XJW Friends
 | |
| Formation | 2007 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Terri O'Sullivan, Ste Richardsson |
| Purpose | Advocacy, public awareness and support for ex-Jehovah's Witnesses |
| Location | |
Volunteers | Jill Owens |
| Website | xjwfriends |
XJW Friends is a British organisation based in London, England which encourages former members of the Jehovah's Witnesses to meet up, socialise, share information and support other ex-Jehovah's Witnesses when they are disfellowshipped (a condition of complete ostracism) from the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Formation[edit]
XJW Friends was formed in 2007 as “Free To Be Me” (also known as “The Kent Ex-Jehovah’s Witness Meetup Group”) in 2007 by Terri O'Sullivan, a former Jehovah's Witness. In 2012, she was joined by Ste Richardsson, another former Jehovah's Witness.
O’Sullivan left the religion in 2000 after losing her faith and being kicked out of her family home, leaving her homeless.[1][2] Richardsson left the Jehovah's Witnesses in 2007 after becoming a humanist and coming out as gay.[3]
Activities[edit]
XJW Friends uses online platforms such as Facebook and Meetup to organise talks, meetings, socials and museum tours. It is also affiliated with Humanists UK and its programme for ex-religious people, Faith to Faithless, as both O'Sullivan and Richardsson are committee members of the latter. The group's website states it does not focus on speaking out against the Jehovah's Witnesses, but on supporting those who have left by means of building friendships and educational programmes and is faith-neutral.[4]
XJW Friends have spoken at events for Faith to Faithless[2][3][5][6] as well as the Association of Black Humanists (formerly London Black Atheists),[7][8] LGBT Humanists and the Humanists UK professionals conference in 2018. XJW Friends and Faith to Faithless member Theo Howarth has also advised London's Metropolitan Police Service on apostasy[9] and presented at Humanists UK's 2017 conference on apostasy and mental health.[10]
They have also presented at secular conferences such as the event "Sharing Experiences to Assist Others" organised by the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) in 2012.
In 2017 O'Sullivan gave an interview for the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme where she talked about the effects of shunning and ostracism on ex-Jehovah's Witnesses.[11]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Soriano, Monica. "The ex-Jehovah's Witnesses shunned by their families". BBC News. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "From homeless to helping others". Faith to Faithless (YouTube channel). Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "What do Gay JW's go through? | Ste Richardsson (Ex Jehovah's Witness)", Faith to Faithless (YouTube channel), 2018-01-20, retrieved 2019-02-24
- ↑ "Home". XJW Friends. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ↑ "Leaving Jehovah's Witness, surviving Armageddon with Baked Beans", Faith to Faithless (YouTube channel), 2016-09-10, retrieved 2019-02-24
- ↑ "Former Jehovah's Witnesses share their stories in powerful new Faith to Faithless Videos". JWsurvey. 2018-01-22. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- ↑ "A talk by Terri O'Sullivan & Ste Richardson of the Ex Jehovah's Witness". Commonhouse. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
- ↑ "Festival of Reason and free-thought for non and Ex believers". Association of Black Humanists. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
- ↑ "Apostasy and Honour Violence in the UK". Evensi. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ↑ "Humanists UK convention" (PDF). Humanists UK. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ↑ Derbyshire, Victoria (2017-07-25), "Jehovahs Witnesses shunned after leaving religion", YouTube (BBC broadcast), retrieved 2019-02-24
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