What does it cost to walk away from the only life you've ever known? In this episode, former members of the Jehovah's Witnesses share their deeply personal stories of leaving the organization. A former Elder reflects on the pain of losing his family and community, while another guest recalls the joy of celebrating her birthday for the first time - at 19. 

We explore the emotional toll of shunning and abandonment, the journey of reclaiming identity, and the complicated freedom that follows. We also examine the history of the Jehovah's Witnesses and the harm the organization continues to inflict today. This is a conversation about courage, loss, and liberation. 

We received the most voice memos for this episode than we ever have. We tried to include as many of them as we could but we know there are many of you out there who have your own story to tell when it comes to leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses. Feel free to share your story with us at [email protected]. 

Guests: Tony Rasonsky & Julie Cassotta 

National Resources: r/exjw, jwfacts.com, jw.support.com, Silent Lambs, Recovering From Religion 

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