They govern every aspect of your life from cradle to grave. 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. 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. Watch Tower has made it clear these records are to be destroyed according to their new records management and destruction procedures. There was always an air of mysti'c never seeing them except on occasion at a district convention. Yet, ironically, its clear that their growth is already suffering due in part to this stubbornness. Contrast this to the July 2009 issue of Awake! 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. Andrea sat down. They thought the end would be here now with the old generation teaching. I dont remember feelling that way 30yrs ago, but perhaps I am starting to get back to normal? ITV Dancing On Ice judge Christopher announced Jayne is out of surgery - and it was a success. ITV Coronation Street star announces full-time return to soap - leaving fans delighted. Witnesses believe that they are living in . This was not a tax, it was a fee paid because New York owns the underground and the airspace. She was convinced shed lost me and that Id be changed for ever now, no longer the daughter shed always loved and cherished. Issues such as shunning and adjusting to normal life outside the faith can prove challenging to those wishing to leave. 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. 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. None of these religions are the true religion. I have observed that children in families like this most often never thrive, and are swiftly on their way out by the time they reach teenage years. I think the issue is much more serious than they would like to admit. After completing her Bible studies, Andrea was baptized into the Church Of Christ in 1981. 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. I was very well versed in the Bible. 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. interesting topics> The Let God Be True book was written by imperfect men, and imperfect men make mistakes, and it was a mistake. 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. 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. In South Africa, over 1400 congregations struggle to file their government mandated tax returns required of each congregation. Mr. Lopez alleged he was abused by a church elder named Gonzalo Campos. Copyright 2023 Jehovah's Witnesses. It's already a small pool of potential friends and romantic interests in a KH. Growth is pretty much stagnet in America and other countries like Great Brittan, Austrialia and other English speaking nations. Many of them had some very deep emotional issues that never got resolved. random musings> 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.. 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. Amber Scorah writes about exiting the Jehovah's Witnesses in Leaving the Witness. 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. Their lackluster growth will only continue; and they will find it harder and harder to recruit new members. They may think they do, but we have seen, we have seen the proof that our God is real. Steps 1 Do personal research. Less than 24 hours later, the manual was leaked and seemingly non-stop analysis and comparison to previous versions began. The carts also provide the public with the choice of approaching us or not, which some people appreciate. It is quite funny when the Watchtower wants to shut down somebodys YouTube channel because they said something bad about Watchtower, but at the same time, Watchtower sees absolutely no problem bashing other religions out of their mouths online during their dramas, talks and other programming that they put out. 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. The Watchtower organizations sole purpose is to proselytize, whereby all of its human capital must be channeled into that goal. The groups are handing out copies of The Watchtower from carts outside New Street station. 10. Change in teachings? Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. Originally from Kent, Laetitia says her parents became Jehovah's Witnesses about four years before she was born. Therefore, if young people are uninspired, bored, or unmotivated to engage in the theocratic treadmill, Jehovah's Witnesses can simply blame it on the influences of MTV, high school, or on their favorite buzzword: the world. 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. I have several observations to add to this. I've never showered as much in my life. Watchtower Caught Dumping Chemicals With a spacious trunk, with low clearance to fit that pesky literature cart! Jehovah's Witnesses do not provide a dignified resignation process for members who wish to leave. Were a year and a half apart. As education becomes increasingly important to eek out even a meager living, Witnesses are already being forced to become more educated. What would you expect to see if that was a news headline within the coming year? Besides meetings and literature, what is the Watchtower doing, or even attempting to do to truly refresh, uplift, and inspire their young people? (source: Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/). You're taught by the organisation that once you leave you will. Followers famously wont accept blood donations - nor do they celebrate birthdays, claiming such celebrations displease God. They rely upon the Watchtower more than they rely upon the Bible. Everyone has a different "wtf" trigger and access to that information is just a curious click away. World. This is definitely one organization that you need to steer clear of at all costs. Jw.org Website 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. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) The pandemic may leave 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. Many of us here paid that price, only to wake up to it years later. Many former friends, including my best friend of 10 years, shunned me. It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. Meanwhile, Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia have been imprisoned for following Governing Body directives. 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. 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. They really have no proof of God giving them this high and mighty position of being Gods only spoksperson on Earth. Jehovah's Witnesses have been banned in Russia since 2017. You have no place in this house. He told me to pack my things and go.. I eventually left the faith at 18. They make up these rules simply because they can. . (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 graph below shoes how the 18-29 crowd have aged up, but new young adults are not replenishing the numbers. The following is just my opinion and observations based on events from the past year. I believe this with my whole heart. 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. Should you Disassociate and Sample Letters I began a life where I could decide what to believe for myself, and I wasnt afraid of someone telling me I couldnt. And, as is human nature, it is much easier for Watchtower leaders to put all of the blame for this on invisible metaphysical characters such as Satan, instead of dealing with the elephant in their own living room. This religion is indeed a cult and a terrible one at that. They have their little pet scriptures that they have taken out of context of course and they use those to try and convert you to their brand of religion. . all because thats THE NEW FOUR DOOR SEDAN BY TOYOTA! 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. Watch Tower Headquarters asked branches to sell as much equipment as they could liquidate including heavy equipment, printers, etc. Again, they continue to enforce a one size fits all education and worship program to both children and adults. 37:2337-Minute Listen. Is it any wonder that they would seek to fill the void in their life with sex, drugs, and alcohol? He [the minister] handed me the Bible, and he told me, From now on, when we look up a scripture, I want you to look it up, and I want you to read it. And that was the biggest help for me in reaffirming me that what he was telling me was the truth. I also believe this is an area where they are also profoundly disconnected from reality. JWs are leaving in droves, all because of the internet. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Learn how your comment data is processed. I have two beautiful children that I adore, that God blessed me with, and are very active in the Church. Photos of JWfacts.com being Promoted When there has been no specific date set . In 2017, Russia banned the denomination, whose members believe in nonviolence and refuse to take up arms in war; Russia . Why are you doing this? Andrea was upset. 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. Brummies happily shopping and going. 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In situations such as this, I have often noticed that the kids dont have much in the way of emotional support and guidance. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. 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 Sherrie and Naomi were Jehovah's Witnesses. Many of these were good kids too. They tell you that you need to follow these rules in order to receive salvation and so on. Can baptism be Annulled? 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. Right away, Andrea recognized that there was nothing Biblical about her grandmothers answer. She converted a lot of people to that religion.. 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. 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. Nothing can be allowed to take any time away from the Watchtowers sole purpose of existence: proselytizing. Watch Tower must pay these benefits. 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. 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. Its psychology 101. 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. Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian denomination with an estimated 175,000 followers in Russia. 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. This is human nature. 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. (We already know that growth has become stagnant and more and more people seem to be waking up than previously.). So when Cynthia invited her to meet George and his family at a gathering, she felt obliged to go. I have a loving husband that I adore. 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. 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. The Internet's most comprehensive resource for ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, a community for support, recovery and a few laughs along the way. 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. - Among all U.S. adults who were raised as Jehovahs Witnesses, two-thirds (66%) no longer identify with the group. It isnt about the children. 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. Attending My Father's Funeral Jamie Bamber plays Archie Hughes in Beyond Paradise on BBC One. -65% of JWs are women, compared to only 35% men. Sawyer and many others like her are now denouncing the church's shunning practices in the wake of a recent murder-suicide in Keego Harbor that killed a family of four ex-Jehovah's Witnesses who . Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? Personally, what this all adds up to for me is this: Young people, and most especially men, are leaving this religion in droves. One factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization. And at one time their teaching was that Jesus was like God or was a God.. How many schools do you know of, that stick preschoolers, high school students, and graduate students all into the same classroom together? This raises the question: Who is an. The purpose? According to Watchtower's own figures, know the number of Jehovah's Witnesses decreased 0.6% from 2019 - 2020 (this represents 46,823 average publishers, for anyone interested) BUT I found a few other interesting facts that indicate, to me at least, that this cult's days are numbered and you can see you feel about it as well. BeyondJW - Timothy Campbell The cart-witnessing program is finally beginning to backfire. They believe that salvation is impossible outside of the Watchtower. "(We) encourage them to make urgent contact with the Department of Social Services so . 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. The Jehovah's Witnesses congregation is a millennialist restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs. . 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. I have never been able to find anything more true than what is taught by the Church Of Christ. As a result, most young Witnesses grow up sequestered in their homes and their congregations, fearful of anything outside those boundaries. 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 . 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. 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. Just because they make the claim doesnt make it so. I was one of them. 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. "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. So if Jesus said that, then that means all of these cultic religions are not the truth as they claim that they are. Included with this the commissioning of the Last Messenger! You know what its like to have no hope. As many of you know, the cutbacks were significant. It was important for Andrea to have a relationship with God, and to worship Him the right way. Yes, one would think so, but this would involve the Watchtower leadership reinventing, and rethinking matters that they are convinced have already been settled. The Hardship of being a Gay Jehovah's Witness "They knocked on our door and caught my mum at a vulnerable time of crisis . Sparlock Warrior Wizard Witnesses hold a number of traditional Christian views but also many that are unique to them. In order to avoid climate passivity, we must redefine Armageddon. (Rutherford must be having a meltdown in his grave). Evolution & Creation Misrepresentations 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. In the book, they [JW] taught that Jesus Christ is a Mighty God. 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. Clearly, these eight men will lie just to protect their money because thats their first love.
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