Raymond Victor Franz (May 8, 1922 - June 2, 2010) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses from October 20, 1971, until his removal on May 22, 1980, and served at the organization's world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. (Immediately prior to dates the end was specifically expected, such as 1914, 1925 and 1975, growth increased to as high as 20%.) She tried to push his friendship away, which meant pushing Cynthia away too. People are finally not afraid to talk, and the very massive Ex-JW community is really having a huge affect on Watchtower and on those still inside of it. It isnt Christian and it isnt Gods organization. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Yet Governing Body members like Samuel Herd have publicly stated how beautiful their new surroundings are at Bethel how they hear the birds chirping as they observe the serene landscape of upstate New York. It is all about how much you can do in the organization that earns you status and salvation. . The establishment of Jehovahs Witnesses is not in the Bible. Biblically, however, the word "soul" is multifaceted. Find some websites which you believe are honest and accurate and share them. Jehovah's Witnesses in Newcastle City Centre. We have hope, and we have a promise that no one else on this Earth has. In fact, the July 1st, 1984 issue of Watchtower magazine goes so far as to say that anyone who leaves their religion has decided "to leave the way of truth".. To this day I search, I study, and I read. At death, that life-force leaves the body. Most congregations have not filed returns for 2 to 4 years, primarily because local elders do not understand how to file returns, and are quite frankly not interested in the business aspect of this religion. https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/jehovahs-witness/, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/26/a-closer-look-at-jehovahs-witnesses-living-in-the-u-s/, https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/. A key factor to the growth in number of Jehovah's Witnesses is the promise that this system will end at any moment. In order to avoid climate passivity, we must redefine Armageddon. 2. It was important for Andrea to have a relationship with God, and to worship Him the right way. Feeling deceived by the teachings of the Jehovahs Witnesses, she confronted her grandmother. I've never showered as much in my life. Being a Witness and following the doctrines didnt automatically mark you as different or better than anyone else. Press J to jump to the feed. I have several observations to add to this. If the religion continues to have to pay out millions of dollars to the victems of child abuse, and it they continue to loose new converts simply because theyre finding out the real truth about the religion, then theres no way that it will be able to remain standing. random musings> If all of this keeps up, it might not be long before you will see jw.org gone from the scene, as well as other things tied to this diabolical evil religion. Jehovah's Witnesses 'use the Bible to victim-shame,' sex abuse survivor says. Sitting through hours upon hours of talks and Watchtower studies is not going to help them with many of the emotional and social challenges theyre grappling with. If they are really lucky, and they are privileged enough to have a dad whos a prominent elder, they might land an exciting acting role - waving their arms around in huge pantomime gestures in an assembly drama. Like all enthusiastic followers, they owned a copy of the Let God Be True, which was written, printed, and distributed by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. His wife's parents are among the 130,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Ukraine. And you have no promise. Im a Choir Member. Many teenagers in the organization have issues that require a little more remedy than sitting with a notepad at the assembly and counting with tally marks the number of times the speaker says Jehovah. One factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization. They govern every aspect of your life from cradle to grave. The organization of Jehovahs Witnesses is not Gods organization and never ever will be either. These doctrines made perfect sense to me!. Jehovah's Witnesses with 1.3 million members in the U.S. who hand out brochures on sidewalks and subway platforms and ring doorbells are one of the most visible religious groups in the . I also believe this is an area where they are also profoundly disconnected from reality. Other programs that would make for a much stronger, robust, and enthusiastic membership are pushed aside and dismissed due their possibly interfering with proselytizing. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. The Watchtower organization is like a restaurant that keeps serving the same bland menu even though many of the patrons dont like the food and arent coming back. ITV Coronation Street star announces full-time return to soap - leaving fans delighted. They use Office 365 now and embed data into PDF files in an attempt to track where the leaks are coming from. Instead of adjusting the menu, or admitting that the chef isnt as good as he thinks he is, the owner simply blames the customers, and claims that the patrons taste buds must not be working properly. This is definitely one organization that you need to steer clear of at all costs. 6 months later in a private seminar, branch officials announced that Letts plea resulted in 30 million extra dollars in donations, but this would not stem their financial issues and would continue with layoffs and cutbacks. I made a concentrated effort to stop using the word, because I knew it wasnt the truth to me, and that its use was just a very 1984 Newspeak method of subtle control. Mr. Lopez alleged he was abused by a church elder named Gonzalo Campos. But the fact that there is such a large turnover of the young people is a major symptom that something is deeply and fundamentally wrong with the Watchtowers model. The mountain of bullshit has finally gotten high enough that it's starting to collapse on itself. Jesus Christ is God's agent, through whom sinful humans can be reconciled to God. In 2015, the court hit Watchtower with a $13.5 million verdict after the organization failed to turn over documents and provide witnesses in a lawsuit filed by Jos Lopez. To have no faith. Many elders have questioned this vocally, and have described the amount of money charged to each circuit as an invoice. This is where the Watchtower is at. Jehovah's Witness 'ordered to renounce faith and join Russian army' Europe. What we see from regimes like North Korea is a disregard for many of the societal endeavors that make a nation stronger, such as infrastructure, good universities, economic freedoms, and democratic processes. . 726 Followers. Jehovahs Witnesses are taught to welcome doctrinal changes. ", BBC Beyond Paradise star Jamie Bamber is married to Eastenders actress. "I would be sick. Jehovah's Witnesses across the nation moved to letter-writing and phone-calling instead of door-to-door evangelizing when the organization suspended door-knocking in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jehovah's Witnesses believe these men are anointed as the voice of God on Earth. Now if they all say this, surely not all of them could be the truth huh? On February 4, 2019, rumors of the release of a new Elders manual, meant only for the eyes of the top leaders in each congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses (JW), began to surface on ex-JW forums across the Internet. Currently, in the US, JW.org has just 40% of their publishers registered in the JW.org database system. She was convinced shed lost me and that Id be changed for ever now, no longer the daughter shed always loved and cherished. [1] People are waking up and leaving in droves. "Overseers of Jehovah's People", an article in the group's publication called the Watchtower . Other churches give single parents some relief by offering activities and programs for their children to get involved in and bond with other young people. Jehovah's Witnesses, a millenarian denomination of Christrianity, follow strict guidelines regarding the use of blood in medical practices. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. For years, members have gone door-to-door to spread the word about the faith. I was also lucky that both my parents encouraged me to get a good education to work hard at school so I could go to university if I wanted. If anyone defected, the leaders simply blamed it on American influence, the defectors lack of gratitude, or on some horrible personal defect of the defector. But fortunately, after having been out for a number of years, many of us are getting to know who we really are and what gives our lives meaning. I have never been able to find anything more true than what is taught by the Church Of Christ. interesting topics> Like Stockholm Syndrome victims, Jehovah's Witnesses continue to support the only organization they think has the answers, identifying with and revering their captors - men who have little sympathy for the victims of child abuse, shunning, or death by blood policy. Watch Tower is in the process of implementing a new records management program along with a destruction of documents procedure which is designed to ensure that no documents exist which would tie Watch Tower to any legal responsibility or repercussions. Photos of JWfacts.com being Promoted Just because they make the claim doesnt make it so. (source: Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/). I can never forgive them for betrayal. More and more people each day are posting YouTube videos about their terrible experiences with this organization. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? You're taught by the organisation that once you leave you will. Its not what we post on AvoidJW.org that should worry Watch Tower. Jehovah's Witnesses and Covid-19 It is law according to the Jehovahs Witness. Examining the total number of people entering and leaving each religion provides the most complete picture of the dynamism of the American religious landscape. *my Opinion * / Nostradamus Predictions For World War in 2020 . Truth Be Told Documentary I began a life where constantly questioning and improving my beliefs and ideas and always being open to those of others were my only constant doctrines. They are told to just go and pioneer.). It is all about their money. And its peppy acceleration will get you far and away from Zeb and his feisty cart crashes!. Leaving the faith at 18 changed my life completely. Photo courtesy of Jehovah's Witnesses Public Information Desk Mandee Reid and her son, Charles Reid, of Kansas City, Mo., like Jehovah's . I just want you to listen, Cynthia begged. She was especially close to her sister Cynthia. When these programs do address the children directly, it usually only entails an assembly drama about Samuel, or the promise that very soon, they will be able to play with tigers and elephants. The graph below shoes how the 18-29 crowd have aged up, but new young adults are not replenishing the numbers. All monies were directed at finishing Warwick, then selling off their cranes and millions of dollars worth of vehicles and other high prices tools, right down to a 5 dollar screwdriver. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. Show your compassion for those still trapped. This is not to say that there are no enthusiastic young people in the Watchtower organization, because there truly are. Furthermore, followers of the sect are three times more likely to be diagnosed as suffering . The present study of 50 Jehovah's Witnesses admitted to the Mental Health Service facilities of Western Australia suggests that members of this section of the community are more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital than the general population. I believe this with my whole heart. Watch Tower continues to try to plug these leaks like the proverbial dam in Holland, but they are running out of fingers and attorneys to plug these leaks. This does not sit well with many elders, particularly those is less than affluent areas. And even though it was a challenging journey, she doesnt regret it. Franz stated the request for his resignation and his subsequent disfellowshipping resulted from allegations of apostasy. No other religion can do that. There's a limit on how long you can tell people that the world is about to end for so long before they get sceptical. Why so many raised as Witnesses leave The records management overseer related an experience where one hand-written note cost watchtower over $200,000 simply because a JW elder at headquarters was honest and produced a written document which tied Watch Tower to a major litigation case with a prior vendor. Jw.org Website All Witnesses are expected to obey instructions and doctrines that influence every aspect of life: Women are considered subservient to men, higher education is discouraged and homosexuality is not permitted. Ria Williams sued the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's. The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. Everyone has a different "wtf" trigger and access to that information is just a curious click away. Instead of engaging in some honest soul searching and introspection about how to help and nurture young people at an organizational level, the Watchtower leadership, writing department, and traveling overseers all attribute the high turnover to their favorite straw man: Satan. This has happened in other countries as well. Jehovah's Witnesses, a sect formed in the 1870s and eventually incorporated as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, maintained for much of their early history that 1914 would mark the end of . With multiple documentaries being filmed, protests being organized, news reports being written and lawsuits being filed, Jehovahs Witnesses can choose to buckle up and attempt to survive the crash or they can release that belt and get the hell out of the vehicle which is about to catch fire. I had panic attacks. The following is just my opinion and observations based on events from the past year. The Russian Supreme Court's shocking ban of the Jehovah's Witnesses on 20 April 2017 also violates Russia's own Constitution which, in words, guarantees freedom of religion. At what point do they begin to ask themselves if there is something that THEY are doing wrong? Jehovah does not mislead us. The purpose? No immaterial soul. The Holy Spirit is . Learn how your comment data is processed. One has since died but had rarely attended before her death. Many former friends, including my best friend of 10 years, shunned me. Already, members of the Watchtower are already being asked to donate money. An organization that has established itself as the sole possessor of truth and the single place of refuge from the coming apocalypse cannot divert time and resources to anything that is not related to its recruitment activities. Jehovah's Witnesses, Hendricks said, "fundamentally disagree with the idea of the Holy Trinity." "We believe that Jehovah is the sovereign, the only eternal one, and that Jesus Christ is a created being perhaps living in the heavens for billions of years," Hendricks said. Tell your story. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find something interesting to read. Its this picture of the world the word they use to refer to anything outside the faith that was painted for me as a child, and I was warned away from cultivating any close friendships with non-Jehovahs Witnesses for this reason. 2020-06-14 - NATALIE O'BRIEN. I have just loaded my spiritual cannon, and I am about to fire away! When you take a look at many of the mega-churches for example, it is very impressive how much they put into creating support groups and programs for their young people. Their lackluster growth will only continue; and they will find it harder and harder to recruit new members. If they act up and dont sit still; spankings are usually soon to follow. Its a great field service vehicle with four doors and plenty of ankle length dress room in the back! And when youre a member of the Church Of Christ, the peace that you have in knowing that the promise that God has made to you will be fulfilled is everything. Meanwhile, Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia have been imprisoned for following Governing Body directives. The important thing for us is to show them that there is a great life to be lived after leaving the Watchtower. Young Korean Witnesses languish in prison for no reason. None of these religions are the true religion. You know what its like to not have the spiritual substance that you can grab on to. (Translation they are on their own: no health care, no jobs, no training. Less than 24 hours later, the manual was leaked and seemingly non-stop analysis and comparison to previous versions began. I have been giving a lot of thought to the young people who are leaving the Watchtower organization in recent years. The "soul" is simply the life-force within a person. Enter the social media - Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube all readily available on your average smart phone. Answer (1 of 10): Well, it's resulted in them having to resort to baptizing children to keep their numbers up (something they used to criticize the Catholic church for). The groups are handing out copies of The Watchtower from carts outside New Street station. They rely upon the Watchtower more than they rely upon the Bible. Amber Scorah writes about exiting the Jehovah's Witnesses in Leaving the Witness. Steps 1 Do personal research. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. One troubling result is most high control groups, including the Jehovah's Witnesses and Scientologists, discourage their members from seeking help from mental health care professionals, even when they display troubling signs of acute depression, anxiety, panic disorder, dissociation, suicidal thoughts, autism spectrum disorder or a variety of The Witnesses still experience growth, but at a huge expense. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) The pandemic may leave a. Why Are People Leaving The Jehovah's Witness In Droves. - About 1% of the entire membership is disfellowshipped every year. First of all, I think the Watchtowers problems with their inability to retain the young people runs very deep. How many schools do you know of, that stick preschoolers, high school students, and graduate students all into the same classroom together? But why have they stopped knocking on our doors? Should you Disassociate and Sample Letters, The Hardship of being a Gay Jehovah's Witness. By the time many young Jehovah's Witnesses reach their teen years, not only have they been conditioned to associate worshipping Jehovah with great displeasure; but they still don't have any groups or programs tailored to them as teens, or which meet their needs. According to the organisation, there are currently more than 70,000 Witnesses in Australia. They really have no proof of God giving them this high and mighty position of being Gods only spoksperson on Earth. If the Jehovahs Witnesses were the true religion, sanctioned by God, there would be no room for error and no mistakes!. Theres absolutely no evidence of that at all. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. And, I think the issue is much broader than what the simple statistics are showing. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Nothing can be allowed to take any time away from the Watchtowers sole purpose of existence: proselytizing. Find some books which are truthful and sincere and share them. I remember I was getting ready to leave [for worship service in the Church Of Christ], it was early in the morning and it was on a Saturday. Watch Tower demands their freedom of speech but attempts to deny it to those sharing their publicly available materials which, by the way, are not being distributed for monetary gain. The Watchtower organization simply has nothing new to offer, and no new ideas. When there has been no specific date set . The Internet is what is really hurting the Watchtower organization bigtime because in the past, information could be controlled and managed. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that: God the Father (whose name is Jehovah) is "the only true God". Attending My Father's Funeral JWs are leaving in droves, all because of the internet. 100 years is a pretty long time to wait. What are you doing? married a Swedish JW and moved to Sweden.He is pretty much inactive but occasionally attends meetings but is afraid to completely leave bc of being shunned by his wife's family. For them to stay in the organization and have an approved standing, they will have had to squash their inner self, and adopt an organizationally-created identity. Are you inspired? Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson callously stated in 2015 before the Royal Commission in Australia that he had not even read the details of the victims who had testified before the Commission. Many of us here paid that price, only to wake up to it years later. I expect this is partly due to many young ones being DF or DA due to "misconduct" because children and teens are held to the same rigorous standard as fully realized adults. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I have observed that children in families like this most often never thrive, and are swiftly on their way out by the time they reach teenage years. Its what we dont post. For what Christian would ever call somebodys baby a little enimy of God? Most importantly, these endeavors just might diminish time and resources that are used for going door-to-door. Shunning seams to be one of their favorite topics and favorite things to do. Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that humans have an immaterial nature. Witnesses believe that they are living in . Andee. Simple forgiveness isnt in their vocabulary. I myself was born and raised in the organization. The. A big part of the JW organization's power comes from keeping dissenters isolated until they give in due to loneliness. With the recent crack-downs on college education, the Watchtower is looking less and less like a spiritual paradise, and is looking more like North Korea. Jehovah's Witnesses detained in inhumane conditions June 4, 2021 Number of Jehovah's Witnesses on trial in Lipetsk grows June 2, 2021 Christian attorney gives advice for staying on good side of law June 1, 2021 Crimean Pentecostals fined for violating Russia's anti-evangelism law May 31, 2021 American prayer breakfast figure feted by Ukrainian . Statistically, two-thirds of born in members leave, and of those that leave on. In situations such as this, I have often noticed that the kids dont have much in the way of emotional support and guidance. In some respects, its very entertaining. We are in a great position to be a source of strength and compassion for those younger people who are wandering out and stumbling into forums like this. To scan all documents located in Brooklyn, retaining only the hard copies they were required to keep by law. Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson Theyre currently in damage control which means that theyre trying to wipe away their history in the hope that future Witnesses will never find it out. Last night, I was reading the thread posted by jwfacts a while back in which he provided some statistics and graphs showing the rapidly declining growth in the Watchtower. It was these friends who became my support network and showed me that people from the world are just the same as people from the faith there were as many lovely people as there were horrible people, as many happy people as there were sad. Tony Morris declared on multiple occasions that he was incensed with European trousers for men, designed by the homosexuals he hates so passionately and followed this tirade by producing a side by side photo of what proper trousers look like versus tight pants. (We already know that growth has become stagnant and more and more people seem to be waking up than previously.). I remember that first year after Id left the Jehovahs Witness faith. End of the Home Book Study Arrangement JWs in Eritrea have been rotting away in prison cells some for decades while the coalition of overweight, business-class-flying governing body members feign tears for the men and women who are effectively their slaves. Jehovah's Witnesses will often turn away from any Bible discussion that challenges their beliefs, using the excuse that they cannot listen to apostates. In Namibia, the government has denied Watch Towers plea to remove itself from employer status, since this forces Watch Tower to pay social security benefits to all full-time workers such as Bethelites. And they actually tell you that you cant read the Bible alone that you need these other publications written by them to be able to understand scripture because it comes down from the governing body, and what they say goes. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse by a member of a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation in Pierce County recently sued the organization. And at one time their teaching was that Jesus was like God or was a God.. (Rutherford must be having a meltdown in his grave).