If they are really lucky, and they are privileged enough to have a dad whos a prominent elder, they might land an exciting acting role - waving their arms around in huge pantomime gestures in an assembly drama. The records management overseer related an experience where one hand-written note cost watchtower over $200,000 simply because a JW elder at headquarters was honest and produced a written document which tied Watch Tower to a major litigation case with a prior vendor. One has since died but had rarely attended before her death. Can baptism be Annulled? Reasons Why I Left the Jehovah's Witnesses - incmedia.org Like all enthusiastic followers, they owned a copy of the Let God Be True, which was written, printed, and distributed by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. No other religion can do that. In the spring of 2015, Stephen Lett asked for donations after stating that JW.org had more money going out than coming in. It was these friends who became my support network and showed me that people from the world are just the same as people from the faith there were as many lovely people as there were horrible people, as many happy people as there were sad. It will be 1 friend out of 6 shunning rather than all of them - not nearly as effective. - 63% of current Jehovah's Witnesses are a high school education or less. Sherrie and Naomi were Jehovah's Witnesses. Brummies happily shopping and going about their day to day business have seen them in their droves, Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates. PDF The Jehovah's Witness Tradition - Advocate Health When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. The Let God Be True book was written by imperfect men, and imperfect men make mistakes, and it was a mistake. If all of this keeps up, it might not be long before you will see jw.org gone from the scene, as well as other things tied to this diabolical evil religion. Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian denomination with an estimated 175,000 followers in Russia. The new Toyota Drove! Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? Well here goes. Additionally, it has been noted by many of us that when there is a family in which the father does not hold some kind of office, the family is often left out on the periphery without much social support. One factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization. Those eight men up in New York are worshipped because they follow every single word they say. Theres absolutely no room for error within the organization. I would love it if the young ones were leaving in droves, and I believe because of the Internet this will happen, but I don't see a great deal of evidence at present. Find some websites which you believe are honest and accurate and share them. I have a loving husband that I adore. It was important for Andrea to have a relationship with God, and to worship Him the right way. And then from that day, I never looked back. Answer (1 of 10): Well, it's resulted in them having to resort to baptizing children to keep their numbers up (something they used to criticize the Catholic church for). Many elders have questioned this vocally, and have described the amount of money charged to each circuit as an invoice. And now with other countries finding out the harshness of their rules and their inhumane practices of shunning, and not turning child sex abuse cases over to the police is really causing a huge problem for Watchtower. Why Is Putin Afraid of Jehovah's Witnesses? - Foreign Policy At that time, a small group of Bible students who lived near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States, began a systematic analysis of the Bible. . This raises the issue of whether any benefits will ever be paid to other full-time JWs across the globe, who deserve them equally. All the books in the Bible.. Already, members of the Watchtower are already being asked to donate money. - Quora Answer (1 of 27): It isn't a religion its a cult. That is why I believe they will never adopt the very common sense solutions that could be so helpful to their members; especially the young ones. Witnesses believe that they are living in . If the religion continues to have to pay out millions of dollars to the victems of child abuse, and it they continue to loose new converts simply because theyre finding out the real truth about the religion, then theres no way that it will be able to remain standing. - About 1% of the entire membership is disfellowshipped every year. The rest will live forever in a paradise on Earth, never meeting the person who died for them - Jesus Christ. What Happens When You Leave the Jehovah's Witnesses? They use Office 365 now and embed data into PDF files in an attempt to track where the leaks are coming from. What would you expect to see if that was a news headline within the coming year? 13 Black Celebrities Who Are Or Were Jehovah's Witnesses I was also lucky that both my parents encouraged me to get a good education to work hard at school so I could go to university if I wanted. Jehovah's Witnesses in Newcastle City Centre. A former Jehovahs Witness shares why she walked away for good, We would have Bible studies, and I even preached from door to door. Andee. Watch Tower demands their freedom of speech but attempts to deny it to those sharing their publicly available materials which, by the way, are not being distributed for monetary gain. It is more like Satans group simply because of the harsh and inhumane rules and regulations that they harbor in their midst. Learn how your comment data is processed. 10. He [the minister] handed me the Bible, and he told me, From now on, when we look up a scripture, I want you to look it up, and I want you to read it. And that was the biggest help for me in reaffirming me that what he was telling me was the truth. The graph below shoes how the 18-29 crowd have aged up, but new young adults are not replenishing the numbers. Marriage to an unbeliever starts to look a little inevitable. As many of you know, the cutbacks were significant. I believe this is a huge factor in the turnover of young people leaving the organization. The establishment of Jehovahs Witnesses is not in the Bible. Jehovah's Witnesses - News, views, gossip, pictures, video - mirror A man who pleaded guilty to raping two underage girls he met through the Jehovah's Witness congregation they all belonged to has been sentenced to . I also believe this is an area where they are also profoundly disconnected from reality. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. It isnt Christian and it isnt Gods organization. Just imagine if the Ford Motor Company was still manufacturing and marketing the Ford Pinto. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. I've never showered as much in my life. For Some Americans, Ukraine's Fight Feels Close to Home And you have no promise. In a recent private video for Bethel members only, this war against questionable pants, socks, and tights was restated, with Watch Tower doubling down on matters which would baffle Jesus himself were he to walk the earth today. I have never been able to find anything more true than what is taught by the Church Of Christ. Jehovah's Witnesses, a millenarian denomination of Christrianity, follow strict guidelines regarding the use of blood in medical practices. There are millions trapped inside a mental prison, but we can help them. Their whole going out to knock on doors sounds commendable, but truth be known, the reason why they do it is because theyre trying to earn their own way into Jehovahs new world; paradise Earth. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. Jehovah's Witnesses 'use the Bible to victim-shame,' sex abuse survivor You know what its like to not have the spiritual substance that you can grab on to. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? I was allowed to make friends with people outside my congregation. I began a life where I could decide what to believe for myself, and I wasnt afraid of someone telling me I couldnt. (source: Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/). More than that, though, it infuriated me the way my most important reason for leaving was brushed aside because it was the most irrefutable: I simply did not believe in the Bible and God, and by extension any Christian belief. Brummies happily shopping and going about their day to day business have seen them in their droves. Watch Tower continues to try to plug these leaks like the proverbial dam in Holland, but they are running out of fingers and attorneys to plug these leaks. They make up these rules simply because they can. She was especially close to her sister Cynthia. In 2015, the court hit Watchtower with a $13.5 million verdict after the organization failed to turn over documents and provide witnesses in a lawsuit filed by Jos Lopez. I have observed that children in families like this most often never thrive, and are swiftly on their way out by the time they reach teenage years. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that: God the Father (whose name is Jehovah) is "the only true God". Were a year and a half apart. I dont think Ive ever seen my mum cry so much, so often. According to Watchtower's own figures, know the number of Jehovah's Witnesses decreased 0.6% from 2019 - 2020 (this represents 46,823 average publishers, for anyone interested) BUT I found a few other interesting facts that indicate, to me at least, that this cult's days are numbered and you can see you feel about it as well. No more than four-in-ten members of the group belong to any one racial and ethnic background: 36% are white, 32% are Hispanic, 27% are black and 6% are another race or mixed race. They affirm that GodJehovahis the most high. ITV Dancing On Ice judge Christopher announced Jayne is out of surgery - and it was a success. It is law according to the Jehovahs Witness. Kings County, New York - On May 18, 2021, in New York City, Robins Kaplan LLP filed three lawsuits against the Jehovah's Witnesses parent-organization, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. ("Watchtower"), on behalf of survivors who were sexually abused when they were minor members of two different New York State congregations. She learned she couldnt get that from being a Jehovahs Witness. The Watchtower organization is like a restaurant that keeps serving the same bland menu even though many of the patrons dont like the food and arent coming back. Are people REALLY leaving??? - Jehovah's Witness But it's a way of thinking that is ingrained in you by the faith, and it's this mentality that makes it so difficult to leave. But why should doctrines change? My Story of Leaving Jehovah's Witnesses Lloyd Evans 108K subscribers Subscribe 7.2K 232K views 4 years ago (Cedars' vlog no. The gathering was a Bible study. How long will all of this take? Andrea embraced its teachings and followed all of JWs beliefs to a T. She didnt celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other holidays, and she avoided birthday celebrations. Does this sound familiar? Jehovah's Witnesses' bad blood with COVID-19 vaccines Something went wrong, please try again later. My grandmother was a pioneer. With the recent crack-downs on college education, the Watchtower is looking less and less like a spiritual paradise, and is looking more like North Korea. The present study of 50 Jehovah's Witnesses admitted to the Mental Health Service facilities of Western Australia suggests that members of this section of the community are more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital than the general population. Yes, one would think so, but this would involve the Watchtower leadership reinventing, and rethinking matters that they are convinced have already been settled. Five Scary Core Beliefs of the Jehovah's Witness - JW Answers Boom Boom Boom! 2020-06-14 - NATALIE O'BRIEN. Nothing can be allowed to take any time away from the Watchtowers sole purpose of existence: proselytizing. What we see from regimes like North Korea is a disregard for many of the societal endeavors that make a nation stronger, such as infrastructure, good universities, economic freedoms, and democratic processes. Basically it is in the process of imploding. Realistically, though, its a threat to the organisation because education could broaden an individuals mind and open them up to a world of opinions outside the faith. Jehovah's Witnesses believe these men are anointed as the voice of God on Earth. On top of this, many Jehovah's Witness adults expect children to silently sit still through long convention talks on Daniels prophecies or the nuances of the word parousia. "Jehovah's Witnesses believe that it is their responsibility before God to respect and co-operate with the authorities." A spokeswoman for Social Services Minister Anne Ruston has welcomed the statement but implored the organisation to contact authorities. The graph below shoes how the 18-29 crowd have aged up, but new young adults are not replenishing the numbers. In 2017, Russia's Supreme Court declared the group an extremist organization, lumping its. Should you Disassociate and Sample Letters Enter the social media - Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube all readily available on your average smart phone. The groups are handing out copies of The Watchtower from carts outside New Street station. Most congregations have not filed returns for 2 to 4 years, primarily because local elders do not understand how to file returns, and are quite frankly not interested in the business aspect of this religion. When there has been no specific date set . Why so many raised as Witnesses leave Andrea started to panic and pulled Cynthia aside. Youre taught by the organisation that once you leave you will become corrupted by the outside world and inevitably descend into selfishness, meanness and false happiness. Spare the rod, spoil the child. A life of meaningless sex, drugs and alcohol is often woven into this picture. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. With all the false end of the world predictions that they have done in the past, theyre still crying that Armageddon is coming soon, and that they will be the only survivors of the battle. Nearly all WT published material does not hold up to even a freshman's college essay in terms of sources cited, strawman arguments, and avoidance of logical fallacies. JW.org has been spinning the cutbacks as simplification, and have coerced dozens of those who lost their full-time jobs to give testimonials about how happy they were to accept their new assignment in the field. 2. BBC - Religions - Witnesses: Beliefs Jehovah's Witnesses to join redress scheme | 7NEWS The Jehovah Witness religion is going through some tough times - Quora