Escaping a High-Control Religion A Former Jehovah’s Witness Speaks Out - Triangle Theory #029
February 5, 2025
We sit down with Esther to uncover her journey of growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, the strict rules she followed, and the moment she realised she wanted out. She shares the emotional challenges of leaving, the fallout with her family and community, and how she rebuilt her life from scratch.
We also dive into the psychological impact of high-control religions, the fear of leaving, and the struggle of reclaiming personal identity after years of indoctrination. If you’ve ever questioned your beliefs or felt trapped in a system that no longer serves you, this episode is a must-watch.
More information about Esther:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/instawellbeing/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-barnes-barnes-93321380
Website - https://instawellbeing.com/
In this episode, we discussed:
0:00 - Intro
1:09 - Early memories of religious teachings and indoctrination
2:19 - The fear of "Satan’s world" and religious consequences
3:37 - How growing up in the faith shaped her childhood mindset
4:43 - Learning about God: Was it comforting or terrifying?
6:04 - Trusting God vs. trusting yourself
7:00 - The belief that God will fix the world's problems
8:04 - School life as a Jehovah’s Witness: Feeling like an outsider
10:05 - Facing discrimination from teachers and classmates
12:00 - The social isolation of being "different"
14:30 - Questioning faith: Did she ever doubt the teachings?
17:18 - The push for young marriages in the Jehovah’s Witness community
18:56 - The strict rules around dating and relationships
20:25 - How education was deprioritised for faith
22:08 - The experience of door-to-door preaching as a child
24:50 - Judgmental mindsets and the pressure to convert others
26:23 - Leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses: The breaking point
29:05 - An arranged engagement after one day of meeting
31:38 - The warning signs and gut feelings before marriage
32:48 - Experiencing abuse and realising she had to leave
36:26 - The struggle of being trapped in a marriage she couldn’t escape
38:40 - Feeling abandoned by her faith community
41:09 - The double life: Secretly dating outside the religion
43:00 - The consequences of leaving: Losing family, job, and home
45:21 - How she started rebuilding her life from nothing
47:27 - The mental health struggles after leaving
50:05 - Discovering personal freedom and self-worth
52:08 - Using psychedelics and therapy for healing
55:06 - Finding peace in spirituality outside of religion
57:03 - Does she still believe in God?
58:00 - Final thoughts and advice for those questioning their faith
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Hey listener - Yes YOU, the one who just listened to this video. Can I ask you a favour? See, we're completely new to the podcasting game, and any feedback would be appreciated, positive or negative, as we're looking to improve as we go. Thanks!
You can also support us at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/triangle.theory_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@triangle.theory
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/50RW93YVyR3YgEIuNdKIAZ?si=d77d72433a074a34
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/triangle-theory/id1769204627
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TriangleTheorypod
Player FM: https://player.fm/series/triangle-theory
Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/bdxlCwfrYN8
Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/triangle-theory-5790906
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/triangle-theory-podcast/
#triangletheory #religion #kill #selfdevelopment #lawofattraction
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/instawellbeing/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/esther-barnes-barnes-93321380
Website - https://instawellbeing.com/
In this episode, we discussed:
0:00 - Intro
1:09 - Early memories of religious teachings and indoctrination
2:19 - The fear of "Satan’s world" and religious consequences
3:37 - How growing up in the faith shaped her childhood mindset
4:43 - Learning about God: Was it comforting or terrifying?
6:04 - Trusting God vs. trusting yourself
7:00 - The belief that God will fix the world's problems
8:04 - School life as a Jehovah’s Witness: Feeling like an outsider
10:05 - Facing discrimination from teachers and classmates
12:00 - The social isolation of being "different"
14:30 - Questioning faith: Did she ever doubt the teachings?
17:18 - The push for young marriages in the Jehovah’s Witness community
18:56 - The strict rules around dating and relationships
20:25 - How education was deprioritised for faith
22:08 - The experience of door-to-door preaching as a child
24:50 - Judgmental mindsets and the pressure to convert others
26:23 - Leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses: The breaking point
29:05 - An arranged engagement after one day of meeting
31:38 - The warning signs and gut feelings before marriage
32:48 - Experiencing abuse and realising she had to leave
36:26 - The struggle of being trapped in a marriage she couldn’t escape
38:40 - Feeling abandoned by her faith community
41:09 - The double life: Secretly dating outside the religion
43:00 - The consequences of leaving: Losing family, job, and home
45:21 - How she started rebuilding her life from nothing
47:27 - The mental health struggles after leaving
50:05 - Discovering personal freedom and self-worth
52:08 - Using psychedelics and therapy for healing
55:06 - Finding peace in spirituality outside of religion
57:03 - Does she still believe in God?
58:00 - Final thoughts and advice for those questioning their faith
-------------------------
Hey listener - Yes YOU, the one who just listened to this video. Can I ask you a favour? See, we're completely new to the podcasting game, and any feedback would be appreciated, positive or negative, as we're looking to improve as we go. Thanks!
You can also support us at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/triangle.theory_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@triangle.theory
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/50RW93YVyR3YgEIuNdKIAZ?si=d77d72433a074a34
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/triangle-theory/id1769204627
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TriangleTheorypod
Player FM: https://player.fm/series/triangle-theory
Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/bdxlCwfrYN8
Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/triangle-theory-5790906
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/triangle-theory-podcast/
#triangletheory #religion #kill #selfdevelopment #lawofattraction