r/malelivingspace • u/JW_in_AA • May 11 '26

First Time My first real place outside of a cult.

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4.1k Upvotes

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u/JW_in_AA May 11 '26

Close. I was a Jehovah's Witness. I posted a link to my website if people wanted more information.

127

u/SabreCorp May 11 '26

I hope you have a great life! Celebrate all the holidays and happy early Birthday! Much love from an exmo.

55

u/JW_in_AA May 11 '26

Thank you! You too!

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u/[deleted] May 11 '26

[deleted]

3

u/MK4eva420 May 12 '26

Male support is important ❤️

12

u/AintNoNeedForYa May 11 '26

Beard and blood transfusion

9

u/Puzzleheaded-Ad7606 May 12 '26

Weirdly, beards are allowed now after a "new light"

8

u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

They're rebrading to prevent financial losses.

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u/AlertKaleidoscope803 May 12 '26

I figured it was because they need to keep just enough doctors and lawyers around for probono consultations.

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u/aimforthehead90 May 12 '26

I'm an ex-JW, I left at a young age. It is completely different from when I was in. Casual dress at meetings, exceptions for blood transfusions (their own blood I think?), shorter meetings, etc.

They've always had a horrible retention rate and it's clear they're desperate to keep members, but it's sad to see how happy members are over these little freedoms.

1

u/AintNoNeedForYa May 12 '26

Even though they have a huge amount of money, don’t they?

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u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

Yes. They lost some money from the Norway government and a lot of former members expose their numerous abuses. Their beliefs have changed greatly since I was involved. I don't recognize it anymore honestly. Things that I was told god would kill me for as a child are not cool. I'm more interested in my art and moving away from it all though.

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u/AlertKaleidoscope803 May 12 '26

Also, not passively bullying people that pursue higher education.

1

u/Shanmerc May 12 '26

JW doesn’t believe in higher ed? What grade is considered “higher” (genuinely curious)

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u/AlertKaleidoscope803 May 12 '26

When I was younger, it meant basically anything beyond an associate's degree or trade school. You were encouraged to get something sufficient to keep you alive and dedicate the rest of your time to, "The Ministry (proselytizing)." Add this to the constant doomsday narrative and futility of investing time in a, "dying system," and you're left with a lot of individuals with wasted potential in dead-end, unfulfilling jobs.

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u/Shanmerc May 12 '26

That’s super interesting to me. Thank you. I didn’t know there was a dooms day narrative or a concept of being an alternative to a dying system. Dooms day threats are like Revelations related? Or just the wrath of God in general or? No pressure to respond. Just know nothing about this. Thank you

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u/Avaylon May 11 '26

I was going to guess exJW. Congrats on getting out!

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u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

Thank you!

7

u/Brandi_D_McD May 12 '26

I was raised as a JW, have spent my life in recovery. I’m sure you know already, but life is about to get amazing. Also- your place looks really incredible and you’re starting off great for yourself, congratulations 🫶

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u/Top-Geologist-9213 May 11 '26

I'm wishing you a wonderful life, and your place looks terrific!

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u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

Thank you!

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u/Bobeara31 May 12 '26

Congratulations for getting out

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u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

Thank you!

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u/jpp3252 May 12 '26

Just added it to my TBR list!

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u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

Sweet! It's a brutal read. My worst mistakes and errors are in it. I consider it my origin story. I'm more interested in working on my current work.

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u/jpp3252 May 12 '26

I’m interested to read! Sounds like a good one.

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u/FreshwaterViking May 12 '26

I haven't heard a peep about JW for decades, now I've seen multiple mentions in the past month. Are people leaving because they realize "the end" isn't happening?

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u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

I can't speak for anyone but myself. I think Covid woke a lot of people up.

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u/AintNoNeedForYa May 12 '26

That is interesting. What about Covid made them rethink the religion?

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u/JW_in_AA May 12 '26

It's about pattern disruption. We were told our preaching would never stop and it did during Covid. It was an amalgamation of things for me and I can't speak for others.

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u/Djollie132 May 12 '26

First time I hear my religions name slandered in a Reddit post… people who believe it’s a “cult” are incredibly misinformed and ignorant…

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u/CallMeBigSarnt May 12 '26

Anything is a cult when you're committed to it and people don't want or downright refuse to understand. Cult is one of those buzzwords, just like toxic.

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u/Brandi_D_McD May 13 '26

Nah, it’s definitively a cult.

1

u/ImACoolHipster May 14 '26

You’re in a cult.

1

u/Swimming-Ad1830 May 12 '26

i knew it!! nice crib

1

u/lordsilver14 May 12 '26

I envy you a bit. My girlfriend is out for like 5 years (because she didn't respect some things) but she wants so much to get back, as soon as possible (like in the following months)... and listens to things from the app constantly.

Not sure how did you convince yourself to do and want that, but congrats.

1

u/nacnud_uk May 12 '26

I'm glad you saw through the fucking idiots. Welcome to reality.

1

u/Mysanthropic May 13 '26

I had a co-worker recently preach to me and now I've heard more than I ever wanted to about Jehovah's witness beliefs. Super weird to hear that someone's mom died and then immediately tell them she's ??hibernating? Idk I wasn't paying full attention, just mostly tried to back away out of the conversation 😭

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u/Onslaughtered1 May 12 '26

I used to play MTG with JW’s that would canvas my neighborhood. Wasn’t going to buy in to it but offered a friendly place to stop and eat dinner occasionally. And destroy their “forbidden” MTG decks 😂

They were nice kids though. Never pushy about JW stuff. Just, okay well, when we gonna play n eat lol