I am a gay ex jw myself and I can totally relate. thank you for sharing.

Hi. I'm glad you got in touch.  I'm so sorry to hear that you're suffering.  Did you want to set up sessions with a counselor and did you want to be in touch with Geoff? 

CONTENT WARNING: SUICIDAL IDEATION

Our guest this week, Geoff Law, was raised a Jehovah's Witness in Northern California. As a Witness, he spent 35 years devoted to bible research using only Witness-approved publications, attending three weekly meetings, and spending upwards of 70 hours each month spreading the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine, trying to convert future members. His zeal for his beliefs led him as far as moving to Shanghai, China to proselytize underground, an activity that is currently banned by the government. Geoff grew up identifying as gay in a religion that does not allow its members the ability to identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The constant bombardment of homophobic rhetoric, being taught to believe being gay is a choice and is wrong, forced to come out to leaders in the congregation, to confess thought crimes and “sins”, and told to pray the “same-sex attraction” away, eventually caused so much self-loathing and depression that suicide seemed the only option.


In 2019, Geoff decided to come out to his friends and family and leave the Jehovah’s Witnesses for good. Since leaving the organization, he’s been on a journey of self-discovery, unwinding deeply ingrained ideologies of sexuality and spirituality, instead of learning to live authentically as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He is focused on getting the truth about the Jehovah’s Witnesses out to the general public and encourages anyone that identifies as LGBTQ+ in the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organization or in other similar high control groups to find freedom and self-love as they live an authentic and truthful life. 


In today's conversation, Geoff walks Rachel through his experience of growing up gay as a Jehovah's Witness. He explains the difficulties of discovering his sexuality as a young man while navigating the shame and self-hatred he felt because of the archaic and homophobic beliefs of the church. He explains how the homophobic rhetoric of his high control church created in him intense feelings of isolation that eventually led to suicidal ideation. Geoff details his guilt-ridden confessions to the church and also reveals some of the ignorant and hateful writings on homosexuality that can be found in the Church's official archive to this day,  

Before You Go: Rachel examines the intolerance of some fundamentalist religious households and explains what a virtue and gift acceptance is not only for families but for society as a whole. 

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A Witness To Homophobia w/ Geoff Law

Returning guest Nikki G. is a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach who helps survivors recover and thrive after Religious Trauma & Cult involvement. She is also a survivor of multiple narcissistic relationships, religious trauma, as well as a former member of multiple cultic communities. Nikki is the CEO of Nikki G Speaks LLC, which exists to support survivors with individual coaching services, an online community, and other various forms of psycho-education related to religious trauma, narcissistic abuse, and cult involvement.



Nikki is also a co-host of the podcast “Surviving the Black Church” where she and her co-hosts delve into conversations regarding religious trauma in the Black Church. She and another colleague have just recently founded The Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network, which is a resource to educate, support, and empower black religious trauma survivors. Nikki also sits on the board of directors for Tears of Eden.In this eye-opening episode, Rachel and Nikki delve into the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and its impact on society, politics, and spirituality. 



Nikki provides a comprehensive overview of NAR's goals, including the controversial Seven Mountain Mandate, which seeks to influence key societal spheres such as government, education, and media. She warns of the potential dangers of dominionism and spiritual colonization, urging listeners to stay informed and vigilant. As they discuss Project 2025 and the rise of political figures like Mike Johnson, Nikki highlights the importance of recognizing the underlying agendas driving these movements. She encourages listeners to research and understand the origins of these ideologies to make informed decisions about their beliefs and political actions.She emphasizes the need for survivors to reclaim their agency and voice, providing hope and guidance for those seeking to break free from controlling systems.



Connect with Nikki G. and learn more about her work at:
www.nikkigspeaks.com.



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Theocratic Threats & Spiritual Colonization w/ Nikki G.

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A Witness To Homophobia w/ Geoff Law

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