the way he does love Sweden and I need to go visit him. It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. In 2017, Russia's Supreme Court declared the group an extremist organization, lumping its. Nov. 20, 2019, 9:49 AM PST. ITV Coronation Street star announces full-time return to soap - leaving fans delighted. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. . But why have they stopped knocking on our doors? One has since died but had rarely attended before her death. When you take a look at many of the mega-churches for example, it is very impressive how much they put into creating support groups and programs for their young people. After completing her Bible studies, Andrea was baptized into the Church Of Christ in 1981. About the most exciting thing that most of the young people will get to do is hold up printed signs at conventions that say Please Be Seated, or turn knobs in the Kingdom Hall sound booth. Brother Eddie San Gabriel challenged Andreas beliefs, and in the process she learned two powerful things that peeled her away from remaining a Jehovahs Witness. My Story of Leaving Jehovah's Witnesses - YouTube We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. JWs in Eritrea have been rotting away in prison cells some for decades while the coalition of overweight, business-class-flying governing body members feign tears for the men and women who are effectively their slaves. Pandemic changing how Jehovah's Witnesses share message of faith If they act up and dont sit still; spankings are usually soon to follow. 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 . The sect is headed by an all-male governing body and elders adhere to policies laid out in a guidebook that's kept confidential from other followers. Currently, in the US, JW.org has just 40% of their publishers registered in the JW.org database system. Many of them not only help the young people with their unique issues, but also really inspire them enough to get active and pay it forward. At that time, a small group of Bible students who lived near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States, began a systematic analysis of the Bible. In 2017, Russia banned the denomination, whose members believe in nonviolence and refuse to take up arms in war; Russia . Moving to Warwick eliminated these costly payments. But the fact that there is such a large turnover of the young people is a major symptom that something is deeply and fundamentally wrong with the Watchtowers model. This is another religion. Its the reason they emphasise the dangers and repercussions of searching for answers to faith-related questions in any place except their own literature, calling anything outside this apostasy. Nobody at the London HQ would comment on whether the strategy resulted in an increase in followers. The church shares some traditional views with the Catholic church but holds several unique ones, including the belief that there is one God, not a Trinity. They dont bring salvation to your door when they come but instead, they talk about a paradise Earth and so on. All monies were directed at finishing Warwick, then selling off their cranes and millions of dollars worth of vehicles and other high prices tools, right down to a 5 dollar screwdriver. However, disfellowshipping is. The reason for this is because theyre on the verge of going totally belly up, and they need money to be able to handle all of the child sex abuse cases that they have under their belts and so on. But she realized she couldnt help her sister if she remained at a distance. A life of meaningless sex, drugs and alcohol is often woven into this picture. Two years ago, JW.org implemented a 5-year cost reduction program in which they asked all branches to cut costs by a minimum of 10%, up to 25% as a preferred number. Franz stated the request for his resignation and his subsequent disfellowshipping resulted from allegations of apostasy. Jehovah's Witnesses - News, views, gossip, pictures, video - mirror 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. It is just too much even for them to handle. Are people REALLY leaving??? - Jehovah's Witness Identifying True Worship, Part 1: What Is Apostasy according to the I made a concentrated effort to stop using the word, because I knew it wasnt the truth to me, and that its use was just a very 1984 Newspeak method of subtle control. In the spring of 2015, Stephen Lett asked for donations after stating that JW.org had more money going out than coming in. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. Realistically, though, its a threat to the organisation because education could broaden an individuals mind and open them up to a world of opinions outside the faith. They worship the organization in which theyre a part of. With all of the new doccumentaries being produced about this organization, YouTube channels and other types of media being produced, Watchtower doesnt stand a chance at survival. 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. Can baptism be Annulled? Now if they all say this, surely not all of them could be the truth huh? 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. Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Scientists, and the Catholic Church have all issued statements saying that their religion does not prohibit members from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. 10 Reasons Why Jehovah's Witnesses Are Unhappy - Medium Authorities have also been accused of failing to look into allegations by whistleblowers that Jehovah's Witnesses may be hiding its money . And now with other countries finding out the harshness of their rules and their inhumane practices of shunning, and not turning child sex abuse cases over to the police is really causing a huge problem for Watchtower. The important thing for us is to show them that there is a great life to be lived after leaving the Watchtower. In order to avoid climate passivity, we must redefine Armageddon. Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian denomination with an estimated 175,000 followers in Russia. Many of us here paid that price, only to wake up to it years later. JW.org has been spinning the cutbacks as simplification, and have coerced dozens of those who lost their full-time jobs to give testimonials about how happy they were to accept their new assignment in the field. If at any point you do have doubts and want to leave, your forced isolation up to that point makes the decision inevitably intimidating and potentially overwhelming because of the prospect of being alone and without a support network to guide you through the process. 2020-06-14 - NATALIE O'BRIEN. Jesus himself is truth, not those club-like religions. The life of the Jehovah's Witnesses is guided by those forbidden things and more. 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. And even though it was a challenging journey, she doesnt regret it. Press J to jump to the feed. And at one time their teaching was that Jesus was like God or was a God.. Other programs that would make for a much stronger, robust, and enthusiastic membership are pushed aside and dismissed due their possibly interfering with proselytizing. And, it doesnt help the organization at all when governing body members like Jeffery Jackson get onto the stand in court and lie about their organization saying that it would be presumptuous to say that theyre the only spoakspeople for God when in fact, it says just that very thing in their literature. First of all, I think the Watchtowers problems with their inability to retain the young people runs very deep. It isnt Christian and it isnt Gods organization. Those few born-in Jehovah's Witnesses who do stay in will pay an enormous price in that they will never have gotten to know who they really were. Sparlock Warrior Wizard Id been treated badly by as many people who were Witnesses as I had non-Witnesses. The mental health of Jehovah's Witnesses - PubMed There are also members with experiences of Catholicism, Mormonism, the Exclusive Brethren, the Mennonites, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and the Falun Gong movement. It will be 1 friend out of 6 shunning rather than all of them - not nearly as effective. And the more she embraced the truth, the more her family tried to stop her. This does not sit well with many elders, particularly those is less than affluent areas. And when youre a member of the Church Of Christ, the peace that you have in knowing that the promise that God has made to you will be fulfilled is everything. It was important for Andrea to have a relationship with God, and to worship Him the right way. They tell you that you need to follow these rules in order to receive salvation and so on. Im astonished at the totally creepy nature of the GB Videos I have seen lately. You have no place in this house. He told me to pack my things and go.. 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. The Jehovahs Witnesses originated as a branch of the Bible Student movement, which was founded by Charles Taz Russell, a Christian Restorationist minister. Change in teachings? "(We) encourage them to make urgent contact with the Department of Social Services so . Obsessed By The Song Ororo By Bro Joshua Iginla - Religion - Nigeria Watch Tower demands their freedom of speech but attempts to deny it to those sharing their publicly available materials which, by the way, are not being distributed for monetary gain. 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 . Already, members of the Watchtower are already being asked to donate money. Globally there are about eight-and-a-half million Jehovahs Witnesses. Many former friends, including my best friend of 10 years, shunned me. As a result, most young Witnesses grow up sequestered in their homes and their congregations, fearful of anything outside those boundaries. For what Christian would ever call somebodys baby a little enimy of God? I had to see it, I had to look it up, and I had to read myself. The origins of the Jehovah's Witnesses go back to 1879, when a Pittsburgh businessman named Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) began publishing the magazine Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence. The groups are handing out copies of The Watchtower from carts outside New Street station. 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. The Russian Supreme Court's shocking ban of the Jehovah's Witnesses on 20 April 2017 also violates Russia's own Constitution which, in words, guarantees freedom of religion. In more recent news concerning the Watchtower organization, Steven Lett made a really shocking and quite frankly damning statement concerning babies. Originally from Kent, Laetitia says her parents became Jehovah's Witnesses about four years before she was born. They make up these rules simply because they can. Examining the total number of people entering and leaving each religion provides the most complete picture of the dynamism of the American religious landscape. The Jehovah's Witness Religion is Literally Dying Off : r/exjw - reddit On the heels of a $35 million jury award to a woman who alleged the congregation mishandled her childhood abuse, other . 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 fact that the [Church Of Christ minister] can go to the Bible and prove when, where, and how the Church was established in these last days is the reason I am a member of the Church Of Christ! 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. Why are you doing this? Andrea was upset. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. The Hardship of being a Gay Jehovah's Witness Literature carts are being used not just in the Newcastle area but all over the world and we foresee them being a regular feature of our public preaching for many years to come.. And instead of just forgiving you of your sin, this evil shunning practice is what they do to you until youre reproved and brought back into good standing which by the way can take a very very long time. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Its old and we dont use it anymore. Why so many raised as Jehovah's witnesses leave - JWfacts If the Jehovahs Witnesses were the true religion, sanctioned by God, there would be no room for error and no mistakes!. These elders are being retrained, and have been called disobedient by the branch. Imagine if Ford was blaming the consumers - saying that consumers had poor judgment for not wanting to buy the Pinto anymore. He focused on his defense, like a narcissist who believes they are the center of the universe, unable to empathize with real people with real problems. Clearly, this organization is a satanic religion posing as Christian. , Productivity Hacks for the Creative Christian, Three (Unexpected) Life Lessons from College, Dear Teenage Self: Finding God Changes You. 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. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they have the one and only true religion and that their Governing Body is appointed by God himself. The turnover in membership is something that is only going to grow; as is the percentage of the young Jehovah's Witnesses who eventually leave. magazine which says: "No one should be made to worship in a way they find . A lack of education is also essential to keep members locked in. Im still here, and Im still the same. Why Are People Leaving The Jehovah's Witness In Droves. Is it the sign of the end or just the end of a religion? Drunk driver smashed into family car on M6 - while sipping cider, Jehovah's Witnesses denies telling abuse victims not to call the police, BBC Breakfast star Charlie Stayt halts show to warn Lenny Henry 'you shouldn't say that', Charlie was hosting BBC Breakfast on Thursday - but warned Lenny: "You really shouldn't say that. 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. . Sitting through hours upon hours of talks and Watchtower studies is not going to help them with many of the emotional and social challenges theyre grappling with. Last night, I was reading the thread posted by jwfacts a while back in which he provided some statistics and graphs showing the rapidly declining growth in the Watchtower. We have hope, and we have a promise that no one else on this Earth has. Were a year and a half apart. The new Toyota Drove! 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. This just comes in a long line of brutal, evil statements that were made by the governing body over the years, and it also proves that this organization in no way is being backed, or supported by God in any way shape or form. I have several observations to add to this. Instead of adjusting the menu, or admitting that the chef isnt as good as he thinks he is, the owner simply blames the customers, and claims that the patrons taste buds must not be working properly. Its this picture of the world the word they use to refer to anything outside the faith that was painted for me as a child, and I was warned away from cultivating any close friendships with non-Jehovahs Witnesses for this reason. The problem is that former Jehovah's Witnessesand others who've left cults or religionshave had to filter out the language of cataclysmic ending when seeking a secular life. They are not allowed to question the Watchtower leadership or teaching. It is all about their money. How can anyone watch these buffoons and think theyre Gods voice. Spare the rod, spoil the child. This is not to say that there are no enthusiastic young people in the Watchtower organization, because there truly are. Copyright 2023 Jehovah's Witnesses. Have you lost your mind? Instead, all of the nations human capital is invested in one thing: warfare. Learn how your comment data is processed. I remember that first year after Id left the Jehovahs Witness faith. Theyre currently in damage control which means that theyre trying to wipe away their history in the hope that future Witnesses will never find it out. It is law according to the Jehovahs Witness. Abuse allegations? Inside The Lost Jehovah's Witnesses Tunnels Under Brooklyn Heights Clearly, these eight men will lie just to protect their money because thats their first love. For years, members have gone door-to-door to spread the word about the faith. Does a recession/pandemic/war indicate Armageddon? Steps 1 Do personal research. They believe that ony 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses will go to heaven. Many teenagers in the organization have issues that require a little more remedy than sitting with a notepad at the assembly and counting with tally marks the number of times the speaker says Jehovah. Does this sound familiar? She converted a lot of people to that religion.. My parents chose my brother, my abuser, over me. Religious fact, faith and delusion, home> Consider this: any Witness can now sit in an assembly during the morning session; dutifully nod their head like a bobble head doll; and then walk outside and link up with ex-Witnesses online via their iPhone to express what they really think.