Instruction Manual For Life | Conversations with an Ex Jehovah's Witness

Life & healing after leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses…

Incredibly Poignant Video - A Must See

16 January 2009

14 Comments
Author: Moxie
Tags: Instruction Manual For Life, Video on Religion

This video was brought to my attention by a member posting on the Jehovah’s Witness Recovery Forum. I felt instantly compelled to share it with you. It is a must see….

Instruction Manual for Life

Producer’s Notes:

For those critics who read this video as an ‘attack’, or commentary on one specific religious/political/ideological group, a message: look deeper. For those who accuse this video of using a ‘broad brush’ to condemn one entire population: stories do not have to represent EVERY single experience of growing up — but may resonate with many people who HAVE experienced what’s depicted.

Strange isn’t it — some people have such a problem with the fact that these things do actually happen to some children: children from whatever religious/political/ideological background.

I’ve had literally 100s of messages saying, ‘This was/is exactly my experience too!’ — but maybe they’re all ‘wrong’, is that it? Well, just in case they aren’t, this video stands for them.

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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14 Comments »

Gilbert Pangyarihan said:

Certified Intergalactic! If only I can find that book again!

# 17 January 2009 at 12:27 pm

pjkilmer said:

Great vid! Both sad and inspiring because of the reality of this needless division that is really destroying relationships. Inspiring because of all the light being shed on the subject these days.

End nihilism…

# 18 January 2009 at 1:22 pm

Mason said:

Love it. Thanks for sharing. This one may come in handy. ;]

# 19 January 2009 at 1:06 am

Josh said:

It’s a good video. It does have a general appeal to people who’re estranged from their religions or their parents. I know you’ve said that it doesn’t address one specific group, but it seems pretty obviously a commentary on homosexuality. I have no personal problems with homosexuality myself, but I do have a problem understanding how gayness fits into the world. If you’re a member of the big three religions, the bible and the quran tell you exactly what to think about it. If you subscribe to biological evolution, there doesn’t seem to be any evolutionary currency in homosexuality because they can’t reproduce. How can one advance the species through natural selection if you want one of your own sex as a partner? My experiences with gay people makes me think that their sexual orientation has a lot more to do with the authority figures in their formative years than with their biology. I believe most mental health workers would agree with me. I don’t condemn them; I think any loving God would look on them as crippled, and want to save them, and if you are an atheist, who cares who has sex with whom, but to say that being homosexual is a good thing can only be justified if good is defined as what makes one feel good, as opposed to what’s good for the species as a whole. If you are an atheist, though, you may feel that feeling good is the be all and end all. I do.

# 26 January 2009 at 5:26 pm

rich said:

It’s quite late, so I will be brief… and will revisit.

Have not investigated your whole page but I sense a kindred spirit.

I have stopped going to meetings….

Doing alot of thinking.

Fear the inevitable cutting off of a majority of my “company Jw” friends… thus living an underground life… don’t ask, don’t tell

The crossroads…. big stuff

Breaking the rules…. searching for truth… exploring other possibilities…

# 23 February 2009 at 3:52 am

Ari said:

Wow, I cried. I just left the JWs and feel so lost and confused at times. But it helps to remember that my parents and sisters (who will not talk to me) are humans too and they are just scared. I’m so glad I found this website. Thank you!

# 24 March 2009 at 10:27 am

Kathy said:

This was my life. Thank you.

# 2 May 2009 at 12:18 am

Elaine Mari said:

Wow. this is wonderful. I have many siblings who have converted to JW and this helps me understand my reactions to that. It also relates to other experiences in my life, religious and otherwise. Thank you.

# 2 May 2009 at 8:45 am

Kevin said:

I was never a witness but I continue to feel the affects of having been married to, and producing a child with one. Prior to marriage I was agnostic in belief but I’ve become athiest. I have no problem with dieing and just not being. Like you said in another article Moxie I won the lottery with odds which are far worse than any state lottery when I Was born. Funny I had said this very same thing when in discussion about my lack of religion.

# 17 May 2009 at 11:50 am

Incredibly Poignant Video - A Must See | JW News & Comments said:

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# 2 June 2009 at 8:17 pm

Ell said:

great video, related to it muchly!

# 25 June 2009 at 2:39 pm

Tammy said:

This helps me to understand my JW family members. I wish they would realize there are many cupboards. I am so sad for them- they always seem so miserable and divisive.

# 28 June 2009 at 6:11 pm

Girafe said:

I wasn’t raised a JW, but still, that fully applies to me… Only, the parents represent my close JW friends, the ones who helped me become who I am, that I love to the point I would give my life for them, and from whom I have to keep my new cupboard secret…

# 16 July 2009 at 6:59 pm