Today we meet Jake, a 26-year-old former Jehovah's Witness. Jake discusses his upbringing in the religion, being a fourth-generation member on his mother's side and third-generation on his father's side, and the pressure to conform. He shares his experiences with a limited worldview, internal conflict about "worldly" people, and the impact of his father's alcoholism and abuse on his family life, leading to his own depression. The conversation covers his eventual "waking up" to the organization's flaws, the realization and acceptance of his identity as a gay man, and the subsequent shunning by his family and the organization. Finally, Jake talks about his journey of healing, self-discovery, and pursuit of education and future political aspirations after leaving the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses.

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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. Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

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