Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “jw”
In recent months, significant developments have been taking place in the Czech Republic regarding the legal status of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society). The Czech government is currently reviewing whether this religious group should maintain its status as a recognized church, a status that grants them certain privileges, including financial and legal benefits. This scrutiny has prompted Jehovah’s …
As we count down to the pivotal appeal trial in Oslo this February, attention is drawn not only to the victims who will testify but also to the dedicated advocates fighting for change. One such advocate is Hilde Langvann, the leader of Hjelpekilden, an organization devoted to helping individuals recover from the psychological trauma of life in high-control religious groups, …
At nineteen, I fell in love and made the choice many young people make—I became intimate with my boyfriend before marriage. But as a Jehovah’s Witness, this simple act of human intimacy triggered a cascade of consequences that would shadow my marriage for 26 years. The elders of my congregation subjected us to humiliating interrogations about our intimate moments. My …
As the February 2025 appeal trial in Oslo approaches, the spotlight intensifies on the brave individuals whose voices have exposed the harmful realities of mandated shunning. This trial has its roots in Norway’s decision to deny Jehovah’s Witnesses state subsidies and revoke their registration as a recognized religious community. The Norwegian State argues that the organization’s exclusion practices amount to …
I was born in 1983 in Toulouse, France, into a Jehovah’s Witness family. My earliest memories are woven with the strict doctrines and rigid expectations that came with being part of the organization. As a child, I often felt confined, surrounded by rules that dictated every aspect of life—what to believe, whom to associate with, and even how to think. …
I cannot give my name, but I live in Brazil, and I am one of the many victims of ostracism by the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In March 2020, I was disfellowshipped for disagreeing with the teachings of the Watchtower Society and openly stating that I no longer trusted the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This decision came after …
I was 21 years old when I left the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I had started to have doubts and had skipped a few meetings, yet leaving the religion I no longer believed in resulted in being shunned by everyone I knew. Five years earlier, my older sister was also shunned after she was disfellowshipped (excommunicated). For five years, she sat at the back …
I was born into Jehovah’s Witnesses. My parents, young and hopeful, immigrated with me from El Salvador to Portland, Oregon, when I was just 18 months old. My mom was only 23, and she had been baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness when she was just 14. For her, the Organization wasn’t just a religion—it was her identity. Moving to a …
OSLO, Norway – A historic appeal case will take place at the Oslo Appeal Court from February 3-14, 2025, with critical testimonies scheduled for February 7 and 10. This case, brought by Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) against the Norwegian State, has the potential to reshape how mandated shunning is understood and addressed legally. The Norwegian State previously revoked JW’s status as …
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 …
