In this episode of Roach TV, featuring special guest Javier Ortiz, we discuss: life as a former Jehovah’s Witness, the psychological abuse and damage experienced throughout his life as a member of the religion, pursuing a career in film, participating in a documentary about ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses, his experience leaving the religion and how fear and intimidation kept members from openly questioning their beliefs, how questioning Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs led him to doubt the religion, and how the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ history is whitewashed and members are discouraged from looking into information that contradicts the Proclaimers book, allegations of child abuse and cover-ups within the religion, interviewing victims of child abuse who have reported the incidents to the authorities, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ rule that two witnesses must be present before any accusation can be brought against a brother, and how this rule is often not followed, how California is considering changing the law so that any member of the clergy, regardless of their position within the organization, is obligated to report abuse, the importance of people being aware of the dangers of joining a religious group, as even minor incidents can lead to more severe abuse.
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