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Cults to Consciousness
The Dark Side of Jehovah’s Witnesses: My Husband Refused to Let Me DIE Despite Blood Doctrine
Ep. 272
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As a 4th generation Jehovah’s Witness, Alissa Watson followed the path laid out before her and married young at a month past 19. Against the recommendation of the doomsday cult, she had chiIdren. During the birth of her first chiId, a pool of lost blood scared her husband into looking into the doctrine of blood transfusions being a punishable sin. Unwilling to lose the life of his wife or baby during the next delivery, he confessed to his wife that he would not be following the blood doctrine if it came down to it. Alissa agreed, but had no idea it had sent her husband down a slow and secret path of deconstruction, until she confronted him about his absence in the church. Research of rampant CSA coverups, a wishy-washy governing body leader under oath and more left her shocked. Their exit out of the religion was messy and hurtful, leaving behind their entire family who refused to even look at them due to the strict practice of shunning.
Click here to watch on YouTube
Why I Left the Jehovah's Witnesses: The Truth Behind My Exit
Find Alissa on Social:
YouTube: @athomewithalissa
TikTok: @athomewithalissa
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Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_
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**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**
Chapter Marks
00:00:00 Intro
00:04:27 What it was like growing up as a Jehovah's Witness (pressures & disfellowshipping)
00:11:07 Why Alissa wanted to be homeschooled
00:13:16 Alissa meets her husband at 17 and doubles down on the religion
00:16:14 Dating as a Jehovah's Witness
00:18:33 The pressures of being a teenage girl having to get married
00:23:52 Alissa gets engaged, sins and thinks Satan is attacking her relationship
00:26:51 Jehovah's Witnesses discourage having chiIdren
00:30:43 The "no blood" rule causing a scare during birth
00:37:23 Alissa's husband starts secretly deconstructing
00:40:47 Was Alissa's husband filled with Satan??
00:42:47 Why Alissa's testimony crumbled overnight
00:47:59 What it was like when Alissa and her family were shunned
00:57:31 Setting boundaries and making mental health a priority
01:06:09 Why Alissa decided to start speaking out on social media
01:14:53 How Alissa's life has changed for the better
01:18:34 Linda, Listen
01:20:40 Find and support Alissa!
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