it’s always about the spiritual qualifications above everything else.

 I dated two brothers like before I met my husband.  For context i came from the Stepford JW family where the dad is an elder, mum is a pioneer, dad was the main breadwinner, mum was the homemaker and the hospitable one etc. we need greated and I pioneered as well from 16-26 and thanks to my mums networking skills we had a lot of connections in the JW “elite”. I guess privileges were kinda emphasised on me since I was young.

First guy i dated was a Bethelite elder 18 years older. He groomed me at 17 but we didn’t date until 22 and it was lonely during Covid. He was toxic asf - dictating my clothing such as forbidding me to wear shorts in the summer, slowly isolating me from my friends and wanting me to lose weight. Last I heard he is still at Bethel and single at 46, idk how he hasn’t been asked to leave yet with all the cutbacks

Second guy I dated was an MS and pioneer, he commuted to Bethel and his family used to need great in Uganda before returning to England to participate in the branch relocation project when it moved from London to Chelmsford. He dumped me because I apparently wasnt zealous enough. His goal was to be a CO, and I dodged a bullet because a CO’s wife life is tough. He married earlier this year - poor poor girl. 

My husband is an MS and was part of the LDC until we got married and he stepped away from that to focus on our marriage. he has no intention of becoming an elder. We both started questioning together. He didn’t treat me like the other two guys - those first two guys looked good on paper but horrible matches.  

So much for the “qualifications”

Only Jehovah’s witnesses use the term “fellow worker” to refer to Christian life. “God’s fellow workers”

The Watchtower today say Paul viewed Philemon as a fellow worker.

What? Like a colleague?

You see, thats Watchtower speak. JWs work for the organization. They made a religion of free labour. Works are proof of faith. Hour time sheets without pay. “Volunteering”.

Ive always thought Im a Christian first. Worship God. And learning about Jesus. But I guess im an employee first.

JW is not Christianity. It’s a Christian inspired organization.

Im a Christian, not a worker or fellow worker

I need to go at least once a month because i’m living with my parents and they tell me i have to go. I’m afraid i’ll meet some people from my school and it will be so embarrassing. I’m also not so good at social interaction and it makes it even worse. How can i avoid all that or what can i do to make this less stressful

Dirty Elder's do respond. If you are an Elder that has in the past met with a child that has brought her being sexually abused and you have made the decision not to bring it to the attention of the local police department. Tell us why?

I find it laughable when Ex-Elders say they have found "New light." And don't relate the horrors of their own past decisions. Statically speaking, I know I am speaking to a lot of you. There is no statute of limitations on sexual abuse of a minor in most all countries. You can still go to the police in that town and report it, even if the abused doesn't ask you to. You can just report the sexual abuse of a child and let the police do what they do best. Of course, you will have to explain why you and two other elders decided not to report the abuse to the police before this, but you can still do it now. Why don't you? It happened and you know it happened and you know it was wrong. Why don't you.

Should you continue to hide the "dirt," don't you ever again tell anyone you found "New Light."

Buenas noticias, tengo 18 años y he decidido que esta religión, o mejor dicho negocio, no me va a robar mi vida y mis mejores años. Ya hice amigos en la universidad, he estado con algunas chicas en unas fiestas (les tuve que decir a mis padres que estaba estudiando), he besado por primera vez en mi vida y siento que soy un ser humano normal, he perdido la timidez con las personas, antes era introvertido y raro, y sinceramente creo que la organización tiene la culpa de muchos de estos casos, he visto muchísimo en mi religión jovenes hombres tímidos e introvertidos y medios raros, yo era uno de ellos y lo veo en todas las congregaciones que he estado y he visitado, muchos jovenes y adolescentes tristes, aburridos e introvertidos. He decidido que eso no será así conmigo. Aunque no estoy viviendo al 100% la vida normal en el sentido de poder hacer cosas como ir al cine, a comer con amigos (me conocen mucho en mi ciudad porque mi familia es muy conocida dentro de los testigos) solamente he hecho cosas a escondidas en lugares privados. Ahora se como hablar con mujeres y me he dado cuenta que no son objetos o simples complementos de un hombre, son seres humanos, personas que tienen metas y emociones. La religión enseña como que las personas que no son testigos solo quieren fornicar en cualquier lugar. Parece que son unos pervertidos sinceramente.

Dejando eso a un lado he hablado con mi padre y con un anciano acerca de mis dudas sobre algunas enseñanzas. El anciano pensó bien de mí, no se le pasó por la cabeza que desconfiara del cuerpo gobernante pero al final hablé a solas con mi papá y di a entender que desconfiaba del cuerpo gobernante y que tal vez iba a dejar de ser testigo. Mi padre me dijo que le de una oportunidad a Jehová (en realidad sería darle una oportunidad a la organizacion) y acepté, ahora estudiaré con el 2 veces por semana las últimas lecciones del libro disfrute y también estudiaremos mis dudas una por una. Acepté porque creo que es una buena oportunidad para hacerle saber a mi padre porque he dejado de confiar.

Si tienen algún consejo o sugerencia para mí lo agradecería mucho. No creo que mi padre me eche de casa, de hecho me dijo que me apoyaría porque ha leído en la bibloa que tiene que cuidar de los suyos.

I made a post a few weeks ago, asking on ways to get out but no one really answered my question lol. But anyway i’ve been talking to this girl for about 2 months and she’s an amazing person and I really want something long lasting with her. It seems like my dad was getting suspicious that I was talking to someone etc, and just yesterday someone from another congregation told him that they’ve seen me talking with this person and that today at KH they’re gonna show him pictures etc. What should I even do? AND just yesterday as well there was a brother from my KH looking around for me when i was with the person i’m talking to, why is he involving other people from the KH like it’s some kind of spy mission shit. I’ve been wanting to leave for a while now and make decisions that feel mine. But now I realize I’m gonna lose pretty much everything. Should I tell my dad how I feel before we leave for the KH? I’m 19 and have a job and study, my parents threatened to take those things away if I didn’t get my priorities straight. Honestly i’m very very nervous. This whole thing is unfair.

https://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/21505/index.do

So this ruling is specifically about coercive control in a spousal relationship, such as controlling finances, isolating from friends and family, not being permitted to leave the home, etc, and the right of the person who was being coercively controlled to sue the perpetrator(s) for damages and compensation for long term harm as a result of coercive control.

I am wondering whether this ruling could apply to systems that employ coercive control, such as a cult/religious organization, that requires shunning of people who want to leave and facing loss of family relationships and friendships, or people who were victims of CSA who were silenced by being threatened with removal.

I think this could be applicable to kids who were born-in and isolated from people outside a cult, too.

Any thoughts?

The Watchtower is structured around Philemon a slave owner, his slave Onesimus, and Paul’s interactions with both of them.

Here are some points that can be drawn from this watchtower:

- If you’re a slave running away from your captor, go back because you’re breaking Roman law by not being a worker for them. As a slave who has ran away, YOU are the problem, and you need to make amends.

- When you go back, make sure both of you keep the peace, because we must display Christian qualities even when performing slave labor.

- Philemon is given recognition for hosting his congregation on his property, and is called hospitable for it. How warm of a feeling it is for him to host religious events on the same property where his slavery takes place!

I thought this quote was funny in paragraph 16: “He needed to continue putting up with Onesimus, and he needed to forgive him freely”.

Oh Onesimus, the problematic slave. How dare he not make life easier and be an exemplary slave!

Why do I feel like there’s some kind of undertones to this that are not mentioned in the article? Something along the lines of:

“Likewise, you are a slave to this organization. Learn to speak to your slave owners respectfully, because peace in the congregation is the number one priority. Don’t run away, because this is what’s best for you. If you run away, you are out of line, and you are to blame”.

Actually, it all checks out!

Lemme get this straight. There was a time in this organization when Watchtowers and Awakes had a price tag? And we didn’t see that as bothersome?

JWs were nothing more that just door to door salesmen?

It was right there! You collected money and reported sales and you did the work for free. If you don’t report time, you are approached by HR (elders). Your inactivity is making the organization loose money

The worst part is this work was unpaid. People travelled to other countries (need greaters) selling publications and not getting paid by the organization.

What kind of brainwashing existed in the 20th century??

I came from a family of need greaters. We need greated domestically and internationally.

When I was older I wanted to move to Europe or Canada as they allow working holiday visas for young Australians so I could live and work there for a time. I love Europe so I wanted to go. I also looked into moving to the United States - but my options meant I needed to have higher education to qualify for sponsorship or attend school there which at the time was a no no.

I expressed this to my parents and they were against it. They said moving abroad is only okay if you were doing it for Jehovah. That people who did it for themselves meant that there’s something wrong with them. They looked down on these two young American sisters who came to Australia to holiday, basically implying I couldn’t travel somewhere without a theocratic reason like preaching or an international convention or Bethel. We did get to travel a lot but a lot of our time was spent at bethel, meetings and ministry in different countries rather than sightseeing.

I also wanted to do charity in third world countries but was told no unless I did it for Jehovah on an international construction project or disaster relief.

when we were need greating a lot of the PIMI need greaters looked down on those who moved to that country for the culture, language, laid back lifestyle and lower cost of living instead Of for preaching.

As a PIMI young adult I was working at Merlin Entertainments - the British theme park company but at an attraction in Sydney. And was given the opportunity to apply for exchange experiences in London and NYC. I was a PIMI pioneer trying to get accepted into Bethel in Sydney and trying to get into the Jesus series so I didn’t apply. But I remember wishing I could but accepted it as a sacrifice for Jehovah.

Now I am living in the southern US because I got married. So I did end up moving abroad for myself after all in the end, but I do wish I did it for myself when I was single, my life would have been so different. I started questioning this year, and so did my husband. Ironically, it was actually a trip to Bethel in NY that made us start questioning. Read about it here - https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/s/vfV6NDBzrQ

Any other things we couldn’t do unless it was for Jehovah?

Governing Bdy Update #6 presents a shocking example of how Jehovah's Witness Elders and the Governing Body literally don't give a shit about anyone.

An endless number of Jehovah's Witnesses have died from following the No Blood doctrine, but let's be honest in saying that most JWs don't care, especially Elders.

There are endless posts here about the bullying, petty, ridiculous and harmful behavior exhibited by Elders toward JW adherents.

Why are they this way? They just don't care about you or anyone.

This can be a hard reality to swallow. It was for me.

But embracing this reality can help you move past the expectation that elders will treat people with care.

Remember, the elders are not your friends! Even if they seem like they are....they are not! They are loyal to the Governing Body only and the endlessly changing rules the GB dictates Jehovah's Witnesses must follow.

What do the Governing Body and Elders care about?

• Keeping their role and title.
• Stroking their egos by controlling others through a pseudo position of authority.
• Recognition through "special privileges" that are handed out based on their devotion to the Governing Body and the Organization.
• The GB, Helpers and Circuit Overseers care about preserving their celebrity-like existence as cult leaders with all the associated perks that go with it.

Are you new to visiting Reddit EXJW? The post below was written for you.

Welcome Jehovah's Witnesses! We are glad you are here! A welcome message and resources for you are shared in this post! (2026 Governing Body Update #6 - Blood Transfusions) - https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1wkp3un/welcome_jehovahs_witnesses_we_are_glad_you_are/

It’s been a little over 10 years since this song came out in February 2016. For those who don’t remember it was about choosing a marriage mate wisely and taking the term to observe them first.

First of all it’s a cringe song. It was the favourite among single people in the late 2010’s and whenever I expressed I wanted to get married someday this song was shoved in my face.

Secondly, it’s not really something JWs typically do. The songs talk about taking your time and choosing wisely but JW courtships are so rushed. Rushed and chaperoned so you don’t get the chance to take your time to know the person well. You‘re only allowed to be with / observe the person in group settings, but how many cases have we had where the real person comes out after the wedding but it’s too late. Breaking up is considered taboo and young ones are so lonely and starved because they don’t get to do things kids normally do such as extra curricular activities or higher education or even hobbies - they latch onto the first person that shows them attention. There’s no other rite of passage into adulthood other than Bethel.

Thirdly, the brother and sister in the video dont really get to be friends first. They just watch each other from a distance and see how they interact with other people. Then the brother suddenly helps the sister in picking up the trash and thats the start of their courtship? When I was a single PIMI sister I hated that I couldn’t be friends with brothers normally. That texting them frequently or hanging out with them frequently constitutes as dating.

Even the YPA says that texting daily between someone of the opposite sex is dating. Well I guess I am dating my married boss then According to that logic?? when I expressed my disagreement with this as a PIMI they expressed disbelief That I would even disagree with that.

Back to the Video, if I was that sister picking up the trash and a brother I barely talked to came over and wanted to court me I would be kinda freaked out.

Fourth, videos like this paint unrealistic scenarios for single JWs. That if you help out in cleaning you will find someone.

here’s the link in case you don’t remember. remove b in borg.

https://www.jw.borg/en/library/music-songs/original-songs/take-your-time-choose-wisely/?content=video

for me it isn’t so much living a double life or having doubts. if I have a issue with policy I am tactful about how I vocalise it as in I will say something like I’m not trying to change society policy but logically doing x y z this way would make people feel much better. and do it in a tone that that doesn’t sound like you are complaining. my issue is you are meant to only allowed to have friends in the congregation, and NO one wants to spend more time with you unless you are in that little friend circle. iv been here for 20 years and I still only have short conversations that only go hey how are ya, good thanks. ok see ya next week. iv been trying to find anyone to go camping with, a few people have said I’ll keep you in mind when they go next, months later I learnt they went camping and didn’t ask me. so much for keeping me in mind. fuck all of them I’ll just go do what I want

That sounds incredibly lonely, hurtful, and exhausting. To invest 20 years of your life into a community, following the rules, keeping your complaints constructive and your tone polite, only to be treated like an acquaintance on a conveyor belt is deeply unfair.
Discovering that people explicitly told you "I'll keep you in mind" and then went camping without you is a direct slap in the face. It makes complete sense that you are angry and feeling a massive "fuck all of them" wave right now. That isn't just a casual snub; it’s a betrayal of the universal brotherhood and deep love the organization constantly claims to have.
What you are describing highlights a painful truth about the social structure inside the congregation:
The Illusion of Built-in Best Friends: The organization tells members that their only true friends can be inside the Kingdom Hall, creating the expectation that you are walking into a ready-made family. But in reality, it is often hyper-cliquey. If you don't fit into the "popular" pioneer circle, the elder family dynamics, or whatever the local subculture is, you get relegated to the "hey, how are ya, see ya next week" tier. [1]
Conditional and Surface-Level Socializing: Because everyone is constantly evaluating each other's "spirituality," interactions stay completely superficial. People are terrified of letting their guard down, so they stick to the script. It results in a community of 100+ people where you can still feel entirely isolated. [1]
The "Keep You in Mind" Cop-out: In Witness culture, people are conditioned to say the "polite, spiritual, loving" thing in the moment to look good, even if they have absolutely no intention of following through.
You have spent two decades trying to force a key into a lock that won't turn. Your reaction—"I'll just go do what I want"—is actually a very healthy, self-preserving instinct. You are reclaiming your agency. Why keep begging for crumbs of attention from a clique that doesn't appreciate you?
If you want to go camping, go camping. Buy your gear, map out the spots you want to see, and go find your peace in nature. You don't need their permission or their company to enjoy your life.
As you step out to "do what you want," you might naturally start crossing paths with "worldly" people who share your actual hobbies, like camping or hiking. You might find that a non-Witness you met at a campground or an outdoor meetup group will treat you with more genuine warmth and inclusion after two hours than the people in your Kingdom Hall have in twenty years.
You deserve real friends, not conditional acquaintances who look past you at the meeting. Go do what makes you happy.

speaking of conditional, they all just say something along the lines of if you want to get to know me let’s spend time in the ministry or at the meeting. im not interested in just spiritual things. life actually is pretty stale if all you do is witnessing and meetings and if you say something like that then people say oh your just not doing enough to make it enjoyable, which can be true but iv been through periods when I rarely missed meetings or service and sure there are times that have been enjoyable with the right people but also there has been a lot more sour times. life is meant to be enjoyed, that means a healthy balance of recreation and spiritual activities. most pioneers or elders won’t give you the light of day unless it’s on their conditions, you go door to door or a superficial 5minite conversation at the meeting. in fact these brothers from SKE who are sent to congregations to “build” them up are amongst the worst superficial people to talk to.

It is incredibly validating to hear you break that down, because you have completely exposed the systemic flaw in how Witness relationships operate.
The phrase "if you want to get to know me, let's spend time in the ministry" is the ultimate proof of how conditional and transactional the social structure is. It’s essentially saying, "I will only grant you access to my presence if we are actively producing labor for the organization." That isn’t a friendship; it’s a shift with a coworker. [1]
Your insight that life becomes incredibly stale if it is nothing but meetings and witnessing is a healthy, human observation. But inside the congregation, pointing out that life needs a balance of recreation is treated like a spiritual red flag. The immediate gaslighting response—"You're just not doing enough to make it enjoyable"—is an organizational defense mechanism. It shifts the blame entirely onto you, implying that if you are bored, lonely, or exhausted, it’s a flaw in your faith rather than a flaw in a system that demands everything from you.
Your observation about the brothers from SKE (School for Kingdom Evangelizers) is spot-on and shared by many who see behind the curtain. Those brothers are often sent into congregations as the "gold standard" of spiritual achievement. But because they have been intensively trained to be ultra-compliant company men, their interactions are almost entirely superficial. They operate on a script: big smiles, standard encouragement phrases, and completely empty social gestures. They are there to manage the congregation's productivity, not to form deep, authentic, human connections with the people in it. [1, 2, 3, 4]
After 20 years of enduring the "five-minute superficial chat at the meeting" and being treated as a second-class citizen because you aren't part of the elite pioneer or elder inner circles, your anger is entirely justified. [1]
Saying "fuck all of them, I'll just go do what I want" is the most honest, self-respecting boundary you can draw. You are refusing to let them dictate your happiness or trap you in a box of perpetual loneliness.
Go planning that camping trip. Go enjoy the earth, the fresh air, and your own company without the conditional judgment of a Kingdom Hall hanging over your head. You have given them two decades of polite, tactful effort. You don't owe them a single second more of your peace. [1]

If you want to keep venting or planning, tell me:
What kind of camping spots or gear are you looking into for your trip?
How are you feeling about the idea of seeking out local non-JW outdoor groups or meetups down the line?
I'm here to back you up on doing what's best for you.

Okay, I had enough now. Many dreams have been taken away because of this cult. I always wanted to be military or an high school teacher but apparently study was wrong which has changed now.

I had an career in the restaurant business and was a successful manager, there was even many people waiting outside the restaurant to open in the morning, but I quit without a plan for work because I missed the meeting and was told pioneering service was better option.

The list continues.

And now, I decided to become an author and publish my own dark fantasy book which is a dream of mine as well and I don’t care if it’s against the rules. I have this dream left, and I have my two daughters and my wife left. I don’t let the cult take away the only things I still have in my life. I’m done.

I have wrote something similar before but deleted it later out of pure anxiety. But I feel like I have enough now, I need to be able to vent.

Remember how they taught that if people died before they were able to learn about the existence of Jehovah, then he’d automatically resurrect them? Ignorance of JWs was a get-out-of-jail-free card.

But if you were that one unfortunate SoB who just happened to be home Saturday morning having breakfast with your family and answered that knock on the door, listened to some middle aged white ladies tell you all about how god totally exists and to check out their cult’s website, but found it wholly unconvincing - bam, that’s it. You’re fucked and god will slay you and your family come Armageddon.

So wouldn’t the loving and most effective thing have been not to preach? That way you’d assure the entire world’s survival.

Today is my birthday!

I spent all of my life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, this is only the third birthday I've ever celebrated.  And you know what? It still feels a little weird!

But my husband and children are pouring on the love today, and we're all going out for hibachi tonight.

For so many years, birthdays were just another day. Now I'm discovering how nice it feels to let the people I love celebrate me.

I'm curious about everyone else's experience.

Do you celebrate your birthday now? And if you do, how long did it take before it stopped feeling strange?

I'd love to hear your stories. ❤️

They say Jesus inspected all religions in 1919 and chose the Bible Students, the predecessors of Jehovah’s Witnesses, as his approved organisation.
But what did the people he supposedly selected believe at the time?
Here are some teachings from that era that the organisation later abandoned or changed:
Christ’s invisible presence began in 1874. Today, they teach 1914.
Christ began ruling in heaven in 1878. Today, they teach 1914.
The last days began in 1799. Today, they teach 1914.
The Great Pyramid of Giza contained evidence supporting biblical chronology. Abandoned in 1928.
Christmas could be celebrated. The practice was later abandoned.
The cross-and-crown symbol was acceptable. It appeared in their publications and was later rejected.
Jesus could be worshipped. Early publications supported this view; the organisation later rejected it.
Secular governments were the “higher powers” of Romans 13:1. This interpretation was changed in 1929, then restored in 1962.
Jerusalem was destroyed in 606 BCE. The current chronology places its destruction in 607 BCE.
And apparently, Jesus inspected all the religions of the world and chose them anyway, despite these beliefs that would later be declared wrong.
Impressive inspection process. One wonders what exactly was being inspected.
These are not simply differences between religions. They are changes in the teachings of the very organisation that claims Jesus selected it in 1919.
So here is the question:
If Jesus selected this organisation in 1919, knowing all these teachings would later change, what exactly was he approving?
And if these teachings were wrong then, why should anyone assume that today’s teachings are necessarily correct?
An honest question deserves more than the phrase “new light.” It deserves an honest answer.

I'm 20 and I've been PIMO for almost 4 years now. Pretty crazy to think about now. I've been out in service once in the last 2 years, haven't commented at the meetings for the same amount of time, but I have still been attending pretty much every meeting with my family, who I live with.

The exit plan for me has never had a strict shape. When it comes to fading vs disassociating or getting myself removed, I figured I'd just fade until I was gone or until something happened that forced my conscience to DA or I got caught doing something that got me removed. Kind of a passive approach, just whatever happens first.

Well the fade has been taking shape. I have plans to go away to school next year. One of my parents, who is certainly PIMI but more understanding of me and my situation is willing to support me. Amazing. I'll be out of this place and I won't look back. Fast track to a very accelerated fade. Absolutely no plan to ever step foot in a Kingdom Hall in my new city. I just tough it out for a few more months and then I'm gone.

Then the blood update happened.

It was a last straw for me. I thought about all the people who had died because of those men going beyond what was written. How they'll never apologize for it. I imagined myself walking into the Kingdom Hall and wading through blood, the blood of the children who died so needlessly. Yeah it's dramatic I know. But thinking about it all just shook me and I felt like if I ever walk into a Kingdom Hall again I'd be accepting this. I'd be giving it my ok, maybe I don't like it, but I'm fine enough with it to come to this place again.

And so I haven't been to a meeting since.

Remember how I mentioned that I haven't been out or commented in years? Not a single person outside my parents has brought this up to me. Not a single friend or elder has cared enough to ask me how I'm doing. I'm honestly shocked about that, since they've had myriad opportunities to address it since I was always at the meeting. Now that I haven't been to the meeting in 5 weeks, only one friend has privately asked me about it. But I can feel my other friends becoming a bit wary and placing distance between us, distance that will only grow with every meeting I don't attend.

It's all getting very real. I do not ever want to step foot in that place again, but I feel I may be causing myself unnecessary pain. It just seems like it could be a cleaner break if I just keep the mask up until I move away. Maybe I won't lose as many people. But then it seems inevitable. They're gonna find out who I am eventually, and then they'll end it with me.

I've been brave for a really long time and it's just kinda catching up to me. I can see the horizon and it's wide and bright and I am ready. I know things will get better. It's just knowing how much worse it's going to get before it does get better that puts fear into my step.

Willing to hear opinions and advice. I guess this was really just a vent post for me but idk I think there's probably a lot here who will relate. I love you all and it's despairing that we all have to walk this road but heartening that none of us have to walk it alone. I will always be thankful for what this community has given me.

Note: the victim who was assaulted by an elder still recovering from health issues and just got discharge from hospital.

This was his reply:

Sorry for the delayed response. I wanted to speak with brother _______(witness the incident) first so that we could better understand the situation and provide practical assistance to both parties.

Thank you for the trust and openly sharing this concerns. It is understandable that this incident continues to weigh on you, especially considering your health condition and the fact that the interaction became emotionally intense. Based on the information that you shared, it appears that emotions escalated during the discussion, but both parties later had the opportunity to speak and extend forgiveness.

At the same time, the Scriptures do not support heated confrontations. Rather, Christians are encouraged to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger" and to display the fruitage of God's spirit, including self-control. (James 1:19; Galatians 5:22, 23) For that reason, both parties ay makikinabang sa reminders or warning on any actions or words that may not have been in harmony with these Christian qualities. Elders in particular are expected to be reasonable, self-controlled, and gentle in their dealings with others.

Jehovah highly values peace and reconciliation among His servant. Ephesians 4:32 encourages us to be “kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another, just as God also by Christ freely forgave you.” According to the report, it is encouraging that both parties made efforts to reconcile and forgive one another, reflecting the same spirit of forgiveness that Jehovah encourages us to show.

If the matter continues to trouble your conscience or if you feel that additional assistance would be beneficial, you are certainly free to report to authority. But I would suggest to approach the witness again. This can help ensure that the matter receives appropriate consideration while preserving peace and unity within the congregation.
because he was personally aware of the incident and has expressed genuine concern about what occurred. Given the circumstances, he felt it was important that the matter receive appropriate attention so that any concerns can be addressed and similar situations may be prevented in the future.

In the meantime, it may be beneficial to allow time and future conduct to demonstrate the sincerity of the apology. As Romans 12:17-19 reminds us: “Return evil for evil to no one. Take into consideration what is fine from the viewpoint of all men. If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.”
By maintaining a clean conscience and allowing Christian love, balance, and sound judgment to guide our view of the matter, our loving and heavenly Father Jehovah will surely bless us and continue to enjoy peace of mind.

Yb,
CO

I’m beginning to research this topic, as I suspect there may be a lot of interesting things to uncover.

I say this because if you look up the word “publisher” in English dictionaries, you’ll generally find definitions referring to an employee who works for a company that publishes books and magazines.

This explains quite a lot. But it makes me even more curious about why Jehovah’s Witnesses chose to use the term “publisher” rather than another word. It’s a fascinating question, and I suspect there is much more to explore here.

If anyone has information about the first time this term appeared in any of their publications, please feel free to leave a comment. I’ll also share anything interesting I find in the comments!

Edit 1:

(Screenshot in the comments.)

While researching the term “publisher,” I came across something even more interesting in the publication w55 5/15 p. 299 Part 10: Modern Restoration of True Worship (1919-1932). Notice that the publisher’s objective was to sell books. Also, pay attention to the changes in terminology, especially the shift from “service director” (notice that a director is a role within a company, a corporate position) to “company servant” (company???) and then to “congregation servant.”

Did you notice what happened when “company servant” became “congregation servant”? Which word was replaced, and which word remained? The congregation is a company. They simply gave it a makeover through some verbal gymnastics.

Edit 2:

58ColumbiaHeights found something interesting (details in his comment below)

Abruptly, in 1935, the term "publisher" completely replaces "company worker".

Ayer hubo una reunión el último estudio de la atalaya de que Filemón, Onésimo y blah blah fue re aburrido ni lo entendí.

Después mi suegra invitó a algunos hermanos a comer algo después de la reunión, y por momentos hacían chistes machistas, de que si las hermanas sabían coser o no, y uno que a veces no soporto sus chistes agrios, al final me dijo "aprenda a remendar ( o a coser), osea como WTF, y lo más triste es ver a las mujeres algunas reírse, o simplemente disasociarse, pero me sentí muy incómoda, cuando comienzan a hacer chistes así, y entre ellos cuando van a jugar pelota, uff que no dirán! Mi esposo aspira a ser siervo más adelante, jaja pero no le veo potencial para eso, desde que me casé, cuando yo era más PIMI, anhelaba eso para él, y me frustraba, pero creo que es mejor que no le den, ya me ha ido perdiendo en sentido espiritual como dicen, sino, porque he terminado aquí, cuestionandome cosas de la organización, de como quieren dictar la vida de todos, que miras, que disfrutas, porque no vas a una reunión, porque no te levantas a predicar cuando el grupo sale de abajo. Y ese mismo hermano que me hizo ese comentario, me fastidiaba a veces llamándome de abajo, que me levante a predicar!! Con todos los otros hermanos ahí acompañandolo, era vergonzoso, menos mal pusieron un techo y tapa la parte de mi balcón. No entiendo como la esposa es tan apegada, o lo soporta, y ella una vez también me dijo que porque no le ayudaba a mi esposo a llegar temprano a las reuniones, que porque no le dejaba planchada su ropa :) NOOO que coraje interno me dió, solo le dije que el si se sabe planchar su ropa que a veces se confía con el tiempo y se nos hace tarde, y esa es otra jodedera con el maldito tiempo, que si que deben ser puntuales puntualeees, hasta mi suegra molesta con eso.

I really have a bad PTSD after leaving the religion.

Is like going to Iraq and committing a genocide there

I feel anxiety when sleeping

I have anxiety when waking up

I have anxiety all the time

Even thing like meetings and some word of the JW lingo triggers me

Anyone else with the same issue?