Examining the total number of people entering and leaving each religion provides the most complete picture of the dynamism of the American religious landscape. These groups are designed to approach the young people where they are at right now not from where someone thinks they should be. 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. 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. 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. It isnt Christian and it isnt Gods organization. Jehovah's Witnesses will often turn away from any Bible discussion that challenges their beliefs, using the excuse that they cannot listen to apostates. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. The Jehovahs Witnesses originated as a branch of the Bible Student movement, which was founded by Charles Taz Russell, a Christian Restorationist minister. 2020-06-14 - NATALIE O'BRIEN. Its not hard to figure out why so many Jehovah's Witness children are conditioned from an early age to associate drudgery with the meetings and assemblies. 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.. Were a year and a half apart. She met George, his family, and a few others from the Church Of Christ, including Brother Eddie San Gabriel, a Minister of the Gospel. Im a Choir Member. 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. I have several observations to add to this. We grew up together. 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. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. This is human nature. In 2017, Russia's Supreme Court declared the group an extremist organization, lumping its. 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. Simple forgiveness isnt in their vocabulary. Watch Tower must pay these benefits. Why Are People Leaving The Jehovah's Witness In Droves. Now that their arrogance has has gotten the better of them and they mistakingly feel theyre better than anyone else to sit in front of the camera and pontificate, we see how bad they are. Press J to jump to the feed. Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? 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. The organization of Jehovahs Witnesses is not Gods organization and never ever will be either. I have seen a lot of creativity and progressive thinking when it comes to how they design ministries for young people. On the heels of a $35 million jury award to a woman who alleged the congregation mishandled her childhood abuse, other . 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. A key factor to the growth in number of Jehovah's Witnesses is the promise that this system will end at any moment. It is all about their money. Yes, one would think so, but this would involve the Watchtower leadership reinventing, and rethinking matters that they are convinced have already been settled. 100 years is a pretty long time to wait. 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 First of all, I think the Watchtowers problems with their inability to retain the young people runs very deep. 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. 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. Boom Boom Boom! It was important for Andrea to have a relationship with God, and to worship Him the right way. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Enter the social media - Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube all readily available on your average smart phone. , Productivity Hacks for the Creative Christian, Three (Unexpected) Life Lessons from College, Dear Teenage Self: Finding God Changes You. interesting topics> 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. Jehovahs Witnesses are taught to welcome doctrinal changes. What would you expect to see if that was a news headline within the coming year? Photo courtesy of Jehovah's Witnesses Public Information Desk Mandee Reid and her son, Charles Reid, of Kansas City, Mo., like Jehovah's . By contrast, about two-thirds of those who were raised as evangelical Protestants (65%) and Mormons (64%) still say they are members of those respective groups. The family of Jehovah's Witnesses is writing letters instead of knocking on doors to spread their faith. 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. It is all about how much you can do in the organization that earns you status and salvation. Just because they make the claim doesnt make it so. 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 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. 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. Jesus Christ is God's agent, through whom sinful humans can be reconciled to God. - Quora Answer (1 of 27): It isn't a religion its a cult. She didnt party, she didnt drink, and she stayed out of politics. None of these religions are the true religion. But I will say this each one of us can play a part in sharing what we know with the public. Evolution & Creation Misrepresentations Basically it is in the process of imploding. Jw.org Website While I tried to maintain the utmost respect for their beliefs and not attempt to preach my own, they refused to extend me the same courtesy, and many assumed Id left so I could experience more freedom for worldly things. 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. Marriage to an unbeliever starts to look a little inevitable. I dont think Ive ever seen my mum cry so much, so often. 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 why should doctrines change? 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. Ironically, they cant do that, because the organization has already been identified and branded as a spiritual banquet where nothing is lacking. Animal Suffering It is law according to the Jehovahs Witness. Aside from the Bethel layoffs, all non-essential branch projects were either cancelled or put on hold. 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. This religion is indeed a cult and a terrible one at that. Clearly, these eight men will lie just to protect their money because thats their first love. But in another respect, its quite sad, when considering the young people in the organization who desperately need and yearn for something more. 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. Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson Given the choice between what this media has to offer, versus reading a Kingdom Ministry insert, where do you think a bored and uninspired teenager is going to go? Watch Tower is watching its assets in Russia vanish while paying settlements in the US and elsewhere for child abuse mishandling and other legal cases. 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. Mr. Lopez alleged he was abused by a church elder named Gonzalo Campos. I was one of them. All rights Reserved. It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. This is definitely one organization that you need to steer clear of at all costs. Jehovah does not mislead us. 726 Followers. I dont remember feelling that way 30yrs ago, but perhaps I am starting to get back to normal? Issues such as shunning and adjusting to normal life outside the faith can prove challenging to those wishing to leave. But she realized she couldnt help her sister if she remained at a distance. 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. In order to avoid climate passivity, we must redefine Armageddon. 10. It should be noted that the Soviets used the same methods of argumentation and reasoning claiming that nothing was lacking in Mother Russia. 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 . For years, members have gone door-to-door to spread the word about the faith. The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world. "They knocked on our door and caught my mum at a vulnerable time of crisis . Personally, what this all adds up to for me is this: Young people, and most especially men, are leaving this religion in droves. We feel the use of carts allows us to reach people we perhaps wouldnt meet at home due to their work schedules or other factors, said spokesperson Andrew Schofield. 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. 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. Every time I . Everyone has a different "wtf" trigger and access to that information is just a curious click away. all because thats THE NEW FOUR DOOR SEDAN BY TOYOTA! How long will all of this take? Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. When youre a convert, you know what its like to be in the world. 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. One has since died but had rarely attended before her death. I have just loaded my spiritual cannon, and I am about to fire away! She tried to push his friendship away, which meant pushing Cynthia away too. 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. 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. Find some books which are truthful and sincere and share them. There are now 11 of us that are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses, and that is in ten years. They may think they do, but we have seen, we have seen the proof that our God is real. She was convinced shed lost me and that Id be changed for ever now, no longer the daughter shed always loved and cherished. My Story of Leaving Jehovah's Witnesses Lloyd Evans 108K subscribers Subscribe 7.2K 232K views 4 years ago (Cedars' vlog no. In fact, the July 1st, 1984 issue of Watchtower magazine goes so far as to say that anyone who leaves their religion has decided "to leave the way of truth".. 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. 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. Ria Williams sued the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's. 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. 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. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. Within ten years, a Nothing can be allowed to take any time away from the Watchtowers sole purpose of existence: proselytizing. Besides meetings and literature, what is the Watchtower doing, or even attempting to do to truly refresh, uplift, and inspire their young people? 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. 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. The groups are handing out copies of The Watchtower from carts outside New Street station. The Watchtower organization simply has nothing new to offer, and no new ideas. When you factor how many people are baptized vs. the number of publishers the year before you realize that they . 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. "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. Steven Lett said that when people walk up to admire a little baby, they often would say, Look at that little angel! Steven then went on to say, more accurate, look at that little enimy of God. This statement has circulated round the Internet and has appeared in many YouTube channels and so on. THE Jehovah's Witnesses religious denomination has been accused of selling assets and sending cash offshore to avoid paying Australian child-sex abuse victims. Theres absolutely no evidence of that at all. Witnesses are being approached and asked hard-hitting questions about child abuse, shunning, and other matters. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. 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. This does not sit well with many elders, particularly those is less than affluent areas. Furthermore, followers of the sect are three times more likely to be diagnosed as suffering . Moriah Hughes, 24, filed her lawsuit last month in. Two years later he founded Zion's Watch Tower and Tract Society, which was incorpo-rated in 1884 in Pennsylvania. They believe that ony 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses will go to heaven. 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. Lets make it happen. 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. Its hard to say.
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