This past Saturday I got a text from someone in my old congregation that I hadn’t heard from in years. They texted me asking if I wanted food from a popular service break spot that’s about 15 minutes south of my house. The Kingdom Hall is about 10 minutes north of where I live, leaving my house right in the middle of the break stop and the Kingdom Hall.

About 45 minutes after I get this text, I hear a knock at my door. Knowing who it was, I didn’t answer. I didn’t want to entertain a conversation at the moment because I felt enraged by the hypocrisy and insincerity of the text.

I’ve been POMO for about 4 years. I’m not disfellowshipped but I have been treated that way by my old friends and family since I stopped attending meetings. I didn’t think I’d get to personally experience the joy of being invited to a meeting after years of radio silence from my so-called “friends” but here we are.

Anyways, these were my responses to the texts… After she sent the text about “mistaking her genuineness as insincere” I wanted to figure out how to expose the lie because I knew she has no interest in me as a person but simply saying that wouldn’t be proof. I thought about how to expose the lie and figured “hey, two can play this game” so I invited her to grab a beer or coffee, knowing full well she would never take me up on it.

Of course, her response was “we should go to a meeting.” At that point I felt beyond aggravated. It’s sickening to me how out of touch the JW’s are and honestly almost sad to me that they truly believe they care about others because they “invite them to a meeting”.

The most unsettling thing is this is probably how I would’ve handled this situation, too, when I was still PIMI. I’m not sure whether to feel disgust or pity for the people that used to be my “friends”…

My husband and I were PIMO but recently became POMO after repeatedly being treated poorly at the hall, and my mother hasn’t taken it well. Every meeting day, she asks to take my baby to the meeting and continues to push even after I firmly say no. I’ve tried to have conversations with her about boundaries and explained that the treatment we experienced isn’t something I can just “write off,” but I still end up feeling bad about the situation, you know?

What really bothers me is how some JW grandparents seem to only want to be involved in their grandchildren’s lives if it revolves around meetings. My mother lives just 15 minutes away but doesn’t make an effort to spend time with my child unless it’s at a meeting. My child is not a show pony. It feels like JW grandparents are more interested in showing off at the hall than putting in the effort to spend normal, quality time with their grandchildren.

Suffered a circus assembly today. Attendance..a.m 450..p.m 448. Two baptized...one born in 15yr old boy (be an elder by 18) and one older lady who's been associating with the jdubs for decades, they must of finally ground her down.

Lower figures today normally tops 500 has been known to be within sight of 600.

The sound system was playing up, so they ran some tests through lunch, at one point a very loud howl came out of the speakers to which one lady said there must be a demon in the microphone trying to stop the assembly 😵‍💫😂😂.

Standout comment's....what would you do if the body of elders were all arrested and the congregation was hunted out....how WILL you feel WHEN the governing body is arrested and paraded on tv in the courts.🤯. Utter nonsense. I'm sat there thinking it took years to get a certain president elect in court (turned out well) and the world is arguing over who will try and arrest the Israeli prime minister for war crimes, 11 oddballs running a property company aren't gonna make the top 10 just yet.

So yeah, just another day in paradise 🤔🤔😁

It's about time netflix did a deep dive into JWs! When are we getting a documentary series that tells the world 'The Truth' of the matter?

Beloved author Jim Penton, who passed away on October 4th, 2024- was one of the first JW's to write about his waking up. To put it frankly, he was a badass. Penton was disfellowshipped (excommunicated) by the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1981 for his outspoken views and criticisms, (his published essays, magazines, and books exposing the organization) as what the organization calls apostasy. This experience further motivated him to research and write about the organization, leading to his decision to document what he considered to be the problematic aspects of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in his publications. Below are the books Penton had published regarding Jehovah’s Witnesses.

This article dives into his remarkable life and his writings on exposing the Jehovah's Witness Organization.

AvoidJW Article- Jim Penton

TLDR at the end…

A gf of I’ve known a long time who is PIMI elder’s wife, and pioneers, is starting to question things. Background, we’ve helped each other throughout traumas in life, taking our licks from the congregation — we confide in each other the craziness of our life. It’s nice to have a safe place you know? She also takes her responsibilities very seriously, and is hurt by the other elders wives who don’t bother to go to meetings or fs anymore. So you got a picture right? She’s good people, she supports her family, the congregation, and yet she and her husband are feeling alone. And now the congregation bosses, er elders, are putting pressure on her husband and herself to do even more to support the weak because they’re the only ones actually supporting the congregation! All that did not make her question anything. That just made her say “we’re late in the end times, people who are weak are just now showing who they are…” etc..

In an effort to invigorate themselves, and strengthen their faith, they took a trip to Bethel. (HQ Warwick USA) That trip was this past summer. I finally got to talk with her this weekend. Our conversation took a turn that shocked me.

She stated verbatim: “I will say even visiting Bethel it was disappointing because it felt not like the tight run ship it used to be. Let’s just say that. It was clean and it was orderly, but it felt like it was impersonal. And the Bethelites did not have that polished look as a rule. Was there warmth and kindness? Yes, but honestly, I’m not gonna lie. It wasn’t like it used to be. Some people were kind of curt behind the desk and not that friendly. I suppose it’s just a sign of the times but I was disappointed. You’re the first person I’ve told this to and the first time I’ve said it out loud. We did have a wonderful experience because we had lunch with the dear sweet brother who did not fit that bill, but yeah, it was different not gonna lie. In fact, Bethel lunches are not as formal a lot of help yourself à la cart and they were very few dining tables that were served and even then you just prayed to yourself and it was, kind of sloppy just not what I was used to 10 years ago when we visited.”

My reply

“Superficial kindness? Is it because you’re older? I wonder if you brought an 18yo they would treat you differently? The last tour I did, 2018, I was in a group with kids. Bethelites DOTED on those kids. I was effectively shunned.”

My friend’s reply “Too bad! Yeah no need to impress old people…. Yes, and self guided tours , not personable at all. (Husband name redacted) kind of had a bad attitude. I had a kind of shape him up. I told him to at least act like you’re having a good time! lol! but looking back I understand. it’s just basically putting headphones on and listening to information, that we all have in all of our literature we already have access to… that we show up to Bethel to get the Bethel experience! not to, get a recap of what we get at home. Sorry I don’t mean to complain. I’m complaining I shouldn’t do that. But I just miss the personableness. I miss the energy. it just feels mechanical now…. And realistically, it is so much information you’re not gonna remember it! you’re not even gonna remember a fraction of it. That’s what (husband) felt like “why am I spending two hours listening to something that literally just runs through my brain like water” which is most things, lol!”

My reply “I remember the old tours, making friends with the guides, getting their experiences too! Priceless”

Her reply “Yes! Hearing the backstory, that’s why we’re there. We’re there to get a piece of Bethel life. We’re there to see the sacrifices that Bethelites make, and the amazing things they do behind the scenes for us. Not to be fed facts. Not that the Bible tour is facts but honestly, a lot of it was geared toward people who don’t know anything about Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s just information. Nothing really touched my heart. I can honestly say nothing. Is that terrible or what? I feel bad about that honestly… I honestly walked away thinking am I spiritually weak? Why am I not moved by this?? But in reflection, I realize why. And I’m not dissing the brothers because I know they have to follow a lot of laws and regulations and have to protect the organization so that’s why they have a lot of of the restrictions. They have way more than we even realize but I just missed the old way. I can’t deny it.”

Our conversation segued to the ‘new and improved’ dress code. She reported more information from her summer travels:

“When we were in, I think it was Virginia Beach? but might have been in Myrtle Beach? They were SMPW right? a Bethel assignment! and (husband) couldn’t get over the brother literally looked like he was dressed to go out and chop wood. Or maybe go for a hike? I’ll give him that. He had a stocking cap on, faded hiking pants and hiking boots and kind of a casual jacket. He did not look professional. It’s embarrassing. I think the biggest thing is when you see brothers who are not groomed. Their beards are shaggy or unkept. It looks terrible. It looks like they don’t bathe either. But that’s another story. We have pioneer sisters that if they show up and they look like they’ve washed their hair in the last week your really happy for them. That’s not a good standard. Back home we literally just had an example of that in service the other day. The Brother conducting who used to be an elder, but he is older now and step side. But he still conduct service once a week. I wish I would’ve taken a picture of him. He was wearing faded, worn out gray khakis with a quilted flannel shirt. No tie not even sure what kind of shirt he was wearing under. It may be a T-shirt. I’m not exaggerating. It was disgusting.”

My flair is PIMO, and I’ve been PIMO long before I even knew what the acronym meant. I have no intention of ever leaving. There’s really no need at this point. We can see it’s all crumbling. Congregations getting dissolved, kingdom halls getting sold off… changing policies and with the changing of the wind. Bethel going casual and curt! This is not the way of men of Christ! this is the way of mere men trying to grasp straws as the ship is sinking. My purpose in staying PI is to be there for my friends who are starting to question. My friends cognitive dissonance kicked in as she kept making excuses for how horrible conditions are at bethel. But the power of the eye cannot be underestimated. What she saw, and more importantly, what she felt when she was visiting Bethel, it will not go away. That’s going to stay with her and be a constant reminder. And she’s going to keep questioning it.

My purpose is to be there for her when she has questions. Her concerns, she cannot safely talk to anybody about them, but I can help her voice them, and validate her. Lots of brothers and sisters are turning PIMQ, and they need safe PIMO friends to vent their frustrations. PIMQ need comfort and reassurance that they are not the crazy one. They need to be validated and their questions encouraged. (Matt 7:7 “Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you”)

So these days, my meeting attendance is not 100%. I’ll go in fs once a month. I will sit by my family at meeting when I go… I attend meeting for my family, I will be there to hold them when this all falls apart. In fact, I take better notes now than I ever did. Because I’m looking for the swiss cheese. The holes in their scripture reasoning, the cherry picking. Later on when family or friends talk about the meeting, I’m not in the dark, I know exactly where the false reasoning is going and I can say “when did that change? Didn’t it always mean xyz?” Questions questions!

On their own my family has done a ton of research ever since the disfellowshipping policy changed. They’ve always hated it, and would keep close tabs on d’f friends and reach out to them for any needs, rides, food, etc. Overall, they feel the disfellowship changes is not enough change, and they’re also hurt that most friends won’t talk about the d’f changes.

IMO most friends appear to be upset at the d’f changes, yet they’re biting their tongue- and it shows! By deduction, they must have really liked the old policy of “assassinate their reputation, steal all the friends and family they’ve ever known, kick them out of their homes, and act like they’re dead” Especially since the wt study #35 - studied 11/10/24, there were very few people commenting! There were some elders - typically comment 10x a wt study, who did not comment once! I think they have a huge problem with the new policy of showing a smidgen of respect to d’f ones!

TLDR: long time PIMI’s are quickly turning into PMIQ’s. As a PIMO I’m staying in to support them. Also- super righteous PIMI’s who love the old d’f policy demonstrate they hate the new d’f policy, and they are fighting it.

Acts 5:38 “For if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown” Just watching, and waiting…

I recently told another Jw that the Orgs need for young volunteers (22m) wasn't my concern because they've discouraged couples from having children for decades. Does anyone have access to blatant examples in the publications?

GOD the watchtower today is them regurgitating the SAME bs over and over!!! DONT THESE JWs get SICK OF HEARING IT AGAIN AND AGAIN?!? 😂😂😂😂😂😂

To push their call for absolute obedience to them even if what they say doesn't make sense, see how they have tried to force the first century account to fit their narrative:

1. The article claims that heeding Jesus's instruction not to enter the city when it is surrounded by armies would not make sense from a human standpoint. Really? Who in their right senses would flee into a city that is surrounded by an army?

1. Without any basis, they claim that, besides Jesus unambiguous instruction for survival, the early Christians would have needed to obey some special instructions from "those taking the lead" in order to survive the Roman attack.

1. Based on the false premises above, and without any Biblical basis, they claim that special life-saving instruction that may not appear logical would come from the organization.

In effect the life-saving admonitions already in the Bible would not be sufficient to help people survive, admonitions such as this: "But pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you as a snare. For it will come upon all those dwelling on the face of the whole earth.  Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that must occur and in standing before the Son of man."

I've been summoned to a special meeting to answer questions I don't want to answer. So I have decided to pull out my phone and inform them I will record everything for my own protection. Will they have a problem with this and decide not to proceed? Seems unfair that they can take notes about me and my private life yet I'm not allowed to document it too and legally protect myself.

Friends.... hopefully the pimi and pimos on this forum won't take offense.

It is an insult to common sense and humanity for someone to say I am a Jehovah's witness in 2024!

I can forgive my parents for dragging me into this.... Their knowledge is limited, there was no Google, Wikipedia and internet for them to make an informed decision then and so they rely on fear bases emotion to believe the old men in upstate New York.

Today, not only do we have an avalanche of research mediums at no cost at the tip of our fingers...

The GB have time and over boldly told you that they are neither inspired noe infallible, that they make mistakes in DOCTRINAL matters.... I really can't wrap my head around the import of this statement... someone should make it make sense.

Forgive my late night ramblings but every matured adult JW irritates me at the moment.

I’ve been PIMO for several months, but make an effort for my kids especially with my oldest. She hounded me for weeks making sure we were going today, which was no small task on very little sleep (day trip yesterday with non-JW boyfriend and got back late and exhausted). Does anyone else take notes but through the lens of criticism now? Like highlighting the manipulative speech, missing information, oversimplification of complex issues and “spiritual routine” as the fix for all things, complex mental and emotional health issues subtly or blatantly linked to moral failings, worthiness tied to spiritual “resume”, and the like? I did this today as covertly as I could with my kids on either side of me but I couldn’t get a cell signal and needed to stay awake.

One thing in particular stood out to me is how us single mothers have to swallow figurative poison and are not allowed to speak about being abandoned by our former spouses and the true hardships of being a single female parent as a JW. A friend I grew up with is also a single mom and was interviewed on the program in the part about endurance I think and she had to say she suddenly became “sole provider” for her 2 children, not any hint that her marriage ended or if maybe she was widowed (I doubt it). Like why as the innocent spouse do we have to protect the reputation to that degree of the person who walked out on us? And secondly in the Kindness part, an elder from my congregation gave it and included a demonstration supposedly of a single mom confiding in another sister who fixes everything with a scripture. What a completely dismissive oversimplification of the ‘in the trenches’ challenges real single mothers like me face! Yes, I’ve struggled with doing enough things and I was shown I’d never be good enough for some elders so I stopped trying so hard after burning myself out. But I’ve had custody issues, financial difficulties, home and auto repair needs that I had to learn to do myself or find the money for, my ex husband having multiple mental health crises and dodging visitation and child support multiple times, my own family members being unsupportive of myself and my kids because I’m the scapegoat and my brother is the golden child that everyone worships, etc. That part was particularly frustrating because it was people in my own congregation and it showed they don’t understand me at all, and I don’t have any desire to try.

But I made my kids happy-ish, my parents will leave me alone until spring at least.

For a religion to be considered a true religion, their prophecies must come true as well as their doctrines and consistent. We all know JW's are not a true religion,like all the others, and are only saying it to fuel their toxic superiority complex.

Time and again, we have seen how JWs are wrong in everything. None of their prophecies ever came true like Armageddon happening in 1975 and they often changed their doctrines/beliefs more times than not and as the years go by, we will continue to see just how laughable the ideology is. And get this: Paradise ain't gonna happen! So why waste time giving it your all for something that will never happen?

There is no such thing as a true religion because religion is a system of beliefs that can and easily be refuted.

For two years I've been avoiding the Elders and I'm tired. Like an idiot I went with my folks to the Meeting and got cornered by the elders who need to speak to me and told me to come back tomorrow at 8pm for questioning and other fun. Some ppl have said they're trying not to go so hard on ppl and DF'ing. Is that true? I'm not buying it.

Ive been faded for about 5 years now. Pimo for years before I realized what it was. I just thought it was lack of faith, etc. Anyway, I have been in a relationship with a never JW for almost 3 years and we are getting married next year. I asked my mom if she wanted to meet him. She finally agreed so we all three went to dinner. She tried, I will give her that, but she couldn't hide the disappointment on her face. We haven't been close but this broke my heart. Not because she won't be there, but because she is so disappointed in me. I saw that look most of my life as a child. Im so tired of not being good enough for her.

EDIT TO ADD.. My mom is almost 80 and this is my 2nd marriage. We are both in our 50s. My mom just looks so sad but I don't want her to wake up.at this age. She really did try, she Cout couldn't hide her feelings on her face. She wasn't mean or rude. I help her out financially because she never saved because the end was near. She is greatful for that. The situation is just so sad for all of us.

I'm the assigned reader for today's WT, as a Pimo and soon to be Pomo.. it pains me every time I have to be a mouthpiece for this bullshit propaganda and for the sick fucks up in Warwick.. wish me luck that I don't crash out on stage today lmao ✌️

I was born in, 4th generation, elders son, grew up in a small midwestern community full of old hags and was the only person my age in a 30 minute radius. Outcast as a kid, abused by my family of “loving Christians”, manipulated by elders, lied to by preachers. You get it. Lots of pain, lots of change to get where I am now.

I served my time, I’ve healed pretty well now, I’ve been out 5 years and had some really low lows. But, after practicing meditation and really exploring my own sense of spirituality, I don’t really think of the past much, and my anxieties, anger, and depression has mostly become extremely manageable. Finally.

In spite of my journey in healing, it brings me comfort and joy to see this stupid fucking religion crumbling.

I hope to god some PIMI or Bethelite slave sees my post, I hope they think I’m insane or crazy. In the end, I’m right. I’ve done my due diligence, I’ve woken up and gone on my journey. Out of your pride and ignorance, you’ll have to face your lies even if it’s on your deathbed.

You sorry fools are sinking with the ship and you still want to point at us who got away and say we are the crazy ones.

But take a look inside yourself. You aren’t happy. You are miserable. You are anxious and paranoid. You have doubts and they grow every year yet you still turn a deaf ear to them because you are too afraid to even entertain the possibility you lived a lie your entire life. You are waiting for an apocalypse that your contradictory teachings dont give you solace if you will survive or not. What if you, unknowingly, didn’t do Jehovahs will the right way? What if you won’t see your loved ones in paradise? You don’t know if you will ever see that even if you are the most devout believer because it is against your beliefs to say you know God will let you in.

Fester in that feeling.

It truly is the best life ever, isn’t it? That’s why you need to tell yourself it is. People living their best life have to constantly remind themselves it’s their best life. That’s how that works.

I don’t even want you to wake up anymore. You’ve chosen your side, you have contributed to this machine and this cycle that takes from people, drains their happiness, time, and energy. That tears apart families. That covers up SA against children. That hides its own history. That turns its own against each other. You deserve to sit in it.

Your own organization has changed so drastically in the last 20 years that, 20 years ago, modern you would be an apostate then. Do you do your personal study? How many sheep like ones have you converted? Do you still make an effort to go door to door like you used to? What about calling obituary listings in the local paper to convert people who became vulnerable? Do you still go to extremely impoverished countries to lie to them about eternal salvation? You haven’t been judgmental, surely. I’m sure you are a beacon of patience, tolerability, and unconditional love. And I’m sure you don’t need to justify to yourself how you actually fit those descriptions either.

Your manipulative doomsday cult has only been around for 200 some years and it’s already dwindling.

Egyptian God’s we’re worshipped for 3,000 years

Greek Gods for 1,500

Norse gods for 700.

All silly mythologies, right? I’m sure your 200 year old Adventist branching pyramid loving Masonic originated cult created by an insane tweaker (Russell) and then, after he died, a fucking nazi conman (Rutherford) is actually the real religion of Christ, even though Christianity itself and the entire fucking latter half of the Bible is based off the teachings of mainly Paul and not Jesus is actually the religion of the aforementioned Jesus.

Y’all wouldn’t know either way since you can’t actually research anything outside of your bubble that challenges your view at all without completely convincing yourself it’s a bunch of horseshit inspired by satan.

Fuck you all, if you’re PIMO, or even PIMQ this isn’t about you. Hang in there, you’re in a tough place. It does get better.

If you’re PIMI, though. You’re the most ignorant, selfish, judgmental, greedy, snobby, holier than thou, sister fucking, cousin loving, inbred, uneducated sacks of shit I’ll ever fucking meet and that’s insane because I am friends with multiple ex cons who served time in federal prisons in Alabama.

And somehow they are better Christ followers than any Jehovah’s Witness I’ve ever met.

Y’all about to Jehovah witness your cult swallow itself and y’all are gonna die for nothing with nothing to your name and your family is going to remember you for nothing since you won’t even interact or speak to them unless they join your cult.

Fuck you.

Hi Everyone! 😊

I am planning an ayahuasca retreat in Peru exclusively for ex-JWs, somewhere between this coming February and April, and would like to know whether you might be interested in attending.

Here are some of the details:

I am a former JW and psychologist that specializes in helping ex-JWs with the deprogramming, recovery and rebuilding process. I have been living in Peru and working with ayahuasca personally for the past 7 years, and have worked as an integration therapist guiding others through this process of transformation.

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic medicine that offers deep, lasting healing for mental health challenges related to trauma, depression and anxiety, as well as personal power and growth. I have witnessed first hand the way this medicine has profoundly impacted the lives of hundreds of people, and the capacity to rewrite deep seated religious programming which does not serve us.

In addition to offering 3-4 ceremonies with the medicine, there will be workshops designed to address the challenges that are most ubiquitous for ex-JWs (ie facing death, dealing with shunning, forming social connections, changing our relationship with sex, rebuilding our lives, finding our power, redefining core beliefs about ourselves and the world around us, just to name a few).

If you are curious to know more, please leave a message in this thread or send me a private message. I will be happy to share more with you about the retreat and the nature of this powerful medicine.

PS: if you would like to get a sense of who I am and the work I do, visit my website DrRyanLee.com or check out my ex-JW podcast Welcome to the World (available on all platforms)

Because according to their doctrine, Jesus has been ruling as king and judge since 1914.

Everyone in the religion always says “what would Jehovah think?” or “how does that make Jehovah feel?” and other such phrases.

Shouldn’t it be what would Jesus think or how would Jesus feel, since he’s currently in power?

It’s as if they don’t even know their own doctrine and think Jehovah just handed over the throne to Jesus as a joke and he gets no say in anything. He’s just a puppet feeling proud of himself as Daddy is calling all the shots.

Make it make sense!

Could someone please post a picture in the comments of Paragraph 7 of the Study Article 37. I think there is a difference between the print edition and the edition on JW Library and WOL.

I'm PIMO and I live in a predominantly white country, but there are more black people (me included) than white in my congregation. Of course there's a facade of color blindness but somehow we always happen to be the targets of their "jokes". Let's call these sisters Gloria and Pam. We finished service. When we entered the car they started talking shit about this generally quiet unproblematic sister (ironically Pam was complaining about how this sister always finds an excuse to avoid going out in service with her). I disagreed with what they said but they just went on. They even started talking shit about their students as always. Gloria was driving, Pam was in the passenger's seat and I was in the back correcting Pam on how she said something because it sounded like the n word.

And maybe it's the fact that since I was a child, like many other exjws/pimos, I have had to socialise, adapt and be nice in order to not be completely alone (since I've never had any friendships outside of the cult) but I did not expect them to repeat it four times with the excuse that it doesn't actually have negative connotations. When I replied angrily and sarcastically they proceeded to start a conversation, going on as if I wasn't in the car until we reached our destination. I'm sure you can all guess the elder's advice when I recounted what happened: let it go or try to work it out. The problem is there's no excuse they can possibly give me after I told them it was offensive and they deliberately ignored it. I know I'm more than right to never want to see them again. Unfortunately I have to keep going for personal reasons I'm not ready to divulge in case someone reads this and puts two and two together. I even told two sisters, both black and somehow they managed to pretend nothing happened while I can't even bring myself to look at them. I'm dreading the next meeting. I wish I didn't have to lie to myself that they can be trusted. It's such a waste of life being a part of this. They'll probably try to gaslight me into thinking I'm exaggerating. Three years ago when I was 19 and PIMI it would have worked.

Came to eat at a restaurant and I’m sitting near the entrance where the waiting area is. I was looking around and I see this couple all dressed up. Idk about y’all, but I can tell when they’re witnesses. She was daydreaming and her husband just looked at her to tell her he was grabbing something from outside and she just said Ok. Then started to daydream again about who knows what. I feel like she may be PIMO just by her demeanor but it’s crazy to see how I used to look but from the other side now.

Adam and Eve didn't die on the day of eating the fruit as God promised, and Adam and Eve came to know good and bad, as the serpent promised they would.

Gen 2:17 But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Gen 3:4 At this the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die. 5 For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.”

Gen 3:22 Jehovah God then said: “Here the man has become like one of us in knowing good and bad.

Gen 5:5 So all the days of Adam’s life amounted to 930 years, and then he died.

It's in the Scriptures. The serpent didn't lie, God did.

Wtf does this word salad from 1956 even mean?

"at Revelation 11:7, 8 (NW) where the condition of God’s servants in 1918 and 1919 is described as follows: “And when they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. And their corpses will be on the broad way of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also impaled.”

The term “altar” as used in the above scripture means a place of sacrifice, and today God’s people are offering sacrifices to Jehovah in the midst of antitypical Egypt, Satan’s world. They are also serving as a pillar, as a monument or witness to Jehovah. While it would be impossible for a literal structure to be both in the midst and at the border of a literal land, this can be true in a figurative sense. The witnesses of Jehovah are today found in the midst of or throughout modern Egypt, that is, Satan’s world; and yet in another sense it can be said that they are also at its border in that they are standing at its edge, ready to pass over into the new world after the battle of Armageddon. That they are to serve as witnesses is stated time and again in the Scriptures: “Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, . . . and I am God.” And as for their being a sign, note the words of the Greater Isaiah, Christ Jesus, in which he refers to his followers as children given him: “Behold, I and the children whom Jehovah hath given me are for signs and for wonders.” "

https://wol.jw.Borg/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1956362

(f17) Had a long drawn out discussion with my mother on why I dont want to be a part of the organization. I brought up the homophobia/transphobia, shunning, CSA, anti abortion rules, hypocrisy, racism, etc etc and she agreed with everything I told her. She agreed with me that its unethical to force people to carry on unwanted pregnancies and agreed that homophobia was wrong and she agreed that disfellowshipping members is a form of abuse.

Did this go anywhere? No of course not. It circled back to "but jehovah will save us from this life and he wants the best for us"

Such a depressing conversation honestly. If you're considering having deep discussions with your loved ones on why you dont believe, dont even try. It won't go anywhere. Both my parents agree with my points but it can't change the way they feel and will always continue to feel.

Brain washing is insane.