Do watchtower's new policies change anything for some?

Do watchtower's new policies change anything for some? - Ken's Story

Рет қаралды 2,317

2 ай бұрын

Just June here...
Please join me in welcoming Ken to my channel. His story is all too common in the Jehovah's Witness community. Hiding who you are, unable to live an authentic life, trying to make it work, finally breaking free, suffering widespread shunning from family and friends.
Ken's story is such a wonderful example of learning to love who you are, setting healthy boundaries with people in your life who don't understand what boundaries are, and finding family, community, love and kindness on the other side.
This is a longer video, so here are some chapters in case you want to navigate around.
00::00 - Intro - Early life
11:35 - Baptism and Meeting my JW Wife
32:50 - Cracks Start to Form
44:00 - Married at 18!
1:03:18 - Beginning to Fade
1:06:30 - Starting to Live My Truth/A Plan
1:16:35 - Coming Out
1:25:36 - Push and Pull With Parents
1:43:00 - Shunned
1:48:00 - A New Start and A Growing Family
1:52:36 - Setting Healthy Boundaries
1:56:54 - A Reunion and More Shunning
2:05:58 - One Last Chance
Ken is just breaking into the world of exjw activism, so please head over to his YT channel and socials and give him some love.
Ken's KZfaq channel and socials:
KZfaq: / @kennethexjw
TikTok: / kennethexjw
Facebook: / kenneth.e.stutzman
Are you in the LGBTQ community and in need of help or resources?
www.thetrevorproject.org/
And always remember, to be yourself and be well!

Пікірлер: 51

@dherlylaraque6964 2 ай бұрын

June girl, you look so good 👌

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Awe, thank you so very much, I really appreciate you saying that! 💗 I feel really good!

@labelle8110 2 ай бұрын

What a man! I listen to the entire interview without missing a second. I wish you well Ken! I rejoiced hearing your stance against the elders. You are a strong human!

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Isn't he amazing!!! I told him after we did the interview that I want him to be my best friend and stick up for me the way he did for himself and his family! 💪

@labelle8110 2 ай бұрын

@@JustDeannaJune I agree! Thank you as well! 💕

@evaarnold5838 2 ай бұрын

June! This was a fantastic interview! And Kenneth 💔 I’m so very sorry for the shunning treatment you have endured, and I’m proud to have been a part of the Brave segment with you and others. I myself am hard shunned by my 7 siblings, my parents have since passed away, but the hurt never ends. Dealing with that has become much more bearable with the advocacy of ending shunning. Much Love to both of your families, Kenneth and June! I will not stop speaking out as I know neither will you!!! 🥰♥️🥰♥️🥰

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

💗💗💗💗💗

@janespitfire9884 2 ай бұрын

Ah Ken what a story..but I understand some of it. Thank you for sharing !

@catmeow333 2 ай бұрын

It never ceases to amaze me how mean and ignorant “the friends” can be. Making you eat in another room at a funeral gathering?! Heartless. Spineless.

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Preach!!! 🙌

@rosiehendricks490 2 ай бұрын

Really interesting interview I am just so shocked at what really went on in the Witness religion! I just went along with my family until I was 16 and decided I didn’t like the control the religion had over my life. I was never baptized(thank god) but the not being able associate with friends who weren’t witnesses. Or not being able to go to parties, not having a boyfriend etc. I didn’t want to live my life like that. I was attending meeting in the late 70’s and the all through the 80’s. I turned 16 in 1990. Great and interesting interview 🥰

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Glad you had the sense to stand up for yourself at such a young age and your family accepted your decision. My parents never would have let me do that, I was forced to go to the kingdom hall from birth, and if I quit going at 18, I would have had to move out immediately. The control Watchtower has over ppl is unbelievable! 😔

@rosiehendricks490 2 ай бұрын

@@JustDeannaJune that’s so sad😞I think maybe they accepted it more because 2 siblings had left before me.

@StefWokeUp 2 ай бұрын

Great interview! I listened to the full length. Thank you for sharing your story Kenneth. I’m being shunned by adult kids, therefore my 5 grandkids have been stripped from my husband and because we chose to walk away from that cult.

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

I'm so sorry Stephanie! Thank you for your support, but continued love sent your way as well! It's different navigating through what Watchtower does to destroy our lives! 😔💗✨

@kennethexjw 2 ай бұрын

Thank you! I know I can be quite wordy lol. Im so sorry for what you are experiencing! I am so thankful for the time that I had with my grandparents and it breaks my heart that I know how many kids are robbed of that experience due to this religion, my own daughter included.

@cultytalk 2 ай бұрын

Great interview with our very own Kenneth & June! ❤

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Lots of love to you Culty!!! 😘❤️❤️❤️

@jokich6379 2 ай бұрын

It seems Ken was able to see through, expertly voice his feedback, and call out the BS the elders, committees, and family gave.

@kennethexjw 2 ай бұрын

Thank you! I will say that I didn’t always have that ability. A portion of my story that I didn’t delve into was the power the elders took over my life while I was a 13yo full time pioneer….. that was a huge awakening for me in taking that power back to myself and away from them.

@jokich6379 2 ай бұрын

@@kennethexjw I was in awe that you were not always a yes man. Wish I could speak up, especially important issues or crossroads. Appreciated that you were able to share

@jokich6379 2 ай бұрын

Thanks always for sharing. These interviews are so intriguing. Much to comment about. So weird to put disfellowshipped uncle and Ken in a separate room to eat. So strange now coming from the other side- the twisting in actions or inactions that JWs conform to at the Org’s instructions or commands. How programmed JWs are.

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

It's so true, they just seem to be robotic and do whatever commanded... 🙄

@CassieDavis613 2 ай бұрын

June and Ken, this is an excellent interview, and I hope the views take off.

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Thank you and I hope that more ppl see what terrible effects Watchtower has on an individual's life too! That's why there are so many ExJW KZfaq channels out there! We are all just trying to raise awareness!!! Thank you for your support! 💗

@lsonnabend9044 2 ай бұрын

Such a great interview. Though I was never in an abusive cult I relate to this so much with the struggle of trying to be married to a woman as a gay man.

@aloramermaidful 2 ай бұрын

Powerful! Heartbreaking but inspiring at the same time. Love to you, Ken, and your wonderful little family ❤

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Agreed!!! 💯 ❤️

@ginfizz158 2 ай бұрын

Such a moving story. Thank you so much for sharing this. ❤

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Thank you for supporting us by watching and commenting!!! 😉

@Joeandfran 2 ай бұрын

We should have a “ Double Dunkers Club!” I ( Fran) was also dunked twice!

@kennethexjw 2 ай бұрын

I love this idea! - though I do not remember a lot of the council given leading up to baptism I remember everyone talked to me about avoiding being dunked more than once lol - it was clearly a big issue in their eyes.

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Lol! How can we get that started!?! Too funny! 🤣

@CanadianAnglican 2 ай бұрын

Excited for this interview.

@universeworld1782 2 ай бұрын

Some sisters that were close to my wife, now calling my wife like they are long lost friends after shunning her for years. My wife just does not answer as one of her boundaries is whoever shunned her she will no longer call a friend or except any kind of conditional friendships, love. Since this so called new light or change.

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

Boundaries are so important for healing and emotional well-being! Good for her! 💗 Just remember, if those same ppl 'wake up' and leave the organization, there's no need to be super close to them, but treat them with kindness. They are currently under the delusion that Watchtower is God's mouthpiece and at one point we were too. 😉

@jokich6379 2 ай бұрын

Like a switch that is turned on or off. Or the borg- computerized automation commanding people/robots to act when instructed.

@melioratewithnate 2 ай бұрын

Great lead in! So touching😢

@augiemusky 2 ай бұрын

I was never a JW, but did study for a few years. Who the hell do they hint they are? Can they control every aspect of your life?

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

They seem to think so...

@SanDiegoPIMO 2 ай бұрын

The website states "we help strengthen family bonds" (or something along those lines). What they don't mention is "only those within the organization". I'd probably bite the bullet and tell the body what to go do with themselves if I was faced with "cut them off, or be disfellowshipped". Even one thing he said with his dad "we have to believe that". BS your guest and I are about the same age, and someone older needing the GB to tell them how to think? That just ridiculous.

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

It's completely BS and if you want to stay in to be with your family and friends, you have to just suck it up and pretend you agree... It's such garbage!!!!

@catmeow333 2 ай бұрын

I too expected angels to sing after my baptism but. . . nothing. Just a ruined 80s hairdo !

@JustDeannaJune 2 ай бұрын

😂 I specifically wore my hair in a tight French braid so the aftermath of getting back out to the assembly hall wasn't too terrible after I got dunked! I also got baptized in the 80s!