Teaser WITNESS UNDERGROUND | Growing up in an extreme belief system

[@bananaislandfilms]

Watch this feature documentary now! vimeo.com/ondemand/witnessunderground - Witness Underground

[@t.c.5456]

Keep doing what you are doing ❤❤❤

[@petertocher6845]

When my wife and I left Jehovah's Witnesses in 2000, we didn't start smoking or using drugs. We didn't get tattoos or piercings. We didn't become swingers or start a new religion. We just left because we didn't want to be known as members of an organisation that lied, altered the meaning of words and obfuscated things that should be clear. We both lost our entire families and friends and whatever support network we might have had. 3 of our 4 parents died without ever speaking to us again. My Father left his money to his two worldly brothers rather than me, even saying in his final will that it was because I had left the religion ! Truly, the Watchtower organisation is the most sophisticated and vicious cult the world has ever known. They make the Scientologists look like complete amateurs.

[@bananaislandfilms]

It's rare to leave for the reasons they use to destroy our reputations among our friends and family. Im right behind you with 17 family members still inside. None have reached out to me for over 13 years. I have three grandparents 97, 97, 99. I expect to be the object of their little hate group until their demise. It's a sick dark group. I simply stopped making the decision every day to be a member because I discovered their lies. I talked to leadership about what I found and they made zero effort to discuss it. They went into damage control to find it out who I told about their lies. It's a disgusting, group. They do all of that and walk around town with propaganda about happy family lives. The cognitive dissonance must be unbearable, selling happy family and lying about what they really do and mistreating their own family using hate group tactics, deciding every day to be a member and to maintain a family disconnection because their leaders require it under threat of getting the same treatment. It's a dystopia as heavy as North Korea, Mafia, Narcos, the mob, holding family hostage until they die

[@petertocher6845]

@@bananaislandfilms My wife could identify with you especially. She's the 4th of 12 children, born in, and virtually every extension of her family is made up of generations of Witnesses. And this in a small country, New Zealand. She is quietly angry and depressed that shunning for simple disbelief can severe any natural affection. We are at least grateful that we took our 6 children out and refused to let them be with their Grandparents whilst the shunning happened. I think my father in law may have regretted his weak-willed stance a few weeks before he died. I'd like to say that we've moved on and are happier than ever but, truthfully, it's been years of therapy, hospitalisation and medication. Now we are in our 60's with no Superannuation or educational qualifications we are facing the very real prospect of becoming a societal burden and the bOrg will simply say, "It's your problem". All I can do now is Anti-Witness.

[@bananaislandfilms]

@@petertocher6845 I'm curious if there is something that you're interested in pursuing professionally our creatively to help boost your situation financially, even though there has been a loss of time. We all have some sense of that after getting out because the religious culture essentially blocks members from pursuing either.

[@petertocher6845]

@@bananaislandfilms No, I think not. I take pleasure in hearing of others leaving and their stories. ("Experiences"🤢😉) I've grown a little tired and I'm somewhat obsessive about my wasted life as a Witness. And, I think I was a pretty dedicated Witness too. I'd just like it to have been an awful dream that I'll wake from. I still haven't seen your entire movie yet ! But that's something I'm looking forward to and all I can say is, 'well done'. And, as a lover of Rock, I'm keen to hear some Ex Dub stuff.

[@bananaislandfilms]

@@petertocher6845 there is so much ExJW music that I'm discovering from doing these interviews and making the film. I'm sharing every story I can find as fast as I can. I'm working on accelerating that now that the film is submitted for distribution. Let me know what you think when you get a chance to see it. There's word we'll do a few public screenings in Christchurch later this year.

[@dawnross2514]

2 minutes 29 seconds and I was transported! I've been out for nearly 30 years but hearing these people speak it seems like only yesterday.... It's true that leaving is both exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure. Big love to all the ex JW's brave enough to get out when it meant losing everything, and to those still inside but longing to leave - your time will come X

[@bananaislandfilms]

Thank you so much for the rich, personal commen. Much appreciated!

[@chuck-y8p]

loved this, real people saying the truth and speaking out

[@bananaislandfilms]

There is so much more i'll be sharing. These people are all featured in our documentary. link is in the description. It won an award already.

[@laymanphil8513]

Leaving this organization is like leaving your planet and arriving on another. It’s the most “alien” thing I’ve experienced. You think this trip is dangerous, it will be much less dangerous than the JW routine... it is deadly.

[@bananaislandfilms]

That's a great way to describe it. It feels at least like another dimension. When I left I actually moved to Northern Vietnam for 5 years and I call it my Dagoba period. It was like the swamp planet that Yoda lived on in Star Wars. Lovely people but it felt like another planet and culture. ...then returning to USA also felt a bit alien with reverse culture shock. I'm in another country now again. USA wasn't for me. I've tasted humanity and deep culture.

[@Wisedupwoman]

I left 30 years ago and had a 4 year old daughter to take with me back to my country. I loved every moment of being free and didn't think twice about it once I had the big paradigm shift. Of course I missed my family and friends but I moved somewhere new and made lifelong friends who love me for who I am. I was lucky that my non JW birth father who left before Mum became a JW, was there to meet me with open arms (he's an athiest). I feel very grateful to still have some kind of a family and my dear sister who left three years after me - we're soul mates and have supported each other all these years. Don't know what I would have done without her, the first three years she was still in, was awful for me and then suddenly I got the phone call! She had left and wanted to see me! I dropped everything, borrowed a car and drove up to London immediately. Words can't describe the feeling of being able to have a hug from her after all that trauma in the past to get our freedom.

[@bananaislandfilms]

Powerful!

[@ever7672]

I am so happy for you all to get out even though we all paid a high price for freedom! We can only be certain of this one life…

[@tammyg8031]

Thanks so much for continuing to speak out. Love ❤ everything about all of you!! We will WIN.

[@lady2750]

Awesome, these people has an incredible stories! Leaving organization is a complete journey!

[@misterdoctor9693]

I loved your documentary. Thank you for being there when I need help leaving the org. It's been a crazy year for me.

[@bananaislandfilms]

My pleasure! I'm so happy that it had a positive impact!

[@robertgrey6101]

@misterdoctor You will find you are stained after decades of leaving. The stain may fade, but, you will still have it, faded, or to put another way, GHOSTS which will haunt you. This is my experience after being born into and raised up in this spiritual mess. I now see this spirit creature, God, called Jehovah as another name for SATAN.

[@sarahbelyeu6461]

I love your interviews so much! So deeply genuine - feel a tremendous amount of love for these people. Tremendously grateful for this content.

[@bananaislandfilms]

Amazing! So happy to hear that

[@DKisOk]

I'm an ex jw. I finally read the Bible through and through a few times and now I know that it's a false religion... Read the bible and find the Truth for yourself ❤

[@jflow178]

I recently started working for a business that is owned by a Jehovah Witness family. I found this out only after being hired and starting to work there. I have been unpleasantly surprised at how dark they seem. They are very condescending, talk trash about others, do not appreciate the hard work I do so far as to say nothing I do is good enough. They truly seem to be very unhappy people. I am a Christian and I can sense the darkness around me when there. Needless to say, I am now searching for another job.

[@bananaislandfilms]

You're intuitive senses are alive and well. Best to avoid them. They are trained to be toxic. The training is very effective.

[@jflow178]

@@bananaislandfilms Very much so. They are very passive-aggressive and they seem to be obsessed with sickness. What is that all about?

[@bananaislandfilms]

@@jflow178 They are taught to highlight bad news and often state they are just hanging on until the end of the world. They wallow in their own suffering and consider life and endless series of punishments and tests by Satan. They usually think the end of the world is about 6 months to 3 years away and prioritize church activities rather than wellness, health, retirement funds, career, education or personal enjoyment. They are coerced into shutting down all personal interests, hobbies, art, or future thinking to better their situation and the community supports and encourages complaining. Then they get to say that "The Paradise" will solve all of their problems. Most expect to die before being rewarded for mostly sacrificing their own lives to get into their version of heaven on Earth, that they call "The paradise". Some believe they will survive the end of the world and help rebuild after Jesus murders all non-believers to make Lebensraum for his true followers. They are a true doomsday cult and are obsessed with being right and suffer from many logical fallacies, the primary one being the sunk cost fallacy and also daily cognitive dissonance. All of that induces stress hormone production likely leading to a very unhealthy body and mind. Gabor Mate has some really impressive and intriguing insight into how this can manifest as actual physical pain and illness.

[@jflow178]

Wow! 😳 That explains a lot! Thank you for your time and insight.

[@jflow178]

@@bananaislandfilms Also, just a few of the quirky rules in the office: We are not "allowed" to say "bless you" when someone sneezes (that's been awkward when vendors come in!), we are not "allowed" to have anything personal ie: photos, plants, sayings on display, and there is no display inside or out of our American flag. I feel the control over free speech and our own (myself and co-workers) beliefs is disrespectful. But as a patriot, who loves America, I am most offended by the lack of recognizing and honoring our great country. I am keeping my resume up-to-date and checking job boards everyday!

[@marmieRH]

This hierarchy makes me sick 😢 its a pyramid that's all😮 merci du Québec 😊

[@bananaislandfilms]

exactly!

[@nowandafter3258]

💰JW💯CULT💰

[@becca7455.]

My brother killed himself this year I blame being raised in that religion for his death.

[@bananaislandfilms]

So so sorry to hear that! It's far more common than most people think. We made a film about surviving their relentless emotional abuse called Witness Underground. Perhaps the world needs a film showing how they push people to the point of death.

[@stevendrumm4957]

JW's are actually right about not celebrating Christmas and a lot of other holidays. The problem is, they are wrong about just about everything else.

[@srich7503]

Whats wrong with celebrating the birth of our Lord?

[@NikoJones94]

Love

[@TheCountofToulouse]

Oh, I get it. Like Ex-Mormons and other cults, they don't use scripture to refute the doctrine, instead it's a pro-homosexual propaganda video with JW's as the heel.

[@scottpurves]

Or, like exmormons (me) these folks have figured out that the church they belong to is a fraud and they are willing to stand on integrity at the cost of their own family deserting them. It takes huge courage to evaluate deeply-held family tradition and beliefs and be honest about the lies you find.

[@bananaislandfilms]

There is nothing here pro-homosexual. I am and there are videos on this channel that highlight former members who were kicked out for who they loved. This isn't one of those videos. JW's use hate through shunning to divide families and control minds of members. Any one who gets out should be celebrated.

[@scottpurves]

@@bananaislandfilms great stuff, cousin!

[@mariorodriguez7598]

Revelation 23:15

[@bananaislandfilms]

If you read the whole book, you'll likely end up where these folks did

[@mariorodriguez7598]

A lot of demonds olso were miss lead by satan and you definitely are going in the same path, wats your hope now , exactly the same with satan !! Soon you find out

[@srich7503]

@@mariorodriguez7598 and with the plethora of interpretations of the Bible in the world today what makes yours the correct one? Is it the infallible one? If not, who really cares? On the other hand there is this to ponder and answer if you would… History shows us that Jesus didn't leave us a bible, - the apostles didn't tell us which books belong in the bible, - the church fathers never agreed on the 27 books of the NT through the 4th century, - not only did they not agree but their individual lists of would-be NT canons were GROWING during this time. Therefore, if it wasn't the Catholic/Orthodox church, guided by the Holy Spirit, that compiled the 27 books of the NT in the 5th century, just 65 years AFTER the council of Nicaea which began the Trinitarian doctrine and subsequent councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and preserved these scriptures by laboriously hand copying them over and over throughout the centuries before the invention of the printing press, the “rule of faith” for many, please tell us who did? And if this church no longer exists today, what good is the text which came forth from her if she couldn't sustain herself?