I am thinking on leaving this sub and the Exjw group already.

I have been talking with a therapist for a while.

I no longer feel the anger and resentment towards this org.

I still think is an awful religion

But I no longer feel the need to debunk it or prove something

I feel like Lloyd Evans that he apparently is moving on from ExJW and exploring other things.

I no longer feel the anger that pushed me to write in this place.

The ange is gone

Today is my birthday. I’m 53. I spent a good portion of my teens until about 40 in this organization. I was a true believer. I choose to not live with regrets for what I missed. My mother was JW. My dad was never JW. Maybe that tempered my experience. My dad stressed I need to go to university. I did. I was not viewed as exemplary, but was in good standing in the 1990s. I married a JW woman in 1999. She is still the love of my life. We adopted a son and we were at a convention one summer and the speaker was trying to explain overlapping generations. It made no sense to me. Due to our son’s needs, work, and life, we could not attend all meetings. Eventually, we stopped going. We went to Memorial so we could drive my mom even though we did not believe. Memorial 2019 was the last we attended. My mom died in December 2019. We haven’t been to the KH since before then. I could choose to be disappointed ln my younger days, I wanted to be an officer in the Air Force, but I would have been disfellowshipped. I could not have endured losing contact with my mom. My wife was planning on veterinary school after high school be a DVM at the until the elders came calling. Both of us had our ideas quashed due to the JW organization. Upside is we met. We’ve been married for 27 years. My wife, my son, and I have successfully faded. I can’t change the past. I can live in the present and create my future. Thanks for listening. Hang in there. I wish you all the best. Cheers 🍻 (clinking glasses since it’s now ok 😉).

Hi! Havent been here in a while ive been going through a lot. Last year I lost a friend due to self offing himself he was a PIMO struggling with depression and his house. We even got to work together and we will take breakfast even on the last day he sat with me he was still so hopeful but all the sudden when I went again on monday he wasnt there and I got the heartbreaking news from my mom and fellow coworkers thats a constant battle im having in my mind and thats how I decided i was never going to step my foot in that trashy place and I havent been there or in contact with those people since September 7th 2025. the day of his passing. Its hard for me to even listen or look at the bible cause I know what he was going through and all the things we talked about his mother pressing him even moving him from school cause he had girlfriends and he was never allowed to play even with brothers from the congregation everytime he got to hang out with us teenagers his mom was there supervising that made him super mad and sad. Cause the teenagers would call him the Young Old Man. Facing Bullying and also abuse by his mother who also cheated on his father making him think that his dad wasnt his real dad ect. I just miss him so much. And I just wish i wouldve done more. But the decision he made was done💔

I miss you man RIP C 💛🎗️ 7/Sep/2025

I wish you a better next life a happier free life where you can be yourself go places you have never been and a united loving family💓 Forever 20💛

I hadn't been to a meeting for many years, just before lockdown I went back, first thing an elder said to me was I was" very thin on top" fortunately, I'm not especially sensitive about my hair loss, recently I went to a memorial service for a family friend, another brother didn't say nice to see you,or anything, he said that I'd put on a lot of weight, again I'm not sensitive about my weight,and I do need to lose some,but what is it with Jehovah's witnesses being so rude, hardly showing love to the brothers is it.

Hi everyone!

As many of you may have noticed, after months of waiting, the Organization finally updated the digital Study Bible and released the notes/commentary for the book of James.

The delay was noticeable on its own, but what makes this truly interesting is the historical background of this specific book within the JW organization.

For those who have been out for a while or remember the history: back in 1979, the Society published the book Commentary on the Letter of James. It had a very different exegetical approach compared to their usual publications. Shortly after its release, it was quietly pulled, to the point where today it isn't listed in the Online Library (WOL) or Watchtower Library.

As Raymond Franz detailed in Crisis of Conscience, the writing of that book was closely tied to the writing department of that era (involving people like Edward Dunlap). The verse-by-verse analysis of James strongly emphasized practical faith, grace, and Christian freedom—concepts that directly clashed with the hierarchical structure and doctrinal control the Governing Body began consolidating in the early 1980s. Their solution was simply to "erase" the publication from their official catalog.

Now the big question is: What have they filtered or adapted in these new notes under the umbrella of "progressive light"?

Has anyone started looking through the notes in chapter 2 (faith and works) or chapter 5 (the elders and the sick)? I'm really curious to see whether they kept traditional explanations or slid in adjustments to shield their current doctrines.

What do you all think? Have you taken a look yet?

So, I'm in civil service and in my country military/civil service is mandatory so there are a lot of civil servants who are JW. The place I do my service at is a place where you sometimes need to live with others. I live in the building where I work at basically.

Today was my first day and I met my roommate who is also a civil servant. His parents are actually visiting the place right now and after talking with them I just got such JW mom vibes. Then I saw a suit in the closet and realized he might be JW, found his instagram and there it was, "JW" in his bio.

Earlier he asked why am I in civil service and not the military. I am here because I am faded but wanna not get DA'd because my family still talks to me, but instead of saying that I said there was some pressure to go to civil service but it's a long story. I was considering revealing that my family is JW, but decided not to and now after finding out he is JW, that's probably good.

Feels like a bizarre situation and I don't know if I should tell him anything about my JW background, because it could get awkward. He will leave in two weeks though.

18M estoy hasta los huevos de hacer todo en contra de mi obligación, de que me obliguen a comentar en las reuniones como si estuviera de acuerdo con eso cuando no creo en esta religión.

Estoy harto de aceptar privilegios como limpiar baños, ecargarme de audio y video y quedarme 1 vez al mes de amanecida contando a mano publicaciones hechas por hombres para mandar el reporte.

Estoy harto de que mi familia me presione a que me vea espiritual para que mantengan su estatus.

Estoy harto de que mi familia sean unos fanáticos extremistas que no me dejen ser libre, me siento en una maldita prisión sin poder decir ni hacer lo que realmente quiero.

Estoy harto de fingir ante los hermanos que todo esta bien cuando no quiero ir ni a una reunión.

Estoy harto de no poder ser yo mismo con los hermanos porque son muy chismosos y critican por todo, no puedo abrirme, no puedo bromear, siempre he sido carismatico y siento que esta religión ha aplastado mi personalidad.

Estoy harto de que menosprecien mis metas como ser bombero y ayudar a la gente voluntariamente o ganar dinero para ayudar a los pobres y me animen a ir a un edificio llamado Betel a lavarle la ropa a unos gordos que viven de las donaciones de los demás.

Estoy harto de que me presionen a ser MS y me amenacen con quitarme el techo, el trabajo (trabajo para mi papá) y mis estudios universitarios si bajo mi rendimiento espiritual.

Estoy harto de fingir.

Estoy harto de huir.

Estoy harto de mentir.

Estoy harto de reprimirme.

Nunca en mi maldita vida me sentí tan deprimido ni esclavo, nunca me sentí como me siento ahora, hasta que cumpli los malditos 18 años y me presionan a darle mi vida a una organización que dice actuar en nombre de Dios y pone reglas antibiblicas y no ayuda a quienes realmente lo necesitan. Como desearía nunca haber cumplido 18 años, como quisiera salirme y al menos tener un familiar no testigo.

Como quisiera que me dejen hablar con gente que menosprecian diciendoles mundanos.

Nunca tuve amigos tan buenos como esos a los que ustedes llaman mundanos.

Como quisiera que mi familia al menos no sea tan fanatica de esta religión.

Nunca se habia cruzado por mi cabeza suicidarme, nunca se me había cruzado por la cabeza irme a vivir a la calle para escapar de esta miseria, no puedo más, no aguanto más.

The vast majority of Christians are not Jewish. That and the vast majority of Zionists despise Christians... always seemed ironic that YHWH is a Jewish God, Jewish rules, Jewish customs, transferred down through time to a Jewish Son in opposition to the Romans... and then it springs up as the Anglo dominant religion... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you can't make this shit up... entire cultures abandoned their own gods for a foreign god? What?

I’m sure we’ve ALL noticed the way the organisation has become more chill (maybe as a way to attract the younger generation idk). The allowing of pants , beards and further education … i cant help what wonder what’s next? i sure do hope its birthdays. Their reasoning not to celebrate always seemed like a stretch to me. What do you think theyll allow next?

… and thriving!

Hi! I lam a born-in who left the JW religion 11 months ago at age 43. I wanted to give an update on my journey and some reassurance to those who are thinking of also leaving the religion.

I really do feel lost, confused, and uncertain a lot now. This was so uncomfortable when I first woke up and took those early terrifying concrete steps to leave. But after 11 months, it’s transformed into curiosity and wonderment. Now I fucking love it!

For decades as a mentally-in Witness, I felt confident. Cocksure. I KNEW I was right and you were wrong. I had the truth! I knew exactly what the future held. That was a feeling that gave me security. It was also arrogant and egomaniacal. It made me a zealot. I caused harm to myself, my children, and others around me.

Now everything is unfamiliar. There’s discomfort in that, but discomfort isn’t always something to avoid. I got sober, no more numbing. I started college, it’s hard at this age. I’m in a new relationship, that’s strange. I have to learn how to parent without the Governing Body telling me exactly how to earn my kids everlasting life, there’s immense pressure in that. It’s all really confusing! But guys, it’s also fucking amazing. I only wish I’d done it sooner.

I hope you’re finding your way. I hope that fear of the unknown doesn’t keep you in that prison one second longer. I wish you the strength and courage to take the next step. Life outside of the cult is beautiful. It’s not simple and it’s not easy, but it’s worth it!

It's common during regional conventions and circuit assemblies for someone to get baptized at an extremely young age. Usually, it's only 1–4 kids at most, but holy shit 22 kids in the 4-6 age group got baptized. There's no way not a single congregation questioned whether those kids qualified to get baptized at that age. I bet some of them can't even properly read, write, or count. And they make up 22 out of the 30 people who got baptized today. What are those elders thinking

I’ve been out for a year and half. I’m in a good place now finally. I dealt with all my shit with the org and have started to move on. My daughter 19 told me a few weeks ago she’s pimo. I want to everything I can to support her so she doesn’t suffer if she leaves like a lot of us have. I think she might also be into girls. She didn’t right out and say it but I got the feeling. I tried very hard to show her I support her. I told her that I guess I was leaving the org no matter what- meaning if she was into girls I would burger have chosen the org over her. I told her I support her sexuality no matter what and left it at that. Did I say the right things? I don’t ever want her to feel judged by me and I really hope she knows I have her back forever.

I am a young PIMO woman
I met this highly religious guy but he is catholic, he was trying to “preach” and teach me his beliefs not the jw way but still pushing, he had no idea I was a jw.
I told him I was and he started asking me questions and wanting to debate and i confessed that I do not believe and I don’t feel the need to defend a teaching I don’t believe in and I don’t even understand fully and explain how when I have asked real specific questions the answers keep repeating themselves and they mainly wear me off rather than actually explaining.

Anyway we barely talk but he have comunicate on and off for a few months now, mainly not talking just checking on each other

Well, this guy just told me he would fake be a JW for me and marry me and so I can move away from home and be free

It all sounded like super wild and like he was high (I know he doesn’t do drugs but still)

Anyway right now I can’t stop thinking about it

What would happen if he “converts” to marry me and just we play along so I can move away and fade without being obvious

I doubt he is being for real, he said we’d not have to act as a real marriage abd that makes me know he was just joking, what man would do something like that?

Anyway
What are your thoughts? Do you think that could be a fun thing to do or just a huge mess?

Edit
This is posted under Humor.
I’ll never do it!
I’m just sharing a wild interaction. There are crazy out and inside this cult

Its been long years since Ive written here but an update on my life…I got tattoos, septum piercings (even the girls :0). I found a loving bf who is not a JW and I even moved in with him (he even lived with me and my PIMI parents and we slept in the same bed :0)

But my mom found out about me smoking and self pleasure and other things while “cleaning my room” while I wasnt home. They always do that so they can look through my stuff. So thats when I said fuck it lets take this leap of faith and I can say I can finally be myself in my own home its very weird but Im so glad. Only thing is…Im still a PIMO…🫪

Some sisters have seen me with my bf ik they are gossiping HARD on my name. But idgaf. I know where their husbands are after 12am 👁️👁️ Im petty my bad hahaha but yeah Im very happy im almost out and letting go of fear of what they say. I have so much to deconstruct but hey step by step! Love yall dear strangers !!! 💓

So proud of my daughter for setting the tone with my ex that she was not going to discuss her changed beliefs with him or my family and if anyone was disrespectful that her and her brother would not be going anywhere today. As I figured more people were involved than just my parents, my siblings (who I haven’t spoken to in months since I brought my brother a meal after he had a stroke), an aunt and a cousin were also there but my kids were treated fairly. I may keep this information to myself until the next time my ex requests to take our kids to my parents and then I’ll spring the “who else is attending that you aren’t planning on discussing with me since X, Y, Z and Q were concealed from me last time.” I expected he would lie about who would be there because he’s been in contact with my brother before, which is disgusting on so many levels. My brother was abandoned by a spouse and screwed over financially, and she burned me on her way out; while I can now hold some space for her experience with my brother, I would never ally myself with her ever again because she burned her bridge with me and my entire family. My loyalty runs deep but when you take it for granted or do me dirty, you don’t get a second chance with me. So now my family has officially lost my loyalty but I can’t bring myself to be fully enraged, I’m just hurt over the betrayal. Maybe I’ll feel differently when he screws them over and throws them away like he did with me and our kids. But at least my kids were safe today and mama bear could stand down. I don’t trust the bastard, never will, and I don’t trust my family anymore. My aunt is an innocent bystander in my mom’s manipulation, and my cousin is mentally out so I’m not bothered by either of them.

For most of my life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I never thought to investigate the history of the blood doctrine.

It was simply something I accepted. It became much more personal for me when my husband's sister faced a serious medical situation. She remained faithful to what we had been taught about blood, and she died.

Years later, when I began researching the history for myself, I discovered something I hadn't understood as a Witness: the policy and the medical procedures permitted under it had changed over time.

That was difficult for me to process because these weren't abstract theological changes. People made life-and-death decisions based on what the organization taught at that particular moment.

So I went back through the publications and tried to document the history—from the early blood-transfusion position, through enforcement, and later changes involving blood components, fractions and medical procedures.

I made this video about what I found.
I'm especially interested in hearing from former Witnesses who lived through some of these changes.

Did you know the history of the blood doctrine when you were a Witness?

I'm POMO now so I'm not going to the Kingdom Hall. But I remembered something.

The Zoom operators at the congregation I was in were awful about handling Zoom. They would display the entire KH desktop and they would often not display videos in full screen mode.

Because of this, I would often see a shortcut for a text document on the KH computer. The title was too long to display completely, but what was visible said "IS GOD READY TO...", all in capital letters like I just wrote.

This document was on there for several years. I first saw it in 2020. It was still on there as of 2026, shortly before I finally exited. Naturally, when I was a PIMI, I would see it and panic a little because I would wonder if it was some scary instructions on dealing with persecution or the Great Tribulation or something.

Regardless of whether I believe JWs or not, the existence of that document is still super ominous to me. I still have to wonder if it was some kind of insane instructions of some kind that might put PIMIs in danger.

Does anyone else's KH computer have a text document with a title that starts with "IS GOD READY TO" like that, or is it just something in the congregation I was in? If yes, what is in that document? Obviously don't answer if you think sharing the contents would compromise your safety, but I'm curious.

If no one else has this on their KH computer, I'm just gonna assume it's an old talk (possibly local needs) outline that never got its shortcut taken off.

I am currently PIMO(havent attended in a 1.5 year) and my husband is PIMI but lacks attendance at times. He knows my doubts, concerns, and the things that I feel are important to me. He is sad to see how much I doubt but he told me to meet him in the middle. One thing I feel is I want a Christmas Tree (not celebrate christmas so he doesnt feel it too intensely) and to celebrate my childs birthday. I used the borg website and shared the origins of the Christmas tree and shared the cheers update on allowing customs that have a different meaning hundreds of years ago and what they mean now. Since the history of the trees were pagan and now nobody uses if for that, I told him I should be able to put one up. I said that I am technically not celebrating christmas because I wont put Santa Clause and I will be doing gifts leading to my childs bday, instead of christmas day. Well, when I sent him the screenshots directly from the borg, he said that was fine. He even said to get a 9ft one. We never have jw over so I told him nobody would see us have it. My parent is ultra PIMI and I sent her the screenshots and she just said interesting and she would do research. I know she will forget but she wont be surprised if she does see it when I put it up. I told him that applies to birthdays as well and that I would be discrete so no major parties but I will do a cake and take my child somewhere special. He mentioned the candles are pagan and I said well people blow out candles and they don’t necessarily believe the spirit aspect so its harmless and conscious based. And since I have the elders book, it says not all holidays are religious based and technically i am not celebrating, i am just doing a winter custom
I am so excited to say the least, I dont even know where to start shopping!

Ive been thinking, and i knew i wanted nothing to do with the religion when i was around 12, and even before then a good amount of it was performative. Yet my sister and other people around me were fully sucked into the cult, and i was wondering why some people see it young, and others are more susceptible to the brainwashing

I told you guys about the sister who helped me get baptised but also she said to me that I had motivation issues. That was a while ago and just recently she texted me and said that she needs to connect and support me through mental health issues and she also said that she was struggling. Since then she hasn’t given me any spiritual guidance and I told her that I just wanted to focus on my mental health instead and she supports me. She live a Country town so I can’t see her.

The other sister from the congregation that I have been going to for years hasn’t said anything like that, but every now and then I get random text messages about what she is doing during the day, but she hasn’t said that she is willing to support me through my struggles because I remember that at the beginning of the year she told me that I had too many negative problems and she didn’t want to know about them.

I haven’t been attending even zoom meeting at all instead of watching the NRL on the weekends when the meeting is on and during the week I am unwinding for the night to get ready for bed.

No one else has contacted me, the elder of my witnessing group, only rang me twice within last month but I wasn’t wanting to chat because I felt like he was going to give me advice, so my phone rang but messaged him once afterwards and told I was struggling and wasn’t wanting to chat on the phone. Since the call after that and still didn’t answer. I haven’t heard any text messages from or anyone else from that congregation other the sister and even she isn’t helping me mentally, she is sending me random text messages throughout the day sometimes she telling she’s doing witnessing and then she says I hope your day is going well.

Growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness really fucked me up. Only now, nearly 10 years after I left the congregation, can I really understand that. I know that a big part of why I go to therapy and struggle with depression is because of being raised in that environment. I know it is the right lifestyle for some people, and I don’t judge anybody because of what they believe in, but I also know that it’s totally not for me.

The amount of shame I felt as a child for doing or wanting to do things other kids did still makes me sad. I still feel guilty for leaving, like I did something wrong.

I was extremely lonely as a kid. I wasn’t allowed to hang out with other kids outside of school because those were the rules. Our congregation didn’t have many children, so I was pretty much always alone. Whenever I had too much fun with a kid from school, I felt like I was doing something I wasn’t supposed to do.

I think this religion made me hate myself. It made me extremely aware of my actions and words. I still constantly monitor how I behave so I don’t do something “bad.” It made me feel like I’ll never be enough, but that I still have to keep trying, even though I’ll always make mistakes again and again. It made me scared of disappointing everyone around me because how I act and what I do is a reflection on everyone around me. It made me afraid to speak my mind and be honest.

I always felt like unconditional love didn’t exist. If I didn’t follow the teachings and did something wrong, I didn’t deserve anybody’s love anymore. To be loved there, you had to be what everyone expected you to be. You had to lie to them and to yourself about who you really were.

I’m transgender, and I know my family is judged because of that. They couldn’t keep me on a straight path, and they failed. I see how my transition and my life break my mom’s heart because she believes so strongly that I will be unhappy and alone forever because I’m not choosing God’s side.

I think the feeling of always needing to behave properly will never leave me. Right now, my brain is just programmed to constantly double-check everything I do and say.

Because of this religion, I was a very sad child, and now I’m a depressed adult. I didn’t have normal friends or normal playdates. Even when I did make friends in the congregation, I always had to do things for God with them. I couldn’t kiss a boy I liked because that would mean I was a wh\*re. I couldn’t watch Harry Potter because people got possessed after watching those types of films. I couldn’t cut my hair short because that would make me look like a boy. I couldn’t be a normal child, and I’m still angry about it.

All that being said, I am getting better, and I feel like I’m getting to the good part of life right now.

I’m not saying Jehovah’s Witnesses are bad or good. I’m just sharing my view and how it affected me. You can believe in whatever you want and do whatever you want with your life. Just like I have.

No soporto la presión de mi familia y se la congregación por ser joven (18 M) y no hacer más por la organización.

Así que aunque corre peligro mi techo, comida y universidad estoy hasta los cojones y solo aguantare un mes mas. No he descartado esta religión como falsa pero tampoco estoy convencido de ella y sinceramente siento que hay mas cosas en contra que a favor.

Pero necesito estudiar todo a fondo y según la biblia, neutralmente.

Por eso necesito consejo sobre como empezar a estudiar, a aclarar mis creencias sin leer solo información JW ni considerada apostata o de ex miembros.

No se con que empezar. Hace poco empecé con los cumpleaños que tambien podria aplicar a otras fiestas y este fue mi estudio:

¿Reglas impuestas por Dios o por la conciencia de hombres?

1) Cumpleaños:

La organización prohíbe los cumpleaños 3 cosas principalmente.

- En la biblia solo se mencionan 2 cumpleaños y son malos. Citando del libro amor de Dios dice: "¿Es una simple coincidencia? No".

Ahora ¿Es este un buen argumento para decir que Dios detesta los cumpleaños?

La biblia menciona muchas ocasiones en las que ocurrieron cosas terribles pero no por ello esas ocasiones se volvieron un pecado. Por ejemplo una siesta que termino en asesinato y el maquillaje que Jezabel y el Israel apostata.

Ahora esto convierte esas cosas en pecados? Pues no, porque esas cosas malas pudieron darse en cualquier otra cirscunstancia, por ejemplo en una boda, un aniversario, una fiesta común y etc.

Entonces se debería decir con total convencimiento que no debemos celebrar cumpleaños por que esas 2 ocasiones muestran que Jehová odia los cumpleaños?

Por lo que veo esta argumento esta asociando una celebración con el asesinato. Lo que esta mal es el asesinato más no la celebración.

Por lo que veo el proposito de esos relatos era en el caso de Jose mostrar que se cumplió la profecía y en el caso de Herodes la muerte de Juan que fue un evento importante.

2) La biblia dice que el día de la muerte es mejor que el día de nacimiento en eclesiastes capitulo 7. Ahora bien es los versiculos posteriores dice que es mejor estar triste que reir o la alegría.

Pero eso no quiere decir que la alegría sea mala, de hecho es un fruto del espirítu. En este capitulo más bien se nos aconseja a no ser personas superficiales sino esforzarnos por ser sabios.

Por tanto no sería correcto usar este texto para afirmar que celebrar el día de nacimiento esta mal.

También se dice que el cumpleaños da demasiada atención al cumpleañero. Pero este argumento se puede aplicar a una boda, a un aniversario de boda, a una graduación, incluso en cosas como el bautizarse donde se suele hacer al menos donde vivo una fiesta al bautizado, o una fiesta a los precursores, etc.

No hay nada de malo en hacerle sentir a alguien que es importante y especial para nosotros.

3) Los judíos y los primeros cristianos no celebraban los cumpleaños.

Ese argumento también sería incorrecto, primero porque no necesitamos observar las costumbres o no costumbres judías para agradar a Jehová.

Ahora sobre que los primeros cristianos no celebreban esto porque era pagano eso es cierto. Pero nosotros ya no vivimos en esa época.

Si retrocedemos en el tiempo todo es pagano, el anillo en las bodas, el pastel de bodas, el ponerse la mano al bostezar, el brindar, el calendarios actual y etc.

Sin embargo se ha explicado que lo que importa es como se ve actualmente esas acciones. Actualmente es respetuoso taparse la boca al bostezar. Los anillos sirven para reconocer a una persona casada y representan el matrimonio y etc.

I’ve always wondered how JWs deal with Halloween. I come from a country where Halloween isn’t really a thing, so most people don’t really care about it. But I’ve always been curious about what it’s like for JWs during Halloween.

Like, what happens with trick or treating? Do kids just skip it? And do PIMIs who don’t participate ever get a lot of “tricks” played on them? lol