I was born and raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the UK. Like many others raised in the faith, I never questioned it. I was baptized at 17, began pioneering at 18, and devoted the next ten years of my life to it. At 19, I met my husband, and by 20, we were married. From the outside, we …
Matthieu: The Price of Truth
My name is Matthieu, and for many years, I was a devoted Jehovah’s Witness. I served as a ministerial servant in France, married to a fellow Witness, and I truly believed I was where I belonged. But everything changed when I was 37. Why? Because I studied the Bible too much. It all started when I tried to find my …
Dorene Del Real: Breaking Free from Fear and Shunning
I was born and raised as a Jehovah’s Witness in the 1970s and 80s, a second-generation member of the faith. When I was just an infant, a Witness came to my mother’s door, and she soon began studying and attending meetings—despite my unbelieving father’s disapproval. One of my earliest memories is of My Book of Bible Stories, a children’s book from …
Rae Bruvold: Leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses
I am 30 years old, and this is the story of my journey in and out of the Jehovah’s Witnesses —not once, but twice. My life has been shaped by the doctrines, the fear, and the manipulation of this high-control group. Now, I am finally free, and I want to share my experience. I was born into the Jehovah’s Witnesses, …
Sarah D: A Life Broken by Mandated Ostracism
I was born to Jehovah’s Witness parents, and from a very young age, religion controlled every aspect of my life. My parents made enormous sacrifices to remain loyal to their faith: no demanding or well-paid jobs, no credit for buying a house, and above all, a life entirely dedicated to religious activities. We attended three meetings a week, and every …
Suzanne Snyder: I Lost My Family to This Religion
I sit on the edge of my bed, staring at the faint glow of my phone screen. It’s been years, but the memories never fade. Some nights, they return with suffocating intensity—my sister’s voice, my brother’s laughter, the cold, heartless silence that followed their deaths. I was born into it. The world of Jehovah’s Witnesses was all I had ever …
Eulalio: I Lost My Family to This Religion
I never imagined that joining a religion could cost me my family. When I became a Jehovah’s Witness, I believed I was doing the right thing—following the truth, serving God. But I didn’t realize the price I would pay. At first, I was encouraged to distance myself from my old friends and family because they didn’t share the same faith. …
Jennie Walace: Losing My Family Twice
My name is Jennie. I’m 68 years old, a widow, and a mother of four grown children. I was a Jehovah’s Witness for 38 years, along with my husband. We raised two children together, a son and a daughter, and for most of my life, I believed we were part of a loving, supportive community. But I’ve come to realize …
Derrick Miller: Shunned at 15, Abandoned for Life
I was born into a fourth-generation Jehovah’s Witness (JW) family in the U.S., a lineage that began with my great-grandfather, who was considered one of the “anointed.” My upbringing was deeply immersed in the faith—family members worked at Bethel, my father was a ministerial servant striving to become an elder, and my entire social world revolved around the Witness community. …
Volker Blockhaus: A Life Devoted to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Then Shunned
My name is Volker Blockhaus, and I am 69 years old. For nearly 50 years, I was a Jehovah’s Witness, and for 30 of those years, I served as an elder in three different congregations in southern Germany. I was fully dedicated to my faith and sincerely believed I was serving God in the best way possible. However, in 2011, I …