Fear of Armageddon and guilt.

Recognizable questions Why do I still startle at wars, disasters, or political unrest? Why do I sometimes suddenly think: what if it is true after all? Why do I feel guilty when I do something that used to be forbidden? Why can my mind believe one thing while my body still reacts with fear? And can this also happen to someone who is still one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Many former Jehovah’s Witnesses expect fear to disappear once they mentally detach. You have researched, drawn conclusions, and know why you no longer believe the way you used to. And yet, during war, climate news, political unrest, illness, disasters, or personal setbacks, a thought can suddenly arise: What if it is true after all? But this topic is not only about ex-JG’s. Someone who is still one of Jehovah’s Witnesses may also wonder how much of their reaction comes from belief and how much from fear. You can sincerely believe in Armageddon and at the same time examine what years of hearing about the approaching end have done to you psychologically. The question of this article is therefore not: Does Armageddon exist or not? The question is: What can long-term fear of Armageddon do to a person? When news becomes more than news Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that certain developments in the world fit within biblical prophecies about the last days and events that precede Armageddon. When you have looked at the world through that framework for years, news can take on an extra meaning. A war is then not just a war. Political unrest is not just political unrest. An earthquake, epidemic, or other disaster can immediately be linked to a much bigger question: Is the end getting closer now? When such connections are made regularly for years, your brain can start recognizing them more quickly and quickly. That does not automatically mean that your belief is true or false. It says something about how people learn: events, thoughts, emotions, and bodily reactions can become linked. As a result, someone who later no longer believes the JG explanation of Armageddon may still experience bodily fear when world news reminds them of the past. Your mind can say: I don’t believe this anymore. While your body reacts: Danger. ‘What if they are right after all?’ That thought unexpectedly returns for some ex-JG’s. You may not have been to a meeting for years and yet suddenly think, during major world news: What if they were right after all? That does not automatically mean that deep down you still believe. Fear and conviction are not the same thing. A thought can arise automatically without you consciously endorsing it. That distinction can be enormously important. So you do not have to immediately re-evaluate your entire belief system because you become afraid. You can first note: I feel fear. And then separately ask: What do I actually believe? Armageddon fear and guilt Fear of Armageddon can also be tied to guilt. Perhaps you notice tension when you do something that is not accepted within Jehovah’s Witnesses or that was once forbidden for you. Celebrating a birthday. Celebrating Christmas. No longer going to meetings. Starting a relationship that was not approved within your former faith. Looking at critical information. Or judging a medical decision about blood differently than before. Even when your conviction has changed, there may still be a feeling somewhere inside: I am doing something wrong. Or even: I will be punished for this later. That is a remarkable experience: rationally no longer being convinced of something, yet still feeling guilty about it emotionally. Guilt does not automatically prove that something is wrong This is perhaps one of the most important points. Guilt can be valuable. When you have hurt someone, lied, or deliberately done something that goes against your own values, guilt can help you take responsibility. But guilt is not automatically proof of guilt. People can also feel guilty about things they have learned from childhood to see as wrong. That is why, when you feel guilt, you can ask yourself two different questions: Do I feel guilty? and: According to my current values, did I actually do something wrong? Those questions are similar, but they are not the same. This is also an interesting question for active Jehovah’s Witnesses Maybe you are reading this while you are still one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and fully believe in Armageddon. Then you do not need to set your belief aside for this article. You can simply ask yourself: Do I serve Jehovah mainly because I love him and am convinced of what I believe — or does fear of destruction also play a role? Maybe the answer is love. Maybe fear. It may even be a combination of the two. Exploring that does not necessarily make your faith weaker. If your conviction truly belongs to you, you should also be able to honestly examine what role fear plays in it . Recovery sometimes takes more than arguments For someone who has left Jehovah’s Witnesses, it can be frustrating when fear does not disappear after the belief has changed. You may have read dozens of articles. Done historical research. Looked at Bible verses again. You have rationally come to a different conclusion. So why do you still feel it? Because emotions do not always change immediately when a belief changes. New experiences can take time. You may experience this again and again: I asked a critical question and nothing happened. I celebrated a birthday and nothing happened. I made my own choice and I was safe. I saw frightening world news, but did not have to panic right away. Slowly, a new experience can begin to stand beside the old one. Name the fear When old fear suddenly returns, it can help first to recognize what is happening. For example: ‘I notice that this news is triggering my old Armageddon fear.’ Or: ‘My body is reacting strongly to something I associated with danger for years.’ That does not mean you are saying your feeling is nonsense. You are also not saying you know for certain what will happen in the future. You are only making a distinction between: I am experiencing fear right now and there is actually immediate danger right now. That alone can create space. Also look at your news consumption News can be important. But constantly following wars, disasters, climate problems, and political conflicts can intensify fear — regardless of a person's religious background. When you notice that world news constantly triggers old end-times fear, it can help to choose set times to check the news and use reliable sources. Ask yourself: Does this make me better informed, or mostly more afraid? You do not have to keep up with every video, every prediction, and every disaster to stay informed. Talk about it Contact with people who have had similar experiences can provide a lot of recognition. Just hearing: ‘I have that too. When I hear about war, I still sometimes immediately think of Armageddon.’ can make someone feel less alone or strange. But not everyone processes such experiences in the same way. Some ex-JG’s hardly ever experience Armageddon fear anymore. Others still feel it years later. And active Jehovah’s Witnesses can also experience fear of Armageddon. There is no standard reaction that everyone must have. When professional help may be wise When fear becomes so strong that you regularly experience panic, sleep poorly, constantly check the news, avoid daily activities, or feel increasingly stuck psychologically, professional support may be wise. A counselor does not have to be a Jehovah’s Witness or ex-JG themselves, but it helps when that person is willing to take the religious background seriously and does not immediately try to confirm either your faith or your disbelief. The goal does not have to be to tell someone what to believe. The goal can be for fear to no longer control their life. In closing Maybe you are still a Jehovah’s Witness. Maybe you are doubting. Maybe you left twenty years ago. Then you may have completely different answers to the question of whether Armageddon will really come. But there is another question each of us can examine: Am I making my choices from my own conviction — or from fear of what will happen if I choose differently? For an ex-JG, freedom may begin with recognizing: I am afraid, but I do not have to automatically obey my fear. For an active JG, the same question may sound different: If I set aside the fear of destruction for a moment, would I still choose the same faith out of love and conviction? You do not have to give the answer to anyone else. Only you can examine what faith, fear, and free choice mean for you.