Page 6 | What would you ask a Jehovah’s Witness if you could?

BreakingCycles · 2026-01-17T19:23:25+00:00

Hello I am doing a bit of personal research for my own curiosity. I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness but managed to get out. Because I was raised in it, my thinking has been shaped differently than people who were not. I am very curious what such people might think about jws. So what have you always wondered about jws but felt you couldn’t ask? Or what are / were your perceptions of them from what you’ve seen around you? No question too small or silly. I appreciate all perspectives with open curiosity. thanks in advance to any who shares!

CharlotteStreetW1 · 31/01/2026 23:18

CrazyCatMam · 17/01/2026 20:10

My perception? A weird cult.

Questions I've always wondered but wouldn't ask:

(This is specific to the jhws from our area - north of Scotland)

Why do all of the jhws have English accents?
Also, why do they all have blonde hair & why are they all window cleaners?

How bizarre, I worked with a JW whose DH was window cleaner! But they were from Wales.

She was one of my favourite people and I could ask her anything, she was very accommodating.

Original poster

BreakingCycles · 31/01/2026 23:21

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 30/01/2026 20:18

My involvement with JWs has been limited to one or two acquaintances plus a number of people knocking at my door over the years. The reason I asked about the "exposure to mainstream hostility as a motivator of retreating to the religion" thing is that I've heard much the same from ex-Mormons.

I can quite understand how repeatedly being treated with derision and contempt would be a powerful motivator to returning to the fold, particularly if "the fold" is one you've been raised in from childhood. It can't be ignored how many people are convinced that the religion they were raised in from birth is the one they grow up to believe as representing The Truth. If you were raised from birth being told that the earth is flat and that anyone who tells you it's round is a victim of a conspiracy, it'd be hard to break away from that too.

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great insight, yes they are similar to mormons. very similar .
their shunning and preaching are all careful tactics to fuel the narratives being pushed
And yes , thank you for understanding the from birth brainwashing. It is the same as how you and I speak english because thats what we were taught. if someone asked you to speak another language instantly you couldnt. and if youd been told to be afraid of anyone trying to get you to learn it would be so hard

OP posts:

Original poster

BreakingCycles · 31/01/2026 23:34

Hohofortherobbers · 29/01/2026 22:17

Thank you for all the responses OP.
Is your husband’s daughter your daughter? Is your ds a JW, how old is he? Will he willingly leave JW with you?

thanks, Im terribly slow! I know that must be infuriating for ppl used to immediacy. but I will get through it all eventually :)
no she is his daughter. its both our second marriage. she is fully in.
my son is in his 20s and hes an odd case....i couldnt force my children as i felt so wrong about the jws and as a result one is out and the other never got baptised. but he attended meetings due to others social pressure. when i left, he made a stand and went to all meetings. but is still not baptised.
this is typical of cognitive dissonance... an extremely painful place to be especially regarding ones world view :(
I have tried to fully wake him up but my step daughter and her associates are pushing him in the other direction.
he sadly thinks im lacking common sense and have been swayed by bad influence. But he wont commit either

I hold out hope for him. I know if I could get financially better off he would likely move with me and may be leave the cult behind. But thats the thing with brainwashing, you cant force pp to wake up.

can i ask why you ask about this situation? what are your thoughts on it?

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wandawaves · 31/01/2026 23:38

I want to ask is it common for the families to 'vanish' and completely cut relatives out of their lives? I have 2 aunts who got sucked in to this cult, as a kid we all grew up very close, having big family catch ups with all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. But then the 2 aunts (and their husbands and kids) became JHo's, they stuck around for a few years, trying to maintain family relationships, but then must have gotten too deep into it... then both families just up and vanished. Moved away, didn't tell anyone where, just cut everyone off completely. It was so so sad for everyone, still is.

Is this common? And why?

Original poster

BreakingCycles · 31/01/2026 23:43

CharlotteStreetW1 · 31/01/2026 23:18

How bizarre, I worked with a JW whose DH was window cleaner! But they were from Wales.

She was one of my favourite people and I could ask her anything, she was very accommodating.

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thats really lovely you could see the good in this person. she sounds great. so many jws are lovely, as are so many people in general. I have nothing against the members (in general) , I have issue with children being forced to accept a belief when they are too young , and with forced shunning, and the members being lied to so they are not able to make an informed decision that its what they truly want with their lives. the organisation is run by a small number of men who claim to be gods spokes persons. much like the mormons have. these men use every kind of tactic to coerce members into staying and thats wrong I feel.
Bit of a tangent there sorry.

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Original poster

BreakingCycles · 31/01/2026 23:55

wandawaves · 31/01/2026 23:38

I want to ask is it common for the families to 'vanish' and completely cut relatives out of their lives? I have 2 aunts who got sucked in to this cult, as a kid we all grew up very close, having big family catch ups with all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. But then the 2 aunts (and their husbands and kids) became JHo's, they stuck around for a few years, trying to maintain family relationships, but then must have gotten too deep into it... then both families just up and vanished. Moved away, didn't tell anyone where, just cut everyone off completely. It was so so sad for everyone, still is.

Is this common? And why?

Oh my goodness that is awful. that sounds really painful still for you all. sadly yes it is common. especially if something prompted them to feel the need to do this. how long ago was this?
If you can, scan through my other replies...I share a little about why jws are told to keep separate from those not in it. and how my family I know nothing about because they were so annoyed my parents were jws they cut us off.
Its truly awful.

It may be helpful to hold in mind that jws are taught and believe in a future life , a better life on "paradise earth". They are taught that this life isnt really " real" as it were, temporary. which is why they do odd things
they see these sacrifices as worth it in the long run even if it hurts now. I appreciate this sounds so crazy to anyone not in it. but it is a carefully curated set of lies and promises made to play on natural human desires and fears.

Wouldnt it be amazing if your family got back in touch?

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wandawaves · 01/02/2026 00:01

BreakingCycles · 31/01/2026 23:55

Oh my goodness that is awful. that sounds really painful still for you all. sadly yes it is common. especially if something prompted them to feel the need to do this. how long ago was this?
If you can, scan through my other replies...I share a little about why jws are told to keep separate from those not in it. and how my family I know nothing about because they were so annoyed my parents were jws they cut us off.
Its truly awful.

It may be helpful to hold in mind that jws are taught and believe in a future life , a better life on "paradise earth". They are taught that this life isnt really " real" as it were, temporary. which is why they do odd things
they see these sacrifices as worth it in the long run even if it hurts now. I appreciate this sounds so crazy to anyone not in it. but it is a carefully curated set of lies and promises made to play on natural human desires and fears.

Wouldnt it be amazing if your family got back in touch?

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Thank you for replying.
It was over 30 years ago now.
Two of the cousins (from the one family) have left the cult, and have made contact, but it's not the same after so many decades of being apart. We still don't hear from the parents though.
And the other family are still no contact. 😞

Original poster

BreakingCycles · 01/02/2026 00:15

wandawaves · 01/02/2026 00:01

Thank you for replying.
It was over 30 years ago now.
Two of the cousins (from the one family) have left the cult, and have made contact, but it's not the same after so many decades of being apart. We still don't hear from the parents though.
And the other family are still no contact. 😞

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30 years :( Its like losing people in death but knowing they might be out there still. A truly painful situation.
How wonderful 2 have gotten out. i hope they are getting the support they need. There are many support groups for ex jws or mormons and some therapists that specialise in just helping jws.

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wandawaves · 01/02/2026 00:41

BreakingCycles · 01/02/2026 00:15

30 years :( Its like losing people in death but knowing they might be out there still. A truly painful situation.
How wonderful 2 have gotten out. i hope they are getting the support they need. There are many support groups for ex jws or mormons and some therapists that specialise in just helping jws.

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Yeah I must say; they really don't seem ok. It's very sad to see.

Maidenjourney · 01/02/2026 04:11

BreakingCycles · 31/01/2026 22:37

yes its awful isnt it? were you a jw ever? or do you have family in?

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I was brought up as one and two members of my family are still in it. Myself and my siblings all left.

Hohofortherobbers · 01/02/2026 07:58

BreakingCycles · 31/01/2026 23:34

thanks, Im terribly slow! I know that must be infuriating for ppl used to immediacy. but I will get through it all eventually :)
no she is his daughter. its both our second marriage. she is fully in.
my son is in his 20s and hes an odd case....i couldnt force my children as i felt so wrong about the jws and as a result one is out and the other never got baptised. but he attended meetings due to others social pressure. when i left, he made a stand and went to all meetings. but is still not baptised.
this is typical of cognitive dissonance... an extremely painful place to be especially regarding ones world view :(
I have tried to fully wake him up but my step daughter and her associates are pushing him in the other direction.
he sadly thinks im lacking common sense and have been swayed by bad influence. But he wont commit either

I hold out hope for him. I know if I could get financially better off he would likely move with me and may be leave the cult behind. But thats the thing with brainwashing, you cant force pp to wake up.

can i ask why you ask about this situation? what are your thoughts on it?

Show quote history

Thank you for the reply. I wondered about this as if your ds stayed within JW after you leave what would your relationship with him be? Would he shun you? I wonder if the fear of losing your ds might keep you within JW? It sounds like he might not do that though.
Was your first husband a JW? How did the community treat you regarding the breakdown of the marriage

Charlottejbt · 01/02/2026 21:18

Awful, awful predatory scumbags. Why aren't they banned from harrassing and preying on innocent people outside the cult?

Marysnail · 04/04/2026 12:07

Why do you believe ?

Lessstressedhemum · 06/04/2026 12:41

Catinabeanbag · 20/01/2026 09:39

I think I'd ask why in their bible they have 'In the beginning was the word and the word was a god', but the greek has 'the word was god' - there's no indefinite article there. It changes the whole theology of how you see Jesus and God as one (or not).

And something that has bothered me for a long time..... a spot that the JW's stand in in our city, with their watchtowers..... right opposite (about ten metres away) is a spot frequented by homeless folk. Does standing there all day opposite the homeless people spur in them any sort of desire for social action, helping these people? Or do you do that sort of stuff behind the scenes anyway?

JWs dont believe in the Trinity. They have a few scriptures that they twist to support their view. For instance, in John 1:1 there's no definite article in the Greek, theos een ho logos - the Word was a god/divine. Its a fundamental misunderstanding of NT Greek grammar. The men who translated the New World version were not theologians or Greek scholars.
They also use Scriptures like John 6:38, where Jesus says his purpose is to do the Fathers will not his own, and Matthew 20:18, where Jesus says that all authority in Heaven and Earth had been given to him, to support their belief.
As for social action and charity stuff, no they dont do that. They believe that charity begins at home so really only provide aid for other JWs.

What id like to ask only applies to current JWs and it's this - what do you think of all the current New Light, especially around the blood issue? Surely all the recent changes must be making people question it all.
I know families who have shunned relatives for 40 years and are still completely PIMI. I dont u derstand how this is even possible given all the changes, especially over the last few years, and all the failed prophecies etc.

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 10/04/2026 19:18

JWs dont believe in the Trinity. They have a few scriptures that they twist to support their view.

The concept of the Trinity could also, with a fair amount of justification, be said to be based on "a few scriptures that they twist to support their view."