Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses-Critical Thinkers » Critical Thought Podcast

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Interviewing individuals has been one of the main staples of our YouTube channel. It is interesting meeting so many devoted persons, seeking to find the truth and live genuine lives. Harriet is one such individual. You will enjoy learning about her experience as she states how she got caught up with the Jehovah's Witnesses and their love bombing, thinking she was joining a group that had good integrity, love and concern all to find out it was superficial.

She leaves the organization without reservation and 43 years later returns to the group thinking they have made major changes. All to discover that it's a different time period but the same ole tactics packaged in a different box.

You've got to hear her story as she relates information about losing her child, and writing about her personal experiences to assist and comfort others.

Be sure to get a copy of her book online at the following link:

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/exjwcriticalthinker 
 
Check out our videos on why we left the Why We Left the Jehovah's Witnesses
 
https://youtu.be/rqYUCV4FHI4
https://youtu.be/bLaSB9P2MEE
 
Visit us on the Web at http://www.exjwcriticalthinker.com 
 
SUBSCRIBE to us on YouTube http://bit.ly/2p9RTSC 

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MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
https://www.betterup.com/blog/mental-health-awareness
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help
https://www.mhanational.org/finding-therapy
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm 
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/
 
You can also Google your Local Mental Health providers for those that live in different countries other than North America.

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00;00;20;07 - 00;01;00;13
Speaker 1
The patient was diagnosed by a psychiatrist as a paranoid schizophrenic after ten years, he was pronounced incurable and was able to stay out of the mental institution only by taking three pills every day. And then one of Jehovah's Witnesses calling from house to house managed to start a Bible study with him. After eight months, the man needed no more pills, and four months later he was pronounced fully cured.

00;01;00;18 - 00;01;39;00

Then there was the woman in Michigan who for many years had received regular psychotherapy shock treatments and had spent $5,000 on drug treatment. Yet she still kept threatening suicide. After studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses, she was able to discontinue taking drugs as well as quit smoking. She found her psychiatrist to tell him that now she felt better than she had ever felt before, and what accounted for it?
He replied that he wished all of his patients could find a cure like that.

00;01;46;04 - 00;02;23;16

The two experiences that you just heard, they came from the April 22nd, 1975, a week magazine. These types of articles form the foundation and the basis for the type of culture that exists among Jehovah's Witnesses. For decades, and that is people who are struggling with mental health issues. It is because you are spiritually weak. And so by citing examples of someone who had an incurable situation in their life with schizophrenia, that by reading our magazines they were cured.

These types of articles were used by elders, circuit overseers and speakers all around the world to tell the Jehovah's Witnesses just read our magazines and your problems will be fixed.

00;02;38;28 - 00;03;07;19

Hi, this is Lady Cee. Welcome to the critical thought. In the upcoming episode, we're going to be talking about Jehovah's Witnesses and mental health awareness. In fact, we have a series of videos that we're going to be covering under this umbrella, talking about mental health awareness, because a lot of people, they may be experiencing these issues in their lives, but they don't realize it.

And we also teamed up with a mental health professional who is going to weigh in on this matter.

00;03;17;03 - 00;03;40;25

There is still a stigma when it comes to mental health. Individuals perceive mental health as, you know, that something is wrong with me. You know, I'm flawed. Know there's a deficit. I think we are addressing that stigma by taking more of a strength based approach to addressing mental health. Not what's wrong with you, but what's right about you.

Maybe. Maybe we've forgotten what was right about me. Through whatever circumstances.
Of situations that.
I've I've gone into in my life. In the mind is interesting. We can get so focused on that algorithm of negativity, too, where we only see what we believe and then.

00;04;11;07 - 00;04;23;06

Hi, I'm Daniel. I am JT and the purpose of this video is to speak to you about how the Watchtower creates mental health issues for its members. Okay, JT, let's start.

00;04;23;09 - 00;04;32;11
Speaker 2
Yeah, that is something that you will find in this religion is the mental health concerns that people will end up finding themselves dealing with.

00;04;33;00 - 00;04;52;06
Speaker 3
Mm hmm. Well, a few weeks ago, we released a video, and we made the point that the Watchtower, the governing body, the witnesses and the society as a whole basically were the modern day Pharisees, but they were the modern day Pharisees because they were creating manmade mandates. Do you remember.

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In this episode, Shayla Hudson Riggle discusses her experience growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and how after a family secret finally came to life, she wanted to know what else they were lying about. The decision to do further investigation about Jehovah's Witnesses lead her directly to exjw critical thinkers youtube channel.

She is excited to wake up to the truth about the religion and is sharing her personal story about how she woke up and began walking in her own path. 

Shayla has her own production company, successfully making strides in her life. You can learn more about her company at:

https://shoutoutla.com/meet-shayla-hudson-riggle-ceo-partner-executive-producer/
https://www.rigglemethat.org/meet-the-team

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In the month of September, the Jehovah's Witnesses are planning to offer free home Bible studies. If you happen to find yourself in their audience, this podcast will help you to prepare to ask questions that can help you keep from getting caught in their hamster wheel. 

Most people are unaware of the Jehovah's Witness culture and how they do their recruiting. It means that you could find yourself in a situation not realizing how you got there.

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Letter to the Body of Elders Seeking Lawyers - https://imgur.com/HivxGbX

In this podcast, JT delivers a powerful discourse about Jehovah's Witnesses and Education.

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In this episode, the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses shared an analogy on the world wide platform asking a very pointed question about little babies comparing them to little angels or enemies of God.

We discuss the ramifications of what this means in the Jehovah's Witness community and how it will no doubt play out in the lives of the members of this group.

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Recently, we received an email from an anesthesiologist discussing his experience with Jehovah's Witnesses secretly taking blood.

In this podcast, we discuss the situation with Jehovah's Witnesses and how our guest, Shauna, was faced with this dilemma. Find out how she and her family handled their situation in this podcast.

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Begin Email message from anesthesiologist:

Hello. I found you guys on the Internet. I’m a[n] anesthesiologist. I have a question for you. What percentage of those witnesses would take a blood transfusion if it could be absolutely guaranteed where no one will ever find out?

I have had several patients that in the operating room, I asked them before going to sleep if they would receive blood. They have said ‘no blood’ in the presence of  family in the preoperative area. However when alone in the operating room with no family members around, they have said that they will, in fact, accept blood in the operating room as long as nobody finds out. This has happened a number of times. A recent case where a woman that I had as a patient almost died until we got her to the operating room and were able to give her blood anonymously.

We’re trying to develop a policy in the hospital somehow to be able to give JWs the option of a truly free decision on whether or not they want to receive blood without the pressure of being in the presence of family and church vampires about.

Any of your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

End Email


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To learn more about our Guest Shauna, be sure to check out the interview we did where she and her husband shared their experience on our YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on42UtqJZEs&t=619s

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The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses stakes claims that they are Gods Spokesmen. 

Check out this quote from their 2013 Watchtower:

"At that time, the lifesaving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not."

November 15, 2013 Watchtower, p.20

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If you know the history behind the Jehovah's Witness religion, you are well aware of how it feels being at odds with the beliefs once you realize it is not the truth. Many JW's are in a quandary where they have to fake it just to survive. That is what being a PIMO is all about. It is an acronym for Physically In, Mentally Out. To further explain, it's all about pretending to believe so that you don't lose your family and social structure.

The term PIMO was coined several years ago to identify the growing number of individuals that are trapped in the religion for one reason or another. Because of the strict shunning  policy, Jehovah's Witnesses realize they can lose everything if they allow others to know how they truly feel about the organization. They stand to lose their marriage, job, friends, home, and anything else that connects them to a person that holds the cards to any situation as it relates to their livelihood.

This podcast delves into the lives of members at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses aka Bethel. During the COVID-19 lockdown, members at Bethel experienced a very turbulent time as they were not permitted to leave the premises. They report alcohol abuse, domestic violence, depression and even suicidal thoughts.

Source of this video: exjwbethelelder (Reddit)
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/v9mgao/a_special_message_from_a_pimo_bethel_elder_see/

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