Never went back after Covid- nearly 1700 days now. 100% inactive around 3 years. Zero Sunday meetings even on Zoom since Summer 2023. Zero mid week since about May '24. Blocked and/or deleted around 98% of JW. Holidays. Openly beat down GB. Consume(d) many, many hours of exjw content. Watch other church sessions on YT So, since when is a person 100% POMO? Just wondering. Edit: grammar

I left the org 11 years ago, I was 16 years old but PIMO from 15. I know 11 years is a long time but I am only now realising that it is a cult and accepting the damage it has caused me mentally. Thanks to people speaking out, it has opened my eyes. I left because it didn’t feel right that this one religion was the true one of them all and I felt restricted. Now I’m older I can see there is so much more to it. When I left, I lost all of my friends and my family were distant. I felt so very lonely and fell into a deep depression for many years (didn’t know why), this caused me to make very bad decisions (drugs, sex, abusive relationships). I was so very lost and only now am I beginning to figure out my life and gain the confidence that was robbed of me growing up. All of my family are PIMI and my brother was even promoted to be an elder, I didn’t know why but I didn’t agree with it. Now I know what they do is so wrong on many levels. To be honest, I feel angry. I feel like I have all this anger all of a sudden and I’m not sure where to put it. I feel angry my family is part of a cult. I feel angry I lived with guilt and loneliness as a child because of them. I feel angry I was isolated. I feel angry that more children will live through the same or worse. I feel angry that it is still going on. I feel angry that they are so self righteous when they are hypocrites. I guess I just want to know how people have healed and let the anger (and guilt) go? If you have. Thanks for reading my rant!

Oh in that case give me a moment, I'll just get the door key 🔑.

Let the little old sister with her (9yrs old)companion do their introduction with leaflet in hand. I asked whether she truly believed the bible & the prophecies men have concocted to control others through religious organisations over the centuries? Her reply was yes gods word is inspired & true. I replied even if those men who say they were inspired by god changed their mind & stance on certain teachings & dates of prophetic importance & say they have new light & are not on a one to one with god but still insist whatever they tell you is the command of god!? Why yes it's gods word. So I asked her to consider a few things & make a mental note. Hows was 1914 concluded to be the beginning of JC rule in heaven by Russel? 1935 how come if inspired by god was it only now revealed an earthly hope was now announced, what changed in the revelation to Russel the "bible student" & those that followed after would have both hopes? Taking into account "by no means will that generation pass away" why now has new light revealed an overlapping generation?! Has this been your understanding from study of the bible or did 9 men announce it to explain away why the end of this system hasn't passed "the last days GT & Armageddon"? Not disrespectfully but you'll remember, 1975 as being pointed to as the end of this system of things & the rhetoric around this in the watchtower publications, talks etc? Why was that date not fulfilled? She replied it wasn't! I said it certainly was! At this point she was just rooted to the spot & the little girl just staring wide eyed! I did not let up at this point.. So JWs stance on disfellowshipping has never changed? Reply No! So early 1980s this never changed? Well it was revealed,,,, Ok so of recent you have been told you can now greet a DF'd one at the KH to welcome them or send an invitation to them but nothing more. What's changed? Have you had to be told by a bunch of men this is new light to reach out to family friends loved ones who you turned your back on? Are you following or even heard of cases in the Netherlands regarding the practice of DF'ing or shunning as you now call it, the consequences & action taken by the authorities & how that's being looked into by other countries as a abhorrent human rights violation under the UN? She's really trying to just smile & lean her head to one side in an empathetic manner but she's still not moving like she can't budge! You'll remember Malawi the persecution the JWs treatment & subsequent horrific treatment because of a neutral political stance have you ever looked at what was happening in Mexico at the same time? You do remember the brothers in Mexicos predicament regarding neutrality in entering conscription services at that time? Reply Yes I do! Have you not thought why such different outcomes even tho both political authorities were similarly hardline regarding JWs neutrality? Silence!! By the way I love your trousers it must feel liberating to be told you can now wear them for field Service & meetings! She looked down at her legs & just replied, thank you ! Before she could look up I went on Are you aware of the numerous CSA case here in the UK, States, NZ, Europe & of course the ARC? Or closer to home the sexual abuse which is has taken place, here in your own territory & congregation ?! No well I could give you first hand Accounts from a 4 generation JW family who served on the circuit!!! Before you go please read something for me "Crisis of Concience" written by Raymond Franz he was a former Govening body member it's a very interesting read, you ask me to read your literature I'm asking you tho once dig a little deeper. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me today I'm ever so busy do call again. As I closed the door 🚪 she was still stood there smiling as if not comprehending what just happened!! When eventually they started to walk away down the street they caught up with the others out on service, they huddled spoke turned round & she pointed directly to the house. I was satisfied I'd had the desired effect. 'Do Not Call' During this unbeknown to me my daughter was sat on the stairs listening she came down & hugged me saying that was so good to hear you could hear the calm in your voice even though years of hurt anxiety fear & anger have took at times a toll on you, I love you Dad unconditionally!!!

I’m at an assembly and the speakers are still boring. I thought they would give the young brothers the chance to speak since they are all about keeping the youth now but what I still see are the oldies who are giving boring talks with no practicality. Just raw material from the outline. Why is this happening?

My father’s just encouraged PIMI to denounce one another if they sin cause it’s so much important for their spiritual health…How can’t they see it’s so much cultish? I feel like PIMI under 30 don’t feel very confortable with it and are less strict but still, it makes me cringe so much.

I wish more people were free from the fear the Borg creates.

Asking elders or anyone who might know

For anyone that has been a long term serving JW, that at some point felt a strong spiritual bond with Jehovah and Jesus in the past at any point and has carried on with a spiritual routine of bible study, can you say that you still have or now have a deep spiritual connection?

I used to feel a deep connection. I used to love the “truth”. There were a few times in my life I was in deep mental anguish due to suffering mental health, and I definitely felt Jehovahs help in moments in dire need. I stopped feeling any connection around 10 years ago, around the same time I started questioning the organisation. I’d often pray deeply usually in the middle of the night which is when I often would pray as it was quiet and felt more easy not to be distracted. I stopped feeling the connection. I’d explain to Jehovah that I was doubting, and didn’t feel the same connection to him I’d always felt and that I wanted help to get it back and that could he use someone or do something to show he was listening. Nothing. It just seemed to become less and less. It’s what made me question everything. Fast forward to now, I’m POMO and have been for some time, but I still believe in God and Jesus and that he has a purpose. And I still believe the Bible.

So how many of you still feel a spiritual bond? Do you still pray? I’m about to start bible reading and studying again. There’s nothing that can fill that spiritual void.

I don’t know where else to ask this. It’s my first time ever wanting to vote. Lol

How can I go vote in the next couple of days if I’ve never done it before? Like if someone could give me a voting for dummies rundown?

And also, can anyone see that I voted? I don’t want a party affiliation tied to my name like I’ve seen others have.

Lastly, keep the political comments out of this and please just stick to the questions lol ✌🏼

I’ve stopping going to the meetings for about a month now. It’s very lonely, I’ve given up so many worldly friends because of this organization. And breaking away from all the friends I’ve made in the organization isn’t easy. I feel I am starting life all over again in my mid twenties. I just don’t know where to start. 🥲

"No!!!!!

No!!!!!

No!!!!

Don't you ever ever invite me again!!!!"

I myself was surprised at how I reacted knee-jerkly.

I felt bad for him, because empathetically I knew he was just acting according to his conviction. I would have done the same if I was a PIMI myself. I would have enthusiastically invited all the people I know around me.

But my vitriolic response uncovers my still pent-up bitterness about my wasted childhood and young manhood in the cult.

I wasted almost 30 years playing pretend in a religion I never believed, not since I was ten years old, and I'm finally too fed up. I got news today that my family, the only reason I have stayed with this religion so long in the first place, no longer wants to associate with me and my fiance because he's unbaptized. That's the last straw. I'm done.

Anyone know the best way to go about disassociating from this crap? I want out.

After all this time, I'm finally ready.

You label us as apostates, liars and mentally ill.

We just want our families back.

You enjoy great freedom of choice and religion. Please treat us the way you want to be treated. Please release us from this bond. Whether we are your enemies or friends the command is the same. Love us.

Give us our families back.

I’m fully mentally out, but me and my wife still keep up appearances because we’re renting from a family member who gives us a good deal on rent, allowing us within the next 1-2yrs to save up a down payment.

I’m fine waiting to get a tattoo or post openly against the Org on social media or whatever, but the one thing that hurts is that I’ve held myself back from reaching out to one childhood best friend who faded, I know that if I speak openly with them there’s a good chance it will get back to my family through a web of friends and family. I want so badly to be able to reach out and talk to them, to be friends again, but I’m in fear of how it might end up effecting me and my wife negatively. Fucking sucks man, fuck this cult.

He was ruling under Franz and after....is this actually we're the slow decline started?

Title

I posted on here awhile ago asking for advice about whether my daughter should ever meet her father's JW family.
Many people here gave me great advice and told their personal experiences with that type of situation and myself and her dad really appreciated it.

Well now I'm in a new situation. One that I never imagined I would be in.
Her Dad died of an overdose a few months ago.
He struggled for so long and then finally seemed to be doing better, until all of a sudden he wasn't.
I am grateful for the long deep conversations we had the months leading up to this.
We talked a lot about his childhood, his family, his emotions since leaving JW.

I'm still grieving. I think I always will be. He was my best friend. My child's father. A light in the darkness, but he never saw that in himself.
He never felt worthy of love. Or of anything really.
They did that to him.

I REALLY need to vent here because what makes me SO ANGRY is that after no contact for so long THEY now have his ashes.
There was an obituary where, conveniently, our daughter was not even mentioned.

He hadn't been using drugs for quite awhile until he got covid and couldnt take sitting at home. He could never take that silence and loneliness. He used. And it was his last time. And yet they are saying to people that he had been using for a long time etc.

Our daughter is 3 years old and doesn't understand yet why she can't see her Daddy. It breaks my freaking heart.
A family friend of his that is not JW but talks to his family has been communicating with me and said they want to meet his daughter "when it's the right time". I asked her to ask if she can have some of his ashes so I can put them in a necklace or something for her and same kind of response "after some time"

I never thought I would have a child. He never thought he would either. Then we did. It took some time for him to come to terms with it but god when he did he was amazing and they loved eachother so much.

I get angry at him sometimes, but mostly I'm angry at JW. They did this to him. A beautiful soul. They broke him and he never recovered.

If you have left JW and struggle mentally/emotionally TALK ABOUT IT. It's not just about getting out physically. He got out but it's like part of him was still trapped and unable to truly LIVE.

One day I'm going to have to explain everything to my daughter and my heart hurts even thinking about it. I feel physically sick thinking about it. But I believe in being honest with her.

I just needed to vent to people who understand because no one does. To everyone else he was weak or an addict etc. They do not understand the torment that he dealt with inside.

I don't even know how to start. I woke up over a year ago and life's been hell ever since. I won't say I hate every aspect of my life but I do hate a lot of things. I'm 18 and I'll be 19 in only three months. Everyone has friends. Everyone has been able to make friends at school or at work or wherever, but I basically only know JWs and the very few people I know who aren't... well, I can't hang out with those friends because my parents would never allow it.

I've been depressed my whole life, with ups and downs that I think are symptom of bipolar disorder. I went to a psychiatrist about a week ago and was prescribed meds that I just won't be able to afford every single month for the rest of my life. I only bought one of the medications: Clonazepam. It helped me sleep the first couple of days but not anymore, and I cannot stop thinking about everything.

I've always had to think about everything I did and I can't stop. I am scared and tired. I wish I could just grab all the sleeping pills and take them all.

I won't be able to get out of this religion in a long time and my depression doesn't help either, although some of it is due to this religion.

I've already "sinned" and if I said something I'd get DF but of course I can't say anything. I want to get myself DF but not yet. What am I supposed to do meanwhile? I go throught periods of time where guilt wants to kill me but I'm learning how to overcome these feelings. Still, I don't know what to do.

I feel like I'm too naive sometimes, like I'm not prepared to live in the real world. I don't even know how to explain it very well. It's like I feel everyone has something special in them and when I feel I connect with someone I tell them a lot about myself. Why am I like this? I need to change it but at this point I'm so depressed sometimes I don't even want to try. I need someone to hold me while I cry.

I'm so tired and depressed, guys. I don't want to bore you all but I had no one. I'm sorry.

I am a winter baby, and have always envied the big gatherings for holidays. But it is just me and my roommate (never jw) living away from family, so I figured I might reach out here. Just in case there are others like me.

We are in Northern AZ, US.

Follow some jws on Instagram because I’m still living at home and PIMO, and saw that one was at a wedding where the couple looked like kids. They looked like they had JUST turned 20 or something…

This isn’t the first couple I’ve seen get married young either, what is it with them? Are they just tryna bang without getting in trouble???

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-friends-at-any-age?slot_pos=1&apid=&rvid=b9898a2796ab7c5ff5eec0b663571b2053f24d8f9978791c5fce8f62c0665469

The Dubs use this verse to suggest that “death will be no more” refers to an earthly paradise, as death doesn’t exist in heaven.

This reading is flawed for a few reasons, for one the large number of heavenly deaths that would have occurred during the war between Michael and the nascent demons.

For reference, I don’t believe in the Bible, but I want to know if there’s a more plausible interpretation of this verse?

Jehovah uses satan to torment humans. How is he loving by allowing it and not protecting? He allowed him to deceive Adam and Eve that led to, torment Job, cast satan down to earth in 1914 to torment everyone on the earth, and finally release him at the end of the thousand years. The Bible blames satan , but the truth is by not protecting his children he is completely complicit in everything satan does. The legal term is aiding and abetting.How would human parents be viewed if they didn’t protect their helpless children from a dangerous psychopath and watched?

My name is Carlos* I need some words of encouragement. I got Df'd about 10 months ago. Life has been... awful since then. I was able to make one friend, and one girlfriend. Amazing girl (so I thought). We started dating, hooked up a couple times, things were going great... But she left me for my friend. So the two people I've successfully been able to get to know on the outside world... betrayed me and pushed me out. Even to boot the reason she said she was done with me was because "we're incompatible because of the religion you were raised in."

So now here I am, 32* years old. Not only did I get to go through the awful Df'ing experiences, but the only two people "on the outside" I've met cheated on me and now I get to go through that pain on top of it. I have literally nobody in my entire life. Not a single friend. Not a single relative. My first "worldly" girlfriend cheated on me. What in the actual fuck is the point? I don't desire to die. I want to live. But not like this. I have absolutely NOTHING to live for. The cult took everyone away from me. Even my "worldly" girlfriend (unless of course that's just an excuse. I rarely talked about my childhood of the JW faith with her). So sadly... yes. I wanna kill myself. Like really bad. But at the same time I don't want to die. I really don't. I want to live a good life and be happy. I just... I don't know if I can do it at this point. It feels like its all over.

So please people of the internet... can you say something please to help cheer me up? Help keep me going? Keep trying?

*Names and ages have been changed (lmao. I hope you get the joke)

My mom passed away 3 weeks ago, buried her last saturday.

It was a blur but I remember every JW telling me to come back to Jehovah to make sure I see my mom again. It is so manipulative and so scary and so heartbreaking because in my moments of grief, I thought about it because I was scared and I thought maybe, maybe if there is a chance, I’ll do it.

It hurts that they prey on your emotions like that, on the worst day of my life.

Ironically it was how they got my mom too. My grandmother passed away and they preached to her and 6 months later my mom baptized… because of that fear and right now that same fear is consuming me and I don’t know how to battle it.

Try and watch it with PIMI's in your life that you want to wake up... It's a flipping ACE movie.

The dialog is so good. The actor Hugh Grant plays talks about "iterations"– making analogies to everything from Monopoly to Star Wars to Radiohead's Creep – to show that most religions have simply been adapted from each other.

It's pretty cool.

I just turned in my last FS report ever, stating that yet again I had not participated in the ministry last month. I exited my FS groups group chat on what’s app. I deleted my service app. I deleted my JW library app. I’m done!!

I still haven’t talked to my friends and family yet, I’m planning on not trying to make it a bigger deal to them I’ll wait till they ask me about it and then I’ll just tell them I’m taking a break and I’m not going to talk about it further at this point. I’ve come to the conclusion I can’t control how they will react to that, I can only control what I do with my life moving forward and I plan on it being a wonderful life full of freedom and love 💛

Edit: also wanted to add thank you so much to so many of you in this community that have been so caring and supportive, I’ve found more real genuine love here than I ever found in that cult.