From Bethel to Freedom: A Gay Ex-JW Journey

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Күн бұрын

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@Livelifewell777 4 ай бұрын

The Bethel stories he talks about are spot on and how crazy it all was. I was there with my husband from 1990 to 1994. When we were first there there was no air conditioning in any of the rooms. I worked on 90 Sands and in the summer it crazy hot. We had a couple of heat waves where it was high 90s and I had to work in rooms with the windows taped off, and paint fumes. Oh the good times. Then I had to come home to our room super hot with no AC at all. Finley one of the GB members went on a zone visit we never knew who this GB member was but he did not want air conditioning in any rooms at bethel period. Well other GB member did and he allowed us to buy units from Bethel. I can't remember exactly how much but it was at least 80 or 90 for the unit and then we had to pay $30 a month for the electricity to run it. At the time I was just so thankful to be able to sleep at night finally that it didn't seem insane for them to change people who have taken a vow of poverty that. Looking back they were making money off us. We never got to keep the AC units when we left and there's no way it cost Bethel 30 per room per month to run the AC. Where I live we are having a heat wave and my husband is still a believer. His service overseer just texted last night and asked how we were doing and how our AC is holding up. I was tickled off. Really we pioneered with a car that had no AC and our territory semi desert. We were at Bethel without AC. So I told him we don't have AC, which is somewhat true, our house doesn't have AC we have a unit in our bedroom, very much like the unit we bought at Bethel and guess what that unit cost us 125.00 and that was 10 years after Bethel. Bethel would have bought 100's of units they would have gotten a break in the price. I told my husband"s service overseer that Jehovah never gives us more than we can bear 1 Corinthians 10:13 and apparently Jehovah likes us to be hot😢 Haven't heard back from him 😕

@DiffiCULTChildhood 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing that story! They really don’t give a damn about individual JW’s. - Jason

@NewSkiwi 3 ай бұрын

😂so, who did you not hear back from? The service overseer or Jehovah?

@RobbieJayOne 6 ай бұрын

When I was a PIMI from 1970 to 1994, I remember several of us laughing at the songs. Specifically, the “Dark days are here; man lives in fear.” My sister and I had a Bible study that came to the Kingdom Hall once, heard that song and said it was a weird, depressing & dark song, and she was done. We quietly agreed with her. I am proud to say I never brought anyone into “the truth” and was a pioneer. 😉

@DiffiCULTChildhood 6 ай бұрын

Same buddy, same! Thank you for joining us! -Falon

@Tickles99788 6 ай бұрын

My friends bible study of 6 months came to a convention with the video of the mother not answering her daughters phone call…she immediately left the convention and ended her bible study

@RobbieJayOne 6 ай бұрын

@@Tickles99788 Good for her! That's what I call personal integrity.

@vusimngomezulu2500 5 ай бұрын

@@DiffiCULTChildhoodWhich church are true according to the Bible in this world? Because many churches are not true according to this scriptures, Matthew 7:21-23,Roman's 10;1-3,2Corintians 11:12-15,2thimoty 4:3-4,2Peter 2:1-3,1John 4:1.

@DiffiCULTChildhood 5 ай бұрын

@@vusimngomezulu2500 I’m gonna say none of them. - Jason

@AnayhiasMimi4619 3 ай бұрын

Oh my older sister and her husband were missionaries in China and omg everyone was all over them. Needless to say my sisters husband was an elder and was trying to mess with me 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢 makes me sick to think about it all. But yet when our parents were dying she was nowhere to be found😢😢

@WatchtowerHunter 5 ай бұрын

It is hilarious that you brought up “Sing Kingdom Songs”. I lived near Bethel and frequently visited at the time and JW’s actually returned the CD’s to the literature counter it was so bad. Thanks for this trip down memory lane. 😮

@DiffiCULTChildhood 5 ай бұрын

That is equal parts surprising and hilarious! 😂 Thanks for watching! -Falon

@mikegonzalez503 5 ай бұрын

That's an awesome story

@vusimngomezulu2500 3 ай бұрын

@@DiffiCULTChildhoodWhich church are preaching the gospel of the kingdom around the world to all nations as Jesus Christ said? Matthew 10:16, 24:14, 28:19-20, Mark 13:10, if not only only only the Jehovah's witnesses..

@vusimngomezulu2500 3 ай бұрын

Which church are preaching the gospel of the kingdom around the world to all nations as Jesus Christ said? Matthew 10:16, 24:14, 28:19-20, Mark 13:10, if not only only only the Jehovah's witnesses..

@ThatWomanJezebel 6 ай бұрын

I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself and following your heart. It’s these kind of interviews that help others learn to accept themselves and to be proud of who they are. As they should be.

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😊

@tammyg8031 6 ай бұрын

The more I see & hear exjws tell their story, the happier I get & just jump up & down for joy!!!! Please keep standing up for your right & your freedom. WT is being protested on September 13th 2024 at the WHITE HOUSE in Washington D.C. WT needs to be held accountable. Join the upcoming protest.

@vusimngomezulu2500 3 ай бұрын

Which church are preaching the gospel of the kingdom around the world to all nations as Jesus Christ said? Matthew 10:16, 24:14, 28:19-20, Mark 13:10, if not only only only the Jehovah's witnesses..

@Alyse_bell 3 ай бұрын

@@vusimngomezulu2500your wasting your time. The majority of people here are either EX-JW’s or never JW’s. your out of context bible verse won’t convince anyone to join your bible fan fiction religion

@esthertshipo4223 3 ай бұрын

@@Alyse_bellthey are out because the love the world more than gospel, since I study bible with jws my life has been better, I was moving from one charismatic church to the other seeking healing I never got it, but to study the truth liberated me, I had depression, anger u name them, but today I am healed without no one laying hands or prophesying me, I will never listen to anyone being negative towards them. I wonder I never heard jws talking about other churches or organizations but people are busy preaching them while they are preaching a true gospel

@RippleE.M.P 2 ай бұрын

As a Bi-exjw thank you for this video, while im still in the closet from my parents im always looking for inspiration and help through the hard times

@rebeccawyse5562 6 ай бұрын

I never read my kids journals...thats a big no know. My parents didn't read mine either, and I had crazy and sensible stuff in there. 34:57

@tellusorbit 6 ай бұрын

I have been told there is a "gay underground" at both the Warwick and Patterson locations. Is that true?

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

Sadly I was such a naive goody-two shoes I thought i was the only gay guy at bethel. I was told later by another gay ex jw bethalite there was plenty of gay sex being had. I was, sadly, never aware of this.

@genshiyami 4 ай бұрын

Holy Crap! At 22:58? "When he says hold..." (I got a call!)

@fromashesphoenixrose 6 ай бұрын

You all are so lovely. I wish you all the best. I'm blown away by the stength and courage of exjws (and other ex cultists). Thank you for sharing. It helps me process and heal. I feel solidarity here.

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

I have found that hearing others stories had been healing for me. And I wanted to give back.

@Ira_Ross 6 ай бұрын

I never noticed the guy with the spike in his head.

@DiffiCULTChildhood 6 ай бұрын

Me neither for the longest time. It’s almost like they tried to tone it down by putting lots of intense colors around the pool of blood gushing out of his head. So weird. -Jason

@johndefalque5061 3 ай бұрын

My mom raised us w/out religion. I grew up with the Golden Treasury of Myths and Legends-a very good primer for kids. My grandpa intruduced me to Catholicism. It never took with me, I went only because we always went to a resto after mass. So boring an hour seems like an eternity!

@Alisha-zq6vh 6 ай бұрын

Fabulous interview! Only 5 minutes in, and I was dying laughing. The Losch story was simply jaw-dropping, smh. Mike I'm happy for you and glad you're living your most authentic life! 💜 🌈

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

If I remember correctly it was all some complicated prophecy stuff that no one wanted to hear at 7 am.

@Vale-kg3vd 3 ай бұрын

Lots of respect for you

@jessicabland6134 3 ай бұрын

The whole sitting at either the kids table or adults table.. I'm not JW, never have been. But my younger sister's family was real big on the separation. Well. My ex step sisters and ex cousins treated me like shit. My dad passed shortly passed after I was born. So my mom remarried. I got my two sisters from that. But all of those kids that are "family by blood" treated me like garbage. One holiday dinner it got really bad. So I went into the dining room crying and my Mom picked me up and had me sit on her lap. Kids weren't allowed at the nice table. But my Mom told them that she's not letting me go back in the other room just to get made fun of again. (Context.. I was 5 years old) that family was a huge "kids don't speak until spoken to" type. But my mom never let that crap fly. I say at the adults table every holiday after that. The other kids wouldn't bully me. And I just sat there being respectful and quiet. Aside from a "hey could you pass me (whatever food I wanted from the trays of food)" that's the only thing I'd say. I sat in the chair next to my Mom on every holiday dinner from then on out

@DiffiCULTChildhood 3 ай бұрын

@@jessicabland6134 I love this little story!! Where would be without the mommas that fight for their babies? She sounds amazing & although I'm sorry you went through it, I have no doubts it make you into the same kind of woman, one that protects those who need it. That's beautiful. Thank you for watching & sharing! -Falon

@ThatWomanJezebel 6 ай бұрын

And is that Pat Benatar in the background!?!

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

Sheena Easton. But I love Pat, too!

@danielariass1943 6 ай бұрын

I was in the same situation you were I was a Bethelite in my country

@bearwoody 6 ай бұрын

Bold words those! Heh heh. My mother used the word "brazen," which adds another sinful and wicked layer to the word "bold." Thanks for sharing your story, Mike.

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

It's amazing how we remember these interactions. I felt I saw a side of my mother I never saw before.

@skyone2380 6 ай бұрын

Hola saludos bendiciones para todos 🎉🎉🎉

@johndefalque5061 3 ай бұрын

I stopped going to church at age 18 after 2 bouncers threw me out of a KH in Nanaimo at age 18. I landed face first in the gravel. I went instant communist. I travelled the red world and lived in China for 5 yrs. Been commie for 100% of my adult life, still am. No billionires and no homeless!

@DiffiCULTChildhood Ай бұрын

Ouch! Attendants aren't supposed to touch people when they're escorted out. That's a weird experience you had. Sorry bud. -Jason

@johndefalque5061 3 ай бұрын

You can't change who you are-to thine ownself be true. I'm autistic, which means I am often misdiagnosed as an #sshole. No not going for an excorcism! Hermit-don't socialize! Not a team player! Not good with authority! All the seconds of my life when I thought I believed, would add up to less than 30 secs.

@ThatWomanJezebel 6 ай бұрын

Interesting you talk about the amount of alcohol bottles. Goatlike Personality also posted something about that exact same thing in a different country. Obviously we know it’s quite the problem amongst the J-dubz.

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

I forgot to mention the building I cleaned had over 10 floors, each floor with their own recycling bins. So the amount of alcohol bottles in this one building, especially after weekends, was huge.

@DiffiCULTChildhood 6 ай бұрын

Great username! Also, agreed www.youtube.com/@GoatlikePersonality is an excellent channel.

@DiffiCULTChildhood 6 ай бұрын

Much of it paid for with "dedicated funds" no doubt.

@darrylgaines2540 3 ай бұрын

I was born into this hell left at 17 I have NO memory of it so strange I told my mother that it was bullshit when I was 11 and completely checked out

@danielariass1943 6 ай бұрын

Why did you dissociated 😢?

@mikegonzalez503 6 ай бұрын

I wanted no part of a religion that goes out of its way to stigmatize the lgbtq community. I got baptized as a young teenager who grew up in the religion. I wanted to take this action to stand up for myself.

@CoralQuintyne 5 ай бұрын

From Bethel to freedom. Is homosexuality freedom? I am no longer a JW, but my moral integrity will always remain in tact, and never be compromised. I believe you left the org. to practice your bullshit. JWs, have hurt a lot of people including me, but there are still some GOOD things about the org.

@DiffiCULTChildhood 5 ай бұрын

It may surprise you to know that we actually did a video on some of the positive experiences our time in the org provided. When you're ready stop leaving impolite comments, you may have the free time to watch it. 😉

@mikegonzalez503 5 ай бұрын

I mean you can believe whatever you want. Amazes me your "moral integrity" required you to spout such judgement. Oh and happy pride!🏳️‍🌈

@grammargoddessNYC 4 ай бұрын

But your "morals" allowed you to leave this rude, inappropriate, disrespectful, comment, when you should be focused on yourself and why you felt so compelled to leave this comment. That keyboard courage is something else.

@CoralQuintyne 4 ай бұрын

@@grammargoddessNYC I left the org because of spiritual and emotional abuse. I am sorry if I was rude, but I don't believe anyone was born a homosexual. I believe it is a choice.

@NewSkiwi 3 ай бұрын

@@CoralQuintyneYou need to educate yourself, clearly.