Episodes - Page 16 of 21

Episode Fifty Three – Joaquin is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Joaquin had a life like many as one of Jehovah’s witnesses. Trying to please a parent, trying to stay within the lines, but struggling as he got older to do so. Eventually he found passion in music and culinary school, leading to his eventual freedom and finding himself.

The song that Joaquin chose to represent his journey is Your Friends Are Gone by Circa Survive.

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

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

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 Joaquin by leaving him a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Fifty Two – Taira is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

There are aspects of life that we typically see as something we should encourage people to do, like fostering and/or adopting children. We all want to see these children find love and belonging in a home. What happens when one of Jehovah’s Witnesses happens to be the foster parent? This is one person’s story of being introduced to the cult through a foster parent.

Taira begins her journey into it at the ages of nine through eleven and it created a bond between herself and her foster parent, but also Jehovah, and that would stick with her for years as she searched for a permanent family. This is a really interesting personal story that gives insights into a situation that is very seldom talked about, and I think that there are lessons to be taken away from it. There are obvious issues such as the impact on a child that is seeking unconditional love and belonging only to find themselves in an extremely conditional relationship with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The song that Taira chose to represent her journey is Honey Bee by Zee Avi.

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

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

Support Taira by leaving her a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Fifty One – Serena is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

“I never felt like I could be good enough” is a common refrain among former Jehovah’s Witnesses, and it is how Serena felt in her life when she was a JW. This feeling leads to a lot of depression, anxiety, and at times suicide. In Serena’s story we’re going to talk about that reality and two attempts that were made. We’re going to talk about how JWs deal with mental illness and the fallout that comes from it. Serena is a strong person that has overcome growing up with mental, emotional, and physical abuse and some really sad circumstances that could have kept her from the beautiful life that she has today.

The song that Serena chose to represent her journey is Remember Everything by Five Finger Death Punch.

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

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

Support Serena by leaving her a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Fifty – Updates on guests from 2017 and 2018

Fifty episodes. Fifty long form discussions looking into the lives of people that share the pain of shunning from cults or high-control religious groups. Fifty families that have been torn apart, fifty people that have had to grieve the loss of people that are still alive. Today we close in on roughly 200,000 individual downloads from people that have been touched by these fifty brave people that have chosen to speak up. Shunning is designed to take your voice away and by participating you’re not only taking it back but you’re amplifying it and people are listening.

I get the emails from people that listen because it gives them a greater understanding of their friend or relative that is in a cult. I get the emails from people that have been negatively impacted by these groups though never involved. I get the emails from people that have lost people that they cared about to suicide, or that have attempted themselves, or are feeling that way right now because of involvement with these religious groups. I also get the emails from people that have found these stories inspiring and healing, as well as emails from those that told their stories and found the experience cathartic and empowering.

In a world where bullying is universally condemned, shunning is still not only practiced, but encouraged by large organizations that are given charitable status by the governments of this world. They need to see what kind of real “charity” these cults are about. The world at large needs to wake up to the realities of these groups and they should not be rewarded for their bigotry.

In this episode we will hear what telling their story has done for a handful of people that were generous enough to come back on the podcast to give some updates. It can be truly healing for the individual, and also through these stories we affect change. These people have impacted the lives of others in a positive way by telling their stories and sharing with the world.

You will hear from David, Sydney, Torah, “V”, Jenny, and myself in this episode. Life after shunning goes on, and we can find better things and happiness if we keep moving forward.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Leave a comment for anyone in this episode HERE

Resources Mentioned:

This JW Life – The podcast that started this movement.

Petition to make education a federal right for all children – Amish Heritage Foundation

Marshall ‘n Moore Crafting Studios

Episode Forty Nine – Xitlalitl is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Xitlalitl was raised in a family impacted by borderline personality disorder as well as the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The former created many issues in the latter for young Xitlalitl as she struggled to fit in as they moved from place to place when her mom would have issues with people in the congregation. In the end when the constant gaslighting and the buy-in from congregation elders created a desperation to leave the situation, those feelings almost cost her everything. This is a callback to episode 29 with Nico as the two are in a relationship now and he helped her escape in more ways than one. This episode deals with BPD, depression, suicide, and the realities of the way the cult appeals to authority and recognizes title and position over people, from their beliefs to the way they “help” those in their midst.

The song that Xitlalitl chose to represent her journey is Thunderclap by Stefan Alexander.

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

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

Support Xitlalitl by leaving her a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Forty Eight – Kelsey is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Kelsey was a kid that grew up sincere as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses but that ultimately followed his heart and lived a “double life”. He always felt like something was off with the Witnesses but when he started being authentic they showed him who they truly were. He tells about waking up at 15 years old, his last time ever in the field ministry and how he left the cult behind, as well as how his life has gone since leaving. His is a story of trying to live someone else’s life and then finding his own. Now he even has his own little life to look out for without any support or interest from the people that once called him family.

The song Kelsey chose to represent his journey is Unanswered by Suicide Silence.

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

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

Support Kelsey by leaving him a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Forty Seven – The Fangsruds are shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Four siblings, all free from the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses, all with their own paths out. In this interview you will meet all of them and get their stories. A common theme seems to be the emotional desert that they all grew up in, a dearth of emotional health which is a hallmark of the JW faith. A lack of authenticity, not talking about the things that matter, pushing your feelings away, these are all ways to survive in a high control environment where daring to be yourself can have dire consequences.

Heather – Varlets.org is her theater company. Knock Knock, Jesus Calling is her original show.

The song she chose to represent her journey is Tainted Love by Soft Cell.

Aubrey’s song is My Church by Maren Morris

Kelly’s song is Yesterday by Atmosphere

Renny’s song is Return to Innocence by Enigma

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE.

Support the Fangsrud siblings by leaving them a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Forty Six – Candace is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

First let’s acknowledge that this is my first ever video interview as well as being in podcast form. So if you want you can watch the two of us talk over video chat on Youtube on the shunnedpodcast channel. You can watch the interview HERE if you like.

Candace was the bad kid growing up. Marked by those around her for being too funny, asking too many questions, and not coming from the right family. She wanted to have a good life, a life that she thought would come if she did the right things, just like Jehovah’s Witnesses often teach. If she could be the perfect JW and marry a brother with privileges and be a pioneer then her life would be all that she imagined as a kid, when her family life wasn’t what she wanted and she blamed her parents’ shortcomings in life on their lack of JW activity.

After we finished the interview she shared a story about her uncle that is touching, so stick around for that even after it sounds like we’ve wound down.

The song that Candace chose to represent her journey is Victory by N.E.R.D..

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE.

Support Candace by leaving her a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Forty Five – Tamara SW is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

“I love you with all my heart but I have to leave before it turns into anything less than love.” This beautiful sentiment was expressed by a 17 year old Tamara as she left her home and life as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This story has a number of twists and turns but ultimately ends in freedom and awakening.

The song that Tamara chose to represent her journey is Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog from The Muppet Movie.

Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE.

Support Tamara by leaving her a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Episode Forty Four – Cassie is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

This episode is being released today, November 16, in honor of Cassie’s brother Brandon. One of the things that Jehovah’s Witnesses do poorly is supporting and looking out for the mental and emotional well-being of their members. Cassie experienced multiple changes in her life where she needed to be seen and helped within the congregation in a real way and they never managed to connect to her until later in life when they reached out in a judicial manner. She was ultimately saved in many ways by a high school cooking competition and the passion that she found. Cassie’s brother suffered in his life as well and isn’t with us today to tell his story, but we honor him by releasing this story today. For Brandon….

Cassie and Brandon at her first birthday, celebrated at the age of 18.

The song that Cassie chose to represent her journey is “Got It In You” by Banners.

In honor of her brother Brandon, she shared two songs that he liked. The first is Beautiful Tragedy by In This Moment and the second is My Curse by Killswitch Engage.

Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE.

Support Cassie by leaving her a comment HERE

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.

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

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

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.