Episodes - Page 13 of 22

Episode Eighty Seven – It Felt Like Jehovah Hated Us – Joe is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to be a religion guided by love. Throughout Joe’s story a common them arises though: “where is the love?”. We know that they practice shunning and call that love, but daily life inside of the cult also shows it to be sorely lacking. Joe’s story involves a lack of love starting in the congregation and only gets more personal from there, as it does for many former Jehovah’s Witnesses. Note: There is an update to Joe’s story available for those watching on YouTube. The link is in the description for this episode at the shunnedpodcast YouTube Channel.

The song that Joe chose to represent his story is The Day That Never Comes by Metallica.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information.

Support Joe by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Eighty Six – A Need-Greater In The Dominican Republic – Patrick is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

“In a way I felt like I was better than everyone else in the world, because I knew the truth. I was one of the few that was going to be saved at Armageddon, but at the same time I felt like I was worthless because no matter what I did it was never enough, and I could never truly compensate for being gay. That was never going to go away and I couldn’t do anything about it. So I felt worthless and better than everyone else at the same time.” – Patrick

The songs that Patrick chose to represent his story are Let It Go by Idina Menzel and How Far I’ll Go from Auli’i Cravalho

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Patrick by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Eighty Five – Taking A Stand At 19 – Isaiah is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

At just 19 years old, when others are experiencing life for the first time after high school whether going to college or starting their lives, Isaiah was leaving a cult. That decision to take a stand didn’t come without the predictably terrible reaction from family and friends that are swept up in a cult that controls their behavior.

The song that Isaiah chose to represent his story is Out of Sight by Chelou

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Isaiah by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Eighty Four – All She Did Was Ask A Question – Malina is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

“Have you ever wondered if this is actually the truth?” Such a simple question. Something that one would think might be a natural question when a person calls their doctrine “The Truth”. This question was the end of a relationship, and just a small part of a larger story that involved so much change and some moments of pure heartbreak.

The song that Malina chose to represent her story is Wide Open Spaces by Dixie Chicks.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Malina by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Eighty Three – Laurel – Growing up in and leaving Scientology

What is it like to grow up as a child in Scientology? Not as a celebrity, nor anyone with clout, but as an average person going to a local church and trying to assimilate into the only life that you know? Laurel tells her personal story of growing up as a Scientologist, joining the Sea Org at just 13 years of age, getting married, her path toward becoming a “word clearer”, and one particular way to leave the Sea Org to obtain freedom.

This isn’t just a story about Scientology though, this is a story about how a belief system can impact a family, and ultimately this is a human story about a little girl growing up and facing some things that most people will never have to face. From the normal desire to fit in and make friends to her life being pulled into the extreme emotional control of the group, to having to stare into someone else’s eyes without breaking gaze for hours at a time, Laurel has an experience to share.

The song that Laurel chose to represent her story is Pay No Rent by Turnpike Troubadours.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Laurel by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Eighty Two – Geoff is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

The underground. As Jehovah’s Witnesses we were trained for the possibility that someday we would have to go underground and do our public preaching work in secret. Most of us would never actually do that. Geoff did.

Geoff went to China to work underground as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a country in which the cult is banned. Secret meetings, smuggling cult propaganda into the country, specious credentials, etc. But doing this work would backfire as it forced Geoff to realize certain things about the cult that he was involved in. Even bigger, living this underground life would force parts of his authentic self to come out and be exposed to the light of day in ways he could no longer hide.

The song chosen by Geoff to represent his journey is The Weight of Lies by The Avett Brothers.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Geoff by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Eighty One – Suzanna is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

“How do you get kicked out of church?” These are the words of Suzanna’s brother as he tried to wrap his mind around her shunning. Her journey starts as a 14 year old girl with two real options to get out of her abusive home, joining a local gang or getting involved with Jehovah’s Witnesses. The choice she made would lead to decades of trying to make that choice work. All while living a life outside of that decision as she went back and forth between the choice she made so young and the life she really wanted to live.

The song chosen by Suzanna to represent her story is La Vida Es Un Carnaval by Celia Cruz.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Suzanna by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Eighty – Ramil is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

What is it like to move around the country multiple times as a child? To not have a consistent place to live? To be placed into foster care at times? To do all of this while growing up exposed to a cult, and then to have a catastrophic moment that pushes you farther in? Ramil’s story involves all of this, and much more. He found solace in cult teachings, found a place to belong by pioneering and getting involved in the ASL congregations, but then he also had a secret all along, part of his identity that he tried so hard to deny. This is a story of overcoming a lot of instability and the strength it takes to build an authentic and stable life.

The song chosen by Ramil to represent his story is Beautiful by P.O.D.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Ramil by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Seventy Nine – Allison is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

One of the things that really stands out at times is how much people put into following these high control groups, or cults, and how little it takes to get a person kicked out and shunned. Years, even decades can be spent serving faithfully, but one simple statement by a once sincere follower can be all it takes to start the path to shunning. “I wish they were just more open minded”, a reasonable remark and a personal feeling expressed to the wrong person who told the elders started the process for Allison. Her answer to the infamous question often asked in their secret judicial committees, “do you view Jehovah’s organization as your authority”, would seal her fate. A fourth generation Jehovah’s Witness, and everything changed so quickly. There’s often no credit for time served in a cult.

The song chosen by Allison to represent her story is Let The Mystery Be by Iris DeMent.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Allison by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Seventy Eight – Z is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

“God isn’t with you. Don’t kill yourself. You can get through this even if you have to do it alone.” Those are the words of 10 year old Z (Z Olvero, formerly Whitney Blackburn). Today Z is a gender non-binary person that has found themselves after a life as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses that tried to force conformity rather than authenticity. They knew that their life wasn’t going to fit the mold but they still tried to make it work. After being disassociated from the cult their reaction was bliss, a feeling that finally it was done, and now they get to pursue the life that they want.

The song chosen by Z to represent their story is Cost of Doin’ Business by Fifth.

Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Support Zee by leaving them a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.