Jehovah's Witnesses Visitor Comments

"I was raised as a Witness...The elders covered up abuse, all kinds. We weren't supposed to tell anyone and if we did we were the ones that got in trouble. I was thrown away because I couldn't stay with a group that allowed its elders to abuse their own children and others. I wasn't the only one I know of others that weren't as strong as me and couldn't leave everything they knew behind."

"I am so glad to see Jehovah's Witnesses high on the list of visited topics on this site. I have just resigned as an elder in this 'religion' after 11 years of serving in this capacity and almost 30 years of membership. This would seem to indicate that more people are checking into this 'religion,' hopefully before they join."

"I have been researching Jehovah's Witnesses before committing myself when I found your site. I am reluctant to join because they do not vote, participate in politics, salute the flag or join the military. I found out about issues like blood transfusion, child molestation, UN, and so on. I can't thank you enough for this site, it is very informative."

"I got involved with the JWs some years ago, but never became a member. I did find problems with their organization. I made friends, but found out they turn on you when you question their organization. Thank God I saw them for what they were before it was to late."

"Your information about the Jehovah's Witnesses makes me feel that I am not alone, in the vicious cycle of dysfunction my family and I have endured. This helps in my healing. But my parents are still in this so-called 'truth.' My mother seems destined for a psychiatric ward and my father condemns 'worldly ways.' I have seen the self-destruction of my parents, as well as the bad influence the Witnesses have had upon our family."

"I am an ex-Jehovah's Witness who is shocked to see how public the problem has become that my best friend and I endured at the hands of the elders in our congregation. We have cried with relief that the problem of sexual molestation is now coming to light. We were once told that the matter shouldn't be brought to the police and that we needed to be careful not to slander the pedophile in our congregation. The elders said that this man had no idea what we were talking about and claimed there must be some 'misunderstanding.' But I have learned of many other reports regarding that same pedophile molesting other girls in the congregation. He is still a respected member of the congregation, but we were shunned. Now I thank God that I am free from that religion and no longer concerned about shunning. Thank you for this website."

"My wife and I were doing bible studies once a week with Jehovah's Witnesses and I attended their meetings, but we only lasted one month. We simply believe in God and Jesus and do not want to be brainwashed or pushed into something. The Witnesses can keep their flock of sheep and the 144,000 supposedly bound for heaven. I read several articles against the organization that were really scary. We were lucky. I asked them a lot of questions and noticed that they acted nervous and were vague with their answers."

"I am a former member of the Jehovah's Witnesses. I became a witness at the age of 14, and am now 44. I have been out for three years. I am the only one in my family has left the organization. I also left a 20-year marriage to an elder. Since leaving there have been long, lonely hours without any support at all, except for new friends. But after being on anti-depressants for almost twenty years, I have totally kicked them and also stopped drinking. I have now been sober for more than two years. I have a wonderful public job within education and am well-paid. I can now experience self-esteem, feelings of joy and peace on a daily basis. Being able to connect with God too, after many years not praying, because of feelings of worthlessness has been a HUGE gift. My new friends are accepting, without expectations and love me unconditionally. I have also decided to further my education and test my intellectual capacity. My world, which was once so narrow and dark has now been flooded with light, life and hope. I have gone from a broken, addicted wreck of a woman, to someone who can hold my head up and knows that I count for something. My only regrets are not waking up sooner and that my family are still Jehovah's Witnesses. All I can do is hope that my new life will cause them to pause and take a good long look at the organization. No one, not even the Watchtower Society, should come between families."

"I am not surprised by the article "Molestation victim, parents think church elders let them down." My grandparents were JW's and two of my cousins went through something very similar to this. My grandfather reported sexual abuse to the elders and they refused to do anything. They said the perpetrator would be punished by coming to terms with Jehovah. But that did not stop his perverse actions. When the mothers of the molested children were discussing this issue with the elders, one of my aunts (an inactive JW) excused herself to go outside and smoke a cigarette. Later that afternoon when she went to my grandparent's home, my grandfather told her that the elders had forbid any more contact between her and my grandmother due to her smoking. My aunt was then officially disfellowshipped by Jehovah's Witnesses. They ultimately decided to keep a child molester, but ban a smoker. My grandmother later died from bleeding ulcers. Her JW beliefs prevented her from being saved in the emergency room. Needless to say, I'm not very receptive when they come knocking at my door."

Many thanks for the informative site. My wife and I (and most of our family) have come out of the Watchtower organization after some 38 years. A friend of mine (another ex-JW recommended your site.) Excellent layout and presentation, by the way."

"Thank You for all of the wonderful information. I was one of 'Jehovah's Witnesses' until I turned 18 years old. That was when I opened my eyes to organization, and to the kind of people that ran it on the local and national level. I joined the U.S. Navy to make the break as final as I could. The Witnesses are against military service. When I joined the Navy, It was called 'self disassociation,' which is just one degree below the worst thing that you can do when you are a J.W.!"

"I was raised as one of Jehovah's Witness, but slowly stopped being active. First, I stopped preaching and later stopped going to one to the weekday meetings. Finally, at age 25, I stopped going on Sundays. In my teens I tried to live a normal existence at public school and secretly let the teachings go in one ear and out the other. Luckily, I didn't have much trouble adjusting to 'The World.' One of my Witness cousins committed suicide at age 26. My J.W. Mom has severe depression, as do many others in the religion. I have always had the attitude that someone's religion is up to them, but now I wonder just how bad some religions can be. All this mind control and how they do things scares me."

"We were disfellowshipped after nearly 40 years for questioning the organization, which is the same as questioning God. Keep up the good work. We are now Christians."

"I was scanning the Internet trying to find out more information about paranoid schizophrenia. My mother has been newly diagnosed. She is also one of 'Jehovah's Witnesses.' It seems her delusions began around the same time she joined the sect. I found your article quite interesting as it discussed the parallels of the mental disorder with this particular religious group."

"I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness from the age of 3 up until I was 23. My husband gave me the courage to see the mind control. My parents are fanatical JWs--if you don't do it their way, they cut you off and ignore you. I have been cut off from my family as a result of saying NO to the so called 'truth' they offer. They could never accept that I had the strength to walk away. As a Witness you are programmed. And if the program fails they cut you off. I have gone through many years of depression and counseling, but have had the constant support of my husband, which has gotten me through this mess."

"As a former member of the Jehovah's Witnesses I would like to thank you for the information you have made available on your website. I was a baptized member and the process of leaving the religion through voluntary 'disfellowshipping' was a painful and difficult time for me. Unfortunately, most material about the religion tends to be extreme and unhelpful. I was glad to see your well researched, balanced and informative links. I hope that solid information like this will be helpful to others."

"Just wanted to say thanks for all the great information. I am an ex-Jehovah Witness, and it is because of sites such as yours that I got out. I read some of your 'Hall of Flames,' it's very interesting how they've all condemned you. Well once again thanks for all the information, I'm sure others have offered, but if you ever want to speak to a new ex Witness write me. I was one for 16 years."

"I am [an adult] survivor brought up as one of 'Jehovah's Witnesses' from the age of three. It has taken me about five or six years to get my head straight--and that was only with the help of my concerned husband. I sat up night after night violently sick--my nerves were in such a state. I was convinced that my little boy and I would die sooner rather than later--as my mad [Witness] parents had told me--since I had turned my back on God I would die. Even now, there is not a day goes by that the thought [of impending doom does not] enter my head--and many of my friends who have also left [the 'Witnesses'] are suffering the same fate. I am not the only one to suffer from this brainwashing that parents do to their children in the name of God."
--From a former "Witness" 1998

"After leaving "Jehovah's Witnesses I felt alone, extremely anxious, depressed, hurt, angry and utterly terrified beyond belief. I sat up night after night sick with nerves for two or three years and received anti-depressants proscribed by my doctor. I was totally convinced that I was going to die and that 'Jehovah God' himself was just waiting to get me as soon as I shut my eyes. I considered suicide several times--but didn't for the sake of my little boy and my wonderful husband.

"Even now, years later when it seems I'm OK, have finally healed and my scars are fading from this destructive religion--bang--something crops up to remind me of my past and I feel like I'm back where I started. I have had rough times with my family too--who are still mostly JWs. I could sit for years and still never fully explain how bad I have felt and sometimes still do."

"I want to thank you for your excellent site. I left Jehovah's Witnesses around 5 years ago, after having been a member for 7 years. It was a difficult thing to do without much support. However, I was able to leave and although I lost all my friends who are JWs, I have been able to go forward reasonably well in my life."

"You are the best, keep up the good work. Your work is saving lives. The word is getting out that Jehovah's Witnesses are serial killers of children."

"As a former member of Jehovah's Witnesses' it was very heartening to see the work you have done and the information you have set out for people to read. I was born and raised a J.W and have been free from them for a few years now, but as I am sure you know it can only take a trigger to bring back the nightmares. None of my living family has anything to do with me because I left 'The Truth.' I keep thinking if there was some way to bring to the attention of the world just how dangerous this cult is, not just from the standpoint of the deaths due to blood refusal, but to save kids from the abject misery of growing up and dedicating their lives to a lie."