Bearing Witness: Exposing the secretive world of the Jehovah’s Witnesses
“Everybody thinks that Jehovah’s Witnesses are just lovely people, friendly, nice-looking people, maybe a bit quirky, who knock on doors. And it’s very difficult to help people understand just how dangerous this group is.”
– Former Jehovah’s Witness
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious group with eight million followers in multiple nations, including Australia. A knock on the door and an earnest offer to share their teachings is the only interaction most people will have with this god-fearing organisation. Few would know the extreme nature of their beliefs.
“We were taught that only Jehovah’s people in the organisation would survive Armageddon. It was our job to go out witnessing, to try and bring as many people in as we could and if you didn’t take the opportunity to witness, you had their blood on your hands.”
– Former Jehovah’s Witness
The door knocking is not some quaint pastime. Witness followers believe in a strict literal interpretation of the bible and that the end of the world is coming.
“They are raised in this kind of fear bubble in which they’re constantly being told the end of the world is near.”
– Expert witness
On Monday, former members of this group reveal the secretive practices used to instil fear and maintain discipline among followers.
“It’s supposed to be loving discipline. It’s actually, to me, it’s inhumane.”
– Former Jehovah’s Witness
With strict rules governing every aspect of their lives, these former Witnesses say the organisation is controlling and dangerous.
“They are absolute leaders with absolute power over the organisation.”
– Expert Witness
The conduct of the religious group came under scrutiny in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
“It is a pretty cruel way of dealing with someone, isn’t it, who has suffered sexual abuse?”
– Royal Commissioner
Now those who have escaped the group say it’s time to hold the Jehovah’s Witnesses to account.
“It’s twenty years I’ve been wanting people to hear this story.”
– Former Jehovah’s Witness
It is replayed on Tuesday 14th at 1.00pm and Wednesday 15th at 11.20pm. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEST, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.
Secretive??? Literally EVERYTHING about them and all their books and all are posted on their website.
Don’t be fooled that they put books etc on their website. You soon learn when you experience child abuse that they follow a different set of rules, even though they say on the platform & in the watchtower that they don’t condone it & encourage you to tell authorities – but when you do they threaten to disfellowship you & allow the self confessed paedophile to continue to lead the congregation
This is rubbish talk. I am a happy member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and these people are talking rubbish and these people who posting these comments are truly APOSTATES in name and are poisonous. I stand firm what is right for my religious beliefs!
You are happy doing what?
Teaching people lies telling them Jesus isn’t God when he is.
your whole religion is apostate you are not from God you are from Satan!
You say that the 144000 are Jehovah’s witnesses that they are anointed that is another word for Christ.
When Jesus tells us “let no man deceive you many will come in my name saying I am the Christ”
Or maybe it’s the false prophecies that make you so happy you know 1914,1975,2000,and so on.
NO perhaps it’s the child sacrifice your organisation practices that makes you happy by not allowing blood transfusions when the Bible says “life is in the blood choose life”
NO I know the child abuse that your organisation from the pit of hell covers up.
NO what about all the suicides from people that have left and were shunned by friends and family is that it?
I tell you words hardly describe how evil this controlling cult is and you will answer to God for what your involved in.
But as long as your happy that’s the main thing.
Oh by the way the new world translation was written by a man called johannes Greber he was a congerer of evil spirits so you use a satanic Bible.
I hope the rest of the world does what the Russian government has done and ban this evil destructive cult they deserve more but it’s a good start…
What about the elders book?
I have a copy of the elder’s book. Shepherding the Flock of God. I downloaded from the Australian Royal Commission web site.
I can’t seem to find where they post transcripts from judicial meetings on their website. Can you provide a link? Also, who translated their bible and what scholastic qualifications did they have? Are any of their research articles peer reviewed? I haven’t been able to find a comment section to critique and fact check their research.
Charles Russel translated their version. He could not do a simple test when taken to court in being able to translate. I could go on and on but this info. is all over utube. Just google …Charles Russel translate bible
or something like that. Logarithms will pick up certain words.
The secretive parts have to do with their treatment of the “shunned” and their systemic issues with child sex abuse. They don’t practise open book management. I doubt you’ll find any of the above on their website, nor will they admit their failure to predict the end of the world a bunch of times. For a church that has only existed for about 130 years, their incorrect prophecy rate is very high.
I absolutely disagree this is a whole lot of bullshit about Jehovah’s witnesses i am a jw and nothing will change my mind not your shitty stories how do i know they aren’t just bloody lies 🤬😡😡
Yeah keep telling yourself that. Its a way you can cope, by denying it happened. Absolute Disgrace in the name of Jehovah. He would be horrified by what happened in he org. How dare you say these people are all lying! One of your Governing body members lied on the Australian Royal commission! It is, with out a doubt not Gods true religion!
Since when do JW’s use that kind of language. Your comment betrays your claim to be one of them
And you’re an idiot. How do you know that the governing body isn’t lying to you. I can’t believe how dumb you are. You put your trust in these guys. There are men. I thought you weren’t supposed to put your trust in noble men. Figure it out dude.
I’ve never met a JW with such a potty mouth.
Thank you for exposing this cult! As someone who was born in it and suffered a lot, I’m glad people could see the danger and avoid it.
Thank you for exposing this cult of fear and exclusion. I was raised in it and thrown out of it at 15! by a panel of men who stated they did not allow their very young brother & sister children to sleep in the same room for fear of them having sex! There are good people getting caught up in & blinded by this cult. Remove their tax exemption.
My family has suffered greatly due to this so called religion. My story is to much to put in to a few words… but a struggling family from England mom raising 10 kids dad ex Air Force co pilot Lancaster bombers..
We were raised JW…. What happened as we were raised is just not right… and I’m the youngest, what happened when my daughter got diagnosed with cancer is unimaginable
Hi Andrew & others fellowshipped from the church when I was 17. It was the most horrendous time of my life. My family & fiends disowned me. what the elders put jd through was disgusting. That religion is based on guilt!! (You won’t survive Armageddon if you don’t stick to the rules. My mum is still a JW. I’m here if anyone wants to chat. Is there A support group?
As I am one of JW currently, most of informed from this chanel are wrong.informed 1. NOT SURVIVE ONLY JW IN AMARGEDON WE DO NOT I DO NOT TELL TO TEACH OTHERS OR BELIEVE. TOTALLY UP TO GODS JOB NOT JW ORG LEADERS JOB AND GOD IS JUSTICE.. There are many more but sorry about poor my English.
I don’t think you understand that the ‘witnessing’ part isn’t the issue. It’s the absolutely terrible treatment of those who leave the church, voluntarily or otherwise. Plus, they do have a significant child sex abuse issue.
Any others who have been disfellowshipped??
I was dragged into being a Jehovah’s Witness when I was one never got baptised but was treated like I was baptised since I can remember finally escaped when I was a teenager
The 4 corners show also included what happens to people when the get disfellowshipped. What the 3 elders put people through, how they discipline children (My brother getting flogged by a belt From an elder). Your family & friends disown you.
Some people are suing the JW’s in Australia for how they were treated. This happened to me & it was horrendous
Associating with Jehovahs witnesses is the best decision I’ve ever made.
Association with Jehovah’s organisation is always the best protection against apostates and those who choose to leave the organisation!
Jehovah has no special organization. Use your brain and stop being a follower. Use common sense if nothing else.
I do not know where to start to prove JW is a silly little org designed by satan himself to take you to eternal damnation.
No asking Jesus into your life is your only way to eternal life
Romans 10:9and 10
and if you look up that scripture please do not do from your bible. The translator could not even do a simple test when asked by a judge.