Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “jehovah’s witnesses”
I started studying the Bible with the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1986, at the age of 13, following my mother’s lead. By January 1988, I was baptized and quickly immersed in the congregation’s activities, becoming an Auxiliary Pioneer, and six months later, a Regular Pioneer. Being new to the congregation, I naturally tried to be friendly. One day, I greeted a …
I was born in 1970 into a strict Jehovah’s Witness family. Like many who grew up in high-control religious groups, my childhood was marked by isolation from the outside world and intense pressure to conform to the organization’s rules and expectations. From a young age, I faced severe challenges within my family and religious community. I endured traumatic experiences that …
Stop Mandated Shunning’s ongoing survey has now surpassed 1,200 responses, shedding light on the global and far-reaching effects of mandated shunning. The survey continues to document the experiences of individuals who have been harmed by high-control religious groups, and the results so far emphasize just how pervasive this damaging practice is. Religious Groups Represented: Participants in the survey have come …
By Monica Velin Rodriguez Q. How does a victim of shunning get a message to their family? A. It’s impossible. Mandated shunning is a social death sentence. In many cases, the shunning is so complete that victims have been blocked on phones and all social media. Any call would be ended; every door would be slammed shut. If a target …
In 1984, at the age of 36, I found myself at a crossroads. After years of witnessing the notorious corruption and cruelty of the untouchable leaders within the Watchtower Society, I began to see through the deceptive ideology that had trained Jehovah’s Witnesses like myself to be nothing more than distributors of the Watchtower Society’s publications—Bibles, books, periodicals, and brochures. …
Three years before “Armageddon” was supposed to happen in 1972, my parents became Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s). I was only 8 years old and I trusted them to make the “right choices” for themselves, me, and my younger brothers. How could I have known then that I’d become a researcher of cult characteristics and that such knowledge would lead me to …
Translated by SMS from the original language I have spent almost 40 years of my life as an active member of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For 20 of those years, I served as an elder (local congregation pastor), which is a highly respected position in the congregation. In 2005, my daughter was disfellowshipped and decided she would not return to the organization. …
I was born in 1969 to parents who were both Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) from birth. Their parents were also Jehovah’s Witnesses, so it’s all I ever knew growing up. From a young age, my life was shaped by the doctrines and high-control environment of the religion. I was taught that God’s name was “Jehovah” and that our religion was the …
In I Felt the End Before It Came: Memoirs of a Queer Ex-Jehovah’s Witness, Daniel Allen Cox provides an intimate and powerful narrative of his life within the Jehovah’s Witnesses, his awakening to its cult-like nature, and his ultimate escape. Through his story, Cox sheds light on the pervasive influence of the sect and offers valuable insights for others trapped …
By Monica Velin Rodriguez Stories are powerful. Two weeks ago, on July 2, I was sitting on an aeroplane headed to the annual conference of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA). A local Minnesota philanthropist saw the stories my husband and I had shared on the Stop Mandated Shunning website. He was so moved that he wanted to support the cause. He said, “You’re …
