In the beginning, it all seemed pretty normal. Not celebrating birthdays, not associating with people who weren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW). I mean, I was born into it. Everyone we knew was a Witness, and we were discouraged from making friends with non-JWs. We were divine people and anyone who wasn’t one of us was regarded as the spawn of Satan. As a child, it all felt pretty normal. I felt quite special because everything we did was different. We were Jehovah’s people after all.

I loved being a Witness, but I disagreed with some of the doctrines, like the order not to celebrate birthdays. I wished I could celebrate my birthday with my friends, have food and drinks and be the centre of attention, but I never had that. I pegged it up to being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. JWs have a kink where they enjoy being punished for their faith. I was punished every single day in school for not singing the national anthem because we’re not allowed to. I wasn’t mad or upset about it. On Sunday, during field service, all my JW friends would brag to each other about how we stood up to our teachers, how we stayed faithful to Jehovah and never caved.

You don’t realise you’re in a cult until something in your head clicks, and it didn’t click in mine until I was a teenager. The congregation was anti-secular education. There were plenty of publications, articles and letters, talks at the Kingdom Hall discouraging people from going to school. Universities were painted as some kind of corrupt cesspool where members go to lose their faith. We were told about how when God’s Kingdom comes, you were not going to need your degree in medicine or psychology or whatever you wanted to study because God’s Kingdom would be a perfect world, so there was no reason to go to school. Many Nigerian schools, for some bizarre reason, request a reference letter from your place of worship or a civil servant as a condition for admission. My brother, who was the most devout member, needed that letter, but the organisation treated him like a criminal. They had several meetings and tried to discourage my father not to let him go.

Watching him get treated that way lit the fire of doubt inside me. There was no indication that he would go to school and lose his faith, so why should he be treated like that? On the outside, I was still quite the fanatic, but on the inside, my mind was awash with doubt. I thought: if this doctrine is suspect, what else are we being brainwashed with? Why were they scared of enlightenment? If people went to school and lost their faith, then wasn’t the problem the faith and not the school?

This crack of doubt spread when I recalled cases of sexual abuse against JW children. In all of those cases, the matters were covered up and the perpetrator unpunished, thanks to yet another questionable JW doctrine — matters between Jehovah’s Witnesses must always be settled in-house.

Members were not allowed to report crimes or issues between members to the police. When I was young, a devout member sexually abused a child. I remember how it was covered up. Nobody reported to the police. Another time, a man embezzled another Witness’ money in his company. It was a lot of money, but because they were both witnesses, it was never reported, and he never got his money back. I didn’t think much of all this then, but it began to make sense.

My experience with sexism in the organisation also fuelled my doubt. An elder told us that it was impossible for a woman to give a public talk. One time, a woman mentioned that she had attended a remote women-only congregation where the speaker was a woman, the elder was adamant: if there were no men, that congregation should not exist. Women could only speak while sitting and with their hair covered. I thought, “Women dedicate their entire lives to the organisation and get nothing in return, not even the right to speak?” It didn’t make sense to me, but we accepted it because it was a “directive from Jehovah”.

My doubt finally made me search for ex-JWs content on Google to read the experiences of people who had left the organisation. There was this video of a woman who organised a flash mob in a Kingdom Hall in the United States to protest the cover-up of her rape as a child. It hit me. I couldn’t believe the organisation that nurtured me was capable of such evil. I did more digging and found more people who had been treated so poorly by the organisation. I never dug too deep because I always felt guilty reading on the experiences of ex-JW members, I had to do it secretly and even clear my browser history because I didn’t want my parents finding that on my phone.

I got into university in 2016. When I resumed, I discovered that there was a JW congregation in the university. I began to wonder why we were discouraged from going to school when there was a university JW community. Suddenly, it clicked. We were taught from a young age not to question anything. Whatever happens, Jehovah is the answer. If it’s bad, Jehovah let it happen to teach us a lesson. I recollected all the times the organisation covered up scary crimes. For the first time, I was not under the protection of my family, and when I started interacting with other JWs by myself, I started to see how toxic it all really was — the politics, gossip, shaming, misogyny — it just didn’t feel right.

But I still stayed. I had no choice. I was young and dependent on my parents.

All those little things built up incrementally. My classes clashed with meeting times, and I started going from attending meetings regularly to going once or twice a week to once a month. I was treated like scum for missing those meetings. It felt like I was trying to leave a controlling person who was trying so hard to hold on to me. I got calls and messages disguised as feigned concern for me. It was wrapped in, “We’re calling because we love you and care about you,” but I could always feel the passive aggression. I felt even less connected to them and stopped attending meetings completely.

It is rare for someone to actually leave the congregation. In my 18 years in the organisation, I only saw one person denounce the faith and all its doctrine.

Continue: https://www.zikoko.com/life/why-i-stopped-being-a-jehovahs-witness-after-19-years/

Thank God you are free from there fanatism

first is 4 u to leave that their cabal b4 they poison u to death because those people can do anything to cover that their organization

Am one of em. Being one of Jehovah's witnesses is d best thing that will ever happen to anyone on their life. I understand your point, but I believe you will later objectively or properly reconsider the decision u want to or have made about leaving. I wasn't born a witness. We all in our family became witnesses as adults... We still feel we lost so much before we became witnesses... We always wonder how much those who were born as witnesses have gained and how strong tdhier faith is.

He wants to taste the other side nah! Luke 15:12-13

I have been outside throughout my life but now that i'm in the Organization i wonder what could prompt me to leave. Even if the President of Watchtower quarrel with me i'll continue attending meetings, even if they don't allow me to sit on the chairs i'll sit on the floor.
May nothing ever take me out of JEHOVAH'S sight again!
I'll beg JWs no matter what i committed as crime my knees will be on the ground begging to stay in pure worship forever!

Viknat:
Am one of em. Being one of Jehovah's witnesses is d best thing that will ever happen to anyone on their life. I understand your point, but I believe you will later objectively or properly reconsider the decision u want to or have made about leaving

Viknat:
Am one of em. Being one of Jehovah's witnesses is d best thing that will ever happen to anyone on their life. I understand your point, but I believe you will later objectively or properly reconsider the decision u want to or have made about leaving

The OP should go and take the frustration out on Paul himself for penning 1Corinthians 3:19 & Colossians 2:8 that discourages higher education. Or the OP should go and tear out 1Corinthians 14:34 & 1Timothy 2:12 from his/her Bible which says women do not assume teaching roles in the congregation with a baptized and qualified male present. Compare 1Corinthians 11:5

BigCabal:
In the beginning, it all seemed pretty normal. Not celebrating birthdays, not associating with people who weren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW). I mean, I was born into it. Everyone we knew was a Witness, and we were discouraged from making friends with non-JWs. We were divine people and anyone who wasn’t one of us was regarded as the spawn of Satan. As a child, it all felt pretty normal. I felt quite special because everything we did was different. We were Jehovah’s people after all.

I loved being a Witness, but I disagreed with some of the doctrines, like the order not to celebrate birthdays. I wished I could celebrate my birthday with my friends, have food and drinks and be the centre of attention, but I never had that. I pegged it up to being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. JWs have a kink where they enjoy being punished for their faith. I was punished every single day in school for not singing the national anthem because we’re not allowed to. I wasn’t mad or upset about it. On Sunday, during field service, all my JW friends would brag to each other about how we stood up to our teachers, how we stayed faithful to Jehovah and never caved.

You don’t realise you’re in a cult until something in your head clicks, and it didn’t click in mine until I was a teenager. The congregation was anti-secular education. There were plenty of publications, articles and letters, talks at the Kingdom Hall discouraging people from going to school. Universities were painted as some kind of corrupt cesspool where members go to lose their faith. We were told about how when God’s Kingdom comes, you were not going to need your degree in medicine or psychology or whatever you wanted to study because God’s Kingdom would be a perfect world, so there was no reason to go to school. Many Nigerian schools, for some bizarre reason, request a reference letter from your place of worship or a civil servant as a condition for admission. My brother, who was the most devout member, needed that letter, but the organisation treated him like a criminal. They had several meetings and tried to discourage my father not to let him go.

Watching him get treated that way lit the fire of doubt inside me. There was no indication that he would go to school and lose his faith, so why should he be treated like that? On the outside, I was still quite the fanatic, but on the inside, my mind was awash with doubt. I thought: if this doctrine is suspect, what else are we being brainwashed with? Why were they scared of enlightenment? If people went to school and lost their faith, then wasn’t the problem the faith and not the school?

This crack of doubt spread when I recalled cases of sexual abuse against JW children. In all of those cases, the matters were covered up and the perpetrator unpunished, thanks to yet another questionable JW doctrine — matters between Jehovah’s Witnesses must always be settled in-house.

Members were not allowed to report crimes or issues between members to the police. When I was young, a devout member sexually abused a child. I remember how it was covered up. Nobody reported to the police. Another time, a man embezzled another Witness’ money in his company. It was a lot of money, but because they were both witnesses, it was never reported, and he never got his money back. I didn’t think much of all this then, but it began to make sense.

My experience with sexism in the organisation also fuelled my doubt. An elder told us that it was impossible for a woman to give a public talk. One time, a woman mentioned that she had attended a remote women-only congregation where the speaker was a woman, the elder was adamant: if there were no men, that congregation should not exist. Women could only speak while sitting and with their hair covered. I thought, “Women dedicate their entire lives to the organisation and get nothing in return, not even the right to speak?” It didn’t make sense to me, but we accepted it because it was a “directive from Jehovah”.

My doubt finally made me search for ex-JWs content on Google to read the experiences of people who had left the organisation. There was this video of a woman who organised a flash mob in a Kingdom Hall in the United States to protest the cover-up of her rape as a child. It hit me. I couldn’t believe the organisation that nurtured me was capable of such evil. I did more digging and found more people who had been treated so poorly by the organisation. I never dug too deep because I always felt guilty reading on the experiences of ex-JW members, I had to do it secretly and even clear my browser history because I didn’t want my parents finding that on my phone.

I got into university in 2016. When I resumed, I discovered that there was a JW congregation in the university. I began to wonder why we were discouraged from going to school when there was a university JW community. Suddenly, it clicked. We were taught from a young age not to question anything. Whatever happens, Jehovah is the answer. If it’s bad, Jehovah let it happen to teach us a lesson. I recollected all the times the organisation covered up scary crimes. For the first time, I was not under the protection of my family, and when I started interacting with other JWs by myself, I started to see how toxic it all really was — the politics, gossip, shaming, misogyny — it just didn’t feel right.

But I still stayed. I had no choice. I was young and dependent on my parents.

All those little things built up incrementally. My classes clashed with meeting times, and I started going from attending meetings regularly to going once or twice a week to once a month. I was treated like scum for missing those meetings. It felt like I was trying to leave a controlling person who was trying so hard to hold on to me. I got calls and messages disguised as feigned concern for me. It was wrapped in, “We’re calling because we love you and care about you,” but I could always feel the passive aggression. I felt even less connected to them and stopped attending meetings completely.

It is rare for someone to actually leave the congregation. In my 18 years in the organisation, I only saw one person denounce the faith and all its doctrine.

Continue: https://www.zikoko.com/life/why-i-stopped-being-a-jehovahs-witness-after-19-years/

You would think the JWs all have one line of thought Another example that they don't. If they do this person will definitely not JAPA

dollytino4real:
first is 4 u to leave that their cabal b4 they poison u to death because those people can do anything to cover that their organization

Looool! because ORGANIZATION is JEHOVAH. When you cover the organization you cover Jehovah. Na so the mode of their operations be.

MaxInDHouse:
He wants to taste the other side nah! Luke 15:12-13

I have been outside throughout my life but now that i'm in the Organization i wonder what could prompt me to leave. Even if the President of Watchtower quarrel with me i'll continue attending meetings, even if they don't allow me to sit on the chairs i'll sit on the floor.
May nothing ever take me out of JEHOVAH'S sight again!
I'll beg JWs no matter what i committed as crime my knees will be on the ground begging to stay in pure worship forever!

He finally realised he was blinded by religion.

JW members honestly are extremists.

JW is to Christianity what ISIL/Boko Haram is to Islam

Muslims who practise Islam like JW's practise Christianity are the islamic terrorists of today.

MaxInDHouse:
He wants to taste the other side nah! Luke 15:12-13

I have been outside throughout my life but now that i'm in the Organization i wonder what could prompt me to leave. Even if the President of Watchtower quarrel with me i'll continue attending meetings, even if they don't allow me to sit on the chairs i'll sit on the floor.
May nothing ever take me out of JEHOVAH'S sight again!
I'll beg JWs no matter what i committed as crime my knees will be on the ground begging to stay in pure worship forever!

May nothing ever take me out of JEHOVAH'S sight again


The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

One don't need to be in "JWs organization" to be seen by God . Even while you were still in your former religion God's eyes sees you. You were never out of his sight So
the person relating this experience leaving the organization you belong don't equate to going out of God's sight

DappaD:


The OP should go and take the frustration out on Paul himself for penning 1Corinthians 3:19 & Colossians 2:8 that discourages higher education. Or the OP should go and tear out 1Corinthians 14:34 & 1Timothy 2:12 from his/her Bible which says women do not assume teaching roles in the congregation with a baptized and qualified male present. Compare 1Corinthians 11:5

1 Corinthians 3:19,: "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Colossians 2:8 Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the philosophy and empty deception+ according to human tradition, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ;

The below(in bold all through) is what your members are sharing to encourage themselves . What made it interesting is that all the WISDOM OF THE WORLD that you see has FOOLISHNESS is what brought ZOOM into your meetings. It has helped you and other members of your organization to be able to meet together.

Had someone discouraged the developer of that SOFTWARE (ZOOM) to shun higher education and to see higher education as the DEVILS tools, how life for be for you and your organization for the past one year? . Yet you and your members shout to the high heaven how Jehovah is using zoom to help you spiritually during recent times. It has even been used to organize your assemblies and convention

.........

1. Those of us who did not know anything about technology now we are obligated to learn. Those who did not know how to write letters or did not like it, we had to do it.

2. Those of us who spoke little on the phone now talk a lot

3. In these months Jehovah has used the technology developed by the nations to supply us with spiritual food.

4. Even in countries where there is no internet this food has been supplied by TV ,by radio station and JW box
..............

1Timothy 2:12

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but she is to remain silent.

1 Corinthians 14:34

let the women keep silent in the congregations, for it is not permitted for them to speak.+ Rather, let them be in subjection,+ as the Law also says.



The only question needed to be asked here is simple

Do women who are members in the congregation you belong speak at your meetings?

A. Yes

B. No

C. I decided to look elsewhere

Growth

He is talking about himself so he spoke for himself not me. As for me JW Organization is the one and only group worshiping the God i'll love to worship.
One man's meat is surely another man's poison!

Myer:

He finally realised he was blinded by religion.
JW members honestly are extremists.
JW is to Christianity what ISIL/Boko Haram is to Islam Muslims who practise Islam like JW's practise Christianity are the islamic terrorists of today.

Nobody is under compunction to worship Jehovah the only true God.
The OP has made her choice.

Joshua 24:15, John 17:3 JWs shall continue to worship Jehovah our God.

The OP who gave the interview on that online medium is very free to continue LYING to the public and DECEIVING herself.
The zikoko Screenshots speaks for itself.

Myer:


He finally realised he was blinded by religion.

JW members honestly are extremists.

JW is to Christianity what ISIL/Boko Haram is to Islam

Muslims who practise Islam like JW's practise Christianity are the islamic terrorists of today.

Your comparisons is solid evidence you are deluded & confirmed bigot.

Bros, your opinion doesn't count with Jehovah our God, let alone His Servants.

Shalom.

Myer:


He finally realised he was blinded by religion.

JW members honestly are extremists.

JW is to Christianity what ISIL/Boko Haram is to Islam

Muslims who practise Islam like JW's practise Christianity are the islamic terrorists of today.

Could you remind us the last time you saw a Jehovah's witness walk into a crowd, decked in explosives vest, chanting "Jehovah Akbar", before blowing innocent people to smithereens?

Perhaps you have a video record in your possession showing Jehovah's witness' capture people of different faith, hands tied to their backs and on their knees, put a sharp machete to their necks, read a few passage from their holy book, then proceed to separate their heads from the rest of their bodies in the most gruesome way imaginable.

Are you aware that not long ago members of Jehovah witness stormed a school, cart away hundreds of school pupils into the forest so they could demand ransom from the government?

Personally, I think your brain is soiled with feaces!

When Jehovah delivered the Israelites out of Egypt without any battle, led them through the wilderness, gave them a law that separated them from all other nations and drove away all the pagans inhabitants of Canaan before his people.
All these people want to claim they belong to that same God forgetting that Rahab forgo all his people in Jericho for this people, Ruth decided to live and die for this same God and many more like that. But now that this same God now asked his worshipers not to use weapons anymore since they're not to defend any city unlike before that they must defend Jerusalem all these pagans have continued killing themselves over inheritance and territories, but the spiritual Israelites whose standards remained the same these pagans are now pointing out as terrorists whereas they're in fact the meekest set of people on the surface of the earth! Numbers 12:3
Definitely these pagans are the ones Jesus was talking about when he said "then i will say to them get away from me you workers of Iniquity" {Matthew 7:23} perhaps they're thinking Jesus meant unrepentant wrongdoers who knew exactly what they're doing as evil but decided to deceive God's son with magical works.
If they're not blind and deaf spiritually how come it's only JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES Organization that's globally known for their unique Faith, Hope and Love? 1Corinthians 13:13
Well what i've discovered that they only want to set standards for God they don't want to submit themselves to the righteousness of God {Romans 10:2-3} which binded his people as ONE! John 17:20-23
So to them Jesus just woke up one day and God said regarding him "this is my beloved son with whom i'm well pleased" {Matthew 17:5} to them Jesus was only having issues with his own country men simply because they were all evil!

Sheunma:

Could you remind us the last time you saw a Jehovah's witness walk into a crowd, decked in explosives vest, chanting "Jehovah Akbar", before blowing innocent people to smithereens?
Perhaps you have a video record in your possession showing Jehovah's witness' capture people of different faith, hands tied to their backs and on their knees, put a sharp machete to their necks, read a few passage from their holy book, then proceed to separate their heads from the rest of their bodies in the most gruesome way imaginable.Are you aware that not long ago members of Jehovah witness stormed a school, cart away hundreds of school pupils into the forest so they could demand ransom from the government? Personally, I think your brain is soiled with feaces!

MaxInDHouse:
He wants to taste the other side nah! Luke 15:12-13

I have been outside throughout my life but now that i'm in the Organization i wonder what could prompt me to leave. Even if the President of Watchtower quarrel with me i'll continue attending meetings, even if they don't allow me to sit on the chairs i'll sit on the floor.
May nothing ever take me out of JEHOVAH'S sight again!
I'll beg JWs no matter what i committed as crime my knees will be on the ground begging to stay in pure worship forever!

Again, my dear friend. Somebody is leaving delusion for real worship and you are begging. What for? Since you ported from Islam to JWs, you never experienced anything other than the hate - criticism of your conceited organisation.

The guy has tried two sides, he is making a wise decision. Worshipping God in Spirit and truth where the Spirit is allowed doesn't have impurity.

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Titus 1: 15

He's enjoying himself nah, so why worried about him?
People often leave one religion for another due to several reasons and that doesn't mean others in the former religion must follow them nah!

MightySparrow:

Again, my dear friend. Somebody is leaving delusion for real worship and you are begging. What for? Since you ported from Islam to JWs, you never experienced anything other than the hate - criticism of your conceited organisation.
The guy has tried two sides, he is making a wise decision. Worshipping God in Spirit and truth where the Spirit is allowed doesn't have impurity.
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Titus 1: 15

Viknat:
Am one of em. Being one of Jehovah's witnesses is d best thing that will ever happen to anyone on their life. I understand your point, but I believe you will later objectively or properly reconsider the decision u want to or have made about leaving. I wasn't born a witness. We all in our family became witnesses as adults... We still feel we lost so much before we became witnesses... We always wonder how much those who were born as witnesses have gained and how strong tdhier faith is.

Why don't you address the concerns and allegations the OP raised. That's the way to go.
Someone is hurting and raising serious allegations. You now come up to say you understand the person's point but the person will later reconsider.

I don't get your point.

Anyways, in sincerity, I've had lot of honest and moral jw friends. Nevertheless, a cult is still a cult.

nnamdiosu:


Why don't you address the concerns and allegations the OP raised. That's the way to go.
Someone is hurting and raising serious allegations. You now come up to say you understand the person's point but the person will later reconsider.

I don't get your point.

Anyways, in sincerity, I've had lot of honest and moral jw friends. Nevertheless, a cult is still a cult.

am like d honest. And moral jws u know, but we aren't a cult.there is d ring of truth in d Bible that religions deliberately bypass, which we have seen and will follow. This is what we preach everyday to people, whether rain or sun, this truth is also what joins us together, which is why people say we are a cult. We aren't

DappaD:


The OP should go and take the frustration out on Paul himself for penning 1Corinthians 3:19 & Colossians 2:8 that discourages higher education. Or the OP should go and tear out 1Corinthians 14:34 & 1Timothy 2:12 from his/her Bible which says women do not assume teaching roles in the congregation with a baptized and qualified male present. Compare 1Corinthians 11:5

Did you you even read theat paragraph? It was a female only congregation.

Myer:


He finally realised he was blinded by religion.

JW members honestly are extremists.

JW is to Christianity what ISIL/Boko Haram is to Islam

Muslims who practise Islam like JW's practise Christianity are the islamic terrorists of today.

This is a very faulty analogy. JWs may be extremists of a sort but they are certainly not terrorists.

LordReed:


This is a very faulty analogy. JWs may be extremists of a sort but they are certainly not terrorists.

The analogy isn't faulty, your interpretation is faulty.

The point being Islam can be practised as a peaceful religion.
Just as Christianity can be practised as a non-judgmental religion.


The Extremist Muslim is the one who becomes the terrorist turning Islam to a weapon of mass destruction.

Likewise the extremist Christian is the one who becomes the JW turning the Bible upside down, judging and sometimes condemning everyone who isn't part of their organisation.

Viknat:
am like d honest. And moral jws u know, but we aren't a cult.there is d ring of truth in d Bible that religions deliberately bypass, which we have seen and will follow. This is what we preach everyday to people, whether rain or sun, this truth is also what joins us together, which is why people say we are a cult. We aren't

I feel you bro, honestly I do. And trust me, I can vouch for many of my jw friends to be more honest and moral than my non jw friends.

However, there are so many indices that point out that jw organization is a cult. Like very tight systematic cultures, way of life, beliefs, etc. But it's fine.

But I won't want to argue, judge or critize sir. I relate with a person as according to an individual, not a group or association.
God bless you. Amen.

Where most people are getting it wrong with JWs is when people choose to lie to their own souls, TERRORISM is a weapon in the hands of crooked Politicians not religionists! Those going about killing people in the name of religion are trying to RULE people by force so by unleasing TERROR surviving citizens will be left with no other options than to compromise.
What most people are terming as extremism in religion has nothing to terror, there are religionsts whose food has nothing to do with living creatures (vegetarians) there are religionsts who don't take anything alcoholic, some dress like mourners, Wole Shoyinka has refused to Barb his head, Sat Guru Maharaj only wear red clothes, Kumuyi forbids make up for females in his church, Catholics forbids marriage for some adherents of the Religion.
All these are extremism in their facets but it only affects members of their homes and gatherings not neighbours!

Of course the JW Organization says "SHUN those leaving the Organization" {2John 10-11} but instead of Bible readers (who can see this clearly stated in the scriptures) to ask what is the PRACTICAL BENEFITS of this order? {Romans 16:17} they just ignore and the next is pointing accusing fingers at those keeping it.

Well you know me LordReed and you know i don't just follow rules blindly if i don't understand it. Shunning of a JW who chooses to leave the Organization is in the best interest of both the person shunned and those shunning them.
In fact i will advise all sane persons to adopt the same line of thought if you truly want to have the peace of mind!

Whoever wants to know the LOGICAL reasoning behind it is free to ask, let's see if God's word is truly for our good or just rules imposed out of sense! Isaiah 1:18, 48:17-18 compared to 2Timothy 3:16-17

Thanks!

LordReed:

This is a very faulty analogy. JWs may be extremists of a sort but they are certainly not terrorists.

BigCabal:
In the beginning, it all seemed pretty normal. Not celebrating birthdays, not associating with people who weren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW). I mean, I was born into it. Everyone we knew was a Witness, and we were discouraged from making friends with non-JWs. We were divine people and anyone who wasn’t one of us was regarded as the spawn of Satan. As a child, it all felt pretty normal. I felt quite special because everything we did was different. We were Jehovah’s people after all.

I loved being a Witness, but I disagreed with some of the doctrines, like the order not to celebrate birthdays. I wished I could celebrate my birthday with my friends, have food and drinks and be the centre of attention, but I never had that. I pegged it up to being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. JWs have a kink where they enjoy being punished for their faith. I was punished every single day in school for not singing the national anthem because we’re not allowed to. I wasn’t mad or upset about it. On Sunday, during field service, all my JW friends would brag to each other about how we stood up to our teachers, how we stayed faithful to Jehovah and never caved.

You don’t realise you’re in a cult until something in your head clicks, and it didn’t click in mine until I was a teenager. The congregation was anti-secular education. There were plenty of publications, articles and letters, talks at the Kingdom Hall discouraging people from going to school. Universities were painted as some kind of corrupt cesspool where members go to lose their faith. We were told about how when God’s Kingdom comes, you were not going to need your degree in medicine or psychology or whatever you wanted to study because God’s Kingdom would be a perfect world, so there was no reason to go to school. Many Nigerian schools, for some bizarre reason, request a reference letter from your place of worship or a civil servant as a condition for admission. My brother, who was the most devout member, needed that letter, but the organisation treated him like a criminal. They had several meetings and tried to discourage my father not to let him go.

Watching him get treated that way lit the fire of doubt inside me. There was no indication that he would go to school and lose his faith, so why should he be treated like that? On the outside, I was still quite the fanatic, but on the inside, my mind was awash with doubt. I thought: if this doctrine is suspect, what else are we being brainwashed with? Why were they scared of enlightenment? If people went to school and lost their faith, then wasn’t the problem the faith and not the school?

these cults prey on people I like to term as weak minded.

Myer:


The analogy isn't faulty, your interpretation is faulty.

The point being Islam can be practised as a peaceful religion.
Just as Christianity can be practised as a non-judgmental religion.


The Extremist Muslim is the one who becomes the terrorist turning Islam to a weapon of mass destruction.

Likewise the extremist Christian is the one who becomes the JW turning the Bible upside down, judging and sometimes condemning everyone who isn't part of their organisation.

So to you a judgemental person is equal to a terrorist?

LordReed:


So to you a judgemental person is equal to a terrorist?

The key word here is extremist.

JW is the extremist Christian.
Just as ISIL/terrorist is the extremist Muslim.

If Christianity supported killing unbelievers/blasphemers, A JW member would likewise be a potential terrorist.

Have you seen the way they worship their organisation?
Have you seen the reaction of JW members here whenever you call out their organisation?

You can insult God or Jesus all you want, just don't touch their organisation.

This is what shows how hypocritical those speaking against the Organization are and the lying spirit in them! John 3:19
So individually you enjoy the company of JWs but you heard that the group is a cult group shey? Matthew 5:11-12
That's exactly what happened to Pharisees and Sadducees in the first century, this people want Jesus who is a lifely person as a friend so they keep inviting him to come and have dinner with them {Luke 7:36-37, 14:1} but his teachings they detests.
So judge for yourself if you've always enjoyed the company of JWs (individually speaking) but having serious issues with our teachings! Matthew 10:22-25
God bless you and may you have PEACE!

nnamdiosu:


I feel you bro, honestly I do. And trust me, I can vouch for many of my jw friends to be more honest and moral than my non jw friends. 1Peter 2:12

However, there are so many indices that point out that jw organization is a cult. Like very tight systematic cultures, way of life, beliefs, etc. But it's fine.

But I won't want to argue, judge or critize sir. I relate with a person as according to an individual, not a group or association.
God bless you. Amen.

Myer:


The key word here is extremist.

JW is the extremist Christian.
Just as ISIL/terrorist is the extremist Muslim.

If Christianity supported killing unbelievers/blasphemers, A JW member would likewise be a potential terrorist.

Have you seen the way they worship their organisation?
Have you seen the reaction of JW members here whenever you call out their organisation?

You can insult God or Jesus all you want, just don't touch their organisation.

Organization is God simple.

You go out of the organization you don't have God. You go against the men leading the organization they see you as going against God. It is no joke they believe they are the only channel God is using to convey truth today. Their leaders says they are the GUARDIANS of OUR DOCTRINE.......aka G.O.D.

The image below tells you the image and mindset members have about the organization since year...... check the image

MaxInDHouse:
This is what shows how hypocritical those speaking against the Organization are and the lying spirit in them! John 3:19
So individually you enjoy the company of JWs but you heard that the group is a cult group shey? Matthew 5:11-12
That's exactly what happened to Pharisees and Sadducees in the first century, this people want Jesus who is a lifely person as a friend so they keep inviting him to come and have dinner with them {Luke 7:36-37, 14:1} but his teachings they detests.
So judge for yourself if you've always enjoyed the company of JWs (individually speaking) but having serious issues with our teachings! Matthew 10:22-25
God bless you and may you have PEACE!

When you call others RELIGIONISTS you revel and smile from cheek to cheek.

When they apply the word CULT to your group, it agitates you so much you will start making numerous comparison in order to look good. People also enjoy company with Muslims, Atheist even traditional worshippers e.t.c and still don't take the fact that those people are Atheist or Muslims or traditionalist


Go and look up what characteristics CULTS have and see how it applies to your group.


1. Opposing critical thinking

2. Isolating members and penalizing them for leaving

3. Emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture

4. Seeking inappropriate loyalty to their leaders

5. Dishonoring the family unit

6. Crossing Biblical boundaries of behavior (versus sexual purity and personal ownership)

7. Separation from the Church


8. Another key aspect of thought control involves training members to block out any information which is critical of the group.

9. A person’s typical defense mechanisms are twisted so they defend the person’s new [religious] identity against his old former identity.

10. The first line of defense includes denial (“What you say isn’t happening at all”),

11. rationalization (“This is happening for a good
reason”),

12. justification (“This is happening because it ought tobe”),

13. and wishful thinking (“I’d like it [the belief] to be true so maybe it really is”).


14 . . . If information transmitted . . . is perceived as an attack on either the leader, the doctrine or the group, a hostile wall goes up.

15. Members are trained to disbelieve any criticism. . . . .

16. Loyalty and devotion are the most highly respected emotions of all. . . .

17. People are not allowed to talk to each other about anything critical of the leader, doctrine, or organization.

18. Members must spy on one another and report improper activities or comments to leaders.

19. Most importantly, people are told to avoid contact with ex-members or critics.