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. 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. Biblically, however, the word "soul" is multifaceted. Authorities have also been accused of failing to look into allegations by whistleblowers that Jehovah's Witnesses may be hiding its money . I tried at all costs to avoid any discussions of faith with Jehovahs Witnesses with whom I was still in contact mostly because I didnt want to be forced into an argument with them over my anger and frustration at some of the doctrines. Witnesses hold a number of traditional Christian views but also many that are unique to them. 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. So when Cynthia invited her to meet George and his family at a gathering, she felt obliged to go. In order to avoid climate passivity, we must redefine Armageddon. Jehovah's Witnesses have been banned in Russia since 2017. I dont remember feelling that way 30yrs ago, but perhaps I am starting to get back to normal? all because thats THE NEW FOUR DOOR SEDAN BY TOYOTA! The graph below shoes how the 18-29 crowd have aged up, but new young adults are not replenishing the numbers. Ironically, they cant do that, because the organization has already been identified and branded as a spiritual banquet where nothing is lacking. Brummies happily shopping and going about their day to day business have seen them in their droves, Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates. 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. For years, members have gone door-to-door to spread the word about the faith. Website powered & protected by Jehovah's holy spirit. Is it any wonder that the turnover among the young people is so high? I think the issue is much more serious than they would like to admit. Getty Images 08 . This is not to say that there are no enthusiastic young people in the Watchtower organization, because there truly are. 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. 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. 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. Beginning in 2018, JW.org will implement a program in which every single JW will be assigned a database number and their information will be in JW.orgs global database. 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. Statistically, two-thirds of born in members leave, and of those that leave on. - 63% of current Jehovah's Witnesses are a high school education or less. There simply isnt anything designed or built into the programs that work with the attention spans of young children. Jehovahs Witnesses can now be found in Birmingham city centre. Yes, one would think so, but this would involve the Watchtower leadership reinventing, and rethinking matters that they are convinced have already been settled. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. If id seen in the 70s or 80s morons like Lett rambling or the arrogance of Tony Morrison or the incredulous lies that Geoffrey Jackson spews, id saved alot of years of headache. You have no place in this house. He told me to pack my things and go.. Nearly all WT published material does not hold up to even a freshman's college essay in terms of sources cited, strawman arguments, and avoidance of logical fallacies. 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. They put peoples lives in bondage to the religion. They make up these rules simply because they can. Found some information I thought you all might be interested in. If they act up and dont sit still; spankings are usually soon to follow. This article provides basic information on leaving this faith. Jehovah's Witnesses, a millenarian denomination of Christrianity, follow strict guidelines regarding the use of blood in medical practices. 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. I have a loving husband that I adore. Animal Suffering Evolution & Creation Misrepresentations The. None of these religions are the true religion. 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. Shunning seams to be one of their favorite topics and favorite things to do. Andrea grew up in a family of devout Jehovahs Witnesses. The rest will live forever in a paradise on Earth, never meeting the person who died for them - Jesus Christ. Im astonished at the totally creepy nature of the GB Videos I have seen lately. Most people who currently identify as Jehovah's Witnesses (65%) also were raised outside that tradition. 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. Watch Tower was spending tens of thousands per year to New York City just to maintain their tunnel and air-bridge spaces between buildings. Quick-builds only happen so often, and Bethel just isnt a possibility for everyone. 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. Change in teachings? 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. 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 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. 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. 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. 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 . Id been treated badly by as many people who were Witnesses as I had non-Witnesses. 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. His wife's parents are among the 130,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Ukraine. 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. (We already know that growth has become stagnant and more and more people seem to be waking up than previously.). 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. Just imagine if the Ford Motor Company was still manufacturing and marketing the Ford Pinto. 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. Religious fact, faith and delusion, home> it is one to really be avoided at all costs and it is really dangerous. It is already collapsing under its own weight. My parents chose my brother, my abuser, over me. Their lackluster growth will only continue; and they will find it harder and harder to recruit new members. By the time many young Jehovah's Witnesses reach their teen years, not only have they been conditioned to associate worshipping Jehovah with great displeasure; but they still don't have any groups or programs tailored to them as teens, or which meet their needs. 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 number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. 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. 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. Like Stockholm Syndrome victims, Jehovah's 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. 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. I began a life where I could decide what to believe for myself, and I wasnt afraid of someone telling me I couldnt. 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. Andrea embraced its teachings and followed all of JWs beliefs to a T. She didnt celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other holidays, and she avoided birthday celebrations. It should be noted that the Soviets used the same methods of argumentation and reasoning claiming that nothing was lacking in Mother Russia. 37:2337-Minute Listen. The records management overseer related an experience where one hand-written note cost watchtower over $200,000 simply because a JW elder at headquarters was honest and produced a written document which tied Watch Tower to a major litigation case with a prior vendor. Does this sound familiar? Contrast this to the July 2009 issue of Awake! 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. All the books in the Bible.. 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. 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. Jehovah's Witnesses are among the most racially and ethnically diverse religious groups in America. I believe this is a huge factor in the turnover of young people leaving the organization. Andrea sat down. . 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. She didnt party, she didnt drink, and she stayed out of politics. This religion is indeed a cult and a terrible one at that. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. In 2015, the court hit Watchtower with a $13.5 million verdict after the organization failed to turn over documents and provide witnesses in a lawsuit filed by Jos Lopez. With a spacious trunk, with low clearance to fit that pesky literature cart! Have you lost your mind? Globally there are about eight-and-a-half million Jehovahs Witnesses. In the book, they [JW] taught that Jesus Christ is a Mighty God. When commenting on the young people who leave the organization, another common tactic that the organization uses is to cynically compare them with the ungrateful Israelites who found Jehovahs manna to be undesirable. We grew up together. Many will have had to cover over passions and talents that would have given their lives much greater meaning. 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 . It made them revered. Feeling deceived by the teachings of the Jehovahs Witnesses, she confronted her grandmother. 239) In this video I share the story of my transition from believing. 10. Its not what we post on AvoidJW.org that should worry Watch Tower. In most cases of child sexual assault, the pedophile commits the heinous acts when alone with the . . On the heels of a $35 million jury award to a woman who alleged the congregation mishandled her childhood abuse, other . Theres absolutely no room for error within the organization. JWs are leaving in droves, all because of the internet. 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. 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. I just want you to listen, Cynthia begged. 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. You know I couldnt see my life any other way. Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? World. Young Korean Witnesses languish in prison for no reason. 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. 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. BeyondJW - Timothy Campbell It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. I eventually left the faith at 18. "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. 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. Brummies happily shopping and going. 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. - About 1% of the entire membership is disfellowshipped every year. Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson The modern-day organisation began at the end of the 19th century. 2010 Elder's Book 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. They believe that salvation is impossible outside of the Watchtower. Its hard to say. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. These groups are designed to approach the young people where they are at right now not from where someone thinks they should be. 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. The groups are handing out copies of The Watchtower from carts outside New Street station. They dont bring salvation to your door when they come but instead, they talk about a paradise Earth and so on. Enter the social media - Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube all readily available on your average smart phone. I never once doubted the decision that I made on that day to leave my family and to become a member of the Church Of Christ.. . Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian denomination with an estimated 175,000 followers in Russia. I had panic attacks. Its a great field service vehicle with four doors and plenty of ankle length dress room in the back! 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. Im still here, and Im still the same. The Internet's most comprehensive resource for ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, a community for support, recovery and a few laughs along the way. Meanwhile, Watch Tower purchased four $8,000.00 scanners. 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. (Rutherford must be having a meltdown in his grave). Marriage to an unbeliever starts to look a little inevitable. Was Russell a Freemason? Im a Choir Member. As a result, most young Witnesses grow up sequestered in their homes and their congregations, fearful of anything outside those boundaries. For Ali Millar, the experience of writing her difficult life story wasn't cathartic, it was traumatic. Many of them had some very deep emotional issues that never got resolved. I knew the Bible back and forth. 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/. There is a question regarding the longevity of JW.org given the events of the past few years. Sections: politics business autos jobs career education romance computers phones travel sports fashion health . 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. The people present were Jehovah's Witnesses -- a Christian religious sect first founded in the United States in the 19th century but now has an estimated 8 million followers around the world. She tried to push his friendship away, which meant pushing Cynthia away too. 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. As she grew up as a third-generation Jehovah's Witness, there were certain things . Instead, all of the nations human capital is invested in one thing: warfare. By Elizabeth Chuck. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. 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. 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. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Ria Williams sued the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's. In a recent private video for Bethel members only, this war against questionable pants, socks, and tights was restated, with Watch Tower doubling down on matters which would baffle Jesus himself were he to walk the earth today. Jehovah's Witness pervert who got sexual kicks from strangling children jailed despite cover-up by congregation. (source: Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/). However, the Seventh day Adventists say that theyre the only true religion, the Mormons say it and so do the Catholics and so on. 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). The more that they grit their teeth, lash out at dissenters, and shake their fists at the internet, the more they motivate their disenchanted young people to satisfy their curiosities about what is on the net. They adopted the name Jehovahs Witnesses in 1931. This has happened in other countries as well. The Jehovah Witness religion is going through some tough times. 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 . She was especially close to her sister Cynthia. That takes us to 27. Personally, what this all adds up to for me is this: Young people, and most especially men, are leaving this religion in droves. 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. When you factor how many people are baptized vs. the number of publishers the year before you realize that they . First of all, I think the Watchtowers problems with their inability to retain the young people runs very deep. Right away, Andrea recognized that there was nothing Biblical about her grandmothers answer. What would you expect to see if that was a news headline within the coming year? Every time I . 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 the Jehovahs Witnesses were the true religion, sanctioned by God, there would be no room for error and no mistakes!. 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. If anyone defected, the leaders simply blamed it on American influence, the defectors lack of gratitude, or on some horrible personal defect of the defector. Internal rules and philosophies among the Jehovah's Witnesses seem to allow abuse to easily be covered up. "They knocked on our door and caught my mum at a vulnerable time of crisis . Additionally, it has been noted by many of us that when there is a family in which the father does not hold some kind of office, the family is often left out on the periphery without much social support. One factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization. Like all enthusiastic followers, they owned a copy of the Let God Be True, which was written, printed, and distributed by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. 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. Just because they make the claim doesnt make it so. 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.