u/Makiyage

My mother in law and her husband as well as my parents are in a cult where education is looked down on tremendously! My husband and I recently left the cult and we have set our minds to finish our degrees in computer science which has been on and off bc our parents have had the biggest problem with it. They think that education is satanic.

The other day my MIL sent me and my husband a text message to a link that talked about a certification alone in AI can help make 60k in 4 months. She wants us to stop going to college and she doesn’t want me getting my A+ or Net or Sec.

Is this some bullshit??

https://alignment.anthropic.com/2025/anthropic-fellows-program-2026/

This interview is 3 years old but it’s by far one of my most favorite interviews that helped me not just wake up, but be honest with myself just as this man was being honest with 6 million other people. Being raised in the Spanish congregation in the United States, his interview had me laughing, crying, and puffing at all his wrongdoings. It was refreshing. He doesn’t care to paint himself in a shiny bright light as he recounts his intentional wrongdoings, but also those of others, the secrets in Mexico Bethel and his countless affairs with sisters. He also sheds light on kingdom hall sales in Mexico and talks about the shunning which is something he never thought in a million years he’d have to go through but even less, the psychological effects he’d have to endure.

Eduardo in a later interview explains that being as honest as he was, it backfired a lot more than he thought. His friends in Bethel were furious at him for pulling the curtain and for exposing Mexico Bethel’s secrets. Eduardo was asked if he was exaggerating or stretching the truth in his interview and he answered with a stern, “No. Absolutely not.” He also stated that non-JW family members who saw his interview were completely shocked at learning all of the things that he went through including the shunning that was taking place. Apparently they confronted his parents but this did not move his parents to stop the shunning. Eduardo had to deactivate his Instagram account because he was getting flooded with Jehovah Witness messages who were asking him for advice and he stated that he is not a psychologist and he does not feel that he has the knowledge or experience to point people to the right direction. It was taking a toll on his mental health so he deactivated his Instagram and decided to focus on himself. He said the only advice he can give is to read self help books or go to a therapist to help you pull through.

I've been seeing so many people on here compare JWs to a normal religion with a few harmful side effects. It is not a religion. It is a cult. And they're job is to make you think that the side effects aren't that harmful. They are. They are life destroying doctrines and so many people's lives are completely ruined because of this scam.

For all new comers I want them to understand that in the most simplest term what it really is. That is it. No question or no discussion, but this isn't something that is left to interpretation. There is too much evidence at this point.

I'm not talking about illegal or unethical type of readings. I'm talking about basic themes like, love, finance, education, dieties, family, general, self etc. Is there any one topic that you do love or comes easy, and another topic that doesn't.

I thought it'd be fun to read those responses for those who have been reading tarot ^^

Arizona was one of the states that hosted the 2019 Intl Conv and our congregation was flooded with letters ahead of time with instructions, hype, and what to look forward to as well as arrangements. Thinking back, I noticed a few things that made my head scratch kind of a lot. If you have any answers to any of my questions please leave a comment with an explanation and forgive me for questioning things so much or if I come off as ignorant.

1. Arizona is the hottest state in the United States. The hottest month in Arizona is around August or September. I wondered why the hell, out of all the summer months they chose to invite delegates during the hottest month of the year. We get heat warnings and even as a local, I've been hospitalized before for simply just being. But during the Intl Conv, so many people were passing out. I suffered multiple panic attacks, and I also saw a brother have an entire panic attack in real time. I had to call for help because he completely froze and he was sweating. Two sisters in my congregation passed out at the convention from the heat. Delegates were fanning themselves and they looked extremely irritated; almost like they didn't know HOW hot it actually got. I wonder why in the world they'd arrange a Travis Scott concert type convention. I'm surprised no one died.
2. Everything really does come out of our own pockets. No one told us that we HAD to make gifts and give them out to delegates but that's what's always shown in the videos and mentioned in the letters. My gifts were supposed to be simple and cheap but it ended up costing me $2,000 USD for approx 100 gifts. On top of that the Kingdom Hall decorations cost about $400 USD. Again, no one told me I HAD to do this, but everyone is scooping out money from their own pockets to put everything together. My congregation hosted an event our KH so everyone else handled the food, the drinks, and more gifts. I also paid for my outfits which didn't come cheap. It was real leather and fabric we were wearing. I also heard via other friends that they had such a hard time coming up with a local type outfit because the leather cost so much! It just got me thinking how much money actually went into this entire thing that the organization wasn't even paying for themselves. It was mainly coming out of our pockets. To which now I wonder what does the organization actually pay for? Anything at all?
3. Auditions were Bethel-Oriented... The letter we received about auditions to participate musically was one of the most humiliating things I went through along with others. The letter clearly stated that the organization was interested in using everyone's talents to put something fun together for the delegates. Everyone and their momma were so excited to audition so we all busted out our musical instruments and started learning original songs. I have a friend who has been playing for way more years than me and he was going to audition as well. The humiliation ritual was so real. We practiced for months, only to be asked on the phone interview if we had a degree in music and if we could read music on a sheet of paper. The answer was no because we were all self taught. The letter also stated or made it seem like they'd use anyone as long as you knew how to play or even if you were self taught. Well turns out that NO. They only wanted the best of the best. They wanted PROFESSIONALS.... AND THE LETTER WAS NOT CLEAR ABOUT THAT. We wasted so much time practicing songs without even being able to properly audition and they never heard us play because we didn't "read music". Not even my friend who has played for events was able to audition. It's all fine and dandy that they want professionals, but WHY LIE???? Why not be honest and say, "we are looking for professionals or if you have a degree in this field" etc. To me, this just reminded me so much of the Bethel and Construction Letters that come in talking about how they want everyone to apply because they really need help, to only ask for degrees and licenses and certificates and never even call you back lol So why lie and make it seem to regular people like it's the most attainable thing when they know it's not.
4. The Orchestra: I attended the theatre show where they put an official performance together for the delegates because my PIMQ friend invited me as his +1 and sure enough, they had professionals singing, dancing, and there was an entire orchestra on the orchestra section playing live. They always insinuated that all of those who participated were local brothers and sisters... but I've been to so many congregations in Arizona, and I only know of one damn person that knows how to play an instrument "professionally". How did they manage to get an entire orchestra who reads music and play all these fancy instruments? If they were flown into Arizona to do this, why not be transparent about it? It made us feel very bad because they made it seem like the performance they were going to make was literally only by locals. So it was just strange, the whole thing was strange. (I'll give credit where it's due. The orchestra was impeccable. But I know damn well they were not JWs from Arizona. My ass) Does anyone know where these people come from? I only recognized 2 people who performed and i know A TON OF PEOPLE.
5. Runner: On top of all that, we were constantly encouraged to submit our application to help out during the days coming up to the Intl Convention. I was a runner and when I got there, it was very disorganized. It was more of a hang out and they didn't even need me. I drove so far (to the airport) to be trained, walked miles, and took train stations as part of training in the middle of hot summer only to not actually be needed. Instead of being used as a runner, they just made us sit at the airport incase something happened and they "needed to substitute" but it was complete OVERKILL. I also noticed that the main ones who were used to do any type of work were those who had connections. It just seemed like high school all over again. Like, all the rich and cool popular people were mostly in charge of everything. So like the daughter of a well known elder was up there doing things and running around when the rest of normies were told to just sit. It wasn't just her but her friends and family and it was just felt weird. I was sitting next to a PIMQ sister who was also a runner and she told me how all of this was unnecessary hype. She had just been back from her own Intl Conv and she was a delegate and she was annoyed because she said that people used the convention as cosplay, to dress up as something that had nothing to do with their own culture or heritage so I thought that was funny lol
6. No time to mingle: In the Intl Convention videos, they make it seem like you get to just come in on your own and mingle and meet delegates but it's not like that at all. Everything is very controlled and delegates are made to feel like celebrities when they're just normal people like us. I totally get the part where things need to be organized because it's a big event, but it felt more like... one of the MLM concert church things where you go and you are made to feel very important and the most exciting thing was actually the days leading up to it than the actual thing. It was just weird. We were told that we were HIGHLY encouraged to use the congregation buses and that if we wanted to go on our own, that we would be stuck in traffic and it wouldn't be very submissive of us to want to go that route. I do remember feeling guilty for not wanting to use the bus but we ended up using the bus anyway. That meant we were there at a certain time, maybe had about ten minutes to mingle and then lunch time and then afterwards we were all rushed like cows to get back on the bus and there was actually NO time to say hi or mingle or even give out all of my gifts personally.
7. Delegates were cringed tf out: So obviously you have some cute little performances and things, but for the most part, delegates looked way too effing woke. Everyone was literally awake. They were side eyeing each other when a group of teenagers started clubbing at the reserved hotel and dancing in front of them. I was embarrassed and wanted to die. The music was LOUD and I honestly didn't understand what the point of that was. My congregation apparently also made their own talent show for the delegates when we hosted them in our KH and i was mortified. I had no idea about this but me and my then PIMQ friend side eyed each other and the delegates looked like they were cringing. The friends got up on the KH stage and started singing and dancing.... Maybe this is why the org wanted professionals bc wtf was that! Idk yall everything felt strange.
8. Circuit Overseer Chasing ME: To top it all off, this has not much to do with the Intl Conv but throughout my entire time, there was a CO who was my pioneer instructor and I kept seeing him throughout the whole fiasco of the convention and training and literally everything. He is married and ever since pioneer school he would undress me with his eyes. Anyways, I didn't think much of it because I'm like "well he's a man and he's imperfect" but I felt it was very disrespectful because he would stare at me so much in front of his wife while she was there. I saw him at the airport (if you're reading this hi) and he was sitting next to his wife and he stared at me for an eternity. When I was on the train, he stared at me and he was sitting next to me. And on the last day, when I was walking to my bus, we caught eyes in the middle of the crowd and I just kept walking to my bus. He completely froze and as I was walking away he turned around to walk after me. I started walking faster until I started running to my bus. Inside my bus one of my elders was there waiting for me he was our "captain" and he helped me up and I went inside and sat down. The circuit overseer ran after me and he ran inside of the bus and ran past the elder. The elder stopped him and told him to get OFF the bus. He asked him who he was and the brother said his name but the elder was like wtff?? and he was like, can i help you??? and he just looked at me and walked away. The elder was an older guy so he just shrugged it off but yeah... i think he was trynna get some in the bus. It was so fucking weird. Literally nothing related to the convention but I had to put this out into the world because wtf.

Anyways, I want to hear you experiences about the Inlt convention even if you loved it I actually want to hear you honest opinions on how you felt about them.

"The reason they were legacies is because they had the truth and Satan offered them more than fame. He had to offer them legacy to take them out and it worked. That's why Jehovah's Witnesses born with talent aren't just normal famous, they're legacies."

Anyone remember those comments back in the day? lol

We had a long phone call but only 20 of those minutes was about the actual topic and he agreed one a topic I had touched on but reverted back to his own topic. He did advise not to submit any letter and just live my life so that friends and family wouldn't feel pressure to not talk to me or hang out with me.

I honestly agree.

I need to practice. Free readings. DM me.

I'm new to tarot and I was never really interested in getting a reading done but now I'm very interested. Let me know if you'd want to practice on me 😄

Edit: I'm down for NO exchange and just free readings on you. I need to practice!!

Long story short, I grew up attending the Spanish speaking congregation in the U.S. so my first language was officially Spanish and my entire life I was only around Spanish speaking people, specifically from Mexico. My parents are Mexican. Anyways, I realized that I now have another dilemma ON TOP of not having belonging because of religion, I now have another layer of not feeling like I belong because of the culture.

Growing up, I wasn't allowed to have friends outside of the meetings. During high school, I couldn't hang out with high school friends or even mingle with them after school. I was definitely not allowed to go to their houses. I was forced to hang out with older pioneer sisters during the weekend while they kidnapped me for service. Once I graduated high school, I actually made a ton of Mexican friends I actually liked in the Spanish congregation and they became my literal family for like 5 years. I grew up with a lot of Mexican/Latin grandmas and grandpas and Mexican friends from literal Mexico and lots of aunties in the congregation from Mexico. I was extremely influenced by the Mexican culture and speaking Spanish all the time. I pioneered most of my life in Spanish YOU GET THE POINT.

Anyways, that congregation was dissolved and we were all re-assigned to different congregations. From that congregation I moved and visited so many Spanish speaking congregations but what I found is that none of them were nearly as lively or community based as that one. Also not to be mean at all but like the other spanish congregations were filled with super poor (like their clothes were ripping poor) people and uneducated people that looked down on education. I wasn't fitting in ANYWHERE.

I think THAT incident was FAR more traumatic than the whole religion thing believe it or not. I felt like my whole world was turned upside down because I swore up and down that I would marry and die in that specific congregation. With that being said, I have not been able to fill this Mexican culture void ever since that happened back in 2017. The last couple congregations I moved to were English so the culture shock literally ATE ME UP and I wanted to die. Yes, I speak perfect English, but I feel like I'm in a completely different planet. Most of my life was curated in Spanish, even my thoughts and deepest emotions are in Spanish.

So forget the religion, now I have THIS to deal with and now I don't even know where to find Spanish/Mexican people. I know this sounds so weird but I feel like I'm dying every day ever since that congregation got dissolved. Can anyone give me ideas on what I can do to fill this cultural void? It's one of the most awful things I've ever been through especially because I do not have family and I have no idea wtf to do. I am a firm believer that those friendships and ties were supposed to end (I tried contacting old friends again and didn't go well) and I'm so down to meet new people that aren't even JW's but I cannot believe how awful I feel talking to American people. This includes Hispanic people who are actually so Americanized.

I definitely need therapy because the void I feel is incomparable to anything I've ever felt in my life. And i've been through some crazy ass shit so I also feel guilty that THIS is my biggest trauma when technically other things should be my first traumas. I've tried meeting people on Bumble BFF and Reddit and Discord and most people are Hispanic Americanized if I do find Hispanic people. Anytime I see or hear Mexican podcasters or Mexican gamers, I get filled with this huge emptiness in my chest and I literally want to cry. It's their Spanish accent and culture and the way they express themselves, I haven't heard that in ages. And yes I would love to go to Mexico but I'm so focused on my education right now. I just have a huge gaping whole in my chest because I feel like I'm not supposed to be living here in the U.S. That entire thing effed me up so bad.

I live in Arizona and am looking to for friends who are ex-jw. I Feel that we have a deeper understanding of our backgrounds and can help each other out socially and get off the ground a bit more. A little bit about me, I’m Cass and I like to game and am looking for even online friends. Here is my Discord. Please download the application, it’s FREE, and click on the link. Here’s my gaming server. I love to play all types of games, even relaxing ones and talk with friends while playing. (Fortnite, Leauge of Legends, Stardew Valley, and literally I’ll play whatever games you’re into)

https://discord.gg/aQBerjvJsH

I will say I am too shy to meet in person right away but I am super down to meet in person once we have an established friendship.

Tambien estoy dispuesta a tener amigos que sean de Mexico o Hispanohablante ya que me cre en una congregacion en Espanol. Porfavor mandeme mensaje.

A baby shower is celebrating a life coming to the world. We are basically celebrating a baby that hasn’t been born yet (or one that has been born depending on when the shower is made) and the mother and baby get showered with gifts. There is cake, balloons, decoration and no one else is getting presents. This day is reserved specifically for the mother and baby…BUT it’s a sin to celebrate the baby’s life again the next year? And the year after that? …. No where in the Bible does it say we cannot celebrate one another’s life.

Two years ago for my in-laws’ wedding anniversary, I wrote them a card telling them how much I loved them and highlighting their qualities and basically all the mush i wanted to say about them to make them feel special. I bought them each a gift, wrapped it up real nicely and sent it over to them. How is this any different from a Birthday because it def felt like a bday gift . They do the same for my husband and I. They send a box over filled with gifts and cards on our anniversary but sometimes I wonder why it would be a sin to do that on a birthday? It would make more sense to receive a gift on a birthday than an anniversary lol it just feels weird.

As far as Birthdays go, we were always told and it’s also in movies that people put on a bday hat, decorate a place with baloons and have a cake with candles and sing happy birthday. Sure it happens, but majority of people don’t even celebrate that way. Most people, especially adults, celebrate their bdays by driving around town and collecting all their bday rewards from Starbucks, Crumbl, Sephora, Ulta, [insert any store] here and they buy themselves a nice meal and go home and watch their favorite movie. Some of them buy a cup-cake or some of them treat themselves to a spa day…. That’s more of a common birthday from the data I’ve taken from Reddit and I asked MANY people how they celebrate their birthday. Sometimes people skip their birthdays if they aren’t feeling so well and sometimes they invite their friends to dinner at a restaurant or cook for themselves. I mean… these things are all very… normal things.

It’s a lot more chill than I ever thought. The whole candles, song, (spirit, demon, narcissistic tendencies) explanation is way out of context. People make so many memories when celebrating birthdays and holidays and most of the time it’s never nothing crazy or fancy for the common people. It’s just being with those who you love and you just do what comes out of your heart. Same things with Holidays. Intention matters a lot! And if you aren’t blowing candles to do protection for demons, i’m sorry but it’s not gonna work. Witchcraft needs intention and so much more than blowing out a candle. Something we do everyday…

It just doesn’t make sense.

Also want to add that I’ve been educating myself on witchcraft (not actually doing it because I don’t care TO DO IT, but doing spells and rituals is so much more than blowing out candles or singing a song… you can’t do anything with spirits by just blowing out candles. In that case, it should be forbidden to have candles in our home since witchcraft uses it a lot. Same things with the happy bday song, if it has an origin or xyz, what about all the other songs that talk about edgier things that we listen to every day. It’s just crazy. The more you read and learn, the more you deconstruct what you were taught. They really really stretched the whole bday/holiday thing imo)

Me da mucha curiosidad como es que celebran sus cumpleanos ya de adultos? Es mi primera vez que tengo el permiso de poder hacerlo pero ya soy adulta y no entiendo muy bien como se hace ya de adulta.

Me gustaria leer sus historias de cuales fueron sus mejores cumpleanos y cuales fueron sus peores jaja