How I woke up from Jehovah's Witnesses - My Story

I was not expecting that voice! haha Congrats on your freedom!

It’s great to see an intelligent young person speak out. Nice job!

I was raised as a jw, I was on and off and the only reason I would comeback it's because my family would make me feel bad. I decided not to go back, it's been 2 years since I left. I've distance my self from aunts, uncles and cousins knowing they don't want anything to do with me. I'm stress free and happy

Hello victor, i also was a jehovah witness and i turn 18 in a couple months i totally feel you man. Sadly i was always forced to go forced to go out in service and i always was pushed to believe that this is my only way out and that this too was the best way of life. I also faked being sick so many times but i was still forced to go even when i was vomiting i was forced to go. Then my dad was disfellowshipped and seeing that hurt me how people looked at him and was disgusted being near him and then my family were also looked at the same way and since he is the head that we were never invited to gatherings parties or even going to eat with the traveling brother. I then began to see fully how they treated me because of my enjoyment of rock music, video games and long hair. But i was told those were evil and bad and ungodly. But i knew that couldn't be true so i stopped talking to them. Then my dad got back into the organization by lying to the elders that he stopped what got him disfellowshipped (drugs) and now my mom is using with my dad and just turned me away more. When your pushed and pushed into anything u begin to not want to do that thing that your pushed into. I was always told that im going to distract people if i got earrings (even though bible doesnt say i cant have them) and long hair (which many of the Israelites and followers of jesus had) so why i should be scolded at for things that are not even against the bible. With the cherry picking statement i agree . Also i was told that the people i was friends with who has helped me with so much more than the brothers and sisters have, i wad told i cant associate with them and that just hurt me because my friends care more about my future and me than they do. I want to better myself and invest into myself but the witnesses are against even going to college saying its time wasted. I feel u victor in so many ways and im happy you weren't forced or shoved into it. Now since im not associating with the witnesses anymore my parents began to turn away from me even my own brother and sister calling me an apostate and it hurts but ive learn that im not the foolsih one. Im happy your eyes are open victor and i hope this wasnt too long for ya XD

"The End" has been "around the corner" for some time now. So much so that "the corner" has actually been demolished and they've built a Starbucks on it.

Sounds like torture! Why would anyone put their family through that? And for SIX generations?Thank u for sharing your story and welcome to the real world. Glad you woke up in time to enjoy your life🌸

I remember that feeling very well! The whole "why did I have to be born into the true religion???"....the responsibility felt enormous, and on top of it all it definitely didn't feel like the best way of living (one chore and burden after another, and still no letup of guilt/stress). Don't get me wrong, there were good times, and like yourself my childhood wasn't too bad, but the psychological harm it did was pretty deep. Probably one the biggest "turn offs" for me in the org was the cloud of superiority/eliteness that WT promoted. I too had mostly "worldly" friends and they were often more compassionate than the ones in the org (not to mention without pretense), yet in the org all they ever did was denounce them and make out that they deserved death....for what? Living a normal life. I would often ask myself why Jehovah would spare the JWs, but not the guy/girl down the road. What made the JW's superior? That bothered me a lot...

Welcome to your freedom!! 🎈🎈🎉🎊 What a nice handsome radio voice you have!!..I can see you going very far!.. Keep your critical thinking skills in the forefront.. Stay strong!! 😎

Thank you for taking the time Victor to share your story with us. I found myself head-nodding in agreement. You have a logical, clear-thinking and fair mind and bring a refreshing view to the topic of JWs. Your insight into JW thinking is very impressive. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos!

What a voice!! So happy to be young and free from this cult. I’m 24 and now have a full life ahead of me.

i was 30 years old before i woke up. i am very  impressive to see what you noticed at such a young age.

Hi Victor! I can identify with so much of what you said. I watched a John Cedars video and found out about the Watchtower joining the United Nations for ten years as an NGO. I had heard about the the child sex abuse scandal on National Public Radio here in the US. Since then I have been watching videos of ex JWs telling their stories. I have been out over three decades, closer to four actually. Anyway, on some level I believed it was the "true" religion all that time even though I have read and investigated other spiritual paths. So many people are waking up. Welcome to the "world", happy birthday Victor!

Good job on waking up early, at 18. It took me 25 years. Looking forward to more videos.

Congrats on your freedom. With your voice you could be the next David Attenborough.

Congratulations on waking up at a young age. I ran away from home at 17 to escape the Watchtower. Unfortunately, I still believed it was the truth for another 38 years! I am now cult-free! Thanks for making this video. The more that speak out against Watchtower, the better.

Dude, I have so much respect for you:)

Fantastic video! You'd be amazing at any age but to be so 'together' at 18 is marvelous. All the best for the future!! 😊

Thank you so much for sharing! I had been studying for a couple of months and attended meetings as well and it felt so strange. I finally decided to quit my bible study and attending meetings.

How true. My father is an elder and he and another elder said: "even if this was not the true religion they would never leave because it is the best way of living". Odd.

An independent thinker is the WT's greatest enemy. You're articulate, smart and come across as a fine young adult. I'm glad that you'll be able to shine your light and be who you want to be without the shackles that bind all JWs. Concerning your comments upon apostates and opposers, you're exactly right. But I do something a bit different than most others I've have seen. I have a very large library of older (and newer) watchtower publications. I do exactly what the organization does in terms of teaching. If I want to point to any particular thing I have them read it for themselves. I do not tell them what a paragraph says unless they try to change the meaning. In this way, it's them that are learning what the society really taught through original Watchtower publications. I also do not talk to active JWs unless they show some doubt or an interest in researching. I find that unless someone has doubts, was disfellowshipped-disassociated etc they will still have a wall and the Watchtower glasses on - so they can't/refuse to see even if it's plainly in front of them. I do find that what might help one awake will not for another. Some are bothered by dates while others the two witness rule. Personally I try to stick to the authority of the Governing body and it's claims to being appointed in 1919. The society has a rich publication record so it's easy to disprove this false notion of a governing body appointed.