jehovah's witnesses leaving in droves

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. 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. Again, they continue to enforce a one size fits all education and worship program to both children and adults. Leaving the faith at 18 changed my life completely. I remember that first year after Id left the Jehovahs Witness faith. A man who pleaded guilty to raping two underage girls he met through the Jehovah's Witness congregation they all belonged to has been sentenced to . Many of us here paid that price, only to wake up to it years later. The Watchtower organizations sole purpose is to proselytize, whereby all of its human capital must be channeled into that goal. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they have the one and only true religion and that their Governing Body is appointed by God himself. Show your compassion for those still trapped. 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! Website powered & protected by Jehovah's holy spirit. Jehovah's Witnesses believe these men are anointed as the voice of God on Earth. The shorter the expected time left, the higher the growth. 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 Internet's most comprehensive resource for ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, a community for support, recovery and a few laughs along the way. Jw.org Website (source: Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/). Jehovah's Witnesses in Newcastle City Centre. The leadership of Jehovah's Witnesses has never admitted that any valid reasons to leave the religion exist. random musings> Jesus said himself that he was the way, the life and the truth and that nobody comes to the father but through him. Doomsday images from Jehovah's Witnesses publications. A life of meaningless sex, drugs and alcohol is often woven into this picture. Getty Images 08 . 1. The Watchtower organization is like a restaurant that keeps serving the same bland menu even though many of the patrons dont like the food and arent coming back. End of the Home Book Study Arrangement Their lackluster growth will only continue; and they will find it harder and harder to recruit new members. Ria Williams sued the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's. Sherrie and Naomi were Jehovah's Witnesses. 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. 100 years is a pretty long time to wait. The Let God Be True book was written by imperfect men, and imperfect men make mistakes, and it was a mistake. Clearly, these eight men will lie just to protect their money because thats their first love. I just want you to listen, Cynthia begged. Andrea grew up in a family of devout Jehovahs Witnesses. Contrast this to the July 2009 issue of Awake! it is one to really be avoided at all costs and it is really dangerous. It is the interpretation given those prophecies by men like Stephen Lett and the other members of the GB over the decades that has caused so many witnesses to lose their faith and even, in the case of many, to turn away from God entirely. They believe that salvation is impossible outside of the Watchtower. Jehovah's Witnesses 'use the Bible to victim-shame,' sex abuse survivor says. 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 I eventually left the faith at 18. Just imagine if the Ford Motor Company was still manufacturing and marketing the Ford Pinto. SALT LAKE CITY The Utah Supreme Court has revived a woman's lawsuit alleging she was forced to listen to a recording of her own rape. They really have no proof of God giving them this high and mighty position of being Gods only spoksperson on Earth. Sparlock Warrior Wizard 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 . The membership is aging out and, I suspect that before all those belonging to the second "Overlapping Generation" pass away, we may have seen the end of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Andrea sat down. He lives in Stockholm. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. If they are really lucky, and they are privileged enough to have a dad whos a prominent elder, they might land an exciting acting role - waving their arms around in huge pantomime gestures in an assembly drama. The life of the Jehovah's Witnesses is guided by those forbidden things and more. 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. Much like Kim Jong walking out and clapping his hands, the Watchtowers idea of motivating its people is to deliver talks denouncing college, Watchtower articles ridiculing those who disagree with them, and the repetitive promise that the end is just around the corner. One would think that relatively simple endeavors like those offered in other churches would be worth it to the Watchtower leaders; when considering their inability to retain the young people. But she realized she couldnt help her sister if she remained at a distance. Are you inspired yet? The Jehovahs Witnesses have a bunch of rules, regulations and policies much like the religious leaders of Jesus day had. The Internet is what is really hurting the Watchtower organization bigtime because in the past, information could be controlled and managed. Originally from Kent, Laetitia says her parents became Jehovah's Witnesses about four years before she was born. But now members are heading into the city to try and reach out to more people. 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 across the nation moved to letter-writing and phone-calling instead of door-to-door evangelizing when the organization suspended door-knocking in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are in a great position to be a source of strength and compassion for those younger people who are wandering out and stumbling into forums like this. The carts also provide the public with the choice of approaching us or not, which some people appreciate. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? The "soul" is simply the life-force within a person. To this day I search, I study, and I read. I believe this is a huge factor in the turnover of young people leaving the organization. . It is all about how much you can do in the organization that earns you status and salvation. 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. . 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. This is an area where I believe the Watchtower leadership shows an astounding lack of insight. When Andrea learned that the re-emergence of the Church Of Christ is clearly found in the Bible, she looked into the origins of JW and found that there was no Biblical proof to support JWs establishment. 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. https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/jehovahs-witness/, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/26/a-closer-look-at-jehovahs-witnesses-living-in-the-u-s/, https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/. They make up these rules simply because they can. How long will all of this take? 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. It isnt Christian and it isnt Gods organization. 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. No other religion can do that. Its what we dont post. As a result, most young Witnesses grow up sequestered in their homes and their congregations, fearful of anything outside those boundaries. I have seen many really good kids in the organization totally get neglected because they didnt have a father who was a Witness. When these programs do address the children directly, it usually only entails an assembly drama about Samuel, or the promise that very soon, they will be able to play with tigers and elephants. Besides meetings and literature, what is the Watchtower doing, or even attempting to do to truly refresh, uplift, and inspire their young people? Since then, four Ukrainians from occupied Crimea have been sentenced to six or more years' imprisonment: Serhiy Filatov; Artem Gerasimov; Viktor Stashevsky and Igor Schmidt. Why Are People Leaving The Jehovah's Witness In Droves. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. Im a Choir Member. However, the Watchtower stubbornly sticks to a one size fits all program for everyone. ITV Coronation Street star announces full-time return to soap - leaving fans delighted. World. Watchtower Caught Dumping Chemicals This raises the issue of whether any benefits will ever be paid to other full-time JWs across the globe, who deserve them equally. With multiple documentaries being filmed, protests being organized, news reports being written and lawsuits being filed, Jehovahs Witnesses can choose to buckle up and attempt to survive the crash or they can release that belt and get the hell out of the vehicle which is about to catch fire. The important thing for us is to show them that there is a great life to be lived after leaving the Watchtower. - About 1% of the entire membership is disfellowshipped every year. Branches around the world are struggling to keep up with their own accounting procedures. I've never showered as much in my life. Everyone has a different "wtf" trigger and access to that information is just a curious click away. Everyone has a different "wtf" trigger and access to that information is just a curious click away. Evolution & Creation Misrepresentations 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. It isnt about the children. Am I an Apostate? They are not allowed to question the Watchtower leadership or teaching. -65% of JWs are women, compared to only 35% men. I was very well versed in the Bible. 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. They govern every aspect of your life from cradle to grave. The Hardship of being a Gay Jehovah's Witness 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. The following is just my opinion and observations based on events from the past year. Amber Scorah writes about exiting the Jehovah's Witnesses in Leaving the Witness. Marriage to an unbeliever starts to look a little inevitable. It will be 1 friend out of 6 shunning rather than all of them - not nearly as effective. However, disfellowshipping is. There are millions trapped inside a mental prison, but we can help them. Boom Boom Boom! Reportedly, one of the rules is that unless a perpetrator confesses to committing a sin, two people must witness the commission of the sin. An organization that has established itself as the sole possessor of truth and the single place of refuge from the coming apocalypse cannot divert time and resources to anything that is not related to its recruitment activities. When youre a convert, you know what its like to be in the world. You dont need to mourn me, I told her once. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The Jehovah Witness religion is going through some tough times. The leader Kim Jong is so deluded that his idea of inspiring his people is to walk out on his balcony with his huge Elvis glasses and clap his hands. Watch Tower has taken over responsibility of all kingdom halls worldwide, but many sit in disrepair awaiting renovations in excess of what congregations can afford. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. Each member carries a "Health Care Proxy" card, declaring his or her desire not to receive a blood transfusion for any reason as stated by Acts 15:28, 29. Many of these were good kids too. The more the doctrines made sense, the more she wanted to keep learning. First of all, I think the Watchtowers problems with their inability to retain the young people runs very deep. These doctrines made perfect sense to me!. For years, members have gone door-to-door to spread the word about the faith. With a spacious trunk, with low clearance to fit that pesky literature cart! 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. 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. They began publishing what they learned in books, newspapers, and the journal that is now called The Watchtower Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom. No religion can claim that. Are you inspired? The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world. (Translation they are on their own: no health care, no jobs, no training. 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. To scan all documents located in Brooklyn, retaining only the hard copies they were required to keep by law. Furthermore, followers of the sect are three times more likely to be diagnosed as suffering . The lawsuits are piling up, the fines are compounding, the public awareness of Watch Towers dangerous and controlling cult influence on followers will become a spectacle in 2018. Raymond Victor Franz (May 8, 1922 - June 2, 2010) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses from October 20, 1971, until his removal on May 22, 1980, and served at the organization's world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. 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. 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. In many countries, such meetings would be nothing unusual. But its a way of thinking that is ingrained in you by the faith, and its this mentality that makes it so difficult to leave. 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. They affirm that GodJehovahis the most high. There is a question regarding the longevity of JW.org given the events of the past few years. She met George, his family, and a few others from the Church Of Christ, including Brother Eddie San Gabriel, a Minister of the Gospel. Found some information I thought you all might be interested in. I dont remember feelling that way 30yrs ago, but perhaps I am starting to get back to normal? Many will have had to cover over passions and talents that would have given their lives much greater meaning. However, none of that is really working and people are still waking up from this brutal North Korean type religion. 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. 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. Jehovah's Witness 'ordered to renounce faith and join Russian army' Europe. Its hard to say. Instead of engaging in some honest soul searching and introspection about how to help and nurture young people at an organizational level, the Watchtower leadership, writing department, and traveling overseers all attribute the high turnover to their favorite straw man: Satan. Why are you doing this? Andrea was upset. ET on April 5, 2019. 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. We are so inured to the concept that it has become meaningless. The purpose? Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? And they actually tell you that you cant read the Bible alone that you need these other publications written by them to be able to understand scripture because it comes down from the governing body, and what they say goes. 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. Brummies happily shopping and going about their day to day business have seen them in their droves. (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/). One factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization. Aside from the Bethel layoffs, all non-essential branch projects were either cancelled or put on hold. According to the organisation, there are currently more than 70,000 Witnesses in Australia. This is where the Watchtower is at. Animal Suffering Its a great field service vehicle with four doors and plenty of ankle length dress room in the back! However, the rate of growth has almost certainly also been dependent on child baptism for several years and, with the average age of the membership growing older and decades of discouragement from current members having children, there are also simply fewer children to indoctrinate. Statistically, two-thirds of born in members leave, and of those that leave on. And the more she embraced the truth, the more her family tried to stop her. Jehovah's Witnesses will often turn away from any Bible discussion that challenges their beliefs, using the excuse that they cannot listen to apostates. Jesus himself is truth, not those club-like religions. Strangely, their newspapers only had good news to publish about the Soviet government, and only had bad news to report about Western democracies. Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. As a matter of fact, theres absolutely nowhere in all of scripture that even remotely leads to anything that the Jehovahs Witnesses are the true faith. You know I couldnt see my life any other way. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) The pandemic may leave a. Moriah Hughes, 24, filed her lawsuit last month in. The Holy Spirit is . Its psychology 101. For Ali Millar, the experience of writing her difficult life story wasn't cathartic, it was traumatic. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. That our faith is true. Shunning seams to be one of their favorite topics and favorite things to do. JWs are leaving in droves, all because of the internet. This is not to say that there are no enthusiastic young people in the Watchtower organization, because there truly are. Answer (1 of 10): Well, it's resulted in them having to resort to baptizing children to keep their numbers up (something they used to criticize the Catholic church for). 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. Religious fact, faith and delusion, home> 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. (Rutherford must be having a meltdown in his grave). If the Jehovahs Witnesses were the true religion, sanctioned by God, there would be no room for error and no mistakes!. . It should be noted that the Soviets used the same methods of argumentation and reasoning claiming that nothing was lacking in Mother Russia. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? Jehovah's Witnesses and Covid-19 Most importantly, these endeavors just might diminish time and resources that are used for going door-to-door. ", BBC Beyond Paradise star Jamie Bamber is married to Eastenders actress. Press J to jump to the feed. Followers famously wont accept blood donations - nor do they celebrate birthdays, claiming such celebrations displease God. Have you lost your mind? Once that happens, shunning will have very little power over JWs. But why have they stopped knocking on our doors? Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? Theres absolutely no room for error within the organization. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. Im grateful every day for my education and my desire to learn and think independently, a skill that fostered in me those initial doubts about Jehovahs Witnesses, and enabled me to have the strength to search for answers elsewhere in non-biased literature. 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. As many of you know, the cutbacks were significant. There is dissent in South Africa right now because of the fixed per capita amount assigned to each publisher who attends a circuit assembly. They have been issuing subpoenas from the Southern District of New York to various internet providers in the US, along with Google, Inc., in an attempt to track down the source of the leaks and identify the individuals involved in leaking their literature and videos. Jehovah's Witnesses have been banned in Russia since 2017. This does not sit well with many elders, particularly those is less than affluent areas. 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. The Jehovahs Witnesses originated as a branch of the Bible Student movement, which was founded by Charles Taz Russell, a Christian Restorationist minister. Jehovah's Witness pervert who got sexual kicks from strangling children jailed despite cover-up by congregation. Believers honor Jehovah, the God and Creator of all things. 1. In some respects, its very entertaining. 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. "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 Jehovah's Witnesses had changed over the years. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. However, the Seventh day Adventists say that theyre the only true religion, the Mormons say it and so do the Catholics and so on. 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. Attending My Father's Funeral . How can anyone watch these buffoons and think theyre Gods voice. Now if they all say this, surely not all of them could be the truth huh? But why should doctrines change? Earlier this year, we wrote about how the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, better known as the Jehovah's Witnesses despite a long history of litigating many, many important 1st. They dont bring salvation to your door when they come but instead, they talk about a paradise Earth and so on. It was these friends who became my support network and showed me that people from the world are just the same as people from the faith there were as many lovely people as there were horrible people, as many happy people as there were sad. My grandmother was a pioneer. They are told to just go and pioneer.). 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. Jehovah's Witnesses are among the most racially and ethnically diverse religious groups in America. 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. I was allowed to make friends with people outside my congregation. This religion contains more rules on what you cant do rather than what you can do. "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. That takes us to 27. It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. Authorities have also been accused of failing to look into allegations by whistleblowers that Jehovah's Witnesses may be hiding its money . Mr. Lopez alleged he was abused by a church elder named Gonzalo Campos. 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. 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. Not even Watchtowers huge lawyers can stop it. Id been treated badly by as many people who were Witnesses as I had non-Witnesses. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. In the spring of 2015, Stephen Lett asked for donations after stating that JW.org had more money going out than coming in. Watch Tower must pay these benefits. Jehovah's Witnesses, Hendricks said, "fundamentally disagree with the idea of the Holy Trinity." "We believe that Jehovah is the sovereign, the only eternal one, and that Jesus Christ is a created being perhaps living in the heavens for billions of years," Hendricks said. 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. She was convinced shed lost me and that Id be changed for ever now, no longer the daughter shed always loved and cherished. Jehovah's Witnesses do not provide a dignified resignation process for members who wish to leave. Personally, what this all adds up to for me is this: Young people, and most especially men, are leaving this religion in droves.

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