Cult Life with Robin Jackson

I've heard many Jehovah’s Witnesses say that they are the only religion that does not engage in war, and use this as indication they alone follow God’s standards. For a period while I was a Jehovah’s Witnesses I believed that. But this self-proclamation of uniqueness is far from correct.Other religions are promptly blamed for their involvement in war, with followers referred to as "children of the Devil slaying their spiritual brothers."(Awake!, December 22, 1985, p.10)Despite claiming to be the only religion to demonstrate neutrality and love, war atrocities pale in comparison to the Watchtower message of Armageddon, which claims "billions" (w93 10/1 p.19) will be slaughtered by Jehovah, never to be resurrected.________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4Cult Classic Wear Store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Cult...Affiliate Link to Jehovah's Witnesses: Their Claims, Doctrinal Changes, and Prophetic Speculation. What Does the Record Show? https://amzn.to/3ML2oHb #JehovahsWitnesses #WarandJehovahsWitnesses #ExJW

Recently I got a lot of flack from a Jehovah’s Witness lawyer on TikTok about me stating that the Jehovah’s Witness belief that they will never die is false and I was told that I was creating sensation. Well, in this episode I unpack the belief with proof from their very own publications that the doctrine is actually true.The organization is notorious for laying the blame of their false predictions squarely on the rank and file. Rather than saying that Jehovah's Organization or the Governing Body incorrectly promoted a wrong teaching, they say 'people' made the false assumption, shifting blame from the leaders that promoted the teaching.________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4Cult Classic Wear Store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Cult...Affiliate Link to Jehovah's Witnesses: Their Claims, Doctrinal Changes, and Prophetic Speculation. What Does the Record Show? https://amzn.to/3ML2oHb #JehovahsWitnesses #Armageddon #ExJW

Fear, manipulation and undue influence all form part of the arsenal that cults use to control members. In this episode I discuss a further five reasons not to become a Jehovah's Witness.Jehovah's Witnesses are generally sincere, clean-living individuals who devote their lives to serving Jehovah in the manner instructed by the Watchtower, which includes regular preaching and attendance at meetings.One of the enjoyable aspects of being a Jehovah's Witness is making friends through the congregation and meeting a diverse range of people through Conventions. This is not, however, unique to being a Jehovah's Witness. Other religions and churches do that too.High control religious groups greatly limit the freedom of their members, based on the belief system of the leaders.The fault lies not with the followers but with the system, particularly the manner in which Watchtower leaders force followers to think and behave. ________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #ExJehovahsWitness

Jehovah's Witnesses are generally sincere, clean-living individuals who devote their lives to serving Jehovah in the manner instructed by the Watchtower, which includes regular preaching and attendance at meetings.One of the enjoyable aspects of being a Jehovah's Witness is making friends through the congregation and meeting a diverse range of people through Conventions. This is not, however, unique to being a Jehovah's Witness. Other religions and churches do that too.High control religious groups greatly limit the freedom of their members, based on the belief system of the leaders.The fault lies not with the followers but with the system, particularly the manner in which Watchtower leaders force followers to think and behave. In this episode I look at the poisonous practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses that you should be aware of. Link to video discussing Jehovah's Witnesses and Higher Education: https://youtu.be/TQLIuLcehcU________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #ExJehovahsWitness

Charles Manson convinced his followers to murder 9 people in an attempt to incite a race war. Shoko Asahara ordered his followers to release sarin gas in a Tokyo subway killing 13 people.Marshal Applewhite of Heaven’s Gate convinced his followers to castrate and kill themselves in the belief that it would help them to ascend to a higher plain. Jim Jones convinced more than 900 of his followers to kill themselves. All this was done by using influence and control techniques.Although the Watch Tower has a history of flip flopping with regard to some of their doctrine, their followers are still encouraged to obey them even if it makes no sense.________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #GoverningBody

Norway, which has a national Church but no national religion, is one of those countries where religion is literally subsidized by taxpayers; the more members you have, the more money your preferred religious (or Humanist) organization receives. Any "religious" group with 50 registered members is eligible to apply for state funding, and over 800 groups receive it.The law is very clear about the types of religious and non-religious organizations that can receive that money.There are, however, some rules that govern that allocation: If a religious or philosophical community, or individuals acting on behalf of the community, commits violence or coercion, makes threats, violates children’s rights, violates statutory discrimination prohibitions or in other ways seriously violates the rights and freedoms of others, society may be denied grants or grants may be suspended. This video breaks down the reasons behind the defunding of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Norway.________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #Norway

Amongst Jehovah’s Witnesses it was memorial season. It was celebrated memorial will be celebrated on the 15th of April this year of 2022. It is a big occasion for Jehovah's Witnesses as people get invited to attend. Interested ones, family members who have faded away from the religion, even those who have been disfellowshipped are invited. Although they end up sitting in the back of Kingdom Hall. Core to Watch Tower doctrine is that only 144,000 humans will go to heaven, where they are to rule as kings and priests. This number is based on misinterpretation of Revelation 7 and 14, and also proven false by Watchtower's own statistics of the number of partakers since Jesus.Most Jehovah's Witnesses are not considered part of the 144,000 and do not expect to go to heaven. Rather, they believe themselves part of the Great Crowd that will never die, but rather reside forever on earth. One of the results of this doctrine is that most Jehovah's Witnesses do not partake of the bread and wine emblems in memorial of the death of Jesus. Only remnants of the 144,000 are permitted to.__________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #Disfellowship

The one doctrine that has always been a despicable practice with regard to the Jehovah's Witnesses and many cults and high control groups is the practice of disfellowhipping.Jehovah's Witnesses were recently fined 12000 Euros in Belgium due to this practice of disfellowshipping and shunning. The court ruled that the non-profit association behind Jehovah’s Witnesses is guilty of inciting discrimination and hatred or violence against former members. One of the lawyers of the civil parties said during the trial last month, “The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ shunning policy cuts to the very core of relationships, and the victims suffer both physical and psychological consequences.”In this video I discuss the effects of this policy on its members.___________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #Disfellowship

Watchtower has made a number of changes to the elder arrangement throughout their history. Whilst policy changes are acceptable, the way this has been done indicates human direction and not that of God, despite Watchtower claims to the contrary.There’s a new elders manual that has just been released by the Watchtower. It is called Shepherd The Flock of God and as with every iteration there are changes of course. One of the changes that is particularly concerning is their view of elders and the responsibility that is handed down to them especially in light of their age___________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #EldersManual

Today’s show is about a verdict that was handed down to two Jehovah’s Witness elders who failed to report child sex abuse. This reaches back to 2006 to a Spanish congregation in Illinois.And in this case, the elders left the thinking to the organization. They left a moral obligation to be decided by somebody else. They left it to the Watch Tower. Ultimately, they pay the price for the undue influence exerted over them. In the end children suffer because it is better to protect the reputation of the organization than protecting the little children from abuse.___________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 #JehovahsWitnesses #EXJW #ChildSexAbuse

I have been travelling over the past few weeks and its been a busy time for me. South Africa, in conjunction with international authorities have identified and a cyber cult operating in South Africa called Black Axe. Black Axe, a crime syndicate operating in several countries around the world, has been exposed in South Africa via an international investigation that initially focused on Ireland. Some authorities view the syndicate, also known as the Neo Black Movement of Africa, as a cult. Its South African wing allegedly has security known as “butchers” to maintain discipline.___________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 Sign up for the pre-launch of the How Cults Work course here: https://north-star-academy.thinkific.com/courses/how-cults-work

In this episode I am in conversation with my son, Jodi, about how me leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses when he was growing up affected him. He shares some experiences from school that I was not aware of.___________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 Sign up for the pre-launch of the How Cults Work course here: https://north-star-academy.thinkific.com/courses/how-cults-work#JehovahsWitnesses #ExJW #Cults

South Africans went to the polls this week to vote in the local government elections, however, thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses did not. And that's because they are faced with a conundrum. Are they allowed to vote, or are they not allowed to vote?It is a dilemma that they face which is quite understandable, looking at the history of the Watchtower's standpoint on issues of a political nature. Jehovah's Witnesses are known to be politically neutral and for refusing to vote. They have suffered imprisonment and even death for abstaining from involvement in political affairs. But the Watchtower's writings have been very very misleading and proves once again how their doctrines do not hold up in the face of scrutiny due to their flip flops on these matters.___________________________________________________________________If you would like to support the work I do and would like to see this channel grow please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would be highly appreciated. https://patreon.com/robinjacksonBuy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4 Sign up for the pre-launch of the How Cults Work course here: https://north-star-academy.thinkific.com/courses/how-cults-work

This is a recorded live-stream I recorded where I answered questions about about my background, growing up a Jehovah's Witness in South Africa etc.I will also be pre-launching my How Cults Work course. Buy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4Sign up for the How Cults Work Course here: https://north-star-academy.thinkific....

Before being baptized as a Jehovah's Witness I was baptized as an infant in the Anglican church. My father was an Anglican Church member before he became a Jehovah's Witness. I eventually accompanied him to the meetings and took to the faith. The pressure from the elders in the congregation and amongst teens is immense and I eventually got baptized at 13 years of age. What is very ironic is that Watchtower criticizes Christendom and the churches for infant baptism. Despite such criticism, and recognizing that baptism requires informed consent, Watchtower highlights it allows the baptism of children as young as 6. Buy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4

ver the course of a number of years of my cult activism I have appeared in the mainstream media speaking about my journey as a Jehovah’s Witness and I have been asked to give my views and to unpack the dynamics around cults locally here in South Africa and abroad. I’ve written extensive articles about the phenomenon and have commented on the cult landscape not only from a religious perspective, but also from a commercial, self-help and political overview.And during the course of all of this I have also been contacted by parents and concerned individuals wanting to know more about a certain group or how to protect their children, family members and friends from getting drawn into cults or high control groups. I remember working with the Concerned Parents Group here in Durban whose children were being recruited at high school and eventually lured to Mauritius and told to cut ties with their family members. It was a heartbreaking saga as it reminded me of how many other groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses practice shunning and what a devastating effect it has.Recently, I have been contacted by concerned individuals who once again wanted to know how to protect their family members and how to get individuals who are stuck in a cult out.With that I realized that I needed to put an educational programme together to educate people on the basics of cults and their recruitment techniques. The past year and a half have been tough on many of us. We’ve lost family members, friends and many other loved ones to this pandemic.Many of us are suffering the after effects of the virus and its impact on our health and our psyche. The economic impact has also been a major factor that has caused major mental health issues with many of us.And this is a climate ripe for cult recruitment as people want to make sense of what is happening in their lives and looking for a way out. Cults thrive in this type of environment. Not only the religious type, but the political type as well.So subscribe to this channel to be updated on when this will be released and how to access the course.Buy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4

In publications directed to the public, Watchtower claims not to judge homosexuals, yet continues to release articles that are disparaging of gay people and anyone supporting gay people. Watchtower labels homosexuality as one of the most vile sins, and practicing homosexuals will be destroyed at Armageddon. It has written that masturbation can lead to becoming homosexual, and homosexuality is a desire that can be overcome. Clever use of images convey a message not always put into writing.Buy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4Affiliate Link: Gay, Straight and The Reason Why. The Science of Sexual Orientation https://amzn.to/3BdXvke

As a publishing company, Watchtower amassed considerable wealth from the sale of literature from the 1800's to the 1990s. There was no need to resort to the same collection efforts typical of other religious groups. This changed in 1990 with a tax ruling against Jimmy Swaggart. In 1988, Jimmy Swaggart was taken to court in the case Swaggart Ministries v. California Board of Equalization. This was with regard to paying tax on profit derived from sales of religious material.Realizing a ruling against Swaggart could result in the sale of Watchtower publications being taxed, Watchtower filed as friend of the court to show support for Jimmy Swaggart Ministries retaining tax exempt status. The Supreme Court ruled against Swaggart on January 17th, 1990, ordering him to pay back taxes.Well, the sale of Watchtower publications fell under this ruling. Watchtower decided that rather than pay tax on the money it was receiving from the sale of Watchtower literature, it would be better to direct Jehovah's Witnesses to start asking for donations from people who accepted Watchtower journals in the house to house ministry work. This led to a decline in income.This video shows how the Governing Body solicits money from the Jehovah's Witnesses, including from the poor and children.Buy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4

In this episode I want to ask the question, "Does Jehovah's Witnesses and other high control groups and fundamentalist sects foster narcissism and egotism?" It is a question and observation I have been wrestling with for a number of years and I thought I would throw the question out there to you, the viewers and the listeners, to get your views on this topic.Please feel free to post your comments in the comments section below.

Growing up in the Jehovah's Witnesses I've always had a disdain for the misogynistic and sexist nature of the Jehovah's Witnesses.They are a patriarchal society where women are to view men as their head and only men can hold positions of responsibility and teaching in the congregation. The head of a wife is her husband, and the spiritual head of a "sister" is a "brother". A female Witness is not to pray in front of a male Witness and must wear a head covering in order to pray in front of an unbaptized man or conduct a meeting in front of other sisters. Women have not fared well in many of the world’s religions and societies. And the JW organization is part of this discrimination against women. All leadership roles within Jehovah's Witnesses are filled by men. Women fill only the very bottom position of the organisational hierarchy.Misogynistic, sexist and subjective views of women are not without consequence.Buy my book Losing The Faith: Amazon https://tinyurl.com/27x2htzmBuy my book Cults: How They Work Amazon https://tinyurl.com/3bw82jk4