An LGTB newspaper in Spain features my personal experience:
http://shangay.com/el-testigo-de-jehová-expulsado-por-gay-“denuncié-por-abuso-sexual”
Please find a Google Translation in English:
The Jehovah's Witness expelled for gay: "I denounced for sexual abuse"
Miguel Garcia, who had to flee Jehovah's Witnesses when they learned he was gay, publicly denounced the harassment and humiliation in these statements gives us tremendous exclusively for Shangay suffered while he belonged to the organization.
"First, talk to God. Second, read the Bible every day. Third, he flees the homosexual propaganda. Fourth, find a confident". The formula of Jehovah's Witnesses to prevent homosexuality, and the whole ordeal a gay must suffer in the closet of his organization, Miguel Garcia pushed to the Mossos reporting phone -also sexual harassment and humiliation suffered for years . Shangay we have contacted him for us to explain in depth what nobody ever dared
SHANGAY ⇒ Why you expelled from the Jehovah 's Witnesses? Was an expulsion as such or you felt rejected for being gay?
MIGUEL ⇒ This religious confession has a particular method of ejecting who does not agree with its precepts or religious or philosophical ideas. For Jehovah's Witnesses, a gay or lesbian has to hide their condition and not have sex with people of the same sex. Otherwise, they organize a "judicial hearing" a sort of court of honor where they are present only three pastors, as judges and judged person, without any guarantee of protection and legal assistance. Often they expel the person holding it. The rest of the family is forbidden to maintain relationships with family expelled. It is not allowed to greet, eat with that person. And if that person has come of age, parents still Jehovah's Witnesses invite expelled leave home. In my case, I left almost 5 years ago to not agree with their ideas. They did not organize a "judicial hearing" because I cut my whole relationship with them and failed to know my address or where contact after my departure. I managed to avoid them until recently.
SHANGAY ⇒ How did you know you were gay? Did you have to keep it hidden not you were hiding?
⇒ MIGUEL never said it clearly, hiding everything possible this situation.
" I denounce harassment, coercion, threats and sexual abuse while he was a minor
⇒ SHANGAY you have insinuated that you need to heal "your disease" and you must go to therapy for it?
MIGUEL ⇒ This religious group firmly believes that gay or lesbian can be "cured" or change. Jehovah's Witnesses resemble the seriousness of being gay to being a thief and give him the treatment of a disease. Spokesman in Spain even mentioned media. "First we try to understand why, why, why someone wants another person of the same sex, because it is not a natural state" Manipulation I had in this group he managed to step down completely to exercise my own sexuality. the guilt makes me feel sinner, and I took the fear of losing my family for being expelled and therefore my own self-esteem. a well-known psychotherapist, Michael Pearl, a specialist in religious movements coincides with what I experienced personally: to "redirect those considered deviant" he explains, "they conducted talks and meetings, led by the elders [a figure that assumes the functions in the Catholic church would correspond to the priest] using their Bible studies ". In some of his recent publications, in 2007, even they give a formula for "not fall into homosexual acts".
SHANGAY ⇒ Have you noticed any support within the organization?
MIGUEL ⇒ After my escape, nothing. About my sexual condition, no support. Neither I expected.
⇒ SHANGAY And in a personal capacity, without being officially?
⇒ MIGUEL personally I received encouragement and support from some witnesses still active Jehovah in his confession. They understand that my departure was the best option and are happy with my current situation.
SHANGAY ⇒ Do you know any other community member who is gay and has been in the same situation?
MIGUEL ⇒ Many, many. Many choose to marry to try to give himself entirely to his own sexuality. Others do not marry, but try to stay in their ideas, and some see no choice but to live a double life, one facing the confession, totally heterosexual, and a life of "weekend" in which "going wild" without being able to live a full and normal life. Some former members of Jehovah's Witnesses are gay and are happily paired. I remember cases of couples with a close-ratio of almost two decades, recognized professionals who abandoned the practice of this confession over thirty years ago. They were young promises in the confession in the early eighties, but his social activism pushed them to abandon beliefs that limited them, having grown up in a family environment and have complied with all the rules imposed by this confession, refusing to do military service and serving time in jail.
⇒ SHANGAY Can I remain a believer despite all this?
MIGUEL ⇒ I consider myself agnostic. I think there is something, someone, some force as they say in "Star Wars." I refuse to put a label or name. I do not know what it is or who it is. I do not think organized religion to believe necessary.
"Many choose to marry a woman to try to give up completely their own sexuality"
SHANGAY ⇒ If you submit the option to return or you would make a formal request, would you?
MIGUEL ⇒ No. It's impossible. My view of life and of my sexual condition are totally incompatible with this confession and beliefs.
SHANGAY ⇒ Throughout this ordeal, have you felt fear at some point by some type of coercion or threat?
MIGUEL ⇒ In many occasions. By leaving Jehovah's Witnesses almost five years ago I was "harassed" by my former teammate. I ended up suffering an anxiety attack, I was admitted to the hospital and presented there. I had to ask the nurses not to let them in. In 2014 I asked the National Headquarters of this religious group to cancel my personal data in their files and refused. On 23 September I reported to the Catalan police in Badalona several Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization and harassment, coercion, threats and sexual abuse while he was a minor. Jehovah's Witnesses sent me a summons to a "court hearing" by registered mail. I do not know how they got my address, they did not know, even after they have changed address several times and have cut off all relations with them. In the same letter, they indicate that they have "repeatedly tried to contact me or deliver me this letter." Before the Mossos d'Esquadra I decided to speak fully and report the harassment he had and he was suffering. In addition, I explained some facts that had decided to forget the abuses suffered by other Jehovah's Witnesses when he was a minor.