shunned

"How do you get kicked out of church?" These are the words of Suzanna's brother as he tried to wrap his mind around her shunning. Her journey starts as a 14 year old girl with two real options to get out of her abusive home, joining a local gang or getting involved with Jehovah's Witnesses. The choice she made would lead to decades of trying to make that choice work. All while living a life outside of that decision as she went back and forth between the choice she made so young and the life she really wanted to live. The song chosen by Suzanna to represent her story is La Vida Es Un Carnaval by Celia Cruz. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Suzanna by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

What is it like to move around the country multiple times as a child? To not have a consistent place to live? To be placed into foster care at times? To do all of this while growing up exposed to a cult, and then to have a catastrophic moment that pushes you farther in? Ramil's story involves all of this, and much more. He found solace in cult teachings, found a place to belong by pioneering and getting involved in the ASL congregations, but then he also had a secret all along, part of his identity that he tried so hard to deny. This is a story of overcoming a lot of instability and the strength it takes to build an authentic and stable life. The song chosen by Ramil to represent his story is Beautiful by P.O.D. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Ramil by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

One of the things that really stands out at times is how much people put into following these high control groups, or cults, and how little it takes to get a person kicked out and shunned. Years, even decades can be spent serving faithfully, but one simple statement by a once sincere follower can be all it takes to start the path to shunning. "I wish they were just more open minded", a reasonable remark and a personal feeling expressed to the wrong person who told the elders started the process for Allison. Her answer to the infamous question often asked in their secret judicial committees, "do you view Jehovah's organization as your authority", would seal her fate. A fourth generation Jehovah's Witness, and everything changed so quickly. There's often no credit for time served in a cult. The song chosen by Allison to represent her story is Let The Mystery Be by Iris DeMent. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Allison by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

y Jehovah's Witnesses "God isn't with you. Don't kill yourself. You can get through this even if you have to do it alone." Those are the words of 10 year old Z (Z Olvero, formerly Whitney Blackburn). Today Z is a gender non-binary person that has found themselves after a life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses that tried to force conformity rather than authenticity. They knew that their life wasn't going to fit the mold but they still tried to make it work. After being disassociated from the cult their reaction was bliss, a feeling that finally it was done, and now they get to pursue the life that they want. The song chosen by Z to represent their story is Cost of Doin' Business by Fifth. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Zee by leaving them a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Kim grew up in a home where she was to be seen and not heard. Her family was also in a cult where people are to be seen and not heard. Jehovah's Witnesses are obsessed with appearance over substance, and Kim had to eventually leave that behind in order to find something real. She had to grow up fast to leave abusive situations and to give herself a chance at a real life of her own, becoming a CNA at just 15 years old. Listen to find out how she overcame those struggles, and how she's gotten involved in some interesting things after leaving. The song chosen by Kim to represent her story is Hairline Fracture by Rise Against . Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Kim by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

"They weren't there to help me; I'm not going to let them judge me." These were Seth's words as so much in his life came to a head. The loss of his mother early in life, the abuse from his father, homeless at just 14 years of age, Seth had so many things against him. As an adult he would lose siblings to suicide and face a marriage rife with issues while turning back to the cult that he was exposed to as a child only to find it lacking. Through it all Seth proved himself resilient and caring while being failed by those around him, leading him to eventual freedom. The song chosen by Seth to represent his story is Popular Monster by Falling In Reverse . Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Seth by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Note: This episode gets very real, including potential triggers surrounding suicide and sexual assault. It is important to discuss the realities of these things and we hope that it helps others. Kayla was very brave in sharing her life story. Sadly a cycle of abuse is often like a role that gets played over and over again. We typically think of it in the role of abusers that repeat patterns, but so do those who are abused. Kayla's story includes abusive behaviors from parents, her husband at the time, and of course the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. At every turn when she needed something healthy she was met with unhealthy toxic behavior. This wasn't limited to her but also included some of her siblings. From growing up to being married to custody battles to dealing with pedophiles, the JWs sided with and allowed abuse to perpetuate on their watch. Kayla is a strong person that not only made it through these situations but she's actively working to better her life as she heals from the trauma caused by members of a group claiming to have not only "The Truth" doctrinally but also to have the happiest families on earth. They even use a hashtag for their cult, #bestlifeever. By their fruits you will recognize the true religion, according to them. Kayla's story shows yet again that their fruitage is not just rotten, but poisonous, as Jehovah's Witnesses utterly destroy families and individuals alike with their corrupt practices. The song that Kayla chose to represent her journey is Heaven is a Place on Earth by Belinda Carlisle. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Kayla by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Kidnapped at the age of 6 years old by her mother, LaShanda's life had a rough start. Many around her were struggling with mental health issues, substances, and of course, the toxic environment of Jehovah's Witnesses eventually came into play as she got older. She felt different for issues due to race, the circumstances of her life, and eventually joined a group that gave her a sense of belonging for a time while all the while trying to isolate her even more. The song chosen by LaShanda to represent her story is Alive by Sia. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support LaShanda by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

At just 19 years old Jen had a moment where she realized that "this is going to be the rest of my life". That thought made her shudder. Listen to find out what it was that she didn't want for the rest of her life, what that moment was like, and an unexpected place that she turned to in order to get space to grow. Jen has been told no by the people that were once close to her but she's learned to say yes in her life and to explore and grow on her own even if family chose to stay behind. The song that Jen chose to represent her journey is Wildflowers by Tom Petty. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Jen by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

"From an early age I accepted that I was garbage. I was not going to survive Armageddon. I knew I wasn't going to make it. I knew I wasn't good enough. I knew I was letting Jehovah down." How does someone get to this place so young? Ramo was baptized at just 8 years old into a cult that denies one the ability to be themselves, that forces children into a mold whether it fits or not, and that lets them know from early on how defective they are. The only cure is to serve Jehovah by following whatever the cult says. "The crazier you sound, the better a witness you are." Ramo learned over time how to work the system to survive mentally and emotionally in a dysfunctional environment in both his family and the cult. Eventually he found his way to freedom and now he tells his story to help others see the realities found inside the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. The song that Ramo chose to represent his journey is The Rapture by Senses Fail. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Ramo by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

"I'm not sorry for who I am." When you think about that statement and life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, it holds certain weight. But what if you were born into a body that didn't fit the person that you knew yourself to be? Meet Mitch, a trans man that had to go on quite a journey to be himself. When you grow up in a cult, where you are supposed to be like everyone else, it takes tremendous courage to be yourself. Sadly it often comes with a heavy price as well, but that freedom to be oneself is priceless. Note: There were some technical issues recording this episode in video format via Zoom so both the video and audio versions have an awkward moment or three where we had trouble syncing up and one or the other of us ended up talking over the other. We did our best to overcome the lagging that we dealt with. The songs that Mitch chose to represent his journey are My Immortal and also Bring Me To Life by Evanescence. He also chose the song In The End by Linkin Park. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Mitch by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Angela was a born-in member of Jehovah's Witnesses. Although it was all that she ever knew, she could see that some things didn't add up from an early age and struggled to adopt everything she had been told. She was told to shun her own mother by her father, while at the same time all she wanted was love and attention from her parents like any normal child. In her story you will learn what woke her up and her path out. This story does involve suicide attempts and sexual abuse. Sadly, these things are all too common among Jehovah's supposedly happy and loving people. The song that Angela chose to represent her journey is Best of You by Foo Fighters. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Angela by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence. As Jehovah's Witnesses we were taught endurance, how to put up with things externally that weren't what we wanted to achieve a goal we were given. As ex-Jehovah's Witnesses we have the opportunity to learn persistence in working toward goals that we set for ourselves because we want them bad enough. Through toil and tears, big moves and lots of hustle, Jack was able to connect with his own passions in his business. Always a fan of nature Jack wanted to do something to give back in some way, to help clean up the planet that he cared so much for even as a child, and started his own recycling business. You'll see the persistence that is embodied throughout his story as he reached for his own personal goals. Support Jack by leaving him a comment HERE Are you struggling in some area of life and looking for your own success and happiness? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

One reason that people are attracted to cults is that they are looking for stability in life. They may feel vulnerable and are looking for answers, something to hold on to that allows them to leave their troubles behind. Unfortunately the reality of what cults offer is nothing more than a surface level illusion of stability covering over deep dysfunction, beliefs that people use as an escape for their problems. It is like quicksand. It looks like firm ground but once you take the first step things just slowly get worse and worse. Stephanie grew up in a somewhat chaotic environment. She could be found beating her dolls while "playing meeting" because the dolls weren't listening. At fourteen her father started suffering from mental issues that altered his view of reality at times. Her home wasn't stable from the environment in it to where she physically lived, even moving in with another family at eighteen. Then in her pursuit of stability she would look for it in marriage and find anything but that. Disfellowshipped three times, Stephanie finally realized that what she was seeking could only truly be found in another life and she had to go find it. The song that Stephanie chose to represent her journey is Praying by Kesha. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Stephanie by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

"I should have gotten the abortion", the words of Mario's mother when he was disfellowshipped at a young age from the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. Some would equate shunning to exactly that, essentially aborting someone from your life and treating them as though they are dead. All because a person, even a mother's own son, simply chose another path. "I just want to be normal", the words of a depressed 15 year old Mario growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Living in a self-described "police state" in his own home, the harsh fundamentalist upbringing resulted in a life of frustration and anger where nothing was ever good enough in that environment to garner trust. Mario overcame so much to finally have a chance to find himself, and he shares his story today to help others going through similar circumstances. We talk about his time growing up JW, how he was treated in his own home growing up after the shunning started, his time spent after being pushed out and the impact it had on him, and how he has continued to work on himself to grow into someone that he can be proud of. The song that Mario chose to represent his journey is The Unforgiven by Metallica. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Mario by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

For many of us most of our lives were spent devoting our assets to "Kingdom interests" as Jehovah's Witnesses. We literally counted the hours spent pushing literature door to door and gave our everything to the belief that in doing so we were helping people. Tim took his time, treasure and talents in another direction, using them in the nonprofit world to make a real difference today. From helping cats as a kid to preventing pediatric accidents to helping burn victims in Ghana and now working to help with adoptions, he has seen real needs and worked to address them while growing as a individual at the same time. Support Tim by leaving him a comment HERE Are you struggling in some area of life and looking for your own success and happiness? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Either you get baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses or you die. These are the two options presented to most young kids growing up in the cult. Often times people will say "it's not like you had a gun to your head so you had a choice", but they're wrong on both counts. JWs hold a god to your head, a god that will let you live if you make the right choice and that will kill you if you choose any other path. What kind of choice is that? It sounds more like extortion. Ryan's baptism was just part of his story of looking for connection and stability. Instead of people talking to him they far more often talked about him. He tried everything to be what they wanted him to be, including undergoing conversion therapy to try to suppress his sexuality. Ultimately Ryan had to make a choice to be himself. The song that Ryan chose to represent his journey is It's Not My Time by 3 Doors Down. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Ryan by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Jehovah's Witnesses have a practice called "disfellowshipping" that at one point long ago even Watchtower estimated at costing them 70,000 members per year. Tens of thousands of people are cast out of their group and shunned to an extreme degree. They tell their members that the practice is one of love. Is that true? They also have a narrative about shunning that they tell the general public through the FAQ section of their official website. Are those answers true? A letter was leaked on Twitter from a JW circuit overseer. Per direction from the organization he was looking for positive stories of shunning inside the organization. In particular they wanted to hear from those that openly express their confidence that the disfellowshipping arrangement is loving, and that they had personally benefited from this discipline. Preferably, the experiences should illustrate the points in the second, third, and fourth paragraphs in the article Do Jehovah's Witnesses Shun Those Who Used To Belong To Their Religion (from their official website). That's exactly what they asked for word for word in their letter. That's exactly what we're going to look at. So follow along as we examine their words. As we do you'll hear from real life stories of people that volunteered to call in and leave voicemails in response to questions asked regarding the claims made by the Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower. Those familiar with the cult know that they refer to their doctrine as "The Truth". Let's see how honest they really are in the narrative that they sell the general public. I want to thank Andy, Chris, Stephanie, M.K., Patrick, Mario, Lydia, Lisa, "J", Vicki, and Rebecca for lending their voice and personal experiences to this project voluntarily. You can leave a comment of support HERE Are you struggling in some area of life and looking for your own success and happiness? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life and shunning? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Welcome to the first episode of the Shunned Success Stories series. In this episode we meet Kelsey and get to learn from her path as she went from a homeschooled member of Jehovah's Witnesses to recently being accepted to attend MIT. You'll learn about her struggles on this path as she is shunned by her family and former friends, how she overcame that for this part of her journey, and the new opportunities that she's found. Success as defined by these episodes is personal happiness, so look for the lessons you can take on your own journey to find more happiness in your life. Support Kelsey by leaving her a comment HERE Are you struggling in some area of life and looking for your own success and happiness? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

A third generation Jehovah's Witness from Puerto Rico, Daniel often had an identity crisis despite being surrounded by a cult that dominated so much of his life. He loved people and wanted desperately to fit in so he tried on different personas to try to make that happen. At one point a brother named "Mr. J" comes into his life and you'll meet this character too as he tells his story. The song that Daniel chose to represent his journey is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Daniel by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

The year was 2014. The event was the annual meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses streamed all over the world. And then it happened……."Tight Pants Tony" was born. A young Karamat was watching, and if stumbling someone results in the person doing the stumbling being cast into the water with a millstone around his neck, ol' Tony Morris of the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses might need a bigger neck for all of the stumbling he did that day. Karamat was a young enthusiastic member of Jehovah's Witnesses but he also had friends outside of the organization and could never embrace the JW teaching that his friends would be killed in a fiery Armageddon by his God. He was an intelligent young man, one that started to wake up around the time of the annual meeting whereby Tony Morris ranted unintelligibly about women wearing "spanx" and men wearing tight pants designed by the homosexuals. Let's also not forget his hatred of colorful or fun socks. On the world stage when he could have encouraged people in any way he saw fit, he went on a homophobic rant about clothing. He also railed against amusement parks if cult followers weren't spending time visiting the Watchtower headquarters, among other inane assertions such as what standing one should have in the congregation in order to be considered marriage material. A young man of intelligence and emotional/mental honesty, Karamat would go on a journey toward more education and less ignorance. He couldn't abide by the elder's warnings to give up his "worldly" friends on the outside, and of course he had an interest in relationships beyond friendships as a normal young man. He also had questions for which the elders didn't have answers. This resulted in him being kicked out of his home, being homeless for a time, suffering depression, losing people he thought were his friends because Jehovah's Witnesses truly shoot their wounded, and he started his life over at a young age. The song that Karamat chose to represent his journey is Toussaint L'Overture by Santana. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Karamat by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

The last episode was the story of Aaron, and in it he mentioned a particular couple in the congregation that he was close to. That friendship ended in much drama for him and his status with the congregation. In this episode Dani, the wife in that relationship tells her life story and gives details of what led to her eventual shunning from the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. The parties, the relationship she had with her husband, and the relationships that he had outside of their relationship. You'll learn how she went from someone that always doubted the cult doctrine to the pressure to get baptized and how it all got worse after that. Through adversity often comes strength and Dani has earned hers. The song that Dani chose to represent her journey is Last Hope by Paramore. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Dani by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Aaron was born into the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses and never fully bought into the life that he was given. Knowing from a young age that he was gay he knew that he couldn't fully be himself in the religion. A tight group of friends later in life would lead him into situations that eventually resulted in his shunning. Although it would still take several years to wake up even after shunning, Aaron has the opportunity to live as his authentic self. The song that Aaron chose to represent his journey is Summer Storm by Joel P West. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Aaron by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Joseph's story starts at the beginning, no not his beginning, all the way back at the beginning of the organization now known as Jehovah's Witnesses. We start discussing some history of the Bible Students that I then researched later myself personally and found fascinating. But this story is much more than a throwback, this story features much of the modern issues within the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. Joseph got caught up in a bad situation with an elder and his wife, ending up married to that elder's wife. Just like he got caught up as an adult with a cult, he was caught up in another bad relationship. He also saw other abuse while in the organization and knew that he wanted out of all of it. The song that Joseph chose to represent his journey is El Ultimo Renglon by Estopa. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Joseph by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

"All of your worth is only as a JW" is a quote and common theme from Laura's story of falling for a young man that was one of Jehovah's Witnesses in high school. Meeting this person at just 16 years of age would send her down an intense path of self-denial at the behest of him and others that would come into her life. Ultimately she was manipulated into doing what they wanted. For a religion that calls itself "The Truth" this story involves so many lies, the ones told to others, the ones she told to herself, and the ones told to her. The cult dynamics were seen in her relationship early on. This 16 year old girl unknowingly entered a world that would take her from her family, take years of her life, and things got even worse when she met an elder that took advantage of her. Today Laura is an educated woman pursuing things that she values in freedom. The song that Laura chose to represent her journey is Bird Set Free by Sia. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Laura by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

It is tough enough to be born into a cult and to not fit in with the people surrounding you outside the group, but sometimes you're born into a family in a cult that is not particularly well liked in a congregation for whatever reason, and that adds an even heavier layer of isolation with nowhere to go. Throw in home schooling and a mother that teaches you not to trust people, and you have a recipe for destroying a young girl's sense of self and belonging in the world. Cassandra has had to battle so much to find her place, people that care about her without the conditions of a cult, and she's finding a life of her own now as she finds her own strength to knock down the walls that were built to keep her in. The song that Cassandra chose to represent her journey is Only a Memory by Icon For Hire. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Cassandra by leaving her a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

People get baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses for a myriad of reasons. Peer pressure, parental pressure, sometimes people feel like it will fix something in their lives. For Derek there was the hope that this 11 year old boy could erase the damage and shame he felt from the abuse he suffered at the hands of some of the girls in his life. The hope that somehow baptism would make him whole and feel safe. Derek has been through a lot in his life but he's now got a life of his own that he can be proud of and he offers some of the lessons he's learned to help others. This is a story of overcoming the past and the strength to create the things that a person wants in the present. The song that Derek chose to represent his journey is Wash It Away by Nahko and Medicine for the People. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Derek by leaving him a comment HERE Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app or on YouTube. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Alexa was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses but never baptized, and she faces shunning for a life she didn't want and never officially even joined. Her story involves being homeless, sexually assaulted followed by a cover up, and trying to find a life of her own that ultimately has her rejected by people that she cared for. Despite the odds Alexa is working hard to rise above her circumstances to live a good life, determined not to repeat the patterns in her family. The song that Alexa chose to represent her journey is Warrior by Demi Lovato. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Alexa by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Disfellowshipped twice by the age of 18 and reproved multiple times as well, Nina lived a very tumultuous life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Hers was often the perfect looking family on the outside that wasn't what they appeared to be, something that is very common among the group. Her first memories were images of the earth opening up and swallowing people, and she would spend much of her life trying not to be swallowed mentally and emotionally by unhealthy people that lacked proper boundaries around her. The song that Nina chose to represent her journey is Losing My Religion by R.E.M. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Nina by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Disfellowshipped for her second time at the age of 19, Rebecca was kicked out of her house. She had always led a double life, the one that she wanted, and the one that she was being forced into as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. As a child with no young people in her congregation her only friends were those older than her at the Kingdom Hall, or the occasional "worldly" kid that she could have over as long as she spent that time studying and trying to indoctrinate them. This is a story of a person that knew that they didn't want to live a life that they were given and that eventually was pushed so far mentally and emotionally that she gave in and truly became sincere in her efforts to be everything that everyone had always wanted her to be. She finally wanted it. They had succeeded in making her low enough that she truly wanted to be one of them, and you will find out how that went through Rebecca's story in this episode. The song that Rebecca chose to represent her journey is Worthy by Jacob Banks. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Rebecca by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Joaquin had a life like many as one of Jehovah's witnesses. Trying to please a parent, trying to stay within the lines, but struggling as he got older to do so. Eventually he found passion in music and culinary school, leading to his eventual freedom and finding himself. The song that Joaquin chose to represent his journey is Your Friends Are Gone by Circa Survive. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Joaquin by leaving him a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

There are aspects of life that we typically see as something we should encourage people to do, like fostering and/or adopting children. We all want to see these children find love and belonging in a home. What happens when one of Jehovah's Witnesses happens to be the foster parent? This is one person's story of being introduced to the cult through a foster parent. Taira begins her journey into it at the ages of nine through eleven and it created a bond between herself and her foster parent, but also Jehovah, and that would stick with her for years as she searched for a permanent family. This is a really interesting personal story that gives insights into a situation that is very seldom talked about, and I think that there are lessons to be taken away from it. There are obvious issues such as the impact on a child that is seeking unconditional love and belonging only to find themselves in an extremely conditional relationship with Jehovah's Witnesses. The song that Taira chose to represent her journey is Honey Bee by Zee Avi. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Taira by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

"I never felt like I could be good enough" is a common refrain among former Jehovah's Witnesses, and it is how Serena felt in her life when she was a JW. This feeling leads to a lot of depression, anxiety, and at times suicide. In Serena's story we're going to talk about that reality and two attempts that were made. We're going to talk about how JWs deal with mental illness and the fallout that comes from it. Serena is a strong person that has overcome growing up with mental, emotional, and physical abuse and some really sad circumstances that could have kept her from the beautiful life that she has today. The song that Serena chose to represent her journey is Remember Everything by Five Finger Death Punch. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Serena by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Fifty episodes. Fifty long form discussions looking into the lives of people that share the pain of shunning from cults or high-control religious groups. Fifty families that have been torn apart, fifty people that have had to grieve the loss of people that are still alive. Today we close in on roughly 200,000 individual downloads from people that have been touched by these fifty brave people that have chosen to speak up. Shunning is designed to take your voice away and by participating you're not only taking it back but you're amplifying it and people are listening. I get the emails from people that listen because it gives them a greater understanding of their friend or relative that is in a cult. I get the emails from people that have been negatively impacted by these groups though never involved. I get the emails from people that have lost people that they cared about to suicide, or that have attempted themselves, or are feeling that way right now because of involvement with these religious groups. I also get the emails from people that have found these stories inspiring and healing, as well as emails from those that told their stories and found the experience cathartic and empowering. In a world where bullying is universally condemned, shunning is still not only practiced, but encouraged by large organizations that are given charitable status by the governments of this world. They need to see what kind of real "charity" these cults are about. The world at large needs to wake up to the realities of these groups and they should not be rewarded for their bigotry. In this episode we will hear what telling their story has done for a handful of people that were generous enough to come back on the podcast to give some updates. It can be truly healing for the individual, and also through these stories we affect change. These people have impacted the lives of others in a positive way by telling their stories and sharing with the world. You will hear from David, Sydney, Torah, "V", Jenny, and myself in this episode. Life after shunning goes on, and we can find better things and happiness if we keep moving forward. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet". Leave a comment for anyone in this episode HERE Resources Mentioned: This JW Life – The podcast that started this movement. Petition to make education a federal right for all children – Amish Heritage Foundation Marshall 'n Moore Crafting Studios

Xitlalitl was raised in a family impacted by borderline personality disorder as well as the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. The former created many issues in the latter for young Xitlalitl as she struggled to fit in as they moved from place to place when her mom would have issues with people in the congregation. In the end when the constant gaslighting and the buy-in from congregation elders created a desperation to leave the situation, those feelings almost cost her everything. This is a callback to episode 29 with Nico as the two are in a relationship now and he helped her escape in more ways than one. This episode deals with BPD, depression, suicide, and the realities of the way the cult appeals to authority and recognizes title and position over people, from their beliefs to the way they "help" those in their midst. The song that Xitlalitl chose to represent her journey is Thunderclap by Stefan Alexander. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Xitlalitl by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Kelsey was a kid that grew up sincere as one of Jehovah's Witnesses but that ultimately followed his heart and lived a "double life". He always felt like something was off with the Witnesses but when he started being authentic they showed him who they truly were. He tells about waking up at 15 years old, his last time ever in the field ministry and how he left the cult behind, as well as how his life has gone since leaving. His is a story of trying to live someone else's life and then finding his own. Now he even has his own little life to look out for without any support or interest from the people that once called him family. The song Kelsey chose to represent his journey is Unanswered by Suicide Silence. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Kelsey by leaving him a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Four siblings, all free from the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses, all with their own paths out. In this interview you will meet all of them and get their stories. A common theme seems to be the emotional desert that they all grew up in, a dearth of emotional health which is a hallmark of the JW faith. A lack of authenticity, not talking about the things that matter, pushing your feelings away, these are all ways to survive in a high control environment where daring to be yourself can have dire consequences. Heather – Varlets.org is her theater company. Knock Knock, Jesus Calling is her original show. The song she chose to represent her journey is Tainted Love by Soft Cell. Aubrey's song is My Church by Maren Morris Kelly's song is Yesterday by Atmosphere Renny's song is Return to Innocence by Enigma Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support the Fangsrud siblings by leaving them a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

First let's acknowledge that this is my first ever video interview as well as being in podcast form. So if you want you can watch the two of us talk over video chat on Youtube on the shunnedpodcast channel. You can watch the interview HERE if you like. Candace was the bad kid growing up. Marked by those around her for being too funny, asking too many questions, and not coming from the right family. She wanted to have a good life, a life that she thought would come if she did the right things, just like Jehovah's Witnesses often teach. If she could be the perfect JW and marry a brother with privileges and be a pioneer then her life would be all that she imagined as a kid, when her family life wasn't what she wanted and she blamed her parents' shortcomings in life on their lack of JW activity. After we finished the interview she shared a story about her uncle that is touching, so stick around for that even after it sounds like we've wound down. The song that Candace chose to represent her journey is Victory by N.E.R.D.. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Candace by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

"I love you with all my heart but I have to leave before it turns into anything less than love." This beautiful sentiment was expressed by a 17 year old Tamara as she left her home and life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. This story has a number of twists and turns but ultimately ends in freedom and awakening. The song that Tamara chose to represent her journey is Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog from The Muppet Movie. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Tamara by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

This episode is being released today, November 16, in honor of Cassie's brother Brandon. One of the things that Jehovah's Witnesses do poorly is supporting and looking out for the mental and emotional well-being of their members. Cassie experienced multiple changes in her life where she needed to be seen and helped within the congregation in a real way and they never managed to connect to her until later in life when they reached out in a judicial manner. She was ultimately saved in many ways by a high school cooking competition and the passion that she found. Cassie's brother suffered in his life as well and isn't with us today to tell his story, but we honor him by releasing this story today. For Brandon…. The song that Cassie chose to represent her journey is "Got It In You" by Banners. In honor of her brother Brandon, she shared two songs that he liked. The first is Beautiful Tragedy by In This Moment and the second is My Curse by Killswitch Engage. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Cassie by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Today we're going to meet Matthew from Australia. For a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses they find themselves just riding the wave, doing what they have to do to get by. They may not ever really "reach out" for more and more "privileges" in the congregation but just seek to make it through from one day to the next. Matthew was one such JW, trying to get by, trying to make his very serious JW mom happy as a kid, trying to keep his head down and to not be noticed. One day when he had his own children he realized that he couldn't make them live that same existence that he had and that things had to change. The song that Matthew chose to represent his journey is Let Me Be by Xavier Rudd. Speaking of music, you can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Matthew by leaving him a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

You can tell in this conversation that Daniel is a really humble and sincere guy. This conversation deal with the way Jehovah's Witnesses make natural things seem unnatural, how bipolar disorder can impact a person inside the organization, and he has some great insights at the end regarding things that have helped him since leaving. There's also a very strong reaction from me regarding a story he tells about being a dad and how he was treated regarding his child. I decided to leave it in because it was a very real moment and I hope that if you're out there and being treated like Daniel was it gives you some energy to know that your feelings are valid and nobody should ever treat you that way. The song that Daniel chose to represent his journey is Long Hard Road by Sade. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Daniel by leaving him a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

This episode really touches on so many different pitfalls of life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses as seen through the life of one person. We talk about the blood issue, abuse, the realities of the politics inside congregations, mental health issues, the pressures put on young couples, and Yahoo Answers. Yeah, I didn't see that last one coming either. Joseph is a person that pays attention to detail and you will hear about the life he lived and what he saw around him. Ultimately he committed the ultimate sin of thinking for himself and we all know how that ends. There will even be an opportunity to listen to his judicial committee after the interview if you like. The song that Joseph chose to represent his journey is Coming of Age by Millow. You can listen to Joseph's judicial committee on his YouTube channel HERE. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Joseph by leaving him a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Today we're going to meet Renee. This is a story of profound loneliness played out over decades, surviving an abusive home and life in a cult, and coming out the other side a profoundly compassionate and beautiful person. Renee is an activist in the ex-JW community today and some know her as Renee Cordeschi – JW Survivor. The song that Renee chose to represent her journey is No Second Prize by Jimmy Barnes. If you'd like to follow Renee's work you can do so on Facebook at Renee Cordeschi – JW Survivor. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Renee by leaving her a comment HERE Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE. Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Today we're going to meet Corrie. Her son Nico was featured back in April on episode 29. Now we get to hear her story and she does a really good job of putting it all together and was fun to talk to. She became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in her early 30s after a guy that was doing some tree work at her house pitched her and introduced her to his wife for a Bible study. Having recently lost her grandmother and in the middle of grieving, they gave her a hope that she could cling to and that drew her in. This is a story of manipulation from the beginning until the end of her time in the cult. You'll find out how therapy, and Leah Remini helped her to wake up, and we have some great conversation about finding oneself after leaving. The song that Corrie chose to represent her journey is Warrior by Demi Lovato. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Corrie by leaving her a comment HERE Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Nicole was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. This is a tough story to listen to and my heart goes out to her but she has overcome a truly traumatic childhood to create a good life for herself. Unlike most people that I interview she was never baptized, but she lived a life as a JW that needs to be told. There are a lot of patterns in this story that are repeated in many families in the organization. Sheltered from real life Nicole was in for some rude awakenings, and unfortunately the most abusive came from her own family. She eventually learned that she could trust nobody but herself. Nicole chose the song "Eternal Sunshine" by Jhene Aiko to represent her journey. She mentioned the exjw reddit as a resource that helped her. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Support Nicole by leaving her a comment HERE Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Adrian was raised one of Jehovah's Witnesses, born into the cult. His father even believed himself to be one of the 144,000 chosen to go to heaven. You'll see through this interview that Adrian was one of those people that had humanity that even the cult couldn't break. That sensitivity though, the heartbreak of shunning not just once but twice, led to his becoming a heroin addict at a young age. One moment though helped him to break free of it all and to realize that he was responsible for the path his life would take and that nobody he had relied on growing up would help, that the only person he ultimately had was himself, and that he had enough value to be worth living a good life for. You can view more of Adrian's work on Instagram at xadriantrevorx The song that Adrian chose to represent his journey is Stop the Fuckin' Car by Circa Survive. He was helped by the book Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz and he also mentioned the exjw reddit group. Want to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Dates and information can be found HERE. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to: Mike Shemwell P.O. Box 2641 Clarksville, IN 47131 USA Thank you! Support Adrian by leaving him a comment HERE Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Linda was a devout Jehovah's Witness, one that believed it all and really put her heart and soul into it. Today she's been out of the organization for 25 years and our discussion involves Buddhist teachings, the neuroscience of shunning, and her story which she also shares in her memoir that is entitled Shunned: How I lost my religion and found myself. So you're going to see how she both lost that religion and what she found on the other side. Resources Mentioned: Her book Shunned: How I Lost Religion and Found Myself Kip Williams at Purdue University Poem: The Journey by Mary Oliver Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to: Mike Shemwell P.O. Box 2641 Clarksville, IN 47131 USA Thank you! Support Linda by leaving her a comment HERE Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

Today we are talking with Andie, formerly one of Jehovah's Witnesses. This story really involves so many things. First, we're talking about a family that goes all the way back to the Rutherford days of the organization. Additionally, Andie was beat up for her beliefs, she was forced to move a lot for a reason that you won't see coming, and she spent time in Mexico to try to build an English speaking congregation but had to come home for another reason that you won't see coming. She talks openly about self-harm, about her own horrific rape, living in her car, and thoughts of suicide. Andie was one tough young lady that dealt with a lot and came out the other side. She should be very proud of herself. The song that Andie chose to represent her journey is "If We're Honest" by Francesca Battistelli. Resources mentioned included the book Combating Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan, the Marc Cora YouTube Channel, and the Kim Mikey YouTube Channel. Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach. Click HERE for more information. Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to: Mike Shemwell P.O. Box 2641 Clarksville, IN 47131 USA Thank you! Support Andie by leaving her a comment HERE Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".

In this episode we're going to meet Lyla Illing from South Africa, now living in New York City. She was involved in a cult early in her life that, translated from Afrikaans to English, means "The Chosen People". As one might imagine in a land where apartheid held strong for so long the cult was definitely racist. Lyla was only involved for a short time and you'll see why, but it created dynamics that impact her to this day, and set her on a path to try to help Amish youth here in America. This episode features two amazing songs from Lyla. The first that you will here is "Not Coming Home" and the second is "Below the Surface". "Not Coming Home" – Proceeds go to the Amish Heritage Foundation "Below the Surface" by Lyla Illing The song that Lyla chose (by another artist) to represent her journey is "Runaway" by Pink. Resources mentioned: William Ramsey Investigates interviews Mike Shemwell of the Shunned Podcast about Jehovah's Witnesses HERE Conversations with God interviews God about shunning in Episode 39 HERE Would you like to be party to my birthday party? Send a card, letter, anything but JW literature to: Mike Shemwell P.O. Box 2641 Clarksville, IN 47131 USA Thank you! Support Lyla by leaving her a comment HERE Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Support the show by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Music by Fair Voyeur entitled "No Hell Yet".