About this episode

Simon shares his experiences growing up as a Jehovah's Witness and the impact it had on his mental health and personal identity.

In this episode, we meet Simon , a 51-year-old former Jehovah's Witness who was born into the organization during the height of the 1975 end-times hysteria. Growing up in a "biosphere of fear" in Quebec, Simon recounts a childhood defined by apocalyptic imagery, Holocaust-themed propaganda, and the intense pressure to conform to a "misfit" family dynamic that prioritized religious survival over individual identity. He takes us through his formative years—from his baptism at 17 to a 25-year marriage that ultimately dissolved when his pursuit of truth collided with the organization's rigid demand for loyalty. The narrative reaches a turning point when Simon confronts the systemic rot within the organization, including the discovery of an elder who had assaulted 22 women in a single congregation, only to be reinstated and sent to Simon's home. Simon discusses the specific mental health toll on men within the Watchtower, describing a "treadmill" of performance that leads to chronic depression and emasculation. Now living authentically after a pivotal sabbatical in Mexico, Simon shares how reclaiming his voice and listening to his "inner voice" led to a life of peace, clarity, and…

People in this episode

Guest: Simon

Topics covered

• Jehovah's Witnesses
• mental health
• personal identity
• religious trauma
• family dynamics
• truth and critical thinking

Keywords

• Jehovah's Witnesses
• mental health
• religious trauma
• personal identity
• critical thinking
• family dynamics
• apocalyptic imagery

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Jehovah's Witnesses, Watchtower

Places: Quebec

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