Stress and Jehovah's Witnesses

I’m 71 and an X and back when I was a child, then teen, and adult, pressure was tremendous!! When my children were young and I worked full time, I decided to forgo ONE Saturday morning field service so we could do things like go to a park or a museum. It didn’t last long, I was pressured into not taking ONE day off because I was ‘displeasing to Jehovah’. Pressure and Guilt !!!!!!!!!

I normally skip through videos on personal stories re JWs, watching only a couple of minutes but somehow, I felt you were so captivating in your voice and demeanour I felt compelled to listen the whole way through. I do believe you have something very special about you VIctor,your understanding and feeling about your situation at such a young age, you have an ability to take this further and reach many people and to help others. Please keep growing your spiritual nature you have a gift! every best wish for your future without the stress of JWS.

Oh yeah, that stress almost killed me, I was depressed, I developed chronic pain, and became very suicidal. Thank you for making this video and talking about this well-needed subject.

You're a burst of fresh air🌞 I grew up in the 70's and 80's as a JW, my mother was a regular pioneer. The stress is horrible, you explained that spot on from a young person's perspective. Welcome to your Freedom✨ I subbed🌞All the Best from Ohio USA

"It's not the truth it's a habit" that's fantastic! I'm using that one! 👍

Yes about the stress!!! I was in the "Stay Alive Until '75" group. When I found TTATT and the meaning of cognitive dissonance, I started to heal and love my life.

Great work Young Sir. Keep up the good work. There is an audience for a young activist. My daughters can't particularly relate to the likes of Cedars, Mike and Kim, etc as they are much older.... but would identify with you and your message. Well done

I really liked your example of them being under a rain cloud and saying it is sunshine.

Hi Victor I’m Nelly, I’m 73, I didn’t grow up as a JW but I was raised in another cult! I stayed with the JWs until 2016 when I learned that they were covering child sexual abuse! At that time I watched the Australian Royal Commission Trial and I couldn’t go back, so I disassociate from the cult! I’m free and happy, because like you said been there is like been in a jail! Your life belongs to them! You have no freedom! I congratulate you Victor for your well done videos! You are very smart! You doing an excellent job! Congrats Victor!!

Great first video Victor. Great voice for this and can’t wait to hear more from you.

Thanks for your story. You have no idea how many younger ones in your age spectrum that this video will help. So glad you are awake and still have many years ahead to enjoy your life! Great job!!

I would love to hear more of your stories. I was in the org from 1968, when I was 2 until 1982 when I was 16. I knew at about age 8 that one day I would leave it. I really understand how stressful it is and I knew I would never raise my kids that way when I had them! I was beat up, spit on, called names, kicked by other children because I was a JW and my parents would let it happen because I was supposed to "turn the other cheek" like Jesus did and just take it. If my grades were down because I did not have time to do my studies, there is no way I could tell my parents that kingdom hall was taking so much of my time. I just said I was doing the best I could. But really I could have gotten better grades in school if I had time to study. We were told that this system would not last long enough for us to finish high school anyways, so school was not important to my parents. After 1975 came and went, then it was going to be any day. No point in going to college because this system would not last long enough to finish that either. I left the Org at 16 and went to college when I was 30. Now my children have gone to college also. I am glad you left also!!!! Good for you!!

Realistic. I know. You're right on the spot. Make more talks, please!

Geeze, some things never change. You have brought back many memories. I was sick a lot too as a child. All from stress. All the meetings. There was the watchtower study and talk. The book study. The ministry school. Then the field service. Like you said, all these things took preparation. Not counting my school work on top of that. I would do anything to get out of going to a meeting. Field service was terrible too. I would think of what things I hated more than field service. There wasn't anything. Then I thought of something that just might be worse. If my big toe would be smashed with a hammer. That might be worse, or at the very least, just as bad. Meeting after meeting after meeting. I so hated going. Talks that droned on and on for what seemed like an eternity. Assemblies? Oh they sucked big time too. How to ruin a gorgeous weekend. I would rather be anywhere else, than there. The stress of always forced to be or do something you hated worse than poison. Worldly kids were playing base ball or basket ball at the very same time that I was being bombarded with the end of the world. What if's went through my mind as I sat and tried not to listen to the speaker. What if I was one of the unlucky ones that would live through Armageddon? Every day seeing jw's and ONLY jw's? Day after day for an eternity! Not existing at all would be a walk in the park compared to that! There would probably be even more stupid meetings in the new world, than now. Now, wouldn't that be just a day at the beach? Someone pass me a nice tall glass of some Death Valley Cool aid!!!

Keep up the good work..tnx 4 sharing

I love your video's and your genuineness. I grew up as JW in eastern Europe , when I listen to you, it was echoing back all my memories from my childhood....and yes depression is something I was dealing with my entire life, and 99% of the cause, I do attribute it to this religion.

Welcome to your feeedom brother! U did well leaving them. All the best! Big hug 🤗 from Australia

It's good that you identified what was happening and is able to speak out about it. Most persons your age are trapped inside the organisation.

It's like a cloud raining down on them, but they call it "sunshine"... great insight!

I remember finding excuses not to go to meetings because I was the wife of a non-believing husband and we had 3 little kids that I had to get ready and go. It was so much easier to stay home and relax. As the years went on, we eventually had 6 children and our involvement became very spotty indeed.