Episodes - Page 5 of 21

Episode 158 – Smurfs, Demons, Bed Bugs and Jehovah’s Witnesses

Behold the tale of the Smurf doll and the Kingdom Hall. A legend told by adult Jehovah’s Witnesses that made it across the United States and to other continents as well. Learn about this legend, and share your own stories of demons and fear promoted by the cult below in the comments.

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.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

You can apply to be included in The Uprising Project, where we will be working to lift the ex-JW community financially by bringing new opportunities to it, and get more information at: https://exjwhelp.com/the-uprising-project/

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. 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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Episode 157 – CSA, Trauma and Jehovah’s Witnesses – Caressa’s Story

When Caressa’s 18 year old sister started dating a “brother” from another congregation that was 37, an elder close to the family said that he didn’t like the guy and that he was bad news and that they shouldn’t be dating. No details were given, but it was foreboding. For the next few years Caressa, just 8 years of age, would face the abuse of that man. In time her story would come out, but unfortunately it would fall on deaf ears in the congregation, despite taking it to the police. A full decade later that “brother” in the congregation, still in good standing, would harm more innocent children and the congregation would disfellowship him. Who knows how many people he may have hurt in all of that time.

For Caressa, this life of abuse and manipulation from her family, the cult, and this predator, left her no safe space. At the age of 17 she would ghost her family in search of safety, and a life of her own. This is her story.

The song that Caressa chose to represent her story is Redemption Song by Bob Marley

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

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Episode 156 – Announcing The Uprising Of Former Jehovah’s Witnesses

The Uprising Project is a new initiative in the community of former Jehovah’s Witnesses to help these individuals with opportunities to find financial footing in a world that they were isolated from. According to one study by Pew Research of various religions and their incomes, Jehovah’s Witnesses had the lowest percentage of six figure household incomes at just 4%, while having the second highest percentage of household incomes below $30,000 per year at 48%*.

As a cult that promotes financial control by discouraging the pursuit of education, demonizing networking with anyone that is not of the same faith, and encouraging a lifestyle of devoting as much time to their religious pursuits as possible, it is no wonder that the group would struggle financially. Add to all of that the psychological warfare of abuse that leaves many feeling like they have no intrinsic value as an individual, and the subsequent extreme shunning for those that leave the group, and many continue to struggle after leaving. Financial stability is the basic ability to survive, and people need to survive before they can truly ever heal and have a possibility to thrive. The Uprising Project seeks to bring resources into the community to help individuals rise from the effects of prior abuses.

Applications for inclusion in this project can be found at:
https://exjwhelp.com/the-uprising-project/

The Rights and Religions Forum, and the Fellowship mentioned in the episode, can be found at:
https://rarforum.org/fellows/

*https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/10/11/how-income-varies-among-u-s-religious-groups/

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.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Episode 155 – The Little Girl Without A Smile – Dedicated To Yvette

Natasha grew up in Belgium and found herself in a world of abuse at home. Others, noticing the outward countenance as a result of that abuse, referred to her as “the little girl without a smile”. Being raised in the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses, she would be pushed into baptism at 17 years of age under false pretenses. As a result, just 6 months after being baptized, Natasha disassociated and left the cult behind, resulting in her shunning. Although the adults around her couldn’t see what was really going on, a little girl named Yvette saw Natasha for who she really was and provided a safe space for her to be herself.

The song that Natasha chose to represent her story is What’s Up by the 4 Non Blondes.

Support today’s guest by leaving her a comment HERE

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

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Episode 154 – It Was Hell – Andrea is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

Growing up as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is hard. Kids want to fit in and are forced to be different. For Andrea, the cult reinforced the authority of her mom, and her mom ruled with fear. Under the ever watchful eye of a mother looking to mete out corporal punishment, the beatings were so bad that her sister took some for her out of fear that she would be killed. Their mother would die of cancer while they were still young, and Andrea’s older sister cared for her while the congregation that had been silent about the abuse remained aloof. Only once it was thought that Andrea might need to be reprimanded by congregation elders did anyone reach out to her. Thus began the journey to freedom that she always wished to find.

The song that Andrea chose to represent her story is Luka by Suzanne Vega.

Support today’s guest by leaving her a comment HERE

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

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Episode 153 – Legal Considerations For Former Jehovah’s Witnesses – Blood, Wills, Emancipation, Insurance

When a person leaves the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses they may still find themselves attached in ways that they had not considered from a legal standpoint. This interview with a legal professional gives us insight into various topics, from going from our former no blood stance to a pro blood stance, what we need to consider when it comes to wills and insurance, as well as the topic of emancipation for minors.

In this episode the following resources are mentioned:

1. An advance directive notification card that you can carry in your wallet – Click Her e

2. The Jehovah’s Witness Blood Refusal Card: Ethical and Medicolegal Considerations for Emergency Physicians – Click Her e

3. Kenesha’s Website – Click Her e

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

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Episode 152 – Love Without A Home – Grief, Gaslighting and Jehovah’s Witnesses

In the concept of gaslighting, one person is trying to create the reality for another person in order to gain or maintain control of them. Jehovah’s Witnesses are masters of gaslighting, weaponizing what is near and dear to others against them, shaming them for who they are and what they want in this life. For Taylor there was massive internal confusion as she got older and realized that there were parts of her personality that didn’t actually come from the cult’s influence. Those parts of her, such as the very normal and natural attraction to someone else, created great inner conflict and external turmoil in a world where her desires weren’t allowed. And thus the realization that gaslighting can be internalized and turned against ourselves felt overwhelming to a young person not equipped to deal with the ramifications and grief caused by a life lived according to the influence of those with power around her.

She realized that in order to continue to live the life she was given, she would have to gaslight herself out of things that she actually wanted. Ultimately she would come to grieve the parts of her that were lost during those times, the time lost, the people that could never truly love her for who she was but rather a vision of who they wanted her to be, and she would go on a quest to find herself. It is said that grief is just love without a home, so she went on a journey to find that home in herself by learning to love a person that others were incapable of loving because of their desire for control.

You can find Taylor and her work on Instagram as mothandmooncommunity at: https://www.instagram.com/mothandmooncommunity/

Support today’s guest by leaving her a comment HERE

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

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

ExJwHelp Day 2023 – The Results – Former Jehovah’s Witnesses Doing Good In The Community

Thank you to all of the wonderful people that donated this year for our “day” of giving. Because so much is received, it takes more than a day, but we were able to do the following in September 2023. An accounting is below, and mirrored in the video:

Amount Raised – $707 (Thank you soooo much to all of you that gave generously!)

Accounting:
$200 – Ladies at thrift store $20 – Two libraries, book suprises
$160 – Tips across two small local taco restaurants
$53 – Basketballs from Walmart
$274 – Soup, tuna pouches, snacks for little pantry from Walmart
Total – $707

We paid for any meals, gas, tolls, etc. ourselves and used the amount donated that came in after fees and such charged by various payment processors like PayPal and Venmo for our totals.

Professional one on one Cult Recovery Coaching services, helpful videos and articles, more information about ExJwHelp Day itself, and other resources can be found at: https://exjwhelp.com/

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Struggling with perfectionism, building a social network, codependency, or feeling like you’re not enough? 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 Cult Recovery Coach. I work with many ex-JWs, along with ex-other groups, and your average person that has never been in a cult that wants better things in their life. Find out more here: https://storyworkscoaching.com

Please consider supporting the show’s Patreon if you appreciate the time that goes into producing these stories at: https://www.patreon.com/shunned

Here is the text used in our message to those that would find and read the ex-JW books in the library:

If you’re reading this book, you’re likely in a spot where life is starting to look different. You might even be scared reading this, but if you are, that shows that what you’ve been taught is very fear based, and you should absolutely question why someone would do that. Why would someone want to control what information you are exposed to? Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but feeling the fear and doing it anyway. You are about to take a courageous step, one of many that can unlock a life that is founded in actual truth, not just what you’ve been told is true. So take heart that others like you are out here, that we love you, that we’ve been wherever you are today, and that you are doing the right thing for yourself even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment. There are other wonderful people out here that were hurt by something that was supposed to be good. Take this and go buy yourself your favorite coffee or treat. This money was donated by others that are out here. You are not alone.

With real love that doesn’t shun, we send hugs and treats.
ThisJwLife.com ShunnedPodcast.com ExJwHelp.com

Episode 151 – Religion Before Relationships – Daniel’s Story with Jehovah’s Witnesses

Daniel knew from a young age that the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses was supposed to come first in his life. In his teenage years Daniel would start to realize that something wasn’t right and that “The Truth” wasn’t actually true, and he took those doubts to his father. His mother would soon be diagnosed with cancer that would take her life, and in that time he would push his doubts aside and try to give his mom something by getting baptized, as the religion was the focal point for the family even as they rallied around his mom. Later in life, as a father himself, Daniel would start to realize his disconnect again as he tried to indoctrinate his own kids, which would lead him to the discoveries that real research can bring. Ultimately it would cost him certain relationships because of their stand for the religion, but he had to do what was right and not simply what the religion he was given pushed upon him.

Daniel referenced two resources in his episode:
Carl Sagan – The Demon-Haunted World – Science as a Candle in the Dark
The Great Courses , specifically a course on critical thinking. Upon researching it I found that Your Deceptive Mind – A Scientific Guide on Critical Thinking Skills can also be found on Amazon as an audiobook that looks much cheaper if you aren’t into all of The Great Courses and I’ll link that HERE

Support today’s guest by leaving him a comment HERE

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

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Episode 150 – Showtime – Trish is shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses

“I can’t express to you how crazy this house was, and yet the friends would come, it was perfect…showtime.” Trish and her kids were in the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses, but their home too was a place where they didn’t feel safe. Although from the outside people may have seen them one way as they put on a good show, the realities didn’t match up at home. Instead of living out loud, they had to be silent and to hide themselves, becoming small so as not to be seen in a home environment that didn’t feel safe. Later in life Trish would be encouraged to even deny the existence of her sons by the wife of an elder, to make them invisible, as they were not who the cult wanted them to be either. This is a story of reclaiming a life that was a false show of something that wasn’t real underneath, and of finding oneself and being free to be authentic.

Support today’s guest by leaving her a comment HERE

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

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.