Exactly! Sorry you had to learn the hard way! At least now you live your life set by your own boundaries and I hope you are happier and healthier because of it! ☺️🩷

@cleareyes The mindless and those with NO drive to QUESTION everything allow themselves to be manipulated and used for the benefit of whip crackers in 10 ring circuses.

Well said Pat! Couldn't agree more!

So very true! I'm so happy for you that you escaped and especially that you sought out therapy!!! Keep setting those boundaries! You're on your way to a happier and healthier life now! And thank you! I appreciate you and your love sent to me and the fam! ☺️💗

OMG! I’m 74 and just feel like I’ve entered my late teens! Why? No, it’s not dementia haha! I’ve never been allowed to be FREE and play or not be so danged responsible for EVERYONE’S feelings and submit to men or older JW women! LOL...whoops I AM older than any “older” women! But truly, I’ll look still, AT “older” people and I’ll think: that can’t possibly be a younger-than-I-am person! Where did my youth go? It’s hard to realize you gave your youth and young adulthood to submission or nine goofy GB men. Yet, freedom at any age: well, the miracle is: you’re never too old to be young and live and find what Christ came to give us: JOY!!! Good for you, you’re so young and you’re out of WT! ❤

@@christinesotelo7655 that's amazing Christine! I'm so glad you escaped and you aren't just wasting time being angry ( I'm sure you are rightfully so to some degree) but you are enjoying your freedom and appreciating life instead of dwelling on what you lost out on! 👏 You're a gem! 💎 Thank you for commenting!!! I truly appreciate you! ☺️💗🩷

Thank you for that amazing insight! It makes total sense!!! I wish I would have had that tidbit to have added to my video! I hope many read your comment! Great point! Rabbi Simon sounds quite intelligent! And so do you! 😉💗

2catmeow333 The number one cult Hallmark, that all cults have in common, and this will makes sense when it comes to Brother and Sister, is that if your biological family is not in the cult, or cannot be recruited, is that you make the cult members "Father" "Mother" "Brother" and "Sister." Then these family replacements for your real family and act as your "gate keepers" and conscience. Your real biological family they can use is devalued and discarded. The #1 cult hallmark in ALL cults which is rarely talked about by the "so called" cult experts is replacing your family for more authoritarian control.

Wonderful comment! So true!❤

☺️🩷💗

Agreed and well said. Thank you! ☺️💗

So glad you got your life back at such a young age! You're totally right about the brainwashing and fact that they use fear tactics for keeping control!!!

@@JustDeannaJune I remember thinking as a kid I can't stand this. Having to stand outside the classroom for O Canada, not allowed to have friends from the world. It felt like my life wasn't my own.

Thank you! I appreciate your words of comfort and kindness!!!

Thank you! Setting boundaries are so important to having a happy and healthy life! 💗

So very true! I don't know what way to characterize my idea of God now... If there is a God, I personally don't believe the one in the Bible to be true. I say that because as a parent, obviously not even close to perfection but loving, I would NEVER want my children to have to follow a book made up of 1000s of pages of rules and laws. To be memorized and held over their head and then full of odd things like slavery being ok, misogyny, racism, homophobia, and so on. All while dangling their emotional well-being in the balance. My husband and I basically said to our kids (even tho we technically raised them as JW's- we didn't do a very good job of doing all the rules 😆) 1. ...Be loving and kind to EVERYONE! And help others, including animals, whenever you are able to do so. Respect others and the planet. 2. Sin is a word used to be held over your head to make the guilt and shame run deeper and last longer. It's an ugly word. So we taught them about mistakes and crime, both which can be forgiven more readily and easier than sin.But don't be mistaken , you will have consequences for your actions, good and bad. 3. And always be yourself! Don't let others dictate who you are! And be proud of who you are! I think that's why our kids woke up first and woke my husband and I up! That organization was never in our hearts. We were both raised a JW from birth. What I've come to realize for myself, in the last 5 years, is that I wasn't a true believer... I was just a good follower. And that's specifically because I didn't want my friends to be taken away. But in the end... Well, you know how that went... No more of those friends... For now, you can always have hope! 😉💗

@@JustDeannaJune I hear you! My experience with God (Jesus) was instantaneous and came as a peaceful calm when I called out to Jesus (not Jehovah) and asked for help. My husband had reported me and I was disfellowshipped and shunned beginning with my husband. In the blink of an eye he was told not to eat with me, speak with me, sleep with me, or have any association with me. Silent treatment. I thought I would buckle if not for a calm that fell over me that was, all I can call it, was divine. I was out with my two tots one day and walked into an “apostate” or “worldly” bookstore, picked up a children’s story book that showed a smiling, happy Jesus with children, and I broke down crying. I had never know a kind God. If not for this very strong sense of Spirituality and Presence, I believe I would’ve died. I ended up in the hospital with bleeding ulcers which doctors thought was cancer. I was in for two weeks and my husband fell in love with my best friend whom he preached WT to. So we divorced, he was never disfellowshipped for adultery because I was an “Apostate” and did not have two witnesses so no one cared. So began my sojourn with the world. My learning lasted many years as I had no job experience, no higher education and had to crawl before I could even stand. My JW brother left me “as one dead”. Thank God I had my non-JW parents but there was a limit on what they could do. They rejoiced I was out but all my struggles after, made them old before their time. I lost myself as I was finding myself. I was exhausted, had no more home (I suffer PTSD and Bipolar as well), moved from place-to-place, would look up at the dark ceiling at night in some temporary rented house and say:”This night, we have shelter (my children and I) and would thank God. When rents went up, out we’d go, finding anyplace, anywhere. My husband (ex) had shared joint custody. So some of the time the children were with him and my ex best friend whom he immediately made his wife. I was more hurt by a friend’s betrayal while I was going through hospitalization and shunning than anything else. They bought a home. I became homeless eventually and tried to get reinstated into WT so I could have my brother back. I had written a manuscript that was on its way to be published called, “The Price of Paradise” under a pseudonym. A condition for me being allowed back was to destroy the manuscript, all copies and any deals with it. I was so desperate, I stupidly said yes yes yes and destroyed it. Since then, I’ve only been able to write short versions. Anyway, I underwent the meeting with the three elders, being carefully watched, having to write pages and pages of how miserable I was out in the world and how everything was my fault and I was a sinner repenting. It would be about a year of uninterrupted attendance at all meetings while further being shunned. When they bragged and showed off their No Blood cards, I broke all over again. I just couldn’t do it. I had been disfellowshipped initially FOR arguing that I would save my children with blood if they needed it. And when my five year old son had had to stand alone in a dark school corridor while every other child got to have a Xmas class party, he was broken hearted and I rescued him, bought a small tree, we dragged it home, decorated it and those two things got me reported by a very angry husband who called me “a pig rolling in it’s mire.” So, back to later: I eventually stood up, took steps, got helpful resources (for me it was a codependency group and therapy), relocated to a different State, came back three years later, took care of my Mom who failed in health when Dad died, cared for the children, worked two jobs, fell in love all the time, mistaking sex for their love, had wild times, deadly depressing times, didn’t know where I belonged, searched for family, remained shunned, worked wholeheartedly in school and jobs, broke, got up, fell, got up again, learned about facts that “worldly” people always learned yet I did not because of constant lies or submission to men in high places. I was either extremely introverted and on-guard or extremely extroverted and in trouble. Through the years, with much help from the “world”, and God as I understand Him, I finally grew and grew up. Then reviewed my life and thought: what the heck! It’s almost over and what have I done?!? Well, like you, I believe I raised good, solid children whom I would never desert no matter how old they are. I live in Senior subsidized housing and feel rich and blessed and joyful every day I wake up because I’ve been through the fire that makes the steel. A childhood of strict Irish-Catholic schooling, while parents and all the relatives in fact, were alcoholic and violent. Then married at eighteen without a clue in my head of what came next, just “don’t sin so you won’t go to hell” and “be in submission to your husband and have babies for the Catholic Apostolic Church”. Then in early twenties the rebellion of hell and a quick destruction by Jehovah sounded like Paradise compared with roasting forever. So in we went when JW brother came knocking at our door to scare the heck out of us about 1975. Once in, all I realized was maybe if I get baptized at least I’ll be accepted, loved, and approved of and things will get better. But coming up out of that baptismal pool, my bubble was burst when an older “sister” reminded me now the demons would really haunt me. And I heard more about Satan and demons and submission to the men far more than any Catholic Church. So, once again fast-forwarding, that book I wrote was important to me because it told everything in detail. But all I could say was “yes” when they told me to destroy it. Every night I go to sleep and have recurrent dreams of trying to find my home, fighting men, being a “yes” submissive female while my ex best friend has a happy, rich life and no one offers me a place to lay my head. I am ignored and Invisible. At 74, I have learned to walk with God and practice His Presence in my life. He remains my comfort, though I will never join a church or practice religion ever again. Spirituality and religion are not the same thing. I often dream I am being chased by Elders in the dark and I am running, running. No therapist that I’ve known has a clue about the WT cult. Now we have supportive podcasts such as yours ♥️but in the 70’s, nothing. So Redemption is an enormous word that actually means when it comes right down to it, it’s us who have to redeem ourselves in this life, one step at a time and take the falls until one day you don’t fall because you realize you have great balance! You’ve learned boundaries and saying “I don’t know” or “no” instead of giving a portion of your spirit away to each holy man who seduces you. So now. Now is my time. And I am going to keep. moving. forward. Your podcast has helped me so much, and I wish you love and peace and joy and blessings because you are so worthy of appreciation and all good. Thank you for having heard me. 🌹

@@christinesotelo7655 WOW! That is quite a story! I'd really love to contact you, but I can't put my phone number up on KZfaq for obvious reasons. I only give out my email and then thru email I choose whom I give my number. Like I said in my other comment, I hope you can get your daughter to help you set up an email account. Because I'd love to talk to you further. We have more in common than you know. One thing being I'm also bipolar. Two, I've struggled, not quite to the degree you have, but I've never told my complete story on this channel, it goes much deeper than I have ever shared with the general public. The reason I haven't is because of some of the people it involves and not wanting to disrespect some of our family members that are still brainwashed and in the organization. I have hopes they will one day wake up like I have, and like my husband and children did and I don't want to put their business out there. So I've limited my complete story telling, but in private I've shared more with some. I am so very happy you have found a sense of contentment and peace in life, instead of harbouring anger and resentment. You are a true testament of what it means to look on the bright side of life! 🌞 😉💖✨ I hope you have a wonderful day!!!

@@JustDeannaJune as soon as I learn how, I’ll email you, I would love to give my phone number too as there are so many I’d love to hear stories from. I will see what I can teach myself or learn next week. I know what you mean. I contacted a JW family member last weekend because I always think of him and love him. He’s in his eighties now! I don’t know what pushed me so but I just picked up the phone and DID it. He was so kind. So nice. I was able to tell him I loved him. That gave me some closure because I am an Apostate, he can’t be involved. My main sentence: “Well I just want you to know I love you.” He was compelled to talk about the End, how he looks forward to all this being over so he can see his wife again in Paradise, not Heaven. He went on about the news in the world. Who am I to disagree? I listened. We only had a few minutes. I know he’ll be with his wife. My heart and love went out to him. I didn’t get into the awful Org and dangerous doctrines as that is a fight against WT and not for a humble brother who gave his life to see his wife again. After we spoke and we both realized it was probably the final reaching out, (he is well-protected), I was BOTH elated yet confused, hurt, tempted...what (?) to go back(?)...we want family contact so badly. Then followed the tears. YET, I swung back to “at least I did it! I’ll never go back as my beliefs are different on dangerous doctrines the WT teaches but they couldn’t stop me from saying: ‘I love you!’ after all these years! So, WT does indeed give us on the “outside”, enough experiences, words, to write our books. And I may still do that if I learn how to use computers or whatever they’re called! So YES, I would LOVE to hear from you. Let me see if I can get internet-savy!!! I’ve kept your what is it called? Email? Gmail? THANK YOU!!! If I was not so shy and down on myself (still struggling with self-esteem), I’d do what you children do with podcasts. The podcasts saved my life! I had nothing in the 70’s but churches to make me submit and of course...I ran. ♥️🙏🏻

@@JustDeannaJune We just keep moving forward!

So true!

Thank you!

I did attend AA while still a JW but was warned by a very kind elder to not let the other elders aware and try and not let anyone in the congregation know. He said it wasn't allowed as a JW and I could be brought into a committee meeting because of it. I think he had a drinking problem himself and understood the gravity of the situation I was going through. I truly appreciate that man, I didn't know him well, it was a new congregation to me, but he was very loving. Goes to show that there are soooo many good, loving ppl in the organization, that need to hopefully break free! Thank you for thoughts added. It made me think of him and appreciate him all over! 💞

Why would you not be able to attend AA it's a spiritual program not a religious at all. Some principles are taken from the Bible. In the Preamble we read it says AA is not allied with any sect, denomination politics or organisation. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help others to achieve sobriety. Many in AA will do anything to help you I'm not nieve to say this is true of everyone but generally Unconditional love unlike my experience as a former JW. The trouble is JW elders think they have all the answers about addiction and counselling when it takes years of training to be able to understand. That's the beauty of AA when one alcoholic talks to another alcoholic we understand. The are two JWs who attend my home group. Once I got my head sorted out I realised a lot of my problems (drinking) was caused by negative people always talking about love and not showing it being judgemental of others instead of looking at the good others do in the end I couldn't stand it and any organised religion. But I read the NKJV . Finally I live life on life's terms . Last last month I celebrated my ten years of sobriety I attend each week. JW elders saying what you can or not attend is just more control over others it's just so sad but it's all (mostly) a ego trip for many I wish you well.

@@thetruthk5138 Thank you so much and I applaud your sobriety and independence! It may vary from congregation to congregation, I don’t know. But when I was in, there was absolutely no going to AA or any “worldly” outside source other than being counseled from WT magazines and NWT Bible. After I was out, I went anywhere as I learned people were precious and diversified. I learned more in the world that was good than WTcould ever do. They turned their collective back on me. Yes, I often wondered about their hate of the “world” and the tight control over us, yet they accept any and all gov’t assistance. The WT was no help. Thank you. I’m so glad to hear AA is permitted now. Back in the 70’s at least in our KH, it was not. I think that’s why the suicide rate was so high...we had no one and nothing but WT magazines and young, unqualified elders and disfellowshipping for saying “Boo! to a gnat”!

@@thetruthk5138 oh I'm quite aware of how wonderful AA is. I go every week. But in the JW organization it really is a thing that they will pull you in the back room and talk to you about. It's because as you said... It's a control thing. They don't want you to see that the 'World' has so many wonderful and loving people in it, that will go way further out of their way to help you than any JW ever likely would. That's why. Thank you for commenting and I appreciate your kindness!!! 🩷☺️

They really leave no stone unturned, don't they!?!? 🙄

@@JustDeannaJune No! If Watchtower didn't tell you how to polish your shoes, well then you are doomed!!!!

@@user-by1dc5jf1q 😆

Wow. I remember an article on how Satan could work through women’s choices in costume jewelry. And we believed it...while the husbands were busy shining their shoes!

@@christinesotelo7655 😳🙄😆

Thank you and I couldn't agree more!!! Door to door is just such a waste of time, I always felt it was more of a way of keeping us indoctrinated than bringing new ppl in at this later point in time, unlike the early days. 🤔

Thank you! 😉

You're welcome! Hope you are doing well down in Australia!!!

Glad if I am able to help! 😁

🩷💗💖✨😉 you sound amazing! I wish you all the very best!!! I wish we could talk more. If you want, only if you want. I have an email: justjune1973@gmail.com shoot me a message if you get a minute. I'd love to talk more! ☺️

@@JustDeannaJune Hello Deanna June! Thank you! I would love to be in touch but all I have is this phone and no idea how to do internet or gmail, I can ask my daughter when she’s available, maybe she can teach me. I didn’t understand how to do the app. You are amazing too! I am very drawn to your gentle-kindness-with-boundaries! ♥️🌹

@@christinesotelo7655 awe, thank you! I do almost everything from my phone, including emails. It just has to be set up through Gmail or something like that. It's not hard, have your daughter do it for you, not even just for talking to me. It's a great way to communicate with others. 😉

btw Ma'am I witness the following : How about *sharing everything willfully* and I'm not being ideological really but I feel this is a way out. This will break the whole system in one day. It's just that people should trust themselves and each other more than the system. And it's all initiated by the people, not the government. No one should find it hard to live, eat and get a decent sleep in a home. Resources should be enough for everyone and they are. Then innovation arises and science and technology reach new unimaginable boundaries since the population is no longer oppressed. The day a robot takes your job should be your happy day. We should do the job we are only convinced of. Thus making an innovative society evolving to what is really useful, not to serve people in power or their greedy interests or banks’ usury. Money becomes then something we care less about. However billionaires are a role model to average people and this is the problem really! As if people want this bad system. No billionaire can be as such without the agreement by the general public on the scarcity of money, here comes the virtue of "sharing willfully". And btw this should start by the poor because the slightly richer and the richer might be reluctant and a little hesitant at first, but if the poor were firm, possessions lost their scarcity, and extra possessions lost their need then money will follow, reaching a new balance and the rest of the population will join making a domino effect. Then the authority will inherently reflect the usefulness and true benefit ! It's no longer a matter of possession, controlling or manipulating. A careless government won't have a medium to misuse the power to serve any greedy elite, because people are already not in need then. So we shall see legitimate governments. This theory provides a robust means to ensure justice since it starts from people's will. Please share it if you like it. There is really no time to lose. What happens today in Gaza is a natural byproduct of the arrogance of elites which happened 100 years ago back in Palestine when land was stolen and natives there didn't ever have the chance in self determination. Ever. Forget everything about democracy. All lies. And then resistance against the Z people (who control your government now) emerged and grew ever more and we reached here.

I support you. It may seem we are “trivial” (?) I hope not. We who have escaped WT, know what war and losing our loved ones is. I was homeless and cold and hungry and no one came to my aid because everyone hated me suddenly. I also feel for what men and fanatical groups have done to good people. I support you. War and homelessness and trauma happen when one turns upon another quite unexpectedly. Peace be to you. ❤

@@christinesotelo7655 actually it's the Z regime which caused that to people of Gaza. Those are the same Z group which controls (some of ?) the main governments in the West, who also are one of the causes for the misery of the western citizens.

What an important subject matter to shed light on! I can't pretend to imagine what those poor displaced people are going through! May I ask, are you originally from there and have family members there, which is highly commendable, if so or are you just a good hearted person looking to help others because it's the right thing to do? Either way, thank you for bringing light to the injustice going on. Do you have a plan in place to help these ones from Gaza?

@@JustDeannaJune Hi, I live in a neighbouring country to Palestine. I'm wholeheartedly with their cause. I always try to shed light on what they are going through and link that to what citizens in the west are witnessing as poverty and harsh life. I believe it's the same initiator here and there. If we trace what has been going on long ago and now we can clearly see that it's the same group that messes things up. It's not a destiny for life to be this way. Life can be much more beautiful and almost free of guilt. I have a plan that everyone can be involved in to help those poor ones, not only in Gaza, everywhere ! How about "sharing everything willfully" and I'm not being ideological really but I feel this is a way out. No one should find it hard to live, eat and get a decent sleep in a home. Resources should be enough for everyone and they are. But billionaires are a role model to average people and this is the problem really ! As if people want this bad system. No billionaire can be as such without the agreement by the general public on the scarcity of money, here comes the virtue of "sharing willfully". This isn't initiated by the government btw, everything starts from the people. The bad system will break within days and all suffering shall end everywhere. We have great powers ! This is what no one wants us to believe, especially those in power who would like us to feel fine about being selfish and to be satisfied by any downside perspective or low ambition in life as low as preserving a job, and delude us that the problem is technical somehow and try all means to distract us by leveraging side topics. We can write articles about how bright our future will then be after we start sharing everything willfully. Things are devastating to local citizens only ? no. What happens today in Gaza is a natural byproduct of the arrogance of elites which happened 100 years ago back in Palestine when land was stolen and natives there didn't ever have the chance in self determination. Ever. Forget everything about democracy. All lies. And then resistance against the Z people (who control your government now) emerged and grew ever more and we reached here.