Episodes - Page 18 of 22

Episode Forty – Renee is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Today we’re going to meet Renee. This is a story of profound loneliness played out over decades, surviving an abusive home and life in a cult, and coming out the other side a profoundly compassionate and beautiful person. Renee is an activist in the ex-JW community today and some know her as Renee Cordeschi – JW Survivor.

The song that Renee chose to represent her journey is No Second Prize by Jimmy Barnes.

If you’d like to follow Renee’s work you can do so on Facebook at Renee Cordeschi – JW Survivor.

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

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 Renee 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 Thirty Nine – Corrie is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Today we’re going to meet Corrie. Her son Nico was featured back in April on episode 29. Now we get to hear her story and she does a really good job of putting it all together and was fun to talk to. She became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in her early 30s after a guy that was doing some tree work at her house pitched her and introduced her to his wife for a Bible study. Having recently lost her grandmother and in the middle of grieving, they gave her a hope that she could cling to and that drew her in. This is a story of manipulation from the beginning until the end of her time in the cult. You’ll find out how therapy, and Leah Remini helped her to wake up, and we have some great conversation about finding oneself after leaving.

The song that Corrie chose to represent her journey is Warrior by Demi Lovato.

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

Support Corrie by leaving her a comment 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 Thirty Eight – Nicole’s Life with Jehovah’s Witnesses

Nicole was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This is a tough story to listen to and my heart goes out to her but she has overcome a truly traumatic childhood to create a good life for herself. Unlike most people that I interview she was never baptized, but she lived a life as a JW that needs to be told. There are a lot of patterns in this story that are repeated in many families in the organization. Sheltered from real life Nicole was in for some rude awakenings, and unfortunately the most abusive came from her own family. She eventually learned that she could trust nobody but herself.

Nicole chose the song “Eternal Sunshine” by Jhene Aiko to represent her journey.

She mentioned the exjw reddit as a resource that helped her.

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

Support Nicole by leaving her a comment 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 Thirty Seven – Adrian is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Adrian was raised one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, born into the cult. His father even believed himself to be one of the 144,000 chosen to go to heaven. You’ll see through this interview that Adrian was one of those people that had humanity that even the cult couldn’t break. That sensitivity though, the heartbreak of shunning not just once but twice, led to his becoming a heroin addict at a young age. One moment though helped him to break free of it all and to realize that he was responsible for the path his life would take and that nobody he had relied on growing up would help, that the only person he ultimately had was himself, and that he had enough value to be worth living a good life for.

You can view more of Adrian’s work on Instagram at xadriantrevorx

The song that Adrian chose to represent his journey is Stop the Fuckin’ Car by Circa Survive.

He was helped by the book Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz and he also mentioned the exjw reddit group.

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

Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to:

Mike Shemwell
P.O. Box 2641
Clarksville, IN
47131
USA

Thank you!

Support Adrian by leaving him a comment 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 Thirty Six – Linda is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Linda was a devout Jehovah’s Witness, one that believed it all and really put her heart and soul into it. Today she’s been out of the organization for 25 years and our discussion involves Buddhist teachings, the neuroscience of shunning, and her story which she also shares in her memoir that is entitled Shunned: How I lost my religion and found myself. So you’re going to see how she both lost that religion and what she found on the other side.

Resources Mentioned:

Her book Shunned: How I Lost Religion and Found Myself

Kip Williams at Purdue University

Poem: The Journey by Mary Oliver

Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to:

Mike Shemwell
P.O. Box 2641
Clarksville, IN
47131
USA

Thank you!

Support Linda by leaving her a comment 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 Thirty Five – Andie is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Today we are talking with Andie, formerly one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This story really involves so many things. First, we’re talking about a family that goes all the way back to the Rutherford days of the organization. Additionally, Andie was beat up for her beliefs, she was forced to move a lot for a reason that you won’t see coming, and she spent time in Mexico to try to build an English speaking congregation but had to come home for another reason that you won’t see coming. She talks openly about self-harm, about her own horrific rape, living in her car, and thoughts of suicide. Andie was one tough young lady that dealt with a lot and came out the other side. She should be very proud of herself.

The song that Andie chose to represent her journey is “If We’re Honest” by Francesca Battistelli.

Resources mentioned included the book Combating Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan, the Marc Cora YouTube Channel, and the Kim Mikey YouTube Channel.

Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to:

Mike Shemwell
P.O. Box 2641
Clarksville, IN
47131
USA

Thank you!

Support Andie by leaving her a comment 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 Thirty Four – Lyla is shunned by Die Uitverkore Volk (The Chosen People)

In this episode we’re going to meet Lyla Illing from South Africa, now living in New York City. She was involved in a cult early in her life that, translated from Afrikaans to English, means “The Chosen People”. As one might imagine in a land where apartheid held strong for so long the cult was definitely racist. Lyla was only involved for a short time and you’ll see why, but it created dynamics that impact her to this day, and set her on a path to try to help Amish youth here in America.

This episode features two amazing songs from Lyla. The first that you will here is “Not Coming Home” and the second is “Below the Surface”.

“Not Coming Home” – Proceeds go to the Amish Heritage Foundation

“Below the Surface” by Lyla Illing

The song that Lyla chose (by another artist) to represent her journey is “Runaway” by Pink.

Resources mentioned:

William Ramsey Investigates interviews Mike Shemwell of the Shunned Podcast about Jehovah’s Witnesses HERE

Conversations with God interviews God about shunning in Episode 39 HERE

Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to:

Mike Shemwell
P.O. Box 2641
Clarksville, IN
47131
USA

Thank you!

Support Lyla by leaving her a comment 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 Thirty Three – Naomi is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Naomi was raised in one of those JW families that didn’t have a tv and that limited books because they were reflective of Satan’s world. Their lives, even their limited traveling, revolved around the Kingdom work. You’re going to see how even in such a controlled environment a child still has their own mind and thoughts, and how that plays out. It was really interesting what woke Naomi up, and you’re even going to find out how a Buzzfeed quiz can get a JW reprimanded.

She chose two songs to represent her journey. The first is Cigarettes by Illy and the second is Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra.

The resources mentioned included the books Crisis of Conscience and I’m Perfect You’re Doomed. Also the forum jehovahs-witness.com.

Support Naomi by leaving her a comment 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 Thirty Two – James Schwartz – Growing Up Gay and Amish

James was a member of the Old Order Swiss Amish but James is gay and that obviously caused a lot of difficulty for him. Just this week he had his story shared in The New York Times. He’s taken his life from a place that is closed off and drab and he’s built a life of openness and color.

The song that James chose to represent his journey is Here by the Pet Shop Boys.

Resources Mentioned:

Punatic – by James Schwartz

The Literary Party – James Schwartz’s Site

James in The New York Times

Follow James on Twitter/Instagram @queeraspoetry

LGBT Amish.com

Amish Heritage Foundation

Support James by leaving him a comment 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 Thirty One – Dave Warnock – Dying Out Loud

Today we have a story that’s different than the norm. We’re going to get to know Dave Warnock, former pastor and member of a charismatic evangelical Pentecostal church who is shunned by his children. But the story is bigger than that. Dave has been diagnosed in the last few months with ALS, sometimes commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and he knows that he only has a finite time left in his life. This is truly inspiring story and we talk about a subject that few want to talk about, death. More than that, we talk about life, as death isn’t as scary as never truly living.

For Dave’s contact information, more information about him, ways to support him, please click HERE.

Support Dave by leaving him a comment 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”.