Not that this is news exactly, but religion teaches some wacky nonsense. And Jehovah’s Witnesses are up there among the looniest of the toons.
One ex-Jehovah’s Witness named Misha Anouk decided to pen a letter to the LGBT community detailing his journey from the other side. It’s an important reminder that we all have the power to open our minds, no matter where you come from or what you’ve been taught.
Here’s how he tells it:
Dear LGBT-Community, I was a homophobic assh*le for two-thirds of my life. I am 33 now and it is time for me to apologize.
You see, I was born into a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was a member of this organization for nearly 21 years. I got baptized when I was 14 and left Jehovah’s Witnesses on December 16th, 2003.
Let me get this straight: Individual members Jehovah’s Witnesses are not bad people per se. Most of the former spiritual sisters and brothers I had contact with were great guys who wanted the best for their family, their friends and – believe it or not – the people they visited to distribute their Watchtower and Awake! magazines. I know this for sure because I was one of them.
And that’s why I firmly believe that Jehovah’s Witnesses as an organization are a homophobic cult…
Of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses claim not to judge the individual – but who are they kidding? As soon as you start judging the actions of an individual you automatically start judging the person behind the actions. Especially if you associate these actions with labels like “unnatural sexual perversion”, “hate”, “perverted desire”, “condemn”, “abhorrent”, “sexually degrading” – or even compare it to the sexual abuse of children.
Related: This Flow Chart That Destroys Religion’s Case Against Gay Marriage Is So Easy, Any Zealot Can Use It
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Most of the Jehovah’s Witnesses I knew agreed with the sentiments displayed in above quotes. I know that for sure, because I agreed with them.
I am ashamed to say that for the better part of my life I detested Homosexuality, thought it to be a sin, something bad. I viewed Homosexuals as perverted and used gay as a swear word. I wasn’t the only one. When my Jehovah’s Witness friends and I watched a movie with gay protagonists we felt sick and made no secret of it. We were convinced Homosexuals would die in Armageddon and we believed they deserved it.
To be honest: I did have a bad conscience, even back then, whenever I looked down on Homosexuals, because I knew it was only the actions that were to be judged. But then again I had read in the Bible that Jehovah hated Homosexuality so it couldn’t be that wrong to detest them, right?
On December 16, 2003 I was disfellowshipped by Jehovah’s Witnesses. My former friends have shunned me since then, my brother hasn’t spoken a single word to me since then and what I have with my friends is what I would call a relationshipwreck. I experienced first-hand what it means when people look down on you because they don’t agree with your lifestyle. That is the first lesson I learned.
Related: 10 Bible-Based Reasons Why Christians Should Love Homosexuality
The second, much more valuable lesson I have learned in the past 11 years is that everything I learned about life from Jehovah’s Witnesses is a big pile of sh*t. I grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness and turned into a homophobic assh*le because of that.
And I am proud to say that I am this assh*le no more. When I stopped being a Jehovah’s Witness I learned to have respect for all walks of life. I learned that you can choose who you sleep with and how you dress, but you do not choose your sexuality or your biological gender. I grew up in a binary world. But when I left, the diverse world beyond Jehovah’s Witnesses grew on me, and I learned to love it. I have a bunch of friends from the LGBT community and they all welcomed me into their lives despite of my past. Their example touched me and showed me what a jerk I used to be.
I have no idea how many people I have hurt in my life through my beliefs and homophobic or sexist slurs I may have uttered. It doesn’t matter because it is enough that I even entertained these kind of thoughts for the better part of my life. I am honestly sorry I was this kind of person. I know for sure that Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t tolerate crimes against Homosexuals. But they don’t realize that hate speech like theirs is a breeding ground for crimes against Homosexuals. I am so happy that I had the chance to change. I will never be able to make up for what I once believed. The least I can do is to apologize for having been part of a movement that contributes to intolerance. And I will do everything I can to contribute to the making of a world where everybody has the same rights as I no matter where they come from, what they identify as or who they love.
Best regards,
Misha Anouk
RainboWarrioR
the way i see it you have nothing to apologize for bc you are yourself a victim of child abuse and religious indoctrination. bc taking advantage of a childs natural curiosity and programming that child to think how you want it to think feel what you want it to feel and believe what you want it to believe is child abuse.
SteveDenver
@RainboWarrioR: AGREED! Misha Anouk has come to a place in life where many religious people fear to go: he is telling the truth to himself about his past and where he is going in life. I’m glad he survived and has the personal fortitude to be honest and open. I hope he impacts many around him who doubt religion and scrutinize it.
I was raised in Baptist church from infancy. Attended Baptist church school through graduation, then Bible college. I thought that the feelings I had were a test that I could change, so I got married. On our honeymoon, nothing went right: I was impotent, then she got her period. We were sexually uninformed. I was married for six years before I came to a crossroads: kill myself or come out.
Luckily, I was broke, so I sought free counseling and was directed to a doctoral psych student who told me I was okay, that my religious training about homosexuality was wrong. I divorced and came out.
As a Christian I lied about my life and my identity, because I thought I could become what I pretended to be. As an atheist, I tell the truth about everything and challenge others to do the same.
Xzamilio
I was raised by my Grandmother until I was seven and my birth mother came and got me. 3 years later I was back with my grandmother after being abused… she was a Jehovah’s Witness by this point. Imagine dealing with abuse without any real therapy and your grandmother throwing a bible at you and telling you to read it as some cure. And dealing with being gay and having to hear the passages about homosexuality. Misha says he heard the same passages, but so do many LGBT kids raised by JW’s… a lot of us do who are raised in religious households. Some of us choose to hold on to that religious nonsense, while others choose to let it go.
http://shallowvoices.blogspot.com/2014/01/losing-my-faith.html
Clark35
Oh well. It was his personal choice to be Jehova’s witness and be a bigot.
Born again atheists are hilarious to me, especially the ones that are hypocrites who do the exact same thing that Fundamentalist religious people do which is tell everyone that they’re atheist and act as though everyone should be atheist or not spiritual or religious at all.
polarisfashion
Religion and bullying were the reasons it took me so long to come out. When being gay is presented to me as something sinful or insulting then it made me want to deny my feelings of guys. I really wish I had the courage to come out at 18 when I was a freshman at Ohio State. There were so many LGBTQ resources I could have used then but I couldn’t because of what was drilled into my head for so many years. What a waste…
DarkZephyr
@Clark35: Go away.
Xzamilio
@Clark35: You know, you have a really bad habit of making stupid comments directed at me but not having the balls to tag me in your stupid ass posts. What exactly is a “born again atheist” and please point one out to me, because I wasn’t aware you could convert someone to “not a religion”. But I guess telling people we’re gay means everyone should be or not straight or bisexual, huh? And it wasn’t his personal choice to be a Jehovah’s Witness, you moron… there’s not much choice in the matter when you’re born and raised into it.
Xzamilio
@Clark35: Whoops… I’m confusing you with someone else. My mistake. You’re just a run of the mill idiot.
McShane
@Xzamilio: I’m thankful that you didn’t die from pancreatitis. I’m also glad that you found your voice. *hugs*
Danny Ray
Good for him!!!
Xzamilio
@McShane: Thanks for reading it. The Internet is this dark ass place but it gives you a platform and connects you to people who share the same or similar experiences. I try my hardest to remember that there are good religious people out there, but ideas and beliefs are not above criticism just because good people hold them.
IcarusD
@Clark35: “Born again atheists are hilarious to me, especially the ones that are hypocrites who do the exact same thing that Fundamentalist religious people do which is tell everyone that they’re atheist and act as though everyone should be atheist or not spiritual or religious at all.”
Reading comprehension fail. Misha didn’t say anything about having to be an atheist. He said that there’s no excuse for using your religion to justify bigotry.
NoCagada
@Clark35: IGNORANT
DuMaurier
I worked with a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses years ago, and I had some fun arguing about their doctrines and such. They’re both Facebook friends now (one has since been disfellowshipped) and very nice people. This piece seems to me a very personal confession of little wider significance. There’s no big Scientology-type “reveal” of hidden abuse and horror; what do we actually “find out”? Witnesses think homosexuality is a sin. Well, stop the presses; I think any aware person already knew that.
In fact, the guy left out what I think is the crucial fact; Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in total separation of faith and government. So, neither as an organization or as individuals have they ever contributed money to, circulated petitions, or in any way participated in campaigns against marriage equality, anti-discrimination laws, repealing DADT, etc. I’m sorry Anouk had a bad experience and is still hurting over being kicked out of his church, but that has nothing to do with me.
Blazipitous
Atheists who discovered atheism through the Internet are the worst. They want everyone to think as they do and think they’re so educated, but they’ve actually been indoctrinated pretty much the same way they claim others have been by religion. It’s quite pathetic actually and gotten very old. I’m not religious, but I remove any atheists who go on stupid atheist rants on Facebook. Believe what you want, but do so peacefully!
And I didn’t even bother reading this article!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Any one who spends so damm much time thinking about Gay gots to be Gay……..
Arcamenel
His apology fails flat when he tries to make excuses for his religious fanatic friends. I don’t care if they aren’t all bad, they are all responsible for the institutional homophobia we face.
DeAngelo M. Graham
I used to be one and I understand COMPLETELY!
Prinny
@Blazipitous: Go fuck f’ck yourself with your religious crap.
Dakotahgeo
@Clark35: DOUBLE GO AWAY!!!Shame on you!
Kerry Scott
I so know what you went through. I too was brought up from the age of 5 within this cult. I left this cult at the age of 17 and since then, have not had contact with my family. I am now 52 and have been in a relationship with my man for 32 years. The JWs are one of the most hypocritical bunch of idiots that indoctrinate all within their so called religion. I lost a few, what I thought were, good friends but have realised that true friends are the ones I have made since leaving the cult.
It is good to know that there are others out there that have gone through similar experiences and have come out the other side.
Thank you for this post.
Billy Budd
This post shows that THERE IS HOPE.
Avery Alvarez
Cult brainwashing on children is no joke.
@Blazipitous: And yet atheists aren’t trying to vote away anyone’s rights, or impose their subjective morality on religious people.
And don’t lie, no atheist would add you on Facebook…
Transiteer
Christianity is a political invention of the ancient Romans, created by the Roman Civil Service, to invent a religion to control the Masses, especially those pesky troublesome Messianic Jews.
You have nothing to apologize for, as you were duped, like so many others, into believing nonsense and fiction.
You have escaped the Dark Side. Welcome.
Clark35
@Blazipitous: Exactly.
@Transiteer: Wrong. Try actually studying history and religion.
mmichael_24
Why is it that people are always trying to tell religious people what they believe in is a joke and is fiction yet get mad when they say you are choosing to be gay?
Daggerman
..I cannot deny this but my heart goes out to this re-formed religious freak!
..make no mistake I feel all religious backgrounds are full of complete mental stupidity and make no sense….they’re hurtful vitriol concerning natural tendencies are mind boggling. Homosexuality is here to STAY and WILL grow–although this is the main point certain people need shut-up or put up even if they can’t understand it! It isn’t your life so mind your own business and f***off…
gaym50ish
@Daggerman: Homosexuality is not likely to GROW — at least not disproportionately to population growth. It was likely as common thousands of years ago as it is today. It only SEEMS to be growing because we can now be more open and visible in today’s America. Legions of gay people who would have been closeted a generation ago are now out and proud.
A certain percentage of every new generation born mostly to heterosexual parents will be gay. It’s almost impossible to know exactly what that percentage is because different studies come up with different numbers, depending on how they did the research. But that percentage will probably not change.
tricky ricky
@Clark35: religion has been the cause of most of the worlds misery down through the centuries. it is an enforced belief in the supernatural used to control peoples lives and the population with the added bonus of being a money maker without doing any actual work. all religions are nothing but scams. all are false. there is no such thing as the supernatural but people are required to believe that there is. one does not need religion and a belief in bullsh*t to be a good person or have morals or to be spiritual for that matter although the word itself invokes the supernatural. one does not need religion to strive to be a better person and to do good which is the essence of spirituality if you strip the stupidity of the supernatural from the word.
tricky ricky
if witnesses show up at your door and you want to get rid of them quick ask them in to pray. they can’t pray with anyone that isn’t of the faith and they will promptly leave. I learned that trick at catechism class from our priest when I was a kid. my dad used to invite them in and try to convert them and then couldn’t figure out why they quit showing up. I the Mormons to stop coming to the house by telling them they were going to hell for not being members of the one true holy roman catholic church and telling them to take me off their list of houses to visit because I didn’t want hell bound believers in a false prophet coming to my door. I never bother to tell these people I’m an atheist as it only encourages them.
tricky ricky
that should be I got the Mormons to stop coming to the house. the comment section could really use ad edit button for if you miss something during a proof read.
tricky ricky
@Blazipitous: belief in the supernatural is a mental illness. you’re pretty much proof of that.
tricky ricky
@DuMaurier: they don’t vote either.
Guido Oliveira
How is that specific religion any different from all the others when it comes to the gay issue? or at least the majority of all the others. They are all intolerant as far as I know.
DuMaurier
@tricky ricky: Yep, they’re very consistent. So they’re no threat to us. We don’t need to go poking our noses into their business. Over my lifetime I’ve met a lot of people who told me–sometimes humorously, sometimes bitterly, sometimes indifferently–about their rotten childhood experiences with religions they’d since abandoned. None of them thought they had to tell the world about it. This article is about a personal matter, not a public one.
Stache99
@Blazipitous: I don’t care how someone finds something that’s common sense but as long as they do it’s great. The rest of your post is pure BS though.
Clark35
@tricky ricky: TL;DR, typical internet atheist BS as Blazipitous posted about.
@Stache99: No his/her post is not BS it’s spot on, and he/she nailed it.
Dakotahgeo
@Clark35: You DO realize you’re being ignored, right? Well, now you know! I really detest christian extremists. They give God and Jesus a very bad name!
Clark35
@DuMaurier: Indeed.
Avery Alvarez
@mmichael_24: The answer is so simple that I’ll tell you even though you’re acting like a troll now.
One came after the other.
Religious people demanded that GLBT do not get ANY rights or protections because they claim it’s a choice.
In response, the GLBT community rightly pointed out that religion is DEFINITELY a choice, no mattter how you try to frame it, and therefore, religious people by their own logic, do not deserve rights and protections.
Do you understand that now?
No one would have a problem with religion if it wasn’t a hypocritical lifestyle choice that the religious right tries to shove down everyone’s throat.
But the religious right are the new nazis, they think of themselves as “true american patriots”, and that only they are deserving of rights….
So yeah, there’s a huge difference.
Mark Stanley Bridges-Music
I too am a recovering Jehova’s Witness. Luckily it didn’t cost me my faith and I found a place of worship that not only accepts me, but celebrates and affirms me. http://www.ucc.org/lgbt
scooterdie
What strikes me about the Jehovah Witness faith, is that believers are not eligible to go to heaven. They were born too late to be “anointed” to help God. That number was limited to 144,000 believers most of whom are long dead. Then the “plate” with the “host” on it passes them, that are not allowed to partake but merely keep passing it on to the next unworthy person and the next one, all down the line. There are some videos on YouTube that explain how screwed up it gets and I recommend viewing at least one. By the way, apology accepted.
jasentylar
@Xzamilio: as a black gay man born into a family of JWs, I can definitely tell you it’s a choice. No one is forced to be baptized. I told them no and that I wanted to wait till I was older to make an informed decision.
jasentylar
@scooterdie: this is based off of biblical teachings—-not man made nonsense. The book of revelations explains the 144,000 and why does it matter really who partakes in the passing of the bread and wine ( symbolic body and blood of Christ)
jasentylar
@tricky ricky: one does not need religion—but it is very comforting for those that believe it so out of respect I don’t knock it. I can’t prove that God exists or doesn’t. Just like no one can tell me that I’m a twisted perversion. I attended the Kingdom Hall for years and it brought me extreme joy…until it didn’t. These are humans we deal with though. None of us are perfect. Religion is run by man and man is very fallible. I just enjoy life and don’t get caught up on the in between. By the way, some members of the Kingdom Hall including an Elder knew I was gay and were very kind. I was not called disgusting names or snickered at. I knew that I couldn’t get baptized because this is who I am and their beliefs don’t jibe with that. So, I willingly left.
jasentylar
@DuMaurier: they also don’t celebrate holidays or accept blood transfusions. They don’t believe Christ died on a cross ( they believe it was a stake ). All I can remember from that part of my life now. Lol