Have you had experience with JWs or being part of it? Who shall I interview next (British-based preferred, so I can do in-person! But remote interviews also possible!)
We used to always have them knocking the door only to get politely told where not interested and one night as a child i was bored so i went outside and threw potatoes at there house across the street despite knowing them 😁 but recently ive had a couple of odd letters from them hand written and with hand drawn illistrations that was a bit creepy oh and tge other week i had a strange dream i was alone in a massive park at night first i came across a pyramid shaped house with a glass front a family inside watching television with the light on i walked a bit further and there was a smaller pyramid shaped building glass front but only darkness inside and i said to myself this is the jehovinas witness building then i got scared and carried on ive been thinking since maybe im a witness 😁
On my teeny weeny channel where I don't make vids anymore go to my home page and you'll see the highlighted vid that briefly says what JWs cost me. The suicides they directly and indirectly cause are horrific. It's what they call "worldly people" who often pick up the pieces trying to keep the discarded brethren alive. I went though hell aged 19-21 entirely on my own in foreign countries, with no support systems, trying to keep alive the remains of a 34 year old man broken due to their policies. I financially supported us both and would half doze in a chair between him and the window or he would try and jump out. He begged them to take him back but they wouldn't. Before I met him he'd tried to kill himself a few times. He'd made very serious efforts such as cutting his neck and pulling out the vein, drinking a lot of bleach and burning out his gullet and insides. It had taken months in hospital care and his throat was still having to go through regular dilation to stop it scarring shut. He was highly intelligent and able, had embraced their life of poverty to work full time at their HQ in New York, gone on to learn skills to help them further. He loved them so much but they wouldn't let him back.
As a young single mom looking for stability and a sense of belonging, I started studying with JW's. The moment we got to the teaching about a woman's duty to submit to her hubby-even when his decisions and actions hurt me, I was out.
That's good. They have a terribly oppressive position for women. And a terrible track record for not dealing with sexual abuse. Especially towards children. So you did really good to decline the offer. Good on!
"Obey" is the word I always have trouble with. Why do women have free will, if she must always submit to her husband? And what if she's not married, or is divorced or widowed? Bow down to your husband, but God says have no other gods before me.
The neighbors were JWs and I was the only non-witness friend they had going through school. I went to their daughters wedding at the Kingdom Hall , and I went to their book studies because I wanted to belong to something. My family was not having it. In college, I met back up with the family, but at the end, it all came back to, " I could spend more time with you if you had a book study." I was devistated. These were my oldest friends that I had. It was very sad. However, I am glad it didn't divide my family.
sorry you felt that , but i am glad you never joined - i know many children indoctrinated like that and it is sad as they get distanced from their real family
With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion. Religion is an insult to human dignity. Steveon Weinberg.
My sister became one via her 3rd husband ,after giving birth she started hemorrhaging ,she was bleeding to death but refused blood cuz it's against JW practice... She miraculously survived but was hospitalized for days while I cared for her baby. She divorced her husband 4 cheating and left the JW after that .
And the bastard cheated on her?! Supposed Christian they are a cult nothing to do with true Christianity! I read some of the material of this cult when I was young but left it alone a long time ago! Kingdom Hall lol hilarious how crazy they become in the falsehood of religion which doesn’t save anyone’s souls and spirits from eternal damnation it’s so sad. I hear this man talk about mind control is insane as heck!
They don’t even believe that hell exists which is so crazy it most definitely does exist. Many people are going to hell without being saved for real! Sadly Armageddon is I’m not even sure what exactly they mean by that word war will happen. God will fight with His angels and the rest of us humanity that are going to be there when He decides to come back to this earth.
@@ArielisisRuiz77 Really-are you talking about a Burning Firey Hell-Where God Roasts & Toasts ppl who unlike yourself evidently in stone are saved-bc no they DO not find that in Genesis or anywhere Else that the Scriptures hold out anything other than life for obedience or the opposite of life-which is death or non Existance. So the English word Hell I'd it is Equated with Sheol or Hades-tgen yes- it is a word of translation-but show me One instance of a person or Faith that uses it with out the Burning & punishment of Hellfire-which IS not a Biblical teaching... How I'd it that you would Prove it most "certainly is"? You provided no proof that it Is-other than your own words-& It is easily proven that that teaching was taken from Pagan false Christian Beliefs-& adopted by the "Church". Yes they believe that Armegeddon is God's War on the wicked. Which sounds similar to your belief-although I couldn't say for sure tho. Is that true? If not this is a difficult place to have a Scriptural discussion, however I'm not in anyway backing away from it.. if your willing to pride proof for Roasting & Toasting ppl forever in Hellfire belief, I'm more than thrilled to defend my God of Love could never participate in burning ppl Alive Forever & ever! And if you also have Scriptural issues with Armegeddon being God's righteous war against the wicked, I welcome any comments there also. If it's just disagreements and personal feelings, I'm sorry it hurts yours, but the Truth is what is important in reality -our feelings are very secondary. Maybe it needs more information so we understand I know it's necessary for me to really understand & I Don't always at 1st! It takes time & study &a lot of prayer!
"Keep abstaining from blood" states Paul. Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to.
“I’m not the person you think I am”… I’m not the person YOU WANT me to be!! If only our families could accept that. I’m a 4th generation, left it at age 40. Shunned for 26 years ! Losing family was brutal & yet, at the same time, a blessing. It has given me time to deprogram, without them trying to pull me back in, gave me time to navigate a world I knew very little about & was able to figure out my own belief system! Being raised a JW was horrible, but we can get beyond it & live great lives 👍🏼👏🏼😊
Thriving Ex so What horrible thing didn't you like-No being able to have the type of Serious sin you liked to do? Or did you in Feneral possibly have dysfunctional parents & family Ike the rest of us who don't like or fanilys-but don't have a religion to blame it on? Do you like a Trinity-do you believe in God Roasting & Toasting ppl forever in Hellfire? So maybe you really just didn't like your families "issues" or the fact you found its a lot of work to live correctly? I myself am seeking reinstatement the 2nd time-& yes there are ALL kinds of Wrings bla bla bla--You don't appreciate it because of Jehovah & learning from all the Bibles lessons-all of the Bibles examples are pretty screwed up ppl wouldn't you say? Don't you think your just pulling in a lot of sincere ppl like myself-who WAS very Worldly-a 50 yr old Term like this guy doesn't bring out-its Non-believer since the Early 80's for his info- As the Society recognized it wasn't correct or the best term. All you have to do is repent-& get reinstated-so what is it AGAINST the Scriptures themselves that you disagree with? That you want to have more than your relationship in the Bible it says God requires or your Family also wants you not to do bc it is hurtful to yourself & others in some way? Which again you well know the Scriptures condem it and You took an Oath to uphold-but You changed your mind- or did they? If you changed your mind-God allows you that right-but I bet their are families you now admire but have possibly disowed or not really associate with one of their own for something much LESS? Ppl Crack me up I know So many non religious and religious families who don't speak bc of something much less than what is commanded not to do as a serious sin- & everyone accepts it NO Problem... But you being raised in this Faith that Takes out SO many Lies abt God-that He Roasts & Toasts ppl in Hellfire Forever burning ppl alive-that is wrong No? But you think your issue of not wanting to continue with THEM is Their problem? O.k.' Btw I thank Jehovah that He found me abt 50 yrs ago & I had a shit** life & my following Him-not any of my family Is with Me-I lost them all anyway!! THEY COULD COME W ME-should I condem them bc they don't want to-like your doing with your family? Would they be SO much better w out that Faith-or do you like many of us just don't like your family much?
One must be obedient to the commandments of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. What JW's teach are supported by Gods word completely. There is no question "The Great Tribulation" will soon come, you still have time to find Jehovah. God didn't send his only begotten son, the second most powerful and holy being in the universe, to this Earth to be mocked, humiliated, spat on, imprisoned, beaten, tortured and killed, just so anyone and everyone could have their own interpretation and beliefs of His word. God is order and unity, just as JW's are truly united according to Gods will.
I’ve worked wit JW if I’d worked picking fruit and veg then one day 2young girls arrived thy were really friendly someone said thy were JW but we all got along one day a window cleaner rocks up someone said it’s there dad. Once the fruit was done I went 👀 for winter plants and the girls were working there I got talking to them thy also clean the vets 6days a week and pains animals tboot I felt so sorry for them hope thy find a way to move away . Thank you Andrew ❤
@@SharonDowney-zz9vm - It was a hard way to grow up & the Deprogramming from it takes years, but more & more are leaving these days.. I still have hope that my own family will see how destructive it is & leave 🤞🏼
@@markuse3472 - I still believe that Jesus is my Lord & Savior. ( You don’t have to be a JW in order to live a clean moral life) .. In fact, I’m a much better Christian now then I was when I was a witness!!! I believe that Jesus is my mediator..NOT those 8 GB members who now finally admit that they are not even “inspired” by God. ( SOOO MANY FALSE PROPHESIES).. Do your research!!!! And just so YOU know.. you still have time to get out of that EVIL organization that refuses to turn pedophiles into authorities, who refuse to give themselves or their children a life saving blood transfusion & who believe in shunning, therefore shattering families to pieces! There are MANY victims of suicide out here because watchtower destroyed their lives ( for no good reason) I’m one of the lucky ones.. I didn’t fall off the deep end when I left. I was never disfellowshipped, just left quietly, and still I was shunned & disowned by my entire family & friends. I now speak out because the more people that know about this evil cult, the better! So thank you for commenting & giving me yet another chance to educate people!! I love it when you JW’s come on here trying to pull us back in & we can explain why we will NEVER go back!! I could go on & on about their evil policies but I’m sure you get my point?? I’ll be praying for you & all JW’s 🙏🏼💗
I lost one of my best friends to JWs. She was marrying a man who was born into it and *hated* it growing up. A few months before the wedding, he had a religious crisis and told her he was converting back. He moved out of their shared house, prayed in front of her for forgiveness for cohabiting and s-x before marriage, took her to meetings, etc, and basically indoctrinated her. Next thing we all knew, the wedding they were planning was cancelled in favour of a JW wedding that me, her other friends and even her family were uninvited from. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid. Her sister was supposed to maid of honour. We were and still are, devastated. Her family has never met her children, although we know she has three. It cuts to the bone even 20 years later.
I don't blame you for being upset. JWs are not supposed to date or marry outside the truth but many do and sex before marriage by a JW member is out of the question and subject for removal or reproof. We are supposed to have a conscience to keep us out of trouble and avoid trouble. The guy listened to his conscience too late. It is good the guy decided to repent but his timing was most inappropriate considering the people involved. He had already committed a wrong that would get him removed or reproved and he could never have a JW wedding anyway in his current situation. So why should he have stopped the train in the middle of the tracks? I suppose he could have kept his situation a secrete or lied to the elders? I am a JW and have been for many years and I have seen some JWs live double lives or take things to the extreme or misapply scripture. I'm not advocating wrongdoing, as we all are a work in progress, but it seems to me some JWs just need to think before they act.
Harrison, you explain the pain and loss as well as anyone I’ve heard. I left in 1985 at 19 and missed my mother until she died in 2014. I did not attend her funeral. The mother I thought I had died in 85.
I grew up as JW. I didn't see those years as problematic at the time, rather now in retrospect. My training as a chef was a good decision. Fortunately, JW and the gastronomy working hours do not go well together.
In my job I worked evenings and that didn't fit with our 2 midweek meetings. Not knowing how the cult worked I decided to go to those meetings at KHs near my workplaces...that didn't go down well at all. They couldn't monitor me if I went to different congregations.
@@jwsuicides8095 I can imagine that. I was still in the congregation occasionally. When I happen to have a day off. I had to listen to something. Accusations about my career choice and my priorities. You name it... That made it very easy not to go there anymore.
"I'm a good animal." What a sweet, fantastic insight! I worked with a man who had shunned his adolescent daughter (his only child!) for years because she wouldn't come back to the church after her parents' divorce. He finally made contact with her again and she agreed to talk to him. He was so thrilled and said he couldn't wait to meet with her and teach her all about "The Truth." It made me sick. My aunt and uncle were JWs. During my childhood they started sending my mom the Watchtower and all their other fairytale fiction. Finally, my mother, a pretty devout Presbyterian, wrote to them and told them to knock it off or we wouldn't be staying in touch. It worked, for some reason. Turned out that their only child, a son, was - and still is - estranged from them. How people voluntarily alienate so many people all their lives is beyond me.
Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to.
I grew up fundie evangelical and lemme tell ya, the "how are you" meaning "how are you spiritually" is a commonality. And if your answer isn't "great!" it's assumed you are backsliding because depression, stress, physical illness are all cured by prayer. So, if you're not doing well, it's your fault for not praying right/enough.
Oh my gosh, I grew up with such bad theology too. It's like they're not living in the real world. In the real world if you're a believer you go through real life crap. This is a subject I'm most fascinated in.
I find it so sad, how people distort a beautiful relationship with God through Jesus, and make it all about a bunch of stupid man-made laws. I think it is Satan working to pull people away from God. He seems to be doing a great job.
I grew up in a regional town in Australia in the 60’s. I had a class mate that was a JW, although I didn’t know that at the time. But one weekend he had an accident and needed a blood transfusion. His parents refused to give permission to the local hospital to give the live saving transfusion. I remember the doctors and nurses talking about how the parents refused their pleads, and some big wig from the church come to the parents aid. Where the doctors thought at least now there is someone will help the parents make sense of the situation. Only to be told they were not respecting the wishes of the parents and their faith. The boy dead and the town was devastated. Until it got out how he could have survived but the parents wouldn’t let the doctors save his life. Then the rage set in, it was like Hitler himself walked into the town. The family sold up and left within months. That was the first time I seen how a town can turn on anyone. The father was sack and had no chance to redeem themselves. It was in the news paper local and city news. I often think of how they got though all the whole ordeal. On top of the grief of losing their son, in the name of their faith.
They killed their son, in the name of their faith. The Bible doesn’t say shit about transfusions. It says not to eat blood. This is not in any sense the same thing.
@ Poppie Rose Poppies toys….The parent probably didn’t think twice because they were refusing the life saving blood for their son for “Jehovah”…. Jehovah Witnesses use to have a printed book that told stories of how young and old people refused blood and died….SMDH!!!!
Always has and possibly always will as long as non reasoning unintelligent humans allow others to make their minds up by teaching unreasonable literature. Remember we are talking about a "supreme god that stuffed up and made mankind listen to a supposed snake" amazing stuff! By the way, who made this snake?
I was raised as a JW. I left years ago. There was to much that didn't make any sense to me. Especially when I saw how downtrodden my mother was by our father. Women don't count in this misogynistic Cult. I decided to get a degree in my chosen field, best move I ever made. Thank you for this presentation, I hope it helps a lot of people.
I'm a retired teacher, but has worked as a "substitute" bartender in friend's pub for 20 years. One of Denmarks 160 kingdom halls is in this little town, so we've got a JW community. I don't think shuning is as extreme in Denmark as other places, as I know several ex-JWs, who are in good contact with their family. BUT, BUT the ones who are really shuned.... Where do you think the super shuned JWs go?? To the pub! Firstly, they can't control their alcohol intake and they'll try ANY drug they are offered. Secondly they don't know how "behave" with the opposit gender, hardly with their own. They can't small talk, as they are un-informed about "life in general", so they instantly turn the conversation to their own missery, their horrible parents, and JW. So they get "shuned" all over AGAIN several times, - and I become their phycologist... It always gets to me. They are so fåking lost. So lost, and so lonely. So helpless. I hate their parents! I wish some of THEM would show up, so I could tell them what EVIL is. Not caring for your children?? NO God ever would support that.
Harrison and Andrew this was a fantastic interview. I’m an exjw. Was disfellowshipped for apostasy almost 4 years ago. My husband is still a JW on paper. If he wasn’t scared of being disfellowshipped I’d have happily come on your program. We’ve got an interesting story to tell about when he was hospitalised and needed a transfusion and the way they witnesses behave. Andrew thank you for shining a light on this very toxic high control group.
My cousin died because his mother wouldn't allow him to have a transfusion. He was grown and no longer practiced. Left when he was 18. He was 29 or so and divorced so his mother was next of kin and he didn't have a living will or anything for his wishes. She chose something for him that he didn't believe in and he died.
What an articulate young man, so interesting to hear his story in detail. I'm not a JW but can see how they keep these folks indoctrinated. The sadness surrounding losing his contact with his Dad is heart breaking
If yhings were good with his father this would’ve never happened. Look at any cult you wish - everyone who goes to this stuff is looking for a family. Parents are not hoing to admit in a video or in comments that they were abusive in any way. Cults depend upon parental abuse to get their followers. So much naivete.
@@rs5570 not true in my opinion. JW are a cult and some people bury themselves in it more than others. Some are fanatical like his father and some aren’t. Well his dads loss to waste all these years in a cult.
Or neglect! That’s how my cousin got trapped . His mother had died and his toxic neglectful and misogynistic father had never really been around even though they lived together.
OMG I relate with Harrison so much. I left the JW when I turned 20 and it was the best desition of my life but I struggle everyday with my inner thoughts about what I used to believe and what do I believe now. Your example of dinosaurs if one of many but I keep asking myself how come I used to believe, and JW always teach, that god is a god of love, mercy, if he keeps playing with our lives like we are toys? And why does he need adoration? My father is an elder and very active in the religion, but he still talks to me and my sisters even though one of them is disfellowshipped, so thats good. But I still struggle with the fact that he still chooses to be a part of that. Thanks for sharing your story!
I have never been JW but am in contact with a distant JW cousin and have been doing some research to try to understand her better. I, like you, don't find Jehovah to be loving and/or merciful, and think his needing so much adoration is a huge contradiction. That's not love!
I was 12 years old when I first experienced a situation of ostracism involving a young sister who had been excluded. This young woman had been attending the meetings for some time but was isolated at the back of the room like a plague victim, ignored by everyone in attendance. She looked so sad that one day I couldn't stop myself from going up to her and from the top of my 12 years I asked her how she was doing with the intention that she feel a little less alone. It seems to me that these few words did him good until the moment when the son of an elder quickly interrupted me by saying to me with big eyes: "What are you doing? You can't talking to him is an outcast!" I was 12 and he was 14. I was not aware of this policy. I didn't understand why a person trying to come back had to suffer so much humiliation. What was wrong with showing him Christian compassion and encouragement? How was she supposed to "go home" if the whole congregation was pushing her away. I was 12 years old and already this practice seemed to me unhealthy and twisted. Alas, it only took a few years for the Watchtower to format me and make me accept the unacceptable, I was 18 and I had become like this son of an elder. Shame on me.
33:00 made me cry. My entire extended family are deep american southern baptists from Alabama. Slightly different than JWs, but the overall feel when leaving is the same. I stopped believing over 5 years ago after 20 years because of people like Harrison. I’ve still told no one but other atheist friends I have. I live 40 mins away from all of them now and I still get up on Sundays and go to church with all of them because I’m so scared to lose my family. This part of it truly spoke to me because I can imagine my mother crying and saying what Harrison’s dad said to him. They were and still are so good to me and generally good people outside of some weird right wing beliefs. The “abuse” is a real thing though. In my case it was not direct or purposeful, but because of a couple of instances that could have been wonderful teaching moments (Don’t want to get too into it, but I would describe it as normal sexual exploration for a boy) in a secular family became yelling and hitting with a belt which gave me such a stunted and weird view on sexuality for a long time. I’m not certain I will ever tell any of them because unlike Harrison this is a group of 20-30 people that would no longer view me as a good person. They would believe I only left the faith to sin and be worldly. A couple of them already think weirdly of me because they know that I am a leftist. Seeing my cousins under 10 years old being indoctrinated may break my heart the most. This was very long winded and no one may even read it lol, but it felt very cathartic to just type it out.
That’s how leaving the JWs feel especially if you’re young and unmarried. They gossip about you that you left because you wanted to live a life of sin (usually sexual promiscuity) and debauchery (gambling, drinking, smoking, drugs, nightclubs, etc). When I entered the world of JWs they were shocked that I had a nearly puritanical background (I was raised an Evangelical Christian by fanatical parents - I didn’t even dare think sex, hanging out with non-Christians or clubbing or any such “worldly” thing) JWs think they are the only pure organisation and yet they have a huge track record of covering up child s*x abuse and now face a massive backlash and lawsuits for treating it as a sin rather than a crime. My mother is still deeply and steeply indoctrinated. All she listens to are the American Christian religious television and radio
God never said this life would be easy, this world isn't ours, ultimately when it comes down to it, your brother, mother, father No one will save you but Jesus, that'll never change, forget the people around you, focus on a real relationship and you'll find all the answers in the true word, the righteous word! He'll never lie, or change just ask him and I know in my heart you'll see 🙏💕 prayers and blessings my friend
I have great empathy for you and your desire to hang on to your loved ones and friends. Idk the practices of the baptist religion when a person decides to leave, but with Jehovah's witnesses you go through a process & the congregation goes through a process too. I had to write a letter to the elders and was formerly disfellowshipped. Members no longer speak to you, they do not make eye contact with you, you are and apostate. I was a baptized member with no family in the congregation, it is different in degrees if you have family in the organization, if you are not baptized, if you are not baptized you are disassociated, BUT there is still hope for you. Anyway, the whole congregation is instructed to shun you, you are like satan and you are dead to them; it's not as if the members are just going to gossip or talk about you but still talk to you, it is zero contact, you are basically satan.
@@kimmandley9356 When I say it’s similar I’m mostly speaking of family stuff. Theologically you can’t really be shunned in the baptist church because they believe that once you have formally accepted the lord into your heart, which I did at 11 yrs old, then you can never be “unsaved” in an official manner or in your own heart no matter how you behave. I have not experienced the full force of this obviously, but from what I’ve seen people in your life will attempt to pull you back in, but do not want to associate with you outside of that for fear of you corrupting them. Obviously JWs have it far worse with this, I just related so much to Harrison in that moment I felt like sharing. I definitely should not have worded the original comment the way I did in hindsight because honestly the disfellowship experiences are not even truly comparable. Kinda feel bad about saying it the way I did to be honest. In the christian churches in the US you can sort of drift away and no one with say anything to you if you have no family. I compared it because my family is almost militaristic about church attendance and adhering to customs.
@@Salty4freedom Even though I’m no longer a believer thank you for your kindness. This is something I can imagine the kindest person I know, my grandmother, would have almost assuredly said to me.
I’m not DF or disassociated yet I am still shunned…this video gives me the courage to pull my own trigger too and not let them control me. Just write my letter of disassociation.
Just don’t go back. No letter needed. Screw that cult. Don’t even give them the satisfaction. You are a sovereign and divine being. That religion is literally THE OPPOSITE of what god is. God is UNCONDITIONAL love and gives us all FREE CHOICE
I have been an Initiate of Wicca since 1967, and have never felt the need for any other spiritual path. When my Husband and I lived in Hollywood, back in 1974/75, I had left the Altar set up after our Coven went home after a Sabbat. In the morning there was a knock at our door, and I opened it to find two young people with briefcases. I immediately said, “You have come to talk to me about religion haven’t you?”, they replied yes…and I asked them to come right in. I then proceeded to show them the Altar, and explain each item on it. I told them the basics of my beliefs, not allowing them an opportunity to speak. Then I thanked them for their interest in my religion, and said I would be happy to talk to them about it any time they wanted. Then I ushered them out the door. They never did return, but they looked very uncomfortable while I was introducing them to Wicca. It seems they only like talking about religion when it is their’s, and they are doing the talking. I am appalled by these organizations that divide families and friends simply because they are not in the same belief as you are. I believe the Divine has many languages, and all are as valid as the many languages in the secular world. One will hear in the language that we each understand. True connection to the Divine engenders love and empathy…not hatred and fear. If the door doesn’t work both ways, it is a trap. If someone believes differently to you, it takes nothing away from your faith. A God/dess who is loving and caring would not tear people apart, there is no room for a jealous God that believes it is the ONLY God. If there is only ONE…what is it jealous of? I have always wondered about that. I am sorry your guest had to experience this in his life. I appreciated his openness to sharing his truth, and you for giving him a safe place to do it. Your compassion and empathy for your guests is always a beautiful thing…thank you.🖤🇨🇦
That’s hilarious that you shared your religion with them. You do realize they were terrified, right? I mean, some Jehovah’s Witnesses are afraid to buy something at a garage sale because it might be demonized and then these two find themselves talking to a (gasp!) Wiccan who is showing them her altar😂
@@JA9-fx7sg It was fun, I must admit…and yes, they were frightened. They stood outside the circle on the floor and didn’t move, eyes wide until I ushered them out. I hadn’t planned it, but in the moment I just thought, okay I can talk about religion to you lol.🖤🇨🇦
I HAD a nieghbor/friend who was a witness. She eventually had a complete meltdown. I believe it was over her internal conflicts. She wanted to live one life, but was forced to live another. She was the biggest hypocrite I had ever met. She definitely preached one thing and did another. Naturally lied, hide and denied it. She ended up destroying her own family and every relationship she had. Including her relationship with her children. Who incidentally, are now grown and want nothing to do with her.
Anyone that starts with alcoholism isn't that bad I would question, like really and JW,s are nice people some are weird but that behavior isn't endorsed by the faith at all
I'm an ex-JW also. I was dragged into it by my best friend's mom preaching to me behind my parent's back starting when I was 7 years old, using all of the imagery of paradise at first. I soon realized it was a bait-and-switch thing. I concluded that there was no way I was going to live through impending Armageddon because, knowing my parents wouldn't take me to the Kingdumb Hall, I knew I was not going to walk there by myself as a child. So I couldn't talk to either parent about the fact that I thought I was going to die soon, because my friend's mom told me that I shouldn't say anything to my parents because I might destroy their chance to "get the truth" and survive Armageddon. It was torture for a child. When my parents did divorce when I was 12, my mother went into the religion. Eventually my oldest brother also became a JW. He married a 4th generation JW, and is still in. He refuses to speak to me, and he and his wife both are general vicious POS. My mother eventually got out, and died about 10 years ago. My brother didn't find it of any consequence to take her ashes out on the ocean and spread them without ever telling me. It's a horrible damaging evil religion.
@@phyllisriebeseel8650 Hi. I did a lot of research upon leaving the JW cult, which included deprogramming myself, and talking to a lot of other ex-JW's online. I especially appreciated "Combatting Cult Mind Control" by Steven Hassan. There are other good books and articles that are very, very helpful but I felt that he has especially good insight. It is my opinion that the Catholic church is just a very old cult that society has developed some immunity and defenses to. I believe that almost all religions are frameworks for abuse. I do not like the hierarchal structure, especially the patriarchal hierarchal structure because it is a blueprint for abuse. I do think there are a few churches out there, a very, very few, that do attempt to be a support and comfort in their communities, but I feel that if it weren't for those particular people in charge of those churches who refuse to take advantage of their positions of power, any church can become abusive. In my opinion, cults in particular are like the "Killer Bees" of religion. They are started by people with personality disorders who have a desire to con people and have power over them. Jehovah's Witlesses can't see it, but they have massive amounts of literature telling them down to the smallest detail what they can and cannot do - basically they are the Pharisees that they deride so much in their articles and books. They are legalistic. When I was a child of eleven, and convinced I was going to die any minute because Armageddon was coming any minute, I decided to go over all of their literature deeply. They contradicted themselves constantly. Saying "God is love". Saying Jesus came to wipe out all the rules of the old testament and the legalistic mazes of the Pharisees, to be replaced with the simple adage "Love your neighbor as yourself". My best friend's mom was always telling non-JW's that she preached to how ridiculous the idea of hell was. She would say, "Would God put his own child in an oven?" But then the JW had books for children showing CHILDREN falling into earthquake crevasses along with babies and puppies during Armageddon. The people at the Kingdumb Hell would talk about "sisters" married to non-believing mates, and say that they were married to dead men. When going out door-to-door, they would talk about picking out which mansion in town they wanted to live in after Armageddon. I decided, rather than be in the deep pain of depression and terror of being killed at Armageddon that the "brothers and sisters" so gleefully wished for, I would use my god-given brain to the best of my ability. I reasoned that if there was a god, he wouldn't torture an 11 year old girl by making sure she knew she was going to die at Armageddon for her "willful sins" of refusing to walk 7 miles to the nearest Kingdumb Hall like Jesus did to the temple by himself when he was 12 and on the jubilee or pilgrimage, when his parents couldn't find him and instead he was off debating with priest scholars. (This is what was held up to me by my best friend's mom that I should do in order to please Jehovah) So I decided that none of this stood up to reasoning, and that if I was going to die at Armageddon because of not walking to the Kingdumb Hall against my parent's wishes, that something was wrong with "Jehovah" and he was in no way whatsoever a loving being. I did that myself because I had no one to talk to, and there was no community yet on the internet of ex-JW's to talk to and support each other like there was after I was in my early 20's. Anyone in the JW religion has had their critical thinking ability turned off with genuine psychological control techniques like thought-stopping. I can tell you also that JW's are not the least bit supportive toward their so-called "friends in the truth". They constantly monitor each other for the tiniest hint of not towing the JW line. They gossip and tattle on each other so you'd better keep your depression, thoughts, and struggles in life to yourself. They are not your friends. So.... now what did you say about a "friend in the church" that I might speak to? Were you trying to answer someone else and accidentally replied to me? Because your comment really makes no sense whatsoever if you read my original comment.
@@phyllisriebeseel8650 Why bother with any superstitious gang? Reality is so much more forgiving, and nothing fails like prayer. Dumb people get led, like lambs, to the slaughter, and sensible people make their own way.
When I was seriously ill and at home during chemotherapy I had two JWs at my door, I said I can't talk to them as I'm very ill with cancer, hoping they would go away. Instead they told me that everything happens for a reason and in time I may see that. Can't imagine saying that to a stranger at their own home! - people can believe what they want to believe religiously as long as they aren't pushing it onto others in this way 😞
Issy, I hope all is well with you now and got through chemo whole and healthy! Your story reminded me of when I was 13 and just got out of the hospital with a life-threatening heart infection. Wasn't even home 30 minutes when the new pastor at the local Berean Baptist church came rolling up and invited himself in. We were NOT members ( my dad's sister was, but I had been best friends with the previous pastor's eldest daughter.) He didn't know me from Adam's house cat, but proceeded to let me know that my sins and "ungodly ways and desires" were what led me to my medical condition, and that I could very well die unless I repented and join his church! Needless to say, he got run out on a rail! No more contact whatsoever, but fast-forward three years, and I was about to undergo surgery for another ailment. Just as I was being transferred from my hospital bed to the guerny to head to the OR, that same dipshit came barreling up and proceeded to "pray for me" to repent (because I wouldn't be in such bad health with life threatening conditions if God wasn't telling me something) and that I could very well DIE on the operating table! Parents had him banned from the hospital after that. I guess, a long way of saying that BEREAN BAPTISTS are as very much cult-like, and should be avoided like the plague!
@@annavandamme2627 thank you, I have been cancer free for 8 years and long may it continue. It made me so angry. Telling a 17 year old with no hair and very ill looking that that a 'God' may be the reason I became seriously ill is just despicable. I was very unlucky, I did not deserve to be ill under any circumstances 😞
"Keep abstaining from blood" states Paul. Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to. Jesus and his apostles were also seen a cult, even worse.
@Markus E So did they know about needles back then? Was it abstaining from life saving blood transfusions? Or was it a health issue? You need to bleed animals to consume the meat without getting sick.. correct. That's a known fact. Would you let a small child die by not getting a blood transfusion? If so your a twisted human being that has been fooled... is blood more important than life itself? But that's the TRUTH. You've been, unfortunately, lied to by men. And I hope you can see that someday. And if that is what your God requires, so be it. I won't be a part of it. And he will slaughter me and my children at Armageddon. And hopefully that will make you happy. Good day to you.
My dad too, but my mum did not put up with it and made him choose her or the cult. Luckily for our family he chose her. They are still together fifty years later.
I'm so sorry this happened to him. Any religion that says you have to banish anyone out of your life, that doesn't believe what you do, is really close-minded and sad.
I left the JW at age 23yrs, I’m now 41. I was a forth generation JW, my father was an Elder for many years, so we were fully entrenched. Sadly I lost all my friends (bar one) and my husband lost ALL his family and friends. It’s completely devastating and heartbreaking. However, we’re now free, and so are our children. That’s worth all the heartache of leaving. Love and strength to all reading this who have escaped a controlling cult/religion.
Great format, great interesting interview, letting someone talk and no stress. I know that is not what most watchers want, but this is what you should do more of.
@@michellemooresings yes but as Andrew has said many times, look at the wiews. The clicks on Megan or Tom Cruise gets a lot more. I'm trying to encourage him to jump of that wagon 😅😇🙏
My fiancé’s best friend or an ex JW but his family is still in. His story is a lot like Harrison’s. Thank you for sharing another great interview with all of us Andrew. 💗
You are an amazing host. Your choice of guests coupled with your intellectual acuity and a genuine search for knowledge make each of your episodes more fascinating than the next! You care deeply, you know a lot, and you will always ask the right questions. Thank you!
I do understand TOTALLY what was said as I was JW (cult) ! But somehow i left this ‘evil cult” . I’m survivor! I couldn’t be happier as I’m not with my 2 children which I love unconditionally ❤ Love & Peace xxx
It has been 30 years out for me and I still feel the effects. My mom is still in and will never leave. It feeds her needs, but makes me bleed so I freed myself while she feeds herself across a chasm where she wholeheartedly believes she will watch me die. I am a mortal creature with an expiration date, so regardless, I die. She just denies her own mortality for a "superior" reality. Regardless, we all die one day.
Very good interview! Such courage and bravery- so glad he and his wife escaped and can now live life on their own terms and be themselves. Wish them the best and much success, but above all else… love, laughter and happiness.
I can understand some of what it must be like. It makes me think of myself in one respect. I transitioned in my 30s and there I was 35 having puberty again. Trying to figure out what I was doing with my life trying to get a new start with myself as an entirely different person. Trying to reboot your life as an adult is always an incredible struggle. And when your decision causes you to lose friends and family, it doesn’t make it any easier.
I was a single 24 years old mom when i left the cult. It was the day my supposed friend asked me if I really have god in my heart. My son was 2 yrs old but I still went to that church 4 times a week, I donated 100 bucks every month, and put in over 20 hours a week going door to door in the 100+ heat in Arizona. I had no partner encouraging me, no friends because I was told to leave all my secular friends behind and when a JW who was suppose to be a friend came to my hpuse only to ask me if im here for God, I left that day forever. I prayed that week before for strength because I was so depressed. That was my answer.
I lost my sister about 6yrs ago to JW, all of a sudden she made something up that I did as a child and said it's over! I never got to talk to her again, so heart broken, she's searched every religion and cut me off almost each time, horrible rollercoaster of emotion with her, nothing I can do but kidnap her and I can't do that either
Sometimes, you just have to let it go. You're not the one with the problem. I would shrug and say, oh well. Life is too short to be trying to save someone that doesn't want to be saved. They have the cult. Let the cult care about them and love them. You need to take care of yourself.
I was raised a JW on and off during my childhood (my family weren’t the best witnesses lol) but i didn’t like it and I knew it wasn’t for me. I hated being pushed to go to meetings and go out in service. I never thought of it as a cult until I saw the JW episode on the Aftermath. I can see why people don’t realize that they’re in a cult until someone explains it to them.
Coming home from school dreading what I’d find. As I would open the door the quality of the charge in the air would tell me whether to expect to see my mother on her feet or drunkenly slumped on thee sofa uninterested in us
My 2 brothers and sister and mother who passed in 2016 are all JW. I was 16 when I said I'm not going to continue doing this and I have never looked back. It is a cult. I wasn't very close all the time with the family as I am considered worldly. So many contradictions in their behaviors and attitude. They look down on everyone.
It's a terrible dark depressing oppressive place. They make you a prisoner in your own head and to them. All that's missing is the shackled ball from the ankle. And even so, Geez-hova might not let you in to paradise. Be very very frightened, all the time.
My ex husband pretended to be a Jehovah's witness, and he was a Career criminal, and his family backed him, Covered for him, and light for him but they sure looked down on what they considered worldly people, it was actually quite disgusting.
@@pattygravs6354 That is so funny. He had the prerequisites to join the governing body. Did he send his work experience record to admin for consideration? As the saying goes, turds of a feather 'f' about together.
"Keep abstaining from blood" states Paul. Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to. Jesus and his apostles were also seen a cult, even worse.
@@markuse3472 For the uninformed reader, the cult is not strictly vegan. Remember, this is the cult that sacrifices children for want of medical care. The mind control by the mob will make an individual kill their child rather than have a life-saving blood transfusion. Dismissing your birthday is one of the tactics used to dehumanise you. Rebranding you as a sister or brother tricks you into thinking you belong. Unfortunately, you do; you belong -to BIG Brothers (GB+ DO) Conflating the word cult with the alleged 12 imposters does not give it credibility. There is hope for you; the moment you open your eyes- have no fear; reality is near.
Great interview Andrew. Harrison articulates his struggle and that of all of us who dared to leave the JWs, beautifully. I was particularly touched by your level of attention and sensitivity as the interviewer. You were not just getting through an hour of another interview, but it was evident by your eye contact and facial/body expressions that you really felt and cared about what this man experienced. Rare to see in an interviewer, imho. Thank you.
My parents got weird about that when we all left the nest. They told my Dad he couldn't watch football, and had to get rid of his Harley. That was it for Jim. They told my Mom, no more holidays, and that was her deal breaker.
Well done Andrew for a wonderful interview with Harrison. Harrison gave a well balanced and informative thorough explanation of what the JW religion/cult really is. My wife & I woke up in 2020, after mistreatment by some in our organization, and researching the issue of child sex abuse within the organization, & how they fail to deal with it. For an organization to be the truth, they have to be able to stand up to criticism, and this is also where they've failed miserably. A great discussion. Thanks again. Regards Mike and Tava'e, from Christchurch New Zealand
As a Seventh day Adventist millennial I can relate to this soooo much. The older generation also have been so brainwashed and the younger Christian’s are questioning what the religion is really about
Oh, it was a cult before I wanted to escape. Oh how horrific. Education and science bashed. My father tried to remove me from high school for being worldy. Folks, I was worldly for honors classes and liking the Beatles.
I dated a JW when I was 18 yrs old... his church would interfere in our relationship all the time and ask my ex if we were sleeping together and if I would convert, which I told him I would never do because I thought it was a cult and creepy that they were asking him personal things about our relationship that was non of their business. They also told him that if I didn't convert, that he should think about what kind of life he'd have with me because it's not recommended to marry a non believer... We would also have debates about dinasors, because he would tell me that they never existed because they weren't mentioned in the bible 😂 I would counter that and tell him that he mustn't exist either because he isn't mentioned in the bible either. I think what made it harder was that I was raised Catholic and that really bothered my ex and his church... My ex would always tell me that it was a false faith and that the Jehovah's witnesses were the true faith... All other religions were created by the devil to misguide people and cause chaos... I to this day still believe they are a cult.
The deconstruction that any member of a cult must go though is harsh, devastating, and to come out whole and with new eyes to see the world without the harness of the strict beliefs is the scariest thing to ever attempt let alone succeed without crashing a few times. Freedom is the best feeling, teacher, friend and even mental health support. I praise God for popping me out of the cult and then providing the freedom to come to HIM on my own and relearning what true spiritual connections are. It’s not through man and rules…
Thank you so much for doing this interview and getting the information about this abusive cult out there. I left the cult last August, since then my own parents, my sister and my aunt have shunned me. I did NOTHING wrong, I committed NO sin. I simply left and no longer believe in a god. The mental abuse of this cult is torture, it should NOT be classified as a church nor be tax exempt. Everything Harrison said is true and more. For example I think the sexual repression in the US is worse than across the pond. The purity culture here is HUGE not just among JW's but in many other religions and its almost like a contest to be "the MOST pure."
Harrison is such an obvious intellectual. It's such a shame that he has been relegated to window washer. I hope someday he is able to have the credentials and income to match his obvious intellect
Nothing wrong with Window Washing, let me tell you as one you don't need to put many hours in the day, 4 is ample to earn £80 that will do surely? I am also seen as an intellectual, more spare time to learn, he will find higher ground just give it time, 🎉
I was raised a JW and I remember hearing that John Lennon's sister or Aunt was a JW and he wrote the song "Imagine" after staying with her when he was young.
It's been 50 years and when I watch too much news I begin to wonder if they were right about the end times. Then I remind myself that I'd rather be dead than spend an eternity with those people. Still don't celebrate birthdays, holidays or Christmas. Maybe the whole experience was to make me more empathetic to people caught up in a cult.
When I was a small child my uncle joined the JWs and every single Sunday morning after that a man was literally putting his foot in our front door insisting on getting us to listen to him. Mum was getting desperate and dad promised to sort it. The man called one Sunday while mum was carving the Sunday joint and I remember him screaming running up the road with mum chasing him with the carving knife and dad chasing my mum! Can't understand why even to this day their cottage is omitted from the JW calls but we have had many laughs over the years about this. Good job my mum wasn't an athlete.
My parents became JWs for about a year when I was 12. I hated it but didn't have a say. I remember being removed from the Catholic School that I was in and moved to the local school away from my friends. They tried to isolate me from everyone I knew and would take me other peoples houses who had JW children. Eventually, my parents woke up and realised they were in a cult. Thank Goodness. The Catholic Church is not perfect either, but you weren't isolated away from the world and told to not hang out with others who weren't Catholics. What this guy said about this 'religion' is so true. Thanks for this interview, I forgot how bad it was!
I'm so glad to see Harrison getting recognition on bigger platforms, he is so articulate and honest, while remaining respectful towards the JWs still trapped in their cult. He should be the poster boy for the ex-JW activist movement.
This is such an interesting conversation- it’s 2am and I can’t stop listening! I went through Christian faith period in my early 20s and I’m so happy that I wasn’t approached by any cult member at that time as I was vulnerable and confused where to go to church. I also have an agnostic and even atheist perspective on life. Harrison is a very captivating speaker. Thank you both for this interview! ❤
It's sad that he went from believing in God to believing in nothing. There is no doubt it my mind there is something bigger than I am. A greater force. God. I've seen him work in my life.
Omg love this man so good ❤he has a super great channel ……thanks for having him on he is helping so many….looking forward to more videos great channel❤❤❤
I grew up with a lovely Jehovah's Witness family who lived opposite me and my family. The elder kids would clean windows for a living. I always remember them as nice friendly people. The second eldest, suddenly disappeared, no one knew where he had gone. I missed him. Then a few years later, I was sat in a pub with friends and this guy was watching me for an hour or so. I wondered why he was looking at me. Later that evening he came over to me and asked, do you remember me??? At that moment I knew exactly who he was...I thought I knew those eyes👀lol. He eventually told me that his family had had to shun him because he no longer wished to be a Jehovah's Witness. I just felt so bad for him. Then a few years later, his sister collapsed one day of an aneurysm and passed away right there. Very sad and shocking! I do still wonder how they all are, as we lost touch, like we sometimes do in life.
I read it just now browsing these programs. I get it. It was a heartfelt story. Like me, I “comment” on podcasts in comment sections, don’t know what else to do. It’s cathartic yes whether people read it or not. Because we had no one to talk to when the family was torn apart, or someone died from not getting a blood transfusion. No one, not even Therapists, understood. So this all helps, writing helps. I understand. Thank you.
My Mother left when she was 19, she is now 67. Her family has always still spoken to her, but not like the other family. They didn't like that my brothers and I questioned their religion. Didnt make sense to us why we were seen as outsiders in our own family. I thanked my Mom when I was older for having the courage and strength to leave when she was a teenager
I could not bear to be estranged from my children. That is the real horror of these cults/religions, is getting ppl to behave counter to what they should be doing. I feel so badly for this young man, not having his dad. His dad should really be ashamed of himself, allowing this belief to come between them, I have no use for ppl like this. Edit: This young man has such incredible courage. I never brought up my apostasy to my parents (xtian fundie). I think it would crush me to give up my parents and extended family.
My mother feels the same as you. She is still in. She is elderly. She lives with me and I look after her. My sister and I left at different times. We both “faded.” That means we just stopped going and gradually faded away from them but, we are still officially members. We didn’t write the letter of disassociation so that our family can still have an excuse to talk to us thereby denying the organization control over our relationship with them. They still want us to be shunned but don’t require it like they do for disfellowshipped people. She still talks to us and gets a lot of crap from them because of it. She lives with me and I overhear them talking crap to her about me on the phone. And all her little “sister” friends give her grief whenever she goes to visit my sister across the country. She ignores them all and just does what she does. We love her dearly for it. So, not everybody applies the shunning the way they want it applied. But, they pay a price. She is still in because she believes all of their doctrines and thinks she will never see her mother again if she leaves. We can’t get her to see the error of that. As a result, she has to put up with all their nonsense.
I watched a kid be raised in this. It was really sad that he had to feel so different from his schoolmates and peers because he was banned from celebrating all holidays and even his birthday. We still celebrated and got him cards and gifts because it meant something to us. You can't make someone do that, believe what you do. Religion is such a personal thing. He's right, it was an addiction!
@@maryannlockwood7806 hey there, lovely missus! I got to watch this tonight live on its YT premier. A few people asked if you were there. Andrew said you'd listened to the earlier podcast. x
Andrew I really enjoyed this interview. I have a lot in common with Harrison in particular one alcoholic parent which drove me into the JWs with their "perfect family" propaganda and love bombing at the Kingdom Hall. Also, have you ever thought of doing a live discussion interview, with a round table kind of thing, several guests etc. I think that would be really interesting. Also I highly, HIGHLY recommend you interview Barbara Anderson who began the organisation "Silent Lambs" & was involved in the 2001 TV Date line special on sexual abuse in the watchtower. She worked in the writing department at Bethel & brought it to the attention of the governing body.
Went and found Harrison’s channel while I was watching this interview, and subscribed to it! Loved his manner and attitude. Can’t wait to check out some of his videos. Great pick for an interviewee Andrew, fantastic interview!
I can not believe, Harrison, how much you and I have in common in our life's journey out of the Jehovah's Witnesses Religion or Cult. The only difference being that, even though my father was the Congregational Overseer, if was my mother who was the true unhinged fanatic. We must a show together. I think that it would be fantastic and would benefit all who listened to it.
Very similar to my story except I didn't get a wife out of it. I didn't make friends/relationships or progress at school or at the kingdom hall. All of my bible studies just stopped early (they all just stopped coming) never baptised but still dragged along because I was raised in it. I believed but got none of the benefits like learning public speaking and all the downsides like lonelyness and loss of oportunity and education.
If you weren’t raised in it you don’t know how cliquey the JW’s are when I was in and much younger, I used to say it was a lot like a high school, there is the popular kids, the middle kids and the out cast kids, and if you are in the last group, it can be super difficult, because you can’t connect with anyone outside the religion because it’s forbidden, but if you are a social pariah inside the religion there is nowhere to turn. Remember the religion did a number to your self esteem, so you likely don’t see yourself in any realistic way. If you can get some therapy and work on your social skills. Once you build up your self esteem, you will find your people, maybe even join a Christian Church, not for the religious aspect, but maybe for the social aspect to help you rebuild what that religion broke.
I was baptised in 1992 at 18 years old, having been taken by my mother to the meetings at 12 years old.I wasn’t asked or told, I was just taken there.It was confusing and it was all a living hell.Although in time through peer pressure I believe I gained a closeness to Jehovah and loved the scriptures. I was under constant scrutiny by my mother and under observation even bullied by family when I was being as good as humanly possible. I was always believing that I wasn’t good enough to survive Armageddon.I couldn’t understand that a loving God could destroy me for trying my best and it would make every day extremely stressful and terrifying that I was going to receive a horrendous death because being human I was always missing the mark or feeling not good enough and there’s nowhere to turn. I ended up leaving and disassociating myself at 25 years old. I was shunned and discarded and accused of all kinds of bad acts by my mother who would ring me and scream at me, but I was innocent.Since leaving, at the back of my mind I have had constant awareness that I’m doomed through these passed 24 years that I have left the Jehovahs Witnesses.Heart ache that it wasn’t real, that I’m so alone with family who won’t speak to me and lost without him (Jehovah) yet it was not true. I couldn’t stay in it and be a hypocrite leading a double life,with my doubts. It follows you all through the years and it’s terrifying that you can see the signs happening in the world and there’s nowhere to go.You’re taught not to listen or read any apostate material and so you are just alone. Jehovah’s Witnesses will try to save you (or seem to) and pull you back in, and apostates are dangerous .. it’s mental conditioning at the highest and it is frightening. It’s emotional, it’s mental and physical abuse and it has given me PTSD .. so on a lighter note if there is one in this subject, I just want to say thank you for talking to Harrison .. many many of us needed it x
The first JW I ever knew on a personal basis was a woman I used to work with back in the 90s. My boss was really big on holidays and we constantly had pot lucks and celebrations at work. Every holiday we decorated the office and every desk. We were starting her desk and she very rudely said no. Totally fine if she didn’t want it, just the way she communicated was rude. Every pot luck though she was the first in line to fill at least two plates heaping with food AND would ask to take leftovers home to her kids. Finally my boss took her aside and said she respected her beliefs but it wasn’t right that she refused to participate and bring a dish but was the first to fill a plate. She didn’t take it well I heard but she stopped. That was a different time. These days that would never fly. I guess the experience we all had with her gave us a bad taste but unfairly so because she was just one person.
Seems like the sentiment (admonition by manager) would still be appropriate.. but unfortunate that we have been now 'scared' to even do this because if fear of repercussions (labeled as something incorrect or canceled). But back to the lady.. wow.. that was super messed up how she would behave.
@@cindyharvell7021 I never really took notice since we always had more than enough food to go around but when my boss brought it up I was like “yeah that’s true!”
This is exactly how they behave. They feel entitled - after all, they're taught that they are the super special ONLY people who have "Jehovah's" approval to survive their apocalyptic death-threats of "Armageddon", so why wouldn't they feel superior to anyone who isn't a member of their little fantasy club.
Michael Jackson was definitely a JW for a while, before "superstardom". A JW friend of mine whom I grew up with went out in service (door knocking) with him. They went in his Bentley, and he would have his driver park around the corner from the street where they went door-to-door. My friend said that when they went to the doors, sometimes people would say, "Aren't you Michael Jackson? You sure look like him!" and he wouldn't admit that he was.
Absolutely right. Do you know, you just put in my mind what my kids must have gone through in school. I feel so bad for them now. As parents, we don't see what our children go through in school and if your children don't tell you, what can you do to help them? None if us are still jws but I regret taking my children to meetings and on the ministry and all the time we wasted on that cult.
Have you had experience with JWs or being part of it? Who shall I interview next (British-based preferred, so I can do in-person! But remote interviews also possible!)
We used to always have them knocking the door only to get politely told where not interested and one night as a child i was bored so i went outside and threw potatoes at there house across the street despite knowing them 😁 but recently ive had a couple of odd letters from them hand written and with hand drawn illistrations that was a bit creepy oh and tge other week i had a strange dream i was alone in a massive park at night first i came across a pyramid shaped house with a glass front a family inside watching television with the light on i walked a bit further and there was a smaller pyramid shaped building glass front but only darkness inside and i said to myself this is the jehovinas witness building then i got scared and carried on ive been thinking since maybe im a witness 😁
On my teeny weeny channel where I don't make vids anymore go to my home page and you'll see the highlighted vid that briefly says what JWs cost me. The suicides they directly and indirectly cause are horrific. It's what they call "worldly people" who often pick up the pieces trying to keep the discarded brethren alive. I went though hell aged 19-21 entirely on my own in foreign countries, with no support systems, trying to keep alive the remains of a 34 year old man broken due to their policies. I financially supported us both and would half doze in a chair between him and the window or he would try and jump out. He begged them to take him back but they wouldn't. Before I met him he'd tried to kill himself a few times. He'd made very serious efforts such as cutting his neck and pulling out the vein, drinking a lot of bleach and burning out his gullet and insides. It had taken months in hospital care and his throat was still having to go through regular dilation to stop it scarring shut. He was highly intelligent and able, had embraced their life of poverty to work full time at their HQ in New York, gone on to learn skills to help them further. He loved them so much but they wouldn't let him back.
I feel sick after writing that. No matter what I do it just doesn't heal.
@@ResearchThis Find me one!
@@AndrewGold1 I'm on it !
As a young single mom looking for stability and a sense of belonging, I started studying with JW's. The moment we got to the teaching about a woman's duty to submit to her hubby-even when his decisions and actions hurt me, I was out.
That's my girl! 😊🥰
id have hightailed it too, as a fellow single mum.
bollocks to that.! 🤣😜
🤘🏻🌏🇦🇺✌🏻
That's good. They have a terribly oppressive position for women. And a terrible track record for not dealing with sexual abuse. Especially towards children. So you did really good to decline the offer. Good on!
Wise decision. I'm happy you made the right decision.
"Obey" is the word I always have trouble with. Why do women have free will, if she must always submit to her husband? And what if she's not married, or is divorced or widowed? Bow down to your husband, but God says have no other gods before me.
The neighbors were JWs and I was the only non-witness friend they had going through school. I went to their daughters wedding at the Kingdom Hall , and I went to their book studies because I wanted to belong to something. My family was not having it.
In college, I met back up with the family, but at the end, it all came back to, " I could spend more time with you if you had a book study." I was devistated. These were my oldest friends that I had. It was very sad. However, I am glad it didn't divide my family.
Jesus christ sent churches including exjws apostate to preach about the Jehovah's witnesses??????????
Aww sad
Devastating!
sorry you felt that , but i am glad you never joined - i know many children indoctrinated like that and it is sad as they get distanced from their real family
With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.
Religion is an insult to human dignity. Steveon Weinberg.
My sister became one via her 3rd husband ,after giving birth she started hemorrhaging ,she was bleeding to death but refused blood cuz it's against JW practice...
She miraculously survived but was hospitalized for days while I cared for her baby. She divorced her husband 4 cheating and left the JW after that .
They recycle your own blood. Doctors don’t give you this option unless they are JW and aware of it.
And the bastard cheated on her?! Supposed Christian they are a cult nothing to do with true Christianity! I read some of the material of this cult when I was young but left it alone a long time ago! Kingdom Hall lol hilarious how crazy they become in the falsehood of religion which doesn’t save anyone’s souls and spirits from eternal damnation it’s so sad. I hear this man talk about mind control is insane as heck!
They don’t even believe that hell exists which is so crazy it most definitely does exist. Many people are going to hell without being saved for real! Sadly Armageddon is I’m not even sure what exactly they mean by that word war will happen. God will fight with His angels and the rest of us humanity that are going to be there when He decides to come back to this earth.
@@ArielisisRuiz77 Really-are you talking about a Burning Firey Hell-Where God Roasts & Toasts ppl who unlike yourself evidently in stone are saved-bc no they DO not find that in Genesis or anywhere Else that the Scriptures hold out anything other than life for obedience or the opposite of life-which is death or non Existance. So the English word Hell I'd it is Equated with Sheol or Hades-tgen yes- it is a word of translation-but show me One instance of a person or Faith that uses it with out the Burning & punishment of Hellfire-which IS not a Biblical teaching... How I'd it that you would Prove it most "certainly is"?
You provided no proof that it Is-other than your own words-& It is easily proven that that teaching was taken from Pagan false Christian Beliefs-& adopted by the "Church".
Yes they believe that Armegeddon is God's War on the wicked. Which sounds similar to your belief-although I couldn't say for sure tho. Is that true?
If not this is a difficult place to have a Scriptural discussion, however I'm not in anyway backing away from it.. if your willing to pride proof for Roasting & Toasting ppl forever in Hellfire belief, I'm more than thrilled to defend my God of Love could never participate in burning ppl Alive Forever & ever! And if you also have Scriptural issues with Armegeddon being God's righteous war against the wicked, I welcome any comments there also. If it's just disagreements and personal feelings, I'm sorry it hurts yours, but the Truth is what is important in reality -our feelings are very secondary. Maybe it needs more information so we understand I know it's necessary for me to really understand & I Don't always at 1st! It takes time & study &a lot of prayer!
"Keep abstaining from blood" states Paul.
Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to.
I’m an ex Jw. I’ve been disfellowshipped since 2016. No family talk to me. It’s a very male dominating CULT.
I didn't realize this.
Same
I am so sorry ❤️
Enjoy your life in peace.
Yu should praise God for that blessing, he saved your life, twice, blessings!
“I’m not the person you think I am”… I’m not the person YOU WANT me to be!! If only our families could accept that. I’m a 4th generation, left it at age 40. Shunned for 26 years ! Losing family was brutal & yet, at the same time, a blessing. It has given me time to deprogram, without them trying to pull me back in, gave me time to navigate a world I knew very little about & was able to figure out my own belief system! Being raised a JW was horrible, but we can get beyond it & live great lives 👍🏼👏🏼😊
Thriving Ex so What horrible thing didn't you like-No being able to have the type of Serious sin you liked to do?
Or did you in Feneral possibly have dysfunctional parents & family Ike the rest of us who don't like or fanilys-but don't have a religion to blame it on?
Do you like a Trinity-do you believe in God Roasting & Toasting ppl forever in Hellfire?
So maybe you really just didn't like your families "issues" or the fact you found its a lot of work to live correctly?
I myself am seeking reinstatement the 2nd time-& yes there are ALL kinds of Wrings bla bla bla--You don't appreciate it because of Jehovah & learning from all the Bibles lessons-all of the Bibles examples are pretty screwed up ppl wouldn't you say?
Don't you think your just pulling in a lot of sincere ppl like myself-who WAS very Worldly-a 50 yr old Term like this guy doesn't bring out-its Non-believer since the Early 80's for his info-
As the Society recognized it wasn't correct or the best term.
All you have to do is repent-& get reinstated-so what is it AGAINST the Scriptures themselves that you disagree with?
That you want to have more than your relationship in the Bible it says God requires or your Family also wants you not to do bc it is hurtful to yourself & others in some way?
Which again you well know the Scriptures condem it and You took an Oath to uphold-but You changed your mind- or did they?
If you changed your mind-God allows you that right-but I bet their are families you now admire but have possibly disowed or not really associate with one of their own for something much LESS?
Ppl Crack me up I know So many non religious and religious families who don't speak bc of something much less than what is commanded not to do as a serious sin- & everyone accepts it NO Problem...
But you being raised in this Faith that Takes out SO many Lies abt God-that He Roasts & Toasts ppl in Hellfire Forever burning ppl alive-that is wrong No?
But you think your issue of not wanting to continue with THEM is Their problem?
O.k.' Btw I thank Jehovah that He found me abt 50 yrs ago & I had a shit** life & my following Him-not any of my family Is with Me-I lost them all anyway!! THEY COULD COME W ME-should I condem them bc they don't want to-like your doing with your family? Would they be SO much better w out that Faith-or do you like many of us just don't like your family much?
One must be obedient to the commandments of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
What JW's teach are supported by Gods word completely.
There is no question "The Great Tribulation" will soon come, you still have time to find Jehovah.
God didn't send his only begotten son, the second most powerful and holy being in the universe, to this Earth to be mocked, humiliated, spat on, imprisoned, beaten, tortured and killed, just so anyone and everyone could have their own interpretation and beliefs of His word. God is order and unity, just as JW's are truly united according to Gods will.
I’ve worked wit JW if I’d worked picking fruit and veg then one day 2young girls arrived thy were really friendly someone said thy were JW but we all got along one day a window cleaner rocks up someone said it’s there dad. Once the fruit was done I went 👀 for winter plants and the girls were working there I got talking to them thy also clean the vets 6days a week and pains animals tboot I felt so sorry for them hope thy find a way to move away . Thank you Andrew ❤
@@SharonDowney-zz9vm - It was a hard way to grow up & the Deprogramming from it takes years, but more & more are leaving these days.. I still have hope that my own family will see how destructive it is & leave 🤞🏼
@@markuse3472 - I still believe that Jesus is my Lord & Savior. ( You don’t have to be a JW in order to live a clean moral life) .. In fact, I’m a much better Christian now then I was when I was a witness!!! I believe that Jesus is my mediator..NOT those 8 GB members who now finally admit that they are not even “inspired” by God. ( SOOO MANY FALSE PROPHESIES).. Do your research!!!! And just so YOU know.. you still have time to get out of that EVIL organization that refuses to turn pedophiles into authorities, who refuse to give themselves or their children a life saving blood transfusion & who believe in shunning, therefore shattering families to pieces! There are MANY victims of suicide out here because watchtower destroyed their lives ( for no good reason) I’m one of the lucky ones.. I didn’t fall off the deep end when I left. I was never disfellowshipped, just left quietly, and still I was shunned & disowned by my entire family & friends. I now speak out because the more people that know about this evil cult, the better! So thank you for commenting & giving me yet another chance to educate people!! I love it when you JW’s come on here trying to pull us back in & we can explain why we will NEVER go back!! I could go on & on about their evil policies but I’m sure you get my point?? I’ll be praying for you & all JW’s 🙏🏼💗
I lost one of my best friends to JWs. She was marrying a man who was born into it and *hated* it growing up. A few months before the wedding, he had a religious crisis and told her he was converting back. He moved out of their shared house, prayed in front of her for forgiveness for cohabiting and s-x before marriage, took her to meetings, etc, and basically indoctrinated her. Next thing we all knew, the wedding they were planning was cancelled in favour of a JW wedding that me, her other friends and even her family were uninvited from. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid. Her sister was supposed to maid of honour. We were and still are, devastated. Her family has never met her children, although we know she has three. It cuts to the bone even 20 years later.
I don't blame you for being upset. JWs are not supposed to date or marry outside the truth but many do and sex before marriage by a JW member is out of the question and subject for removal or reproof. We are supposed to have a conscience to keep us out of trouble and avoid trouble. The guy listened to his conscience too late. It is good the guy decided to repent but his timing was most inappropriate considering the people involved. He had already committed a wrong that would get him removed or reproved and he could never have a JW wedding anyway in his current situation. So why should he have stopped the train in the middle of the tracks? I suppose he could have kept his situation a secrete or lied to the elders? I am a JW and have been for many years and I have seen some JWs live double lives or take things to the extreme or misapply scripture. I'm not advocating wrongdoing, as we all are a work in progress, but it seems to me some JWs just need to think before they act.
Harrison, you explain the pain and loss as well as anyone I’ve heard. I left in 1985 at 19 and missed my mother until she died in 2014. I did not attend her funeral. The mother I thought I had died in 85.
Oh my gosh, that is so so tragic. :(
😢❤
How horrible. I am so sorry.
I'm so sorry. I had a mother who wasn't a mother too. I feel you
❤
I grew up as JW. I didn't see those years as problematic at the time, rather now in retrospect. My training as a chef was a good decision. Fortunately, JW and the gastronomy working hours do not go well together.
In my job I worked evenings and that didn't fit with our 2 midweek meetings. Not knowing how the cult worked I decided to go to those meetings at KHs near my workplaces...that didn't go down well at all. They couldn't monitor me if I went to different congregations.
@@jwsuicides8095 I can imagine that. I was still in the congregation occasionally. When I happen to have a day off. I had to listen to something. Accusations about my career choice and my priorities. You name it... That made it very easy not to go there anymore.
"I'm a good animal." What a sweet, fantastic insight! I worked with a man who had shunned his adolescent daughter (his only child!) for years because she wouldn't come back to the church after her parents' divorce. He finally made contact with her again and she agreed to talk to him. He was so thrilled and said he couldn't wait to meet with her and teach her all about "The Truth." It made me sick.
My aunt and uncle were JWs. During my childhood they started sending my mom the Watchtower and all their other fairytale fiction. Finally, my mother, a pretty devout Presbyterian, wrote to them and told them to knock it off or we wouldn't be staying in touch. It worked, for some reason. Turned out that their only child, a son, was - and still is - estranged from them. How people voluntarily alienate so many people all their lives is beyond me.
Yes, I was married to a JW for 5 years and I was in terror to leave him and them. Its amazing the hold they can get over you. So glad I did though!!
Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to.
The Hug is powerful.
Your bravery saved you! Well done 👍
I grew up fundie evangelical and lemme tell ya, the "how are you" meaning "how are you spiritually" is a commonality. And if your answer isn't "great!" it's assumed you are backsliding because depression, stress, physical illness are all cured by prayer. So, if you're not doing well, it's your fault for not praying right/enough.
Oh my gosh, I grew up with such bad theology too. It's like they're not living in the real world. In the real world if you're a believer you go through real life crap. This is a subject I'm most fascinated in.
I find it so sad, how people distort a beautiful relationship with God through Jesus, and make it all about a bunch of stupid man-made laws. I think it is Satan working to pull people away from God. He seems to be doing a great job.
I grew up in a regional town in Australia in the 60’s. I had a class mate that was a JW, although I didn’t know that at the time. But one weekend he had an accident and needed a blood transfusion. His parents refused to give permission to the local hospital to give the live saving transfusion. I remember the doctors and nurses talking about how the parents refused their pleads, and some big wig from the church come to the parents aid. Where the doctors thought at least now there is someone will help the parents make sense of the situation. Only to be told they were not respecting the wishes of the parents and their faith. The boy dead and the town was devastated. Until it got out how he could have survived but the parents wouldn’t let the doctors save his life. Then the rage set in, it was like Hitler himself walked into the town. The family sold up and left within months. That was the first time I seen how a town can turn on anyone. The father was sack and had no chance to redeem themselves. It was in the news paper local and city news. I often think of how they got though all the whole ordeal. On top of the grief of losing their son, in the name of their faith.
They killed their son, in the name of their faith. The Bible doesn’t say shit about transfusions. It says not to eat blood. This is not in any sense the same thing.
@ Poppie Rose Poppies toys….The parent probably didn’t think twice because they were refusing the life saving blood for their son for “Jehovah”…. Jehovah Witnesses use to have a printed book that told stories of how young and old people refused blood and died….SMDH!!!!
I’m sure they were featured on some convention or other. Got up in front of everybody and told their story and got all kinds of empathy and plaudets.
In the USA hospitals have judges on speed dial to remove custody from the parents because of this nonsense!
thats just tragic all around . those parents paid the ultimate price for their indoctrination ... such a hateful organisation
Religion seems to create so many problems in the world. Wonderful guest Andrew
It's always been a means of control led by power hungry people.
Always has and possibly always will as long as non reasoning unintelligent humans allow others to make their minds up by teaching unreasonable literature. Remember we are talking about a "supreme god that stuffed up and made mankind listen to a supposed snake" amazing stuff! By the way, who made this snake?
I was raised as a JW. I left years ago. There was to much that didn't make any sense to me. Especially when I saw how downtrodden my mother was by our father. Women don't count in this misogynistic Cult. I decided to get a degree in my chosen field, best move I ever made. Thank you for this presentation, I hope it helps a lot of people.
I'm a retired teacher, but has worked as a "substitute" bartender in friend's pub for 20 years.
One of Denmarks 160 kingdom halls is in this little town, so we've got a JW community.
I don't think shuning is as extreme in Denmark as other places, as I know several ex-JWs, who are in good contact with their family. BUT, BUT the ones who are really shuned....
Where do you think the super shuned JWs go?? To the pub!
Firstly, they can't control their alcohol intake and they'll try ANY drug they are offered. Secondly they don't know how "behave" with the opposit gender, hardly with their own.
They can't small talk, as they are un-informed about "life in general", so they instantly turn the conversation to their own missery, their horrible parents, and JW.
So they get "shuned" all over AGAIN several times, - and I become their phycologist...
It always gets to me. They are so fåking lost. So lost, and so lonely. So helpless.
I hate their parents! I wish some of THEM would show up, so I could tell them what EVIL is.
Not caring for your children?? NO God ever would support that.
Powerful post
Harrison and Andrew this was a fantastic interview.
I’m an exjw. Was disfellowshipped for apostasy almost 4 years ago. My husband is still a JW on paper.
If he wasn’t scared of being disfellowshipped I’d have happily come on your program. We’ve got an interesting story to tell about when he was hospitalised and needed a transfusion and the way they witnesses behave.
Andrew thank you for shining a light on this very toxic high control group.
Please share the story?
My cousin died because his mother wouldn't allow him to have a transfusion. He was grown and no longer practiced. Left when he was 18. He was 29 or so and divorced so his mother was next of kin and he didn't have a living will or anything for his wishes. She chose something for him that he didn't believe in and he died.
@@kiki29073
Mother F Killer. I suspect the Org got its filthy hands on any life insurance. There is no greater love than Christian hatred.
@@kiki29073 wow.
@@kiki29073That's so sad. Amazing that people can misinterpret scripture so wrongly that it kills people. 😢
What an articulate young man, so interesting to hear his story in detail. I'm not a JW but can see how they keep these folks indoctrinated. The sadness surrounding losing his contact with his Dad is heart breaking
If yhings were good with his father this would’ve never happened. Look at any cult you wish - everyone who goes to this stuff is looking for a family. Parents are not hoing to admit in a video or in comments that they were abusive in any way. Cults depend upon parental abuse to get their followers. So much naivete.
@@rs5570 not true in my opinion. JW are a cult and some people bury themselves in it more than others. Some are fanatical like his father and some aren’t. Well his dads loss to waste all these years in a cult.
Or neglect! That’s how my cousin got trapped . His mother had died and his toxic neglectful and misogynistic father had never really been around even though they lived together.
OMG I relate with Harrison so much. I left the JW when I turned 20 and it was the best desition of my life but I struggle everyday with my inner thoughts about what I used to believe and what do I believe now. Your example of dinosaurs if one of many but I keep asking myself how come I used to believe, and JW always teach, that god is a god of love, mercy, if he keeps playing with our lives like we are toys? And why does he need adoration? My father is an elder and very active in the religion, but he still talks to me and my sisters even though one of them is disfellowshipped, so thats good. But I still struggle with the fact that he still chooses to be a part of that.
Thanks for sharing your story!
I have never been JW but am in contact with a distant JW cousin and have been doing some research to try to understand her better. I, like you, don't find Jehovah to be loving and/or merciful, and think his needing so much adoration is a huge contradiction. That's not love!
It's so flabbergasting to see how many of the elements of cults come up again no matter which one. Thank you!
I was 12 years old when I first experienced a situation of ostracism involving a young sister who had been excluded. This young woman had been attending the meetings for some time but was isolated at the back of the room like a plague victim, ignored by everyone in attendance.
She looked so sad that one day I couldn't stop myself from going up to her and from the top of my 12 years I asked her how she was doing with the intention that she feel a little less alone.
It seems to me that these few words did him good until the moment when the son of an elder quickly interrupted me by saying to me with big eyes: "What are you doing? You can't talking to him is an outcast!" I was 12 and he was 14. I was not aware of this policy. I didn't understand why a person trying to come back had to suffer so much humiliation. What was wrong with showing him Christian compassion and encouragement? How was she supposed to "go home" if the whole congregation was pushing her away. I was 12 years old and already this practice seemed to me unhealthy and twisted. Alas, it only took a few years for the Watchtower to format me and make me accept the unacceptable, I was 18 and I had become like this son of an elder. Shame on me.
33:00 made me cry. My entire extended family are deep american southern baptists from Alabama. Slightly different than JWs, but the overall feel when leaving is the same. I stopped believing over 5 years ago after 20 years because of people like Harrison. I’ve still told no one but other atheist friends I have. I live 40 mins away from all of them now and I still get up on Sundays and go to church with all of them because I’m so scared to lose my family. This part of it truly spoke to me because I can imagine my mother crying and saying what Harrison’s dad said to him. They were and still are so good to me and generally good people outside of some weird right wing beliefs. The “abuse” is a real thing though. In my case it was not direct or purposeful, but because of a couple of instances that could have been wonderful teaching moments (Don’t want to get too into it, but I would describe it as normal sexual exploration for a boy) in a secular family became yelling and hitting with a belt which gave me such a stunted and weird view on sexuality for a long time. I’m not certain I will ever tell any of them because unlike Harrison this is a group of 20-30 people that would no longer view me as a good person. They would believe I only left the faith to sin and be worldly. A couple of them already think weirdly of me because they know that I am a leftist. Seeing my cousins under 10 years old being indoctrinated may break my heart the most. This was very long winded and no one may even read it lol, but it felt very cathartic to just type it out.
That’s how leaving the JWs feel especially if you’re young and unmarried. They gossip about you that you left because you wanted to live a life of sin (usually sexual promiscuity) and debauchery (gambling, drinking, smoking, drugs, nightclubs, etc). When I entered the world of JWs they were shocked that I had a nearly puritanical background (I was raised an Evangelical Christian by fanatical parents - I didn’t even dare think sex, hanging out with non-Christians or clubbing or any such “worldly” thing) JWs think they are the only pure organisation and yet they have a huge track record of covering up child s*x abuse and now face a massive backlash and lawsuits for treating it as a sin rather than a crime. My mother is still deeply and steeply indoctrinated. All she listens to are the American Christian religious television and radio
God never said this life would be easy, this world isn't ours, ultimately when it comes down to it, your brother, mother, father No one will save you but Jesus, that'll never change, forget the people around you, focus on a real relationship and you'll find all the answers in the true word, the righteous word! He'll never lie, or change just ask him and I know in my heart you'll see 🙏💕 prayers and blessings my friend
I have great empathy for you and your desire to hang on to your loved ones and friends. Idk the practices of the baptist religion when a person decides to leave, but with Jehovah's witnesses you go through a process & the congregation goes through a process too. I had to write a letter to the elders and was formerly disfellowshipped. Members no longer speak to you, they do not make eye contact with you, you are and apostate. I was a baptized member with no family in the congregation, it is different in degrees if you have family in the organization, if you are not baptized, if you are not baptized you are disassociated, BUT there is still hope for you. Anyway, the whole congregation is instructed to shun you, you are like satan and you are dead to them; it's not as if the members are just going to gossip or talk about you but still talk to you, it is zero contact, you are basically satan.
@@kimmandley9356 When I say it’s similar I’m mostly speaking of family stuff. Theologically you can’t really be shunned in the baptist church because they believe that once you have formally accepted the lord into your heart, which I did at 11 yrs old, then you can never be “unsaved” in an official manner or in your own heart no matter how you behave. I have not experienced the full force of this obviously, but from what I’ve seen people in your life will attempt to pull you back in, but do not want to associate with you outside of that for fear of you corrupting them. Obviously JWs have it far worse with this, I just related so much to Harrison in that moment I felt like sharing. I definitely should not have worded the original comment the way I did in hindsight because honestly the disfellowship experiences are not even truly comparable. Kinda feel bad about saying it the way I did to be honest. In the christian churches in the US you can sort of drift away and no one with say anything to you if you have no family. I compared it because my family is almost militaristic about church attendance and adhering to customs.
@@Salty4freedom Even though I’m no longer a believer thank you for your kindness. This is something I can imagine the kindest person I know, my grandmother, would have almost assuredly said to me.
I’m not DF or disassociated yet I am still shunned…this video gives me the courage to pull my own trigger too and not let them control me. Just write my letter of disassociation.
No. Just fade..
Or just fade. That's what I did. I didn't care enough to send them a letter.
I’m glad you are getting out but please don’t give up on God though. Watch living waters videos
Just don’t go back. No letter needed. Screw that cult. Don’t even give them the satisfaction. You are a sovereign and divine being. That religion is literally THE OPPOSITE of what god is. God is UNCONDITIONAL love and gives us all FREE CHOICE
What’s DF ??
I have been an Initiate of Wicca since 1967, and have never felt the need for any other spiritual path. When my Husband and I lived in Hollywood, back in 1974/75, I had left the Altar set up after our Coven went home after a Sabbat.
In the morning there was a knock at our door, and I opened it to find two young people with briefcases. I immediately said, “You have come to talk to me about religion haven’t you?”, they replied yes…and I asked them to come right in.
I then proceeded to show them the Altar, and explain each item on it. I told them the basics of my beliefs, not allowing them an opportunity to speak. Then I thanked them for their interest in my religion, and said I would be happy to talk to them about it any time they wanted.
Then I ushered them out the door. They never did return, but they looked very uncomfortable while I was introducing them to Wicca. It seems they only like talking about religion when it is their’s, and they are doing the talking.
I am appalled by these organizations that divide families and friends simply because they are not in the same belief as you are. I believe the Divine has many languages, and all are as valid as the many languages in the secular world.
One will hear in the language that we each understand. True connection to the Divine engenders love and empathy…not hatred and fear. If the door doesn’t work both ways, it is a trap. If someone believes differently to you, it takes nothing away from your faith.
A God/dess who is loving and caring would not tear people apart, there is no room for a jealous God that believes it is the ONLY God. If there is only ONE…what is it jealous of? I have always wondered about that.
I am sorry your guest had to experience this in his life. I appreciated his openness to sharing his truth, and you for giving him a safe place to do it. Your compassion and empathy for your guests is always a beautiful thing…thank you.🖤🇨🇦
That’s hilarious that you shared your religion with them. You do realize they were terrified, right? I mean, some Jehovah’s Witnesses are afraid to buy something at a garage sale because it might be demonized and then these two find themselves talking to a (gasp!) Wiccan who is showing them her altar😂
@@JA9-fx7sg It was fun, I must admit…and yes, they were frightened. They stood outside the circle on the floor and didn’t move, eyes wide until I ushered them out. I hadn’t planned it, but in the moment I just thought, okay I can talk about religion to you lol.🖤🇨🇦
I HAD a nieghbor/friend who was a witness.
She eventually had a complete meltdown. I believe it was over her internal conflicts. She wanted to live one life, but was forced to live another. She was the biggest hypocrite I had ever met. She definitely preached one thing and did another. Naturally lied, hide and denied it.
She ended up destroying her own family and every relationship she had. Including her relationship with her children.
Who incidentally, are now grown and want nothing to do with her.
Harrison’s channel is brilliant, I have been watching from the start, really great stuff on there. Doing amazing work 👍🏻
Couldn't agree more
Anyone that starts with alcoholism isn't that bad I would question, like really and JW,s are nice people some are weird but that behavior isn't endorsed by the faith at all
I'm an ex-JW also. I was dragged into it by my best friend's mom preaching to me behind my parent's back starting when I was 7 years old, using all of the imagery of paradise at first. I soon realized it was a bait-and-switch thing. I concluded that there was no way I was going to live through impending Armageddon because, knowing my parents wouldn't take me to the Kingdumb Hall, I knew I was not going to walk there by myself as a child. So I couldn't talk to either parent about the fact that I thought I was going to die soon, because my friend's mom told me that I shouldn't say anything to my parents because I might destroy their chance to "get the truth" and survive Armageddon. It was torture for a child. When my parents did divorce when I was 12, my mother went into the religion. Eventually my oldest brother also became a JW. He married a 4th generation JW, and is still in. He refuses to speak to me, and he and his wife both are general vicious POS. My mother eventually got out, and died about 10 years ago. My brother didn't find it of any consequence to take her ashes out on the ocean and spread them without ever telling me.
It's a horrible damaging evil religion.
It is really evil and damaging and dangerous I wish you well
Are you sure that there is no other church friend that you feel led to speak to.
❤
@@phyllisriebeseel8650 Hi. I did a lot of research upon leaving the JW cult, which included deprogramming myself, and talking to a lot of other ex-JW's online. I especially appreciated "Combatting Cult Mind Control" by Steven Hassan. There are other good books and articles that are very, very helpful but I felt that he has especially good insight. It is my opinion that the Catholic church is just a very old cult that society has developed some immunity and defenses to. I believe that almost all religions are frameworks for abuse. I do not like the hierarchal structure, especially the patriarchal hierarchal structure because it is a blueprint for abuse. I do think there are a few churches out there, a very, very few, that do attempt to be a support and comfort in their communities, but I feel that if it weren't for those particular people in charge of those churches who refuse to take advantage of their positions of power, any church can become abusive. In my opinion, cults in particular are like the "Killer Bees" of religion. They are started by people with personality disorders who have a desire to con people and have power over them.
Jehovah's Witlesses can't see it, but they have massive amounts of literature telling them down to the smallest detail what they can and cannot do - basically they are the Pharisees that they deride so much in their articles and books. They are legalistic. When I was a child of eleven, and convinced I was going to die any minute because Armageddon was coming any minute, I decided to go over all of their literature deeply. They contradicted themselves constantly. Saying "God is love". Saying Jesus came to wipe out all the rules of the old testament and the legalistic mazes of the Pharisees, to be replaced with the simple adage "Love your neighbor as yourself".
My best friend's mom was always telling non-JW's that she preached to how ridiculous the idea of hell was. She would say, "Would God put his own child in an oven?"
But then the JW had books for children showing CHILDREN falling into earthquake crevasses along with babies and puppies during Armageddon. The people at the Kingdumb Hell would talk about "sisters" married to non-believing mates, and say that they were married to dead men.
When going out door-to-door, they would talk about picking out which mansion in town they wanted to live in after Armageddon.
I decided, rather than be in the deep pain of depression and terror of being killed at Armageddon that the "brothers and sisters" so gleefully wished for, I would use my god-given brain to the best of my ability.
I reasoned that if there was a god, he wouldn't torture an 11 year old girl by making sure she knew she was going to die at Armageddon for her "willful sins" of refusing to walk 7 miles to the nearest Kingdumb Hall like Jesus did to the temple by himself when he was 12 and on the jubilee or pilgrimage, when his parents couldn't find him and instead he was off debating with priest scholars. (This is what was held up to me by my best friend's mom that I should do in order to please Jehovah)
So I decided that none of this stood up to reasoning, and that if I was going to die at Armageddon because of not walking to the Kingdumb Hall against my parent's wishes, that something was wrong with "Jehovah" and he was in no way whatsoever a loving being. I did that myself because I had no one to talk to, and there was no community yet on the internet of ex-JW's to talk to and support each other like there was after I was in my early 20's.
Anyone in the JW religion has had their critical thinking ability turned off with genuine psychological control techniques like thought-stopping. I can tell you also that JW's are not the least bit supportive toward their so-called "friends in the truth". They constantly monitor each other for the tiniest hint of not towing the JW line. They gossip and tattle on each other so you'd better keep your depression, thoughts, and struggles in life to yourself. They are not your friends.
So.... now what did you say about a "friend in the church" that I might speak to? Were you trying to answer someone else and accidentally replied to me? Because your comment really makes no sense whatsoever if you read my original comment.
@@phyllisriebeseel8650
Why bother with any superstitious gang? Reality is so much more forgiving, and nothing fails like prayer.
Dumb people get led, like lambs, to the slaughter, and sensible people make their own way.
When I was seriously ill and at home during chemotherapy I had two JWs at my door, I said I can't talk to them as I'm very ill with cancer, hoping they would go away. Instead they told me that everything happens for a reason and in time I may see that. Can't imagine saying that to a stranger at their own home! - people can believe what they want to believe religiously as long as they aren't pushing it onto others in this way 😞
Issy, I hope all is well with you now and got through chemo whole and healthy!
Your story reminded me of when I was 13 and just got out of the hospital with a life-threatening heart infection. Wasn't even home 30 minutes when the new pastor at the local Berean Baptist church came rolling up and invited himself in. We were NOT members ( my dad's sister was, but I had been best friends with the previous pastor's eldest daughter.) He didn't know me from Adam's house cat, but proceeded to let me know that my sins and "ungodly ways and desires" were what led me to my medical condition, and that I could very well die unless I repented and join his church! Needless to say, he got run out on a rail! No more contact whatsoever, but fast-forward three years, and I was about to undergo surgery for another ailment. Just as I was being transferred from my hospital bed to the guerny to head to the OR, that same dipshit came barreling up and proceeded to "pray for me" to repent (because I wouldn't be in such bad health with life threatening conditions if God wasn't telling me something) and that I could very well DIE on the operating table! Parents had him banned from the hospital after that.
I guess, a long way of saying that BEREAN BAPTISTS are as very much cult-like, and should be avoided like the plague!
@@annavandamme2627 thank you, I have been cancer free for 8 years and long may it continue. It made me so angry. Telling a 17 year old with no hair and very ill looking that that a 'God' may be the reason I became seriously ill is just despicable. I was very unlucky, I did not deserve to be ill under any circumstances 😞
Those people are sick. Nothing about cancer is your fault or anyone else's. Shame on them.
Isaiah 35:5,6
Revelation 21:3,4
23rd Psalm
2 Corinthians 1:3,4
This is great!! Thank you Andrew for shining a light on this Cult that I was born into. And thank you Harrison! Love both of your channels.
Our pleasure!
@@AndrewGold1 Jesus christ sent churches including exjws apostate to preach about the Jehovah's witnesses??????????????
"Keep abstaining from blood" states Paul.
Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to.
Jesus and his apostles were also seen a cult, even worse.
@Markus E So did they know about needles back then? Was it abstaining from life saving blood transfusions? Or was it a health issue? You need to bleed animals to consume the meat without getting sick.. correct. That's a known fact. Would you let a small child die by not getting a blood transfusion? If so your a twisted human being that has been fooled... is blood more important than life itself? But that's the TRUTH. You've been, unfortunately, lied to by men. And I hope you can see that someday. And if that is what your God requires, so be it. I won't be a part of it. And he will slaughter me and my children at Armageddon. And hopefully that will make you happy. Good day to you.
My mother was JW for a short time, but luckily for us ,she got out within a few years.
My dad too, but my mum did not put up with it and made him choose her or the cult. Luckily for our family he chose her. They are still together fifty years later.
Harrison is one of the BEST exJW UA-camrs. His long-format videos are excellent. I recommend him 💯. Thanks for hosting him.
I agree! He is so intelligent and well spoken and the videos he produces are next level.
I'm so sorry this happened to him. Any religion that says you have to banish anyone out of your life, that doesn't believe what you do, is really close-minded and sad.
I left the JW at age 23yrs, I’m now 41. I was a forth generation JW, my father was an Elder for many years, so we were fully entrenched. Sadly I lost all my friends (bar one) and my husband lost ALL his family and friends. It’s completely devastating and heartbreaking. However, we’re now free, and so are our children. That’s worth all the heartache of leaving. Love and strength to all reading this who have escaped a controlling cult/religion.
It's difficult for us all not to get so emotional when talking about how our family will treat us if they think we have "doubts" as they put it.
Great format, great interesting interview, letting someone talk and no stress. I know that is not what most watchers want, but this is what you should do more of.
I kind of think they do want this. I really enjoy it
@@michellemooresings yes but as Andrew has said many times, look at the wiews. The clicks on Megan or Tom Cruise gets a lot more. I'm trying to encourage him to jump of that wagon 😅😇🙏
Andrew is a great interviewer
The people you have on you channel are amazing! I was blown away by the guests insights!! Insights that make you think!! THANK YOU ANDREW!! Loved it!
Wow, thank you!
Oh wow! As an ex JW I was transported back in time… every single word resonated 100% especially “living a double life” ❤
Thanks for sharing!!
My fiancé’s best friend or an ex JW but his family is still in. His story is a lot like Harrison’s. Thank you for sharing another great interview with all of us Andrew. 💗
My heart goes out to all those who have been indoctrinated by whatever means. Their courage to question is commendable!
Sadly I know of 2 people who committed suicide because they could not reconcile their JW beliefs and those of their friends and families.
This content is truly excellent. Learned loads. Thank you again, Andrew!
So thrilled you interviewed Harrison!
Great conversation between the two of you. Hope you do it again!
You are an amazing host. Your choice of guests coupled with your intellectual acuity and a genuine search for knowledge make each of your episodes more fascinating than the next! You care deeply, you know a lot, and you will always ask the right questions. Thank you!
I do understand TOTALLY what was said as I was JW (cult) ! But somehow i left this ‘evil cult” . I’m survivor! I couldn’t be happier as I’m not with my 2 children which I love unconditionally ❤
Love & Peace xxx
It has been 30 years out for me and I still feel the effects. My mom is still in and will never leave. It feeds her needs, but makes me bleed so I freed myself while she feeds herself across a chasm where she wholeheartedly believes she will watch me die. I am a mortal creature with an expiration date, so regardless, I die. She just denies her own mortality for a "superior" reality. Regardless, we all die one day.
Fascinating. Harrison is so intelligent and clear. I could listen for hours.
Very good interview! Such courage and bravery- so glad he and his wife escaped and can now live life on their own terms and be themselves. Wish them the best and much success, but above all else… love, laughter and happiness.
The act of praying, is it not akin to meditation, it has a calming effect. Also the gratitude and staying in the moment.
I can understand some of what it must be like. It makes me think of myself in one respect. I transitioned in my 30s and there I was 35 having puberty again. Trying to figure out what I was doing with my life trying to get a new start with myself as an entirely different person. Trying to reboot your life as an adult is always an incredible struggle. And when your decision causes you to lose friends and family, it doesn’t make it any easier.
I was a single 24 years old mom when i left the cult. It was the day my supposed friend asked me if I really have god in my heart. My son was 2 yrs old but I still went to that church 4 times a week, I donated 100 bucks every month, and put in over 20 hours a week going door to door in the 100+ heat in Arizona. I had no partner encouraging me, no friends because I was told to leave all my secular friends behind and when a JW who was suppose to be a friend came to my hpuse only to ask me if im here for God, I left that day forever. I prayed that week before for strength because I was so depressed. That was my answer.
I lost my sister about 6yrs ago to JW, all of a sudden she made something up that I did as a child and said it's over! I never got to talk to her again, so heart broken, she's searched every religion and cut me off almost each time, horrible rollercoaster of emotion with her, nothing I can do but kidnap her and I can't do that either
Crikey, does forgiveness even factor into anything with them
Get her to look into Buddhism if she's into trying different religions. It's about kindness.
Sometimes, you just have to let it go. You're not the one with the problem. I would shrug and say, oh well. Life is too short to be trying to save someone that doesn't want to be saved. They have the cult. Let the cult care about them and love them. You need to take care of yourself.
She sounds like a narcissist to me
I was raised a JW on and off during my childhood (my family weren’t the best witnesses lol) but i didn’t like it and I knew it wasn’t for me. I hated being pushed to go to meetings and go out in service. I never thought of it as a cult until I saw the JW episode on the Aftermath. I can see why people don’t realize that they’re in a cult until someone explains it to them.
Coming home from school dreading what I’d find. As I would open the door the quality of the charge in the air would tell me whether to expect to see my mother on her feet or drunkenly slumped on thee sofa uninterested in us
My 2 brothers and sister and mother who passed in 2016 are all JW. I was 16 when I said I'm not going to continue doing this and I have never looked back. It is a cult. I wasn't very close all the time with the family as I am considered worldly. So many contradictions in their behaviors and attitude. They look down on everyone.
It's a terrible dark depressing oppressive place. They make you a prisoner in your own head and to them. All that's missing is the shackled ball from the ankle. And even so, Geez-hova might not let you in to paradise. Be very very frightened, all the time.
My ex husband pretended to be a Jehovah's witness, and he was a Career criminal, and his family backed him, Covered for him, and light for him but they sure looked down on what they considered worldly people, it was actually quite disgusting.
@@pattygravs6354
That is so funny. He had the prerequisites to join the governing body. Did he send his work experience record to admin for consideration?
As the saying goes, turds of a feather 'f' about together.
"Keep abstaining from blood" states Paul.
Secular history ALSO claims Christians didn't practice the MANY worldly celebration and holidays of their times, they also abstained from praying to saints and from having any sort of idols, also from being political and from violence in any way, they also used Gods name, Jehovah, as evidence from Jesus and some of the apostles quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures where Gods name appears AND, they abstained from blood (some of them even went as far as not touching blood), JW's back all of it up in their lives as instructed by Gods word, as true Christians are suppose to.
Jesus and his apostles were also seen a cult, even worse.
@@markuse3472
For the uninformed reader, the cult is not strictly vegan. Remember, this is the cult that sacrifices children for want of medical care. The mind control by the mob will make an individual kill their child rather than have a life-saving blood transfusion.
Dismissing your birthday is one of the tactics used to dehumanise you.
Rebranding you as a sister or brother tricks you into thinking you belong. Unfortunately, you do; you belong -to BIG Brothers (GB+ DO)
Conflating the word cult with the alleged 12 imposters does not give it credibility.
There is hope for you; the moment you open your eyes- have no fear; reality is near.
Great interview Andrew. Harrison articulates his struggle and that of all of us who dared to leave the JWs, beautifully. I was particularly touched by your level of attention and sensitivity as the interviewer. You were not just getting through an hour of another interview, but it was evident by your eye contact and facial/body expressions that you really felt and cared about what this man experienced. Rare to see in an interviewer, imho. Thank you.
Amazing! I love Harriso! He’s got wonderful voice I could listen to for hours. Thank you Amdy❤
So sad. Perhaps the true measure of a cult is that it demands that families be torn apart in that manner.
My parents got weird about that when we all left the nest. They told my Dad he couldn't watch football, and had to get rid of his Harley. That was it for Jim. They told my Mom, no more holidays, and that was her deal breaker.
Well done Andrew for a wonderful interview with Harrison. Harrison gave a well balanced and informative thorough explanation of what the JW religion/cult really is. My wife & I woke up in 2020, after mistreatment by some in our organization, and researching the issue of child sex abuse within the organization, & how they fail to deal with it. For an organization to be the truth, they have to be able to stand up to criticism, and this is also where they've failed miserably. A great discussion. Thanks again. Regards Mike and Tava'e, from Christchurch New Zealand
Excellent interview. The only thing I frequently regret is that cults rob people of spiritual life. The shunning is the most horrible thing.
As a Seventh day Adventist millennial I can relate to this soooo much. The older generation also have been so brainwashed and the younger Christian’s are questioning what the religion is really about
The elders are the worst, there's a lot of similarities unfortunately.
This young man was a victim of his parents not the witness
Oh, it was a cult before I wanted to escape. Oh how horrific. Education and science bashed. My father tried to remove me from high school for being worldy. Folks, I was worldly for honors classes and liking the Beatles.
I dated a JW when I was 18 yrs old... his church would interfere in our relationship all the time and ask my ex if we were sleeping together and if I would convert, which I told him I would never do because I thought it was a cult and creepy that they were asking him personal things about our relationship that was non of their business. They also told him that if I didn't convert, that he should think about what kind of life he'd have with me because it's not recommended to marry a non believer...
We would also have debates about dinasors, because he would tell me that they never existed because they weren't mentioned in the bible 😂 I would counter that and tell him that he mustn't exist either because he isn't mentioned in the bible either.
I think what made it harder was that I was raised Catholic and that really bothered my ex and his church... My ex would always tell me that it was a false faith and that the Jehovah's witnesses were the true faith... All other religions were created by the devil to misguide people and cause chaos... I to this day still believe they are a cult.
You are right. JW is a cult. Glad you didn't marry this guy.
You mentioned Faith's.... How many Faith's did God, his son , the holy Spirit tell the reader through the inspired WRITERS there were/are??
The deconstruction that any member of a cult must go though is harsh, devastating, and to come out whole and with new eyes to see the world without the harness of the strict beliefs is the scariest thing to ever attempt let alone succeed without crashing a few times.
Freedom is the best feeling, teacher, friend and even mental health support. I praise God for popping me out of the cult and then providing the freedom to come to HIM on my own and relearning what true spiritual connections are. It’s not through man and rules…
Thank you so much for doing this interview and getting the information about this abusive cult out there. I left the cult last August, since then my own parents, my sister and my aunt have shunned me. I did NOTHING wrong, I committed NO sin. I simply left and no longer believe in a god. The mental abuse of this cult is torture, it should NOT be classified as a church nor be tax exempt. Everything Harrison said is true and more. For example I think the sexual repression in the US is worse than across the pond. The purity culture here is HUGE not just among JW's but in many other religions and its almost like a contest to be "the MOST pure."
Harrison is such an obvious intellectual. It's such a shame that he has been relegated to window washer. I hope someday he is able to have the credentials and income to match his obvious intellect
I make no secret of my attempts to nudge him towards that!
Law school for Harrison?
Nothing wrong with Window Washing, let me tell you as one you don't need to put many hours in the day, 4 is ample to earn £80 that will do surely? I am also seen as an intellectual, more spare time to learn, he will find higher ground just give it time, 🎉
That aint much@@PrinceAlphaSpiritos
What an incredibly eloquent guy, loved the insightful way he described his experiences.
I was raised a JW and I remember hearing that John Lennon's sister or Aunt was a JW and he wrote the song "Imagine" after staying with her when he was young.
I always thought it was a strange religion but had no idea about the cult aspect. Thanks for the insight. I appreciate this.
Religion began when the first conman met the first fool -- Mark Twain
It's been 50 years and when I watch too much news I begin to wonder if they were right about the end times. Then I remind myself that I'd rather be dead than spend an eternity with those people. Still don't celebrate birthdays, holidays or Christmas. Maybe the whole experience was to make me more empathetic to people caught up in a cult.
When I was a small child my uncle joined the JWs and every single Sunday morning after that a man was literally putting his foot in our front door insisting on getting us to listen to him. Mum was getting desperate and dad promised to sort it. The man called one Sunday while mum was carving the Sunday joint and I remember him screaming running up the road with mum chasing him with the carving knife and dad chasing my mum! Can't understand why even to this day their cottage is omitted from the JW calls but we have had many laughs over the years about this. Good job my mum wasn't an athlete.
My parents became JWs for about a year when I was 12. I hated it but didn't have a say. I remember being removed from the Catholic School that I was in and moved to the local school away from my friends. They tried to isolate me from everyone I knew and would take me other peoples houses who had JW children.
Eventually, my parents woke up and realised they were in a cult. Thank Goodness. The Catholic Church is not perfect either, but you weren't isolated away from the world and told to not hang out with others who weren't Catholics.
What this guy said about this 'religion' is so true. Thanks for this interview, I forgot how bad it was!
I'm so glad to see Harrison getting recognition on bigger platforms, he is so articulate and honest, while remaining respectful towards the JWs still trapped in their cult. He should be the poster boy for the ex-JW activist movement.
This is such an interesting conversation- it’s 2am and I can’t stop listening! I went through Christian faith period in my early 20s and I’m so happy that I wasn’t approached by any cult member at that time as I was vulnerable and confused where to go to church. I also have an agnostic and even atheist perspective on life. Harrison is a very captivating speaker. Thank you both for this interview! ❤
It's sad that he went from believing in God to believing in nothing. There is no doubt it my mind there is something bigger than I am. A greater force. God. I've seen him work in my life.
Omg love this man so good ❤he has a super great channel ……thanks for having him on he is helping so many….looking forward to more videos great channel❤❤❤
For sure the conversation with PIMI parents is literally THE hardest ever!
I grew up with a lovely Jehovah's Witness family who lived opposite me and my family. The elder kids would clean windows for a living. I always remember them as nice friendly people. The second eldest, suddenly disappeared, no one knew where he had gone. I missed him. Then a few years later, I was sat in a pub with friends and this guy was watching me for an hour or so. I wondered why he was looking at me.
Later that evening he came over to me and asked, do you remember me??? At that moment I knew exactly who he was...I thought I knew those eyes👀lol.
He eventually told me that his family had had to shun him because he no longer wished to be a Jehovah's Witness. I just felt so bad for him. Then a few years later, his sister collapsed one day of an aneurysm and passed away right there. Very sad and shocking!
I do still wonder how they all are, as we lost touch, like we sometimes do in life.
2 of my favourite you tubers! Fascinating conversation, thank you
I read it just now browsing these programs. I get it. It was a heartfelt story. Like me, I “comment” on podcasts in comment sections, don’t know what else to do. It’s cathartic yes whether people read it or not. Because we had no one to talk to when the family was torn apart, or someone died from not getting a blood transfusion. No one, not even Therapists, understood. So this all helps, writing helps. I understand. Thank you.
What a wonderful interview! Keep up the incredible work, Andrew. Much love from Salt Lake City.
Glad you enjoyed it!
My Mother left when she was 19, she is now 67. Her family has always still spoken to her, but not like the other family. They didn't like that my brothers and I questioned their religion. Didnt make sense to us why we were seen as outsiders in our own family. I thanked my Mom when I was older for having the courage and strength to leave when she was a teenager
Excellent interview, was like a wreck and you can't stop looking .
I could not bear to be estranged from my children. That is the real horror of these cults/religions, is getting ppl to behave counter to what they should be doing. I feel so badly for this young man, not having his dad. His dad should really be ashamed of himself, allowing this belief to come between them, I have no use for ppl like this.
Edit: This young man has such incredible courage. I never brought up my apostasy to my parents (xtian fundie). I think it would crush me to give up my parents and extended family.
My mother feels the same as you. She is still in. She is elderly. She lives with me and I look after her. My sister and I left at different times. We both “faded.” That means we just stopped going and gradually faded away from them but, we are still officially members. We didn’t write the letter of disassociation so that our family can still have an excuse to talk to us thereby denying the organization control over our relationship with them. They still want us to be shunned but don’t require it like they do for disfellowshipped people. She still talks to us and gets a lot of crap from them because of it. She lives with me and I overhear them talking crap to her about me on the phone. And all her little “sister” friends give her grief whenever she goes to visit my sister across the country. She ignores them all and just does what she does. We love her dearly for it. So, not everybody applies the shunning the way they want it applied. But, they pay a price. She is still in because she believes all of their doctrines and thinks she will never see her mother again if she leaves. We can’t get her to see the error of that. As a result, she has to put up with all their nonsense.
I watched a kid be raised in this. It was really sad that he had to feel so different from his schoolmates and peers because he was banned from celebrating all holidays and even his birthday. We still celebrated and got him cards and gifts because it meant something to us. You can't make someone do that, believe what you do. Religion is such a personal thing. He's right, it was an addiction!
*Great interview guys!!! I’m an ExJW too. It’s a circus show in the cult.*
You know, I’m looking forward to this one, Andrew!💁🏻♀️
I was thinking of you!
We'll both be @Maryann Lockwood. xxx
@@jwsuicides8095 🙋🏻♀️hazel!☺️
Me too. Harrison has made some strong videos. He's an awesome apostate !! So cool to see him and Andrew talking 👍🏻
@@maryannlockwood7806 hey there, lovely missus! I got to watch this tonight live on its YT premier. A few people asked if you were there. Andrew said you'd listened to the earlier podcast. x
This guy is really smart. I love the way he reasons and articulates stuff.
Love Harrison's UA-cam channel so looking forward to this.
Harrison spoke really well about his experience, what a lovely young man. A really interesting guest.
Andrew I really enjoyed this interview. I have a lot in common with Harrison in particular one alcoholic parent which drove me into the JWs with their "perfect family" propaganda and love bombing at the Kingdom Hall. Also, have you ever thought of doing a live discussion interview, with a round table kind of thing, several guests etc. I think that would be really interesting. Also I highly, HIGHLY recommend you interview Barbara Anderson who began the organisation "Silent Lambs" & was involved in the 2001 TV Date line special on sexual abuse in the watchtower. She worked in the writing department at Bethel & brought it to the attention of the governing body.
Went and found Harrison’s channel while I was watching this interview, and subscribed to it! Loved his manner and attitude. Can’t wait to check out some of his videos. Great pick for an interviewee Andrew, fantastic interview!
Thank you!
I'm an ex jw for 37 years.
All he says is true!
Even back in the 70's and 80's.
I can not believe, Harrison, how much you and I have in common in our life's journey out of the Jehovah's Witnesses Religion or Cult. The only difference being that, even though my father was the Congregational Overseer, if was my mother who was the true unhinged fanatic. We must a show together. I think that it would be fantastic and would benefit all who listened to it.
Very similar to my story except I didn't get a wife out of it. I didn't make friends/relationships or progress at school or at the kingdom hall. All of my bible studies just stopped early (they all just stopped coming) never baptised but still dragged along because I was raised in it. I believed but got none of the benefits like learning public speaking and all the downsides like lonelyness and loss of oportunity and education.
So sorry Kyon. Something good can come along at any time.
If you weren’t raised in it you don’t know how cliquey the JW’s are when I was in and much younger, I used to say it was a lot like a high school, there is the popular kids, the middle kids and the out cast kids, and if you are in the last group, it can be super difficult, because you can’t connect with anyone outside the religion because it’s forbidden, but if you are a social pariah inside the religion there is nowhere to turn. Remember the religion did a number to your self esteem, so you likely don’t see yourself in any realistic way. If you can get some therapy and work on your social skills. Once you build up your self esteem, you will find your people, maybe even join a Christian Church, not for the religious aspect, but maybe for the social aspect to help you rebuild what that religion broke.
@@ladidaohoh3168 I actually had doubt about the cult stuff when I started hearing others' stories because I never experienced the love bombing.
I was baptised in 1992 at 18 years old, having been taken by my mother to the meetings at 12 years old.I wasn’t asked or told, I was just taken there.It was confusing and it was all a living hell.Although in time through peer pressure I believe I gained a closeness to Jehovah and loved the scriptures. I was under constant scrutiny by my mother and under observation even bullied by family when I was being as good as humanly possible. I was always believing that I wasn’t good enough to survive Armageddon.I couldn’t understand that a loving God could destroy me for trying my best and it would make every day extremely stressful and terrifying that I was going to receive a horrendous death because being human I was always missing the mark or feeling not good enough and there’s nowhere to turn. I ended up leaving and disassociating myself at 25 years old. I was shunned and discarded and accused of all kinds of bad acts by my mother who would ring me and scream at me, but I was innocent.Since leaving, at the back of my mind I have had constant awareness that I’m doomed through these passed 24 years that I have left the Jehovahs Witnesses.Heart ache that it wasn’t real, that I’m so alone with family who won’t speak to me and lost without him (Jehovah) yet it was not true. I couldn’t stay in it and be a hypocrite leading a double life,with my doubts. It follows you all through the years and it’s terrifying that you can see the signs happening in the world and there’s nowhere to go.You’re taught not to listen or read any apostate material and so you are just alone. Jehovah’s Witnesses will try to save you (or seem to) and pull you back in, and apostates are dangerous .. it’s mental conditioning at the highest and it is frightening. It’s emotional, it’s mental and physical abuse and it has given me PTSD .. so on a lighter note if there is one in this subject, I just want to say thank you for talking to Harrison .. many many of us needed it x
The first JW I ever knew on a personal basis was a woman I used to work with back in the 90s. My boss was really big on holidays and we constantly had pot lucks and celebrations at work. Every holiday we decorated the office and every desk. We were starting her desk and she very rudely said no. Totally fine if she didn’t want it, just the way she communicated was rude. Every pot luck though she was the first in line to fill at least two plates heaping with food AND would ask to take leftovers home to her kids. Finally my boss took her aside and said she respected her beliefs but it wasn’t right that she refused to participate and bring a dish but was the first to fill a plate. She didn’t take it well I heard but she stopped. That was a different time. These days that would never fly. I guess the experience we all had with her gave us a bad taste but unfairly so because she was just one person.
Seems like the sentiment (admonition by manager) would still be appropriate.. but unfortunate that we have been now 'scared' to even do this because if fear of repercussions (labeled as something incorrect or canceled).
But back to the lady.. wow.. that was super messed up how she would behave.
This is exactly how they behave.
@@cindyharvell7021 I never really took notice since we always had more than enough food to go around but when my boss brought it up I was like “yeah that’s true!”
He just told you they think they are superior.
This is exactly how they behave. They feel entitled - after all, they're taught that they are the super special ONLY people who have "Jehovah's" approval to survive their apocalyptic death-threats of "Armageddon", so why wouldn't they feel superior to anyone who isn't a member of their little fantasy club.
It was great to hear Harrison's background story and that he was able to get his wife out.
51:42 A minister of Truth vs a minster of "the truth". Classic statement!
Michael Jackson was definitely a JW for a while, before "superstardom". A JW friend of mine whom I grew up with went out in service (door knocking) with him. They went in his Bentley, and he would have his driver park around the corner from the street where they went door-to-door. My friend said that when they went to the doors, sometimes people would say, "Aren't you Michael Jackson? You sure look like him!" and he wouldn't admit that he was.
I saw him at a convention in the early 90's.
@@2984jej - that makes sense to me. His mother is still a JW, I'm not sure which other members of the family are though.
Absolutely right. Do you know, you just put in my mind what my kids must have gone through in school. I feel so bad for them now. As parents, we don't see what our children go through in school and if your children don't tell you, what can you do to help them? None if us are still jws but I regret taking my children to meetings and on the ministry and all the time we wasted on that cult.