June 26, 2025 • 51 mins
In this episode, I introduce myself and give you insight into my life growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness. I also give you preliminary thoughts as to why I wanted to break away from that religion/cult.
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UNKNOWN (00:00):
Music Music
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
Hello everyone, hope you had a great and productive
day.
My name is Mitch, and this is mychannel, MitchTheXJW.
In case you're not familiar ordon't know, the JW stands for
Jehovah's Witness, and that'swhat this podcast will mainly be
(00:53):
about.
For the majority of my life,I've was a practicing Jehovah's
Witness.
I'm not anymore.
And this is to explain why.
Not only why, but help peoplesee factually the ways that I
(01:18):
came to my decision.
It wasn't a rash decision.
It wasn't one based off of justhigh emotion and one day I flip
the script but no this has beena long time coming so that's
what this podcast will be aboutI hope to get the attention of
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those that were in my situationor are currently in my situation
where you have questions and youhave doubts and you wonder is
everything you're learning trueis everything that you see going
on around you Is it correct?
(02:01):
And those are the things I hadto ask myself.
So I welcome you and I hope thatyou enjoy it.
I've been getting a lot ofsupport and attention through
social media.
I started social media aboutthis a little bit over a week
(02:27):
ago.
And I've been blown away by themomentum that it's gaining.
And I have accounts on TikTok,Instagram, X, which was formerly
Twitter.
And, oh, YouTube.
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I'm on YouTube and I'm also onReddit.
And Reddit, I'm basically...
Same username...
XJW and I spell that E-X-J-D-U-Bso XJW and that's pretty much my
handle on all those social mediaoutlets that I mentioned but on
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Reddit I'm only on a it's aboutthree channels for XJWs that's
on Reddit so you can find me onany of those platforms, TikTok,
Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, andI also made a Facebook page
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also.
So facebook.com slash MitchEXJWand you'll find my Facebook page
as well.
So I made these different socialmedia accounts because When I
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started this and started talkingabout it, it was kind of like a
release for me, like an outletfor me to get things off my
chest.
And the more that I do it, themore I'm just finding
like-minded individuals thatpretty much realize the same
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thing that I did, that TheJehovah's Witness religion is
deeply flawed.
The group of men that run theorganization worldwide, we just
have a lot of doubts andquestions about that.
(04:40):
And so when you're a criticalthinker or a free thinker,
that's not looked upon toofavorably.
in that religion.
As a matter of fact, and I'llget more into it in a bit, but
they encourage us to questionour faith.
(05:02):
When they gave the publicdiscourses at meetings or our
assemblies or large conventions,that would come up quite often.
Test your faith.
You have to...
constantly convince yourselfthat you have the truth.
And then, you know, once you dothat, you're supposed to live
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accordingly to that, to thatfaith.
And so if you question it, butyou question it too loudly, or
you ask questions or you voiceyour opinions or you voice,
voice, um, you know, the issuesyou have, that becomes a huge
(05:47):
problem with them.
And then all of a sudden theythrow this word upon you that
you're an apostate.
And so if you look that up, itmeans that someone, they changed
their mind.
And so they're no longeragreeing with a religion.
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or no longer agreeing with anideal, or it can even be in a
business sense.
You know, you're not going alongwith a particular company.
So that's like the seculardefinition of apostate.
Jehovah's Witnesses use thatword, and they've labeled people
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who have doubts or questionthings as an apostate, but then
they use the definition of tothe congregations and the people
that listen to them they say anapostate is someone whose mind
is under demonic control andinfluence and so they scare
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people away from talking tothose of us who no longer want
to be witnesses which is a shameone of the many reasons I and
others see it falling under thecategory of a cult you know they
say it's a religion a lot of ussay it's nothing more than a
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cult because I love this it'slike a chart going around and
it's called the bite chartB-I-T-E and each letter stands
for something and you just godown a list under each letter
and And, you know, if the quoteunquote religion you're in are
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showing any of thesecharacteristics, then more than
likely it's a cult.
And it's, you know, nothing tobash or speak badly of.
It's facts, straight facts.
And the Jehovah's Witnessorganization use a lot of
control, a lot of scare tacticsto keep members in line.
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but also to keep members goingto meetings and being an active
member of that cult.
And so, you know, they labelthose of us who are free
thinkers and critical thinkersas apostate.
We're under demonic control.
And I made a video addressingthat.
(08:31):
One of the videos I made lastweek when I was saying why I
wanted to break free from thatreligion in the first place And
I say that this is me speakingwith a clear mind.
The governing body or the groupof men who run the organization,
they try to convince its membersthat those of us who think like
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myself, our minds are underdemonic influence and we're like
speaking as agents of Satan.
That's how deep it is.
That's what they're telling themembers.
And they, you know, they say ifyou see them face to face, don't
engage.
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If you come across theirliterature, books or magazines
or whatever, don't even look atit.
If you see them on social media,don't engage.
Don't talk to them.
Don't comment on their posts,which they do.
And I'll get into that.
Just stay with Uncle Mitch.
But they engage.
(09:36):
But they tell them not to.
And why?
Why?
Because they don't want themasses to question or have the
same doubts that we have.
The majority amount of peoplethat are on my social media and
that I'm talking to eitherthrough comments or through
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direct messages theseindividuals are sharp.
they are intelligent they comefrom all walks of life they're
not ranting and raving like somefanatics but they are having
discussions with me that mean somuch and you can see just like
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myself they put a lot of thoughtand time into this decision
nothing demonic or you knownothing out of the ordinary or
shady like the organization istrying to paint us to be and
that was another red flagbecause I grew up a Jehovah's
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Witness I was born into it in1970 so for over five decades I
was devoted to this religionslash cult and I know how it is
I was you know Jehovah's Witnessfor decades and I can personally
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say I know how it is when wecame across apostates you know
you didn't talk to them didn'tlook at them didn't read the
material and so yeah they I canvouch for that they have people
afraid to talk and I don't evenuse that goofy ass word they use
apostate I call us freethinkersThey discourage the members in
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that religion slash cult.
They discourage the members totalk to us free thinkers.
And why do you think that is?
That's because they don't wantthem to know the truth and to
start questioning things.
(11:58):
And like I said, everything I'msaying, I'm going to get more
each episode I'll dive intodifferent aspects of this but
the main reason is because theorganization is like a huge cash
cow for the ones that run it inNew York they're getting
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donations and contributions fromall over the world and they are
making bank tax free And so,yeah, they don't want to lose
members.
Why would they want to?
They have a good thing going.
You know, selling false dreamsand collecting all that money
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each week, each month, eachyear.
They don't want to lose members.
And then you have those of usgoing around that, you know, we
had those aha moments and we'respeaking out and we speak boldly
about it.
So, That's why I'm doing whatI'm doing.
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If there are ones out there thathave left and they feel alone,
like there's a huge community ofus that you can reach out to.
We support you.
Then we have those that arestill like attending meetings
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or, you know, saying they'reJehovah's Witnesses.
but they can't leave forwhatever reason.
You know, maybe their spouse isa full believer and, you know,
they can't, they don't want tofeel like they're abandoning
their spouse or what if you haveparents that are in it.
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So, you know, as a child, youfeel obligated to your parents,
you know, or what if you, whatif this religion is like all you
have, you know, say you'resingle, a single adult and say,
you know, this is your sociallife, the people in your
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congregation.
But if you say you don't want tobe a witness, they're going to
like turn a cold shouldertowards you and stop talking to
you.
So what if in your mind, youcan't see that happening?
Like, how will I function?
How will I live with no one?
That's literally everyone Iknow.
And so you have different peoplethat they're still in it for
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whatever reason.
I don't knock them for it, butthey may feel all alone.
But I want them to know, too,that there's a community out
here that they can reach out toand get support.
And then there are those thatmight have questions about the
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religion or they may have beenoffered to study the Bible with
a Jehovah's Witness.
or ones that may already be aBible study.
What if they have questions ordoubts?
Like if they want real factualinformation, I wanted this to be
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a place that they could find it.
So those are the reasons Iwanted to make this podcast.
And occasionally I will have aguest on to...
interview them slash we justhave a conversation of how it
was being a witness and you knowmaybe answer questions that were
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sent in to us we'll answer themthrough the podcast so I have
like a lot of ideas of how tojust move this forward
positively and like I said thisisn't going to be a place where
I bash uh people for wanting tobe a Jehovah's Witness.
(15:59):
That's not what this is about.
This is about me having a freeand open mind, getting
enlightenment and realizing thatI didn't feel comfortable any
longer being a part of it andthat I could break free from it
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and I could have my own identityI could be Mitch, who I really
am, without living in fear ofdispleasing an organization and
without living in fear ofdispleasing God, but the way
they portray him to be.
They use a lot of fearmongering.
And so that's what I want to getinto with this podcast.
(16:49):
Yeah, so I was born into it in1970.
And, you know, you're obligatedwhen you're in a witness family
and you're a minor, you're moreor less obligated to attend
meetings.
Now, when you hit 18 or youngadulthood, it's your decision if
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you want to stay in thatreligion.
I'm like, will it be frownedupon if you want to move on with
your life without being in thereligion?
Oh, yeah, for sure.
You know, and your parents,they'll, you know, act
devastated and like it's the endof the world.
Yet and still now the whole timethey're telling you that God
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gives everyone free will.
This organization gives you freewill.
You don't have to be a witness.
But as soon as you say, I don'twant to be a witness, like shit
is the fan.
Like, for real.
So that, too, like, keeps peoplein.
You know, they dread that, oh, Idon't want to go through this
shit.
People, you know, crying andacting all depressed and hurt
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because I don't want to be awitness anymore.
Like, you know, I know peoplejust don't want to go through
that.
So they reluctantly stay around.
So, yeah, when I was young, youhave...
the pressure to, you know, youwant to please your parents and
you want to please God and youstay in.
And when you reach a certain ageand you have a certain
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understanding, a basicunderstanding of everything that
you can, uh, like you have theseconvictions on your own free
will at a certain age, there'sno set age for us to get
baptized.
Then yeah, you're, Expected todedicate your life to God.
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And then you symbolized it bywater baptism.
So I...
At 16, I decided to getbaptized.
And...
Like the whole while...
You know, you have the...
You have two sides.
Like...
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Inside your head.
And I tell people...
I liken it to a war inside yourhead.
You have...
the side of you of what thereligion expects.
You know, what they're tellingyou that God expects.
And in the other part, you haveyourself.
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Like, who you really are.
What makes you the individualyou are.
And we all come from differentwalks of life.
We all have different tendenciesand traits and personalities.
So...
You know, what one person maystruggle with in a spiritual
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sense to align their lives upwith what God expects can be
something totally different thananother person struggles with.
And so for me, like even at ayoung age, I really, really, I
like learning from the Bible.
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Like I like history and I likethe different examples in the
Bible, and I liked the thingsthat God said in the Bible.
I really love that I still do.
Even though I'm againstreligion, I'm not against God.
I believe in God, and I'm notagainst my doctrine that's taken
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straight from the Bible.
I have a problem with what'sman-made.
Or man-made rules or man-madeguidelines.
That's where I have a hugeissue.
You know, but I fully acceptthings that's in the Bible from
God.
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Because even He says in His Wordthat He doesn't change.
And if you meditate on that andyou look at, you know, things in
the Bible, He doesn't change.
It's a man who changes and it'sman who tries to interpret shit
and make you do unnecessarythings.
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So that's a huge issue I had,even at a young age.
But I enjoyed the Bible.
And so, you know, I had...
You're growing up and you havethese things going on in your
head, and my problem...
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Like, I've always, like, justliked females.
Even when I was young.
And so, like, that was my issue.
I didn't...
I've never done drugs.
You know, I like alcohol and...
I drink to feel good, but I'mnot an alcoholic.
UNKNOWN (22:08):
Um...
SPEAKER_00 (22:10):
I'll occasionally go to the casino, play some
blackjack, but I'm not thischronic gambler.
Even from a young age, my thingwas females.
Living as a witness, you have togo really, really strict when it
comes to opposite sex.
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It's expected that you're avirgin until you're married.
Then, You can have sex in God'seyes.
And so, you know, I'm a young,young kid and then I'm a preteen
and I'm a teenager.
And, you know, the older we get,the more we notice the opposite
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sex.
So, you know, I had that.
That was always like a war in myhead.
Then you just want it to fit in.
You want it to be normal, youknow, and have friends and be
accepted like everybody wantsthat.
But growing up a witness iscertain things we couldn't do.
Like we couldn't salute theflag.
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I'll get into that in anotherepisode.
We didn't do holidays.
I'll get into that in anotherepisode.
So it's things like that thatmay have brought ridicule on you
at school.
You know, people teasing you.
Everybody knows Jehovah'sWitnesses go from door to door
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preaching.
So, you know, you're young andthat's stressful.
Going to talk to strangers,that's stressful in itself.
But then, you know, I'm goingaround in a suburb of Chicago
and ring the bell and here goesa classmate.
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Open the door.
And they're like, what are youdoing here?
Why are you dressed like that?
You know, they go out ofquestion.
So, you know, as a young person,all that shit is hard.
So, You know, I was constantlyjust felt like that.
Like I love what I was learningin the Bible, but then I want it
to be normal as well.
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So at 16, I got baptized andupper teens.
I would say it's even harderbecause, you know, getting the
job and you're around even moreof the opposite sex.
Who don't have the same beliefsystem as you do.
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Didn't come up the same way youdid.
And so.
You know things that they wantto do.
That they consider fun.
Like I couldn't do.
And so it's a.
Complete mind F.
Because you just.
Like I said it's just a war.
Constantly going on in yourhead.
When you're.
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Brought up in it.
And then in my life.
early 20s.
Now remember, I'm a, you know,you gotta be a virgin until
you're married.
So I'm like, damn it, I'm gonnado it.
I'm gonna just, I'm gonna stickit out.
I'm gonna be a virgin.
And yeah, I was, I got marriedwhen I was, my first marriage
(25:25):
when I was 23.
So, you know, that was a crazytime.
UNKNOWN (25:33):
And
SPEAKER_00 (25:34):
It's like letting a 23-year-old bull out the gate.
It's just crazy how it makes us,those of us that were raised in
it, and we do our best to stickto that moral code.
Oh, man.
Some either go crazy, can'thandle it anymore, and they go
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crazy before they get marriedand they get in trouble with the
religion.
Or, you know, then there's thoseof us that wait.
It's like we're...
We feel like we're going to gofreaking crazy some days.
That was a crazy period in mylife.
But the older I got, the more Iwould still...
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You know, some things wouldbother me in the congregation.
Things that happened.
For the longest, it's like...
You know, I always wanted to...
I don't like people tellingme...
that I can't do something.
You know, that always botheredme.
And you're growing up a youngman and you want to express
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yourself in different ways.
And I always wanted to be, butthat was highly frowned upon in
that organization, especially inthe United States.
They wanted you to be cleanshaven.
And, you know, you, people see alittle stubble on your face and
they lose their shit.
Like I'm not even playing, youknow?
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And, and so that was one of thethings that bothered me.
Um, of course, just at the olderI get and I'm in a workforce
and, you know, still is like,you're not blind.
So you're noticing the oppositesex.
And I will say that, that Iattribute me staying as decent
(27:40):
as I was.
I attribute that to God and theBible and just trying my best to
live in the way he wanted me to.
And again, I didn't have aproblem with it because it was
coming from God.
I'm like, this is what Jehovahwants.
So I didn't have a problem withit.
But it was just the things thatwent on in the congregation.
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And like I said, I'll break itdown in different episodes of
what I went through.
To get a glimpse, you can justlook at my TikTok or Instagram
pages.
And I'm telling stories on therein different videos.
Like I've made short videos justdescribing different things.
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events that I've went throughand I haven't even scratched the
surface because I was a witnessin four different states
Illinois, Texas, Georgia andWashington so I've seen a lot of
things I've been acquainted witha lot of people you know a lot
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of witnesses in those fourstates for the majority you know
great people Again, I'm notgoing to bash anyone for their
beliefs.
Like, that's not what this isgoing to be about.
Like, you know, if you're awitness and that's your belief
system, more power to you.
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I'm just...
I'm telling you...
I'm going to be telling you whyI feel the way I do and why I
made the decision for myselfthat, you know, I'm not going to
be a witness anymore.
And...
You know, getting to that part,like up to current times, son
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will be 24 this year and ourdaughter will be 18.
And it's like the four of us,myself, wife, and the two kids,
like we just, none of us areactive witnesses anymore.
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You know, they're old enough to,you know, they're young adults
that they can...
I wasn't going to try to forceit on them.
You know, if they wanted to gostill, I would support them.
Like I said, we each made ourown individual decisions.
And they respect me.
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I respect them.
We feel happier.
You know, I know I...
I felt a hell of a lot happierbecause for over 50 years I've
lived by this code and I wasn'tperfect at it.
As you listen to me, don't thinkI was just this perfect model
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religious citizen.
I had my issues and flaws,things I worked on.
We'll get into an episode aboutthis, but they used to call it
disfellowshipping.
or shining now they say removingbut that's when you do something
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wrong in God's eyes like a majorsin and we're talking like
fornication like any type ofsexual uncleanness before
marriage we're talking adulteryyou know things like that If you
do anything like that, you havethe opportunity to seek help
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from the congregation elders.
And, you know, they try toreadjust your thinking and help
you change circumstances in yourlife so you don't repeat those
mistakes.
OK, so if you go that route,they call it you're being
reproved where you can stillassociate with members of the
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congregation.
But you have these limitationsplaced on you.
So it's like you couldn'tcomment at meetings.
You couldn't give meeting parts.
Restrictions is what they callthem.
You couldn't do things likethat, have certain privileges.
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But you gradually get them backuntil they just remove all
restrictions again and call itgood.
So you can go that route whereyou repent of your wrongdoing
and you want to get help.
You turn your life around so itwon't happen again.
But say you do something, youknow, commit adultery or
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fornication or you unrepentantabout it.
Like, yeah, I did it.
Don't see myself stoppinganytime soon.
Then you're going to get what Isaid, disfellowshipped.
or removed, as they call it now.
Or you can disassociate yourselffrom the organization.
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That's where you have to write aletter and let them know that
you wish to be removed.
You're living this type oflifestyle.
Not going to stop.
Don't want to be a witnessanymore.
So if you do either of thosethings happen, you get removed
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or disassociate yourself, thenno one in the congregation can
talk to you no matter if they'reyour family, relatives or
friends.
No one can talk to you.
And, you know, it's also calledshunning.
Congregation have to shun you sothat you don't corrupt anyone.
(33:48):
within the congregation so twiceI was in this fellowship um let
me see early 30s and then latemy late 30s I was in this
fellowship and you know eachtime I came back so back in
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December of 2024 I just stoppedgoing and I tried I think I
tried like to go to one meetingin January of this year 2025 and
I went and I just I was likethis just isn't for me anymore
like I can't do this I'm not aI'm not a hypocrite and so
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that's when I stopped going andI was a ministerial servant
which is like a step below anelder.
And so I actually told them thatI wanted to step down.
And that means you just want torelinquish your privileges and
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your status as a ministerialservant.
They didn't want that.
I told them once.
They told me to think about it,pray about it.
I had been through a lot of Alot of stressful events, the
latter part of 2024.
And they said they don't reallylike to let anyone step down
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after they've gone through somuch trauma in their lives.
To just think about it, prayabout it.
So, you know, I did not in mymind.
I knew already that I did not.
want to be a ministerial servantanymore because my mind and
heart wasn't in it and i justfelt like a hypocrite when i'm
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up there on the platform andtalking and trying to teach and
instruct like it makes you feellike a hypocrite at least me so
you know i played their game andi'm like okay i'll think about
it and more time went by and itold them again what i wanted
and they still tried and i justhad to get started with them and
(36:09):
i was like look like Iappreciate that you all care
about me so much but I'm tellingyou I cannot be a ministerial
servant anymore and I do notwant to be one right now and
that's how I have to put it tothem that I'm just like need to
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take time for myself I knew Inever wanted to be one again but
I had to convince them and soyeah they eventually let me step
down.
So I was no longer a ministerialservant and I just kind of faded
away.
Like I have no contact withanyone anymore.
(36:54):
And that's my choice.
I joke with some of my otherfree thinkers and I say I've
shunned them.
So yeah, that was my choice.
I wanted to break away my I needto be me and find my true
identity.
You know, over 50 years of beingin the controlling religion
(37:18):
slash cult, I needed my timenow.
And like I said, I still believein God, nothing against God,
nothing against the Bible, justthe organization.
And so, yeah, I've just beenenjoying my time.
(37:40):
and learning about myself I'veactually learned and I kind of
made a video about this theother day they drill in your
head that you need that religionso damn bad and if you go
against that religion your wholelife is just going to turn to
shit you're not going to amountto anything that's what they're
drilling in your head from ayoung age so my mentality and I
(38:04):
even told my wife I was like youknow the What you call it is the
truth.
You know, if you hear witnessessay, yeah, this is the truth,
that's what they refer to it as.
So I told my wife, I was like,you know, the truth has really
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saved my life.
It saved me from a lot of badchoices.
I know I've messed up in thepast, but for the majority of my
life, it's really helped me andmolded me.
So the more, the longer I wasout since January, and it's like
(38:45):
almost July now, and I came tothe realization, like, I'm not a
bad person.
My other free thinking buddiesthat I talk to daily, they're
not bad people.
It's like that organizationdrills into our heads that we're
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just going to become somedeviants if we leave the
organization.
But it's like I realize I'm notgoing crazy.
I'm not doing anything wild.
To me, I'm better without goingto those meetings and being
under their thumb.
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Like I've been better in theselast six months than I have when
I was an active member of areligion.
You know, I'm not out heregetting drunk.
I'm not out here sleepingaround.
I'm just living.
Each day, I just live my lifeand I try to be the best I can
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be.
I try to be better than I wasthe day before.
That's always my motto.
Wake up and be better than youwere yesterday.
And Like, that's what I'm doing.
It's things in my life and amoral foundation that I have
from knowing the Bible and whatGod expects of me.
(40:16):
And I feel I still have a verystrong relationship with God.
And so it's like I justrealized, you know, I didn't
need these people telling mewhat I could do, what I couldn't
do.
When I could do it, how I can doit.
(40:36):
Like, that's the type of controlthey have.
Which, again, is a little culty.
But they don't want to hearthat, though.
And the loyal, brainwashedmembers don't want to hear that
it's a cult.
But it's a cult.
Very controlling.
(40:57):
A lot of man-made ideas.
A lot of man-made restrictions.
They try to interpret the Bibleand try to be prophets.
And they, you know, they pushingsomething down our throat in one
time period.
And then a few years later, it'schanging.
(41:20):
You know, they say, oh, wereceive new spiritual light.
And this is how we should haveinterpreted it, this verse.
And so now moving forward, thisis what we'll do.
Like, it's constantly that.
An example is if you've been awitness or you associate with
witnesses, and the main thing wepreach about is that Jehovah's
(41:44):
Day is coming, his war ofArmageddon.
He's going to rid the earth ofSatan and all his followers.
Nothing will be left butJehovah's Witnesses on earth.
And so you get that push downyour throat for so many years.
And them telling you that we'rein the last days and that end is
(42:06):
right around the corner.
And then all of a sudden, thenarrative changes.
And, you know, when I was young,the end was supposed to come in
75.
And then, you know, they justkept moving it and moving it.
And they took a scripture, averse they always used, Jesus.
(42:28):
dealing with those, thegeneration that was around in
1914 and World War I, the endwould come before they passed
away.
And then the older they got,they moved the goalposts.
And they were like, hey, welooked and the version of the
(42:50):
Bible, that word meaninggenerations means that
generations can overlap.
So, Those who are associatedwith those who were living in
1914.
It includes them too when we saygeneration.
So...
Yes, the end has not come yet.
But it is right around thecorner.
It's like that type of stuff.
(43:11):
Like...
The Bible is God's word.
We as humans...
We can't interpret every littlething in the Bible.
Like we just can't.
But you have thisorganization...
that follows these group ofimperfect men in New York, and
(43:33):
we're talking all around theworld, they follow these group
of men, and they will admit toyou, oh, we got this wrong, but
Holy Spirit helped us see thisis how we should have been
viewing it.
And I mean, the cult membersaround the world eat the shit up
(43:54):
and roll with it, and I just,I've always had a doubt.
I've always had issues with it.
I am God and I do not change.
Like, that verse stuck with memy entire life.
And I'm like, God don't change.
(44:15):
But these motherfuckers are,like constantly.
And it's like, that bothered me.
As an older teen, as a youngadult, middle-aged adult, and
now in my 50s, it alwaysbothered me.
Why change the narrative?
Humans cannot interpreteverything in the Bible, but
(44:41):
they say they can, and they saythey do, and they push it down
to everyone in the organization.
And oh, by the way, when you'rededicating yourself to God as a
Jehovah's Witness, you gothrough these, like a group of
(45:02):
questions to get baptized.
And one of the things, one ofthe questions that they say,
these elders are meeting withyou, and it's like, do you
accept that the governing bodythe group of men I'm talking
about in New York do you acceptthat the governing body are
(45:26):
God's anointed representativeson earth and that they lead his
flock on earth and do you agreeto obey them and never go
against them no matter what theysay that seemed like crazy to me
(45:46):
when I was a teen but like whatdo you do You know, yes, I
agree.
I will follow them, you know,but that always bothered me.
But that's, they want that.
We couldn't, don't you dare lookat the flag.
Don't you salute the flag.
Don't you say the pledge ofallegiance.
(46:06):
But damn it, you better pledgeallegiance to the governing body
on earth.
Like that's what I felt.
And I'm sure many others feelthat way too.
And yeah, it's a cult, man.
But people are not ready to hearthat conversation if they're
still inside it.
And like I said, what me andmost of my friends do, the free
(46:29):
thinkers, we present a lot offacts.
You know, we're backing upthings with court documents.
Court documents have informationthat we're discussing and
talking about.
And like I'm.
I've been talking for 46minutes.
I'm not going to get into thebiggest reason and issue I had.
(46:53):
I'm not even going to mention iton episode one because I just
want it kind of like an intro.
But I think the next episodeI'll talk about the biggest
thing that bothered me andothers.
And it makes me live it Becauselike I said, I believed in this
(47:16):
organization.
I defended this organization.
Like for over 50 years.
And to find out the things thatI've been finding out.
Like I made a video the otherday and I literally broke down
in tears.
That's how livid I was.
At something I had seen.
(47:38):
Like evidence of wrongdoing.
that's carried on by thisorganization and that's
overlooked but courts arestarting to change the tide and
get involved and set mattersright so next episode how about
that next episode I'll talkabout the number one issue that
(48:03):
I have with that organizationslash religion slash cult has
nothing to do with God Haseverything to do with men and
men wanting to rule others.
So I hope that you have enjoyedepisode one.
(48:23):
I hope you've learned a littleabout me.
Again, find me on social media.
Most of them are my handles onTikTok, Instagram, Twitter,
XJDub.
(48:44):
E-X-J-D-U-B-X-J-Dub.
My name is Mitch, and I put thaton there.
Mitch-X-J-Dub.
I try to make it as easy aspossible for you to find me
across all platforms, but Iinvite you to go on TikTok
(49:11):
especially.
Look me up.
And you will see videos from thebeginning when I started video
journaling.
And you can just look from thebeginning.
While I took the stance I did,and then I'm just dropping
different photos and videos ofevidence of why I chose to make
(49:36):
the decision that I did.
So I hope you enjoyed this firstepisode.
first of many like I said fromtime to time I will be having
guests on here to talk with meand they can share their insight
as well so much information thatI want to put out there like
(50:00):
this is just the beginning I amon a mission to expose that
organization for all the dirtand crookedness that they do
behind the scenes.
I am here to expose it boldly.
So, with that being said, thankyou for being here.
(50:26):
Please leave me a comment, sendme an email.
If you have any questions orinput, my email is xjw1 at
gmail.com So E-X-J-D-U-B numberone at gmail.com.
(50:50):
All right.
You all take care.
Make it a great day.
Music Music
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
Hello everyone, hope you had a great and productive
day.
My name is Mitch, and this is mychannel, MitchTheXJW.
In case you're not familiar ordon't know, the JW stands for
Jehovah's Witness, and that'swhat this podcast will mainly be
(00:53):
about.
For the majority of my life,I've was a practicing Jehovah's
Witness.
I'm not anymore.
And this is to explain why.
Not only why, but help peoplesee factually the ways that I
(01:18):
came to my decision.
It wasn't a rash decision.
It wasn't one based off of justhigh emotion and one day I flip
the script but no this has beena long time coming so that's
what this podcast will be aboutI hope to get the attention of
(01:40):
those that were in my situationor are currently in my situation
where you have questions and youhave doubts and you wonder is
everything you're learning trueis everything that you see going
on around you Is it correct?
(02:01):
And those are the things I hadto ask myself.
So I welcome you and I hope thatyou enjoy it.
I've been getting a lot ofsupport and attention through
social media.
I started social media aboutthis a little bit over a week
(02:27):
ago.
And I've been blown away by themomentum that it's gaining.
And I have accounts on TikTok,Instagram, X, which was formerly
Twitter.
And, oh, YouTube.
(02:48):
I'm on YouTube and I'm also onReddit.
And Reddit, I'm basically...
Same username...
XJW and I spell that E-X-J-D-U-Bso XJW and that's pretty much my
handle on all those social mediaoutlets that I mentioned but on
(03:12):
Reddit I'm only on a it's aboutthree channels for XJWs that's
on Reddit so you can find me onany of those platforms, TikTok,
Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, andI also made a Facebook page
(03:33):
also.
So facebook.com slash MitchEXJWand you'll find my Facebook page
as well.
So I made these different socialmedia accounts because When I
(03:53):
started this and started talkingabout it, it was kind of like a
release for me, like an outletfor me to get things off my
chest.
And the more that I do it, themore I'm just finding
like-minded individuals thatpretty much realize the same
(04:17):
thing that I did, that TheJehovah's Witness religion is
deeply flawed.
The group of men that run theorganization worldwide, we just
have a lot of doubts andquestions about that.
(04:40):
And so when you're a criticalthinker or a free thinker,
that's not looked upon toofavorably.
in that religion.
As a matter of fact, and I'llget more into it in a bit, but
they encourage us to questionour faith.
(05:02):
When they gave the publicdiscourses at meetings or our
assemblies or large conventions,that would come up quite often.
Test your faith.
You have to...
constantly convince yourselfthat you have the truth.
And then, you know, once you dothat, you're supposed to live
(05:24):
accordingly to that, to thatfaith.
And so if you question it, butyou question it too loudly, or
you ask questions or you voiceyour opinions or you voice,
voice, um, you know, the issuesyou have, that becomes a huge
(05:47):
problem with them.
And then all of a sudden theythrow this word upon you that
you're an apostate.
And so if you look that up, itmeans that someone, they changed
their mind.
And so they're no longeragreeing with a religion.
(06:12):
or no longer agreeing with anideal, or it can even be in a
business sense.
You know, you're not going alongwith a particular company.
So that's like the seculardefinition of apostate.
Jehovah's Witnesses use thatword, and they've labeled people
(06:34):
who have doubts or questionthings as an apostate, but then
they use the definition of tothe congregations and the people
that listen to them they say anapostate is someone whose mind
is under demonic control andinfluence and so they scare
(07:00):
people away from talking tothose of us who no longer want
to be witnesses which is a shameone of the many reasons I and
others see it falling under thecategory of a cult you know they
say it's a religion a lot of ussay it's nothing more than a
(07:23):
cult because I love this it'slike a chart going around and
it's called the bite chartB-I-T-E and each letter stands
for something and you just godown a list under each letter
and And, you know, if the quoteunquote religion you're in are
(07:48):
showing any of thesecharacteristics, then more than
likely it's a cult.
And it's, you know, nothing tobash or speak badly of.
It's facts, straight facts.
And the Jehovah's Witnessorganization use a lot of
control, a lot of scare tacticsto keep members in line.
(08:09):
but also to keep members goingto meetings and being an active
member of that cult.
And so, you know, they labelthose of us who are free
thinkers and critical thinkersas apostate.
We're under demonic control.
And I made a video addressingthat.
(08:31):
One of the videos I made lastweek when I was saying why I
wanted to break free from thatreligion in the first place And
I say that this is me speakingwith a clear mind.
The governing body or the groupof men who run the organization,
they try to convince its membersthat those of us who think like
(08:55):
myself, our minds are underdemonic influence and we're like
speaking as agents of Satan.
That's how deep it is.
That's what they're telling themembers.
And they, you know, they say ifyou see them face to face, don't
engage.
(09:16):
If you come across theirliterature, books or magazines
or whatever, don't even look atit.
If you see them on social media,don't engage.
Don't talk to them.
Don't comment on their posts,which they do.
And I'll get into that.
Just stay with Uncle Mitch.
But they engage.
(09:36):
But they tell them not to.
And why?
Why?
Because they don't want themasses to question or have the
same doubts that we have.
The majority amount of peoplethat are on my social media and
that I'm talking to eitherthrough comments or through
(09:59):
direct messages theseindividuals are sharp.
they are intelligent they comefrom all walks of life they're
not ranting and raving like somefanatics but they are having
discussions with me that mean somuch and you can see just like
(10:27):
myself they put a lot of thoughtand time into this decision
nothing demonic or you knownothing out of the ordinary or
shady like the organization istrying to paint us to be and
that was another red flagbecause I grew up a Jehovah's
(10:48):
Witness I was born into it in1970 so for over five decades I
was devoted to this religionslash cult and I know how it is
I was you know Jehovah's Witnessfor decades and I can personally
(11:09):
say I know how it is when wecame across apostates you know
you didn't talk to them didn'tlook at them didn't read the
material and so yeah they I canvouch for that they have people
afraid to talk and I don't evenuse that goofy ass word they use
apostate I call us freethinkersThey discourage the members in
(11:36):
that religion slash cult.
They discourage the members totalk to us free thinkers.
And why do you think that is?
That's because they don't wantthem to know the truth and to
start questioning things.
(11:58):
And like I said, everything I'msaying, I'm going to get more
each episode I'll dive intodifferent aspects of this but
the main reason is because theorganization is like a huge cash
cow for the ones that run it inNew York they're getting
(12:21):
donations and contributions fromall over the world and they are
making bank tax free And so,yeah, they don't want to lose
members.
Why would they want to?
They have a good thing going.
You know, selling false dreamsand collecting all that money
(12:44):
each week, each month, eachyear.
They don't want to lose members.
And then you have those of usgoing around that, you know, we
had those aha moments and we'respeaking out and we speak boldly
about it.
So, That's why I'm doing whatI'm doing.
(13:04):
If there are ones out there thathave left and they feel alone,
like there's a huge community ofus that you can reach out to.
We support you.
Then we have those that arestill like attending meetings
(13:26):
or, you know, saying they'reJehovah's Witnesses.
but they can't leave forwhatever reason.
You know, maybe their spouse isa full believer and, you know,
they can't, they don't want tofeel like they're abandoning
their spouse or what if you haveparents that are in it.
(13:47):
So, you know, as a child, youfeel obligated to your parents,
you know, or what if you, whatif this religion is like all you
have, you know, say you'resingle, a single adult and say,
you know, this is your sociallife, the people in your
(14:09):
congregation.
But if you say you don't want tobe a witness, they're going to
like turn a cold shouldertowards you and stop talking to
you.
So what if in your mind, youcan't see that happening?
Like, how will I function?
How will I live with no one?
That's literally everyone Iknow.
And so you have different peoplethat they're still in it for
(14:32):
whatever reason.
I don't knock them for it, butthey may feel all alone.
But I want them to know, too,that there's a community out
here that they can reach out toand get support.
And then there are those thatmight have questions about the
(14:52):
religion or they may have beenoffered to study the Bible with
a Jehovah's Witness.
or ones that may already be aBible study.
What if they have questions ordoubts?
Like if they want real factualinformation, I wanted this to be
(15:13):
a place that they could find it.
So those are the reasons Iwanted to make this podcast.
And occasionally I will have aguest on to...
interview them slash we justhave a conversation of how it
was being a witness and you knowmaybe answer questions that were
(15:38):
sent in to us we'll answer themthrough the podcast so I have
like a lot of ideas of how tojust move this forward
positively and like I said thisisn't going to be a place where
I bash uh people for wanting tobe a Jehovah's Witness.
(15:59):
That's not what this is about.
This is about me having a freeand open mind, getting
enlightenment and realizing thatI didn't feel comfortable any
longer being a part of it andthat I could break free from it
(16:22):
and I could have my own identityI could be Mitch, who I really
am, without living in fear ofdispleasing an organization and
without living in fear ofdispleasing God, but the way
they portray him to be.
They use a lot of fearmongering.
And so that's what I want to getinto with this podcast.
(16:49):
Yeah, so I was born into it in1970.
And, you know, you're obligatedwhen you're in a witness family
and you're a minor, you're moreor less obligated to attend
meetings.
Now, when you hit 18 or youngadulthood, it's your decision if
(17:17):
you want to stay in thatreligion.
I'm like, will it be frownedupon if you want to move on with
your life without being in thereligion?
Oh, yeah, for sure.
You know, and your parents,they'll, you know, act
devastated and like it's the endof the world.
Yet and still now the whole timethey're telling you that God
(17:38):
gives everyone free will.
This organization gives you freewill.
You don't have to be a witness.
But as soon as you say, I don'twant to be a witness, like shit
is the fan.
Like, for real.
So that, too, like, keeps peoplein.
You know, they dread that, oh, Idon't want to go through this
shit.
People, you know, crying andacting all depressed and hurt
(18:03):
because I don't want to be awitness anymore.
Like, you know, I know peoplejust don't want to go through
that.
So they reluctantly stay around.
So, yeah, when I was young, youhave...
the pressure to, you know, youwant to please your parents and
you want to please God and youstay in.
And when you reach a certain ageand you have a certain
(18:26):
understanding, a basicunderstanding of everything that
you can, uh, like you have theseconvictions on your own free
will at a certain age, there'sno set age for us to get
baptized.
Then yeah, you're, Expected todedicate your life to God.
(18:46):
And then you symbolized it bywater baptism.
So I...
At 16, I decided to getbaptized.
And...
Like the whole while...
You know, you have the...
You have two sides.
Like...
(19:06):
Inside your head.
And I tell people...
I liken it to a war inside yourhead.
You have...
the side of you of what thereligion expects.
You know, what they're tellingyou that God expects.
And in the other part, you haveyourself.
(19:26):
Like, who you really are.
What makes you the individualyou are.
And we all come from differentwalks of life.
We all have different tendenciesand traits and personalities.
So...
You know, what one person maystruggle with in a spiritual
(19:50):
sense to align their lives upwith what God expects can be
something totally different thananother person struggles with.
And so for me, like even at ayoung age, I really, really, I
like learning from the Bible.
(20:12):
Like I like history and I likethe different examples in the
Bible, and I liked the thingsthat God said in the Bible.
I really love that I still do.
Even though I'm againstreligion, I'm not against God.
I believe in God, and I'm notagainst my doctrine that's taken
(20:38):
straight from the Bible.
I have a problem with what'sman-made.
Or man-made rules or man-madeguidelines.
That's where I have a hugeissue.
You know, but I fully acceptthings that's in the Bible from
God.
(20:59):
Because even He says in His Wordthat He doesn't change.
And if you meditate on that andyou look at, you know, things in
the Bible, He doesn't change.
It's a man who changes and it'sman who tries to interpret shit
and make you do unnecessarythings.
(21:21):
So that's a huge issue I had,even at a young age.
But I enjoyed the Bible.
And so, you know, I had...
You're growing up and you havethese things going on in your
head, and my problem...
(21:42):
Like, I've always, like, justliked females.
Even when I was young.
And so, like, that was my issue.
I didn't...
I've never done drugs.
You know, I like alcohol and...
I drink to feel good, but I'mnot an alcoholic.
UNKNOWN (22:08):
Um...
SPEAKER_00 (22:10):
I'll occasionally go to the casino, play some
blackjack, but I'm not thischronic gambler.
Even from a young age, my thingwas females.
Living as a witness, you have togo really, really strict when it
comes to opposite sex.
(22:30):
It's expected that you're avirgin until you're married.
Then, You can have sex in God'seyes.
And so, you know, I'm a young,young kid and then I'm a preteen
and I'm a teenager.
And, you know, the older we get,the more we notice the opposite
(22:53):
sex.
So, you know, I had that.
That was always like a war in myhead.
Then you just want it to fit in.
You want it to be normal, youknow, and have friends and be
accepted like everybody wantsthat.
But growing up a witness iscertain things we couldn't do.
Like we couldn't salute theflag.
(23:15):
I'll get into that in anotherepisode.
We didn't do holidays.
I'll get into that in anotherepisode.
So it's things like that thatmay have brought ridicule on you
at school.
You know, people teasing you.
Everybody knows Jehovah'sWitnesses go from door to door
(23:35):
preaching.
So, you know, you're young andthat's stressful.
Going to talk to strangers,that's stressful in itself.
But then, you know, I'm goingaround in a suburb of Chicago
and ring the bell and here goesa classmate.
(23:56):
Open the door.
And they're like, what are youdoing here?
Why are you dressed like that?
You know, they go out ofquestion.
So, you know, as a young person,all that shit is hard.
So, You know, I was constantlyjust felt like that.
Like I love what I was learningin the Bible, but then I want it
to be normal as well.
(24:17):
So at 16, I got baptized andupper teens.
I would say it's even harderbecause, you know, getting the
job and you're around even moreof the opposite sex.
Who don't have the same beliefsystem as you do.
(24:38):
Didn't come up the same way youdid.
And so.
You know things that they wantto do.
That they consider fun.
Like I couldn't do.
And so it's a.
Complete mind F.
Because you just.
Like I said it's just a war.
Constantly going on in yourhead.
When you're.
(24:59):
Brought up in it.
And then in my life.
early 20s.
Now remember, I'm a, you know,you gotta be a virgin until
you're married.
So I'm like, damn it, I'm gonnado it.
I'm gonna just, I'm gonna stickit out.
I'm gonna be a virgin.
And yeah, I was, I got marriedwhen I was, my first marriage
(25:25):
when I was 23.
So, you know, that was a crazytime.
UNKNOWN (25:33):
And
SPEAKER_00 (25:34):
It's like letting a 23-year-old bull out the gate.
It's just crazy how it makes us,those of us that were raised in
it, and we do our best to stickto that moral code.
Oh, man.
Some either go crazy, can'thandle it anymore, and they go
(25:58):
crazy before they get marriedand they get in trouble with the
religion.
Or, you know, then there's thoseof us that wait.
It's like we're...
We feel like we're going to gofreaking crazy some days.
That was a crazy period in mylife.
But the older I got, the more Iwould still...
(26:19):
You know, some things wouldbother me in the congregation.
Things that happened.
For the longest, it's like...
You know, I always wanted to...
I don't like people tellingme...
that I can't do something.
You know, that always botheredme.
And you're growing up a youngman and you want to express
(26:46):
yourself in different ways.
And I always wanted to be, butthat was highly frowned upon in
that organization, especially inthe United States.
They wanted you to be cleanshaven.
And, you know, you, people see alittle stubble on your face and
they lose their shit.
Like I'm not even playing, youknow?
(27:08):
And, and so that was one of thethings that bothered me.
Um, of course, just at the olderI get and I'm in a workforce
and, you know, still is like,you're not blind.
So you're noticing the oppositesex.
And I will say that, that Iattribute me staying as decent
(27:40):
as I was.
I attribute that to God and theBible and just trying my best to
live in the way he wanted me to.
And again, I didn't have aproblem with it because it was
coming from God.
I'm like, this is what Jehovahwants.
So I didn't have a problem withit.
But it was just the things thatwent on in the congregation.
(28:05):
And like I said, I'll break itdown in different episodes of
what I went through.
To get a glimpse, you can justlook at my TikTok or Instagram
pages.
And I'm telling stories on therein different videos.
Like I've made short videos justdescribing different things.
(28:27):
events that I've went throughand I haven't even scratched the
surface because I was a witnessin four different states
Illinois, Texas, Georgia andWashington so I've seen a lot of
things I've been acquainted witha lot of people you know a lot
(28:50):
of witnesses in those fourstates for the majority you know
great people Again, I'm notgoing to bash anyone for their
beliefs.
Like, that's not what this isgoing to be about.
Like, you know, if you're awitness and that's your belief
system, more power to you.
(29:11):
I'm just...
I'm telling you...
I'm going to be telling you whyI feel the way I do and why I
made the decision for myselfthat, you know, I'm not going to
be a witness anymore.
And...
You know, getting to that part,like up to current times, son
(29:32):
will be 24 this year and ourdaughter will be 18.
And it's like the four of us,myself, wife, and the two kids,
like we just, none of us areactive witnesses anymore.
(29:53):
You know, they're old enough to,you know, they're young adults
that they can...
I wasn't going to try to forceit on them.
You know, if they wanted to gostill, I would support them.
Like I said, we each made ourown individual decisions.
And they respect me.
(30:14):
I respect them.
We feel happier.
You know, I know I...
I felt a hell of a lot happierbecause for over 50 years I've
lived by this code and I wasn'tperfect at it.
As you listen to me, don't thinkI was just this perfect model
(30:36):
religious citizen.
I had my issues and flaws,things I worked on.
We'll get into an episode aboutthis, but they used to call it
disfellowshipping.
or shining now they say removingbut that's when you do something
(31:02):
wrong in God's eyes like a majorsin and we're talking like
fornication like any type ofsexual uncleanness before
marriage we're talking adulteryyou know things like that If you
do anything like that, you havethe opportunity to seek help
(31:27):
from the congregation elders.
And, you know, they try toreadjust your thinking and help
you change circumstances in yourlife so you don't repeat those
mistakes.
OK, so if you go that route,they call it you're being
reproved where you can stillassociate with members of the
(31:50):
congregation.
But you have these limitationsplaced on you.
So it's like you couldn'tcomment at meetings.
You couldn't give meeting parts.
Restrictions is what they callthem.
You couldn't do things likethat, have certain privileges.
(32:13):
But you gradually get them backuntil they just remove all
restrictions again and call itgood.
So you can go that route whereyou repent of your wrongdoing
and you want to get help.
You turn your life around so itwon't happen again.
But say you do something, youknow, commit adultery or
(32:37):
fornication or you unrepentantabout it.
Like, yeah, I did it.
Don't see myself stoppinganytime soon.
Then you're going to get what Isaid, disfellowshipped.
or removed, as they call it now.
Or you can disassociate yourselffrom the organization.
(33:02):
That's where you have to write aletter and let them know that
you wish to be removed.
You're living this type oflifestyle.
Not going to stop.
Don't want to be a witnessanymore.
So if you do either of thosethings happen, you get removed
(33:25):
or disassociate yourself, thenno one in the congregation can
talk to you no matter if they'reyour family, relatives or
friends.
No one can talk to you.
And, you know, it's also calledshunning.
Congregation have to shun you sothat you don't corrupt anyone.
(33:48):
within the congregation so twiceI was in this fellowship um let
me see early 30s and then latemy late 30s I was in this
fellowship and you know eachtime I came back so back in
(34:15):
December of 2024 I just stoppedgoing and I tried I think I
tried like to go to one meetingin January of this year 2025 and
I went and I just I was likethis just isn't for me anymore
like I can't do this I'm not aI'm not a hypocrite and so
(34:39):
that's when I stopped going andI was a ministerial servant
which is like a step below anelder.
And so I actually told them thatI wanted to step down.
And that means you just want torelinquish your privileges and
(35:03):
your status as a ministerialservant.
They didn't want that.
I told them once.
They told me to think about it,pray about it.
I had been through a lot of Alot of stressful events, the
latter part of 2024.
And they said they don't reallylike to let anyone step down
(35:27):
after they've gone through somuch trauma in their lives.
To just think about it, prayabout it.
So, you know, I did not in mymind.
I knew already that I did not.
want to be a ministerial servantanymore because my mind and
heart wasn't in it and i justfelt like a hypocrite when i'm
(35:49):
up there on the platform andtalking and trying to teach and
instruct like it makes you feellike a hypocrite at least me so
you know i played their game andi'm like okay i'll think about
it and more time went by and itold them again what i wanted
and they still tried and i justhad to get started with them and
(36:09):
i was like look like Iappreciate that you all care
about me so much but I'm tellingyou I cannot be a ministerial
servant anymore and I do notwant to be one right now and
that's how I have to put it tothem that I'm just like need to
(36:31):
take time for myself I knew Inever wanted to be one again but
I had to convince them and soyeah they eventually let me step
down.
So I was no longer a ministerialservant and I just kind of faded
away.
Like I have no contact withanyone anymore.
(36:54):
And that's my choice.
I joke with some of my otherfree thinkers and I say I've
shunned them.
So yeah, that was my choice.
I wanted to break away my I needto be me and find my true
identity.
You know, over 50 years of beingin the controlling religion
(37:18):
slash cult, I needed my timenow.
And like I said, I still believein God, nothing against God,
nothing against the Bible, justthe organization.
And so, yeah, I've just beenenjoying my time.
(37:40):
and learning about myself I'veactually learned and I kind of
made a video about this theother day they drill in your
head that you need that religionso damn bad and if you go
against that religion your wholelife is just going to turn to
shit you're not going to amountto anything that's what they're
drilling in your head from ayoung age so my mentality and I
(38:04):
even told my wife I was like youknow the What you call it is the
truth.
You know, if you hear witnessessay, yeah, this is the truth,
that's what they refer to it as.
So I told my wife, I was like,you know, the truth has really
(38:25):
saved my life.
It saved me from a lot of badchoices.
I know I've messed up in thepast, but for the majority of my
life, it's really helped me andmolded me.
So the more, the longer I wasout since January, and it's like
(38:45):
almost July now, and I came tothe realization, like, I'm not a
bad person.
My other free thinking buddiesthat I talk to daily, they're
not bad people.
It's like that organizationdrills into our heads that we're
(39:07):
just going to become somedeviants if we leave the
organization.
But it's like I realize I'm notgoing crazy.
I'm not doing anything wild.
To me, I'm better without goingto those meetings and being
under their thumb.
(39:29):
Like I've been better in theselast six months than I have when
I was an active member of areligion.
You know, I'm not out heregetting drunk.
I'm not out here sleepingaround.
I'm just living.
Each day, I just live my lifeand I try to be the best I can
(39:52):
be.
I try to be better than I wasthe day before.
That's always my motto.
Wake up and be better than youwere yesterday.
And Like, that's what I'm doing.
It's things in my life and amoral foundation that I have
from knowing the Bible and whatGod expects of me.
(40:16):
And I feel I still have a verystrong relationship with God.
And so it's like I justrealized, you know, I didn't
need these people telling mewhat I could do, what I couldn't
do.
When I could do it, how I can doit.
(40:36):
Like, that's the type of controlthey have.
Which, again, is a little culty.
But they don't want to hearthat, though.
And the loyal, brainwashedmembers don't want to hear that
it's a cult.
But it's a cult.
Very controlling.
(40:57):
A lot of man-made ideas.
A lot of man-made restrictions.
They try to interpret the Bibleand try to be prophets.
And they, you know, they pushingsomething down our throat in one
time period.
And then a few years later, it'schanging.
(41:20):
You know, they say, oh, wereceive new spiritual light.
And this is how we should haveinterpreted it, this verse.
And so now moving forward, thisis what we'll do.
Like, it's constantly that.
An example is if you've been awitness or you associate with
witnesses, and the main thing wepreach about is that Jehovah's
(41:44):
Day is coming, his war ofArmageddon.
He's going to rid the earth ofSatan and all his followers.
Nothing will be left butJehovah's Witnesses on earth.
And so you get that push downyour throat for so many years.
And them telling you that we'rein the last days and that end is
(42:06):
right around the corner.
And then all of a sudden, thenarrative changes.
And, you know, when I was young,the end was supposed to come in
75.
And then, you know, they justkept moving it and moving it.
And they took a scripture, averse they always used, Jesus.
(42:28):
dealing with those, thegeneration that was around in
1914 and World War I, the endwould come before they passed
away.
And then the older they got,they moved the goalposts.
And they were like, hey, welooked and the version of the
(42:50):
Bible, that word meaninggenerations means that
generations can overlap.
So, Those who are associatedwith those who were living in
1914.
It includes them too when we saygeneration.
So...
Yes, the end has not come yet.
But it is right around thecorner.
It's like that type of stuff.
(43:11):
Like...
The Bible is God's word.
We as humans...
We can't interpret every littlething in the Bible.
Like we just can't.
But you have thisorganization...
that follows these group ofimperfect men in New York, and
(43:33):
we're talking all around theworld, they follow these group
of men, and they will admit toyou, oh, we got this wrong, but
Holy Spirit helped us see thisis how we should have been
viewing it.
And I mean, the cult membersaround the world eat the shit up
(43:54):
and roll with it, and I just,I've always had a doubt.
I've always had issues with it.
I am God and I do not change.
Like, that verse stuck with memy entire life.
And I'm like, God don't change.
(44:15):
But these motherfuckers are,like constantly.
And it's like, that bothered me.
As an older teen, as a youngadult, middle-aged adult, and
now in my 50s, it alwaysbothered me.
Why change the narrative?
Humans cannot interpreteverything in the Bible, but
(44:41):
they say they can, and they saythey do, and they push it down
to everyone in the organization.
And oh, by the way, when you'rededicating yourself to God as a
Jehovah's Witness, you gothrough these, like a group of
(45:02):
questions to get baptized.
And one of the things, one ofthe questions that they say,
these elders are meeting withyou, and it's like, do you
accept that the governing bodythe group of men I'm talking
about in New York do you acceptthat the governing body are
(45:26):
God's anointed representativeson earth and that they lead his
flock on earth and do you agreeto obey them and never go
against them no matter what theysay that seemed like crazy to me
(45:46):
when I was a teen but like whatdo you do You know, yes, I
agree.
I will follow them, you know,but that always bothered me.
But that's, they want that.
We couldn't, don't you dare lookat the flag.
Don't you salute the flag.
Don't you say the pledge ofallegiance.
(46:06):
But damn it, you better pledgeallegiance to the governing body
on earth.
Like that's what I felt.
And I'm sure many others feelthat way too.
And yeah, it's a cult, man.
But people are not ready to hearthat conversation if they're
still inside it.
And like I said, what me andmost of my friends do, the free
(46:29):
thinkers, we present a lot offacts.
You know, we're backing upthings with court documents.
Court documents have informationthat we're discussing and
talking about.
And like I'm.
I've been talking for 46minutes.
I'm not going to get into thebiggest reason and issue I had.
(46:53):
I'm not even going to mention iton episode one because I just
want it kind of like an intro.
But I think the next episodeI'll talk about the biggest
thing that bothered me andothers.
And it makes me live it Becauselike I said, I believed in this
(47:16):
organization.
I defended this organization.
Like for over 50 years.
And to find out the things thatI've been finding out.
Like I made a video the otherday and I literally broke down
in tears.
That's how livid I was.
At something I had seen.
(47:38):
Like evidence of wrongdoing.
that's carried on by thisorganization and that's
overlooked but courts arestarting to change the tide and
get involved and set mattersright so next episode how about
that next episode I'll talkabout the number one issue that
(48:03):
I have with that organizationslash religion slash cult has
nothing to do with God Haseverything to do with men and
men wanting to rule others.
So I hope that you have enjoyedepisode one.
(48:23):
I hope you've learned a littleabout me.
Again, find me on social media.
Most of them are my handles onTikTok, Instagram, Twitter,
XJDub.
(48:44):
E-X-J-D-U-B-X-J-Dub.
My name is Mitch, and I put thaton there.
Mitch-X-J-Dub.
I try to make it as easy aspossible for you to find me
across all platforms, but Iinvite you to go on TikTok
(49:11):
especially.
Look me up.
And you will see videos from thebeginning when I started video
journaling.
And you can just look from thebeginning.
While I took the stance I did,and then I'm just dropping
different photos and videos ofevidence of why I chose to make
(49:36):
the decision that I did.
So I hope you enjoyed this firstepisode.
first of many like I said fromtime to time I will be having
guests on here to talk with meand they can share their insight
as well so much information thatI want to put out there like
(50:00):
this is just the beginning I amon a mission to expose that
organization for all the dirtand crookedness that they do
behind the scenes.
I am here to expose it boldly.
So, with that being said, thankyou for being here.
(50:26):
Please leave me a comment, sendme an email.
If you have any questions orinput, my email is xjw1 at
gmail.com So E-X-J-D-U-B numberone at gmail.com.
(50:50):
All right.
You all take care.
Make it a great day.
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