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Ivan is from Kamyshin city, Volgograd region. While studying at school he knew that one of his classmates was a member of the organization “Jehovah’s Witnesses”. The girl was reserved, estrangement from others and had rather secretive way of life. Ivan and his friend made fun of her but one day the young man went to a meeting of the organization “for fun”… and became its regular member for 11 years.
Ivan says that he spent much of his time on prayers, attending meetings and, of course, sermons. Witnesses preached that after Armageddon only 144 thousand of people would be in heaven, while the rest would stay on earth. And the purpose was to send this message. Of course, witnesses had to face with rudeness and even aggression, especially from priests. Therefore they spoke mostly to those who were really interested in their teaching.
Ivan marks that the members of the organization constantly felt the sense of guilt mixed with depression. The question “could you do more?” often appeared in mind. To do more means going up the “career” ladder. Turns out, sectaries have it as well. You can be a pioneer and preach less than 70 hours per month or a deacon who gives a speech in front of the audience and distribute regions among preachers. Ivan Shiryaev was able to take a crack at both roles.
There were its own forms of rewards and punishments in the religious organization. The principleΒ reward was a career growth. The fact that you can hold a solid position, confidently speak at a meeting and thus influence people’s minds, which means wield some power induced people like Ivan to join the sect “Jehovah’s Witnesses”. It is important that they found understanding, love of others and a sense of self-worth there – everything people lacked for in their real life. Obviously, the punishment was the loss of all these privileges and the worst thing was the exclusion from the sect.Β It was forbidden to communicate with those who were rejected by witnesses for various reasons.
But the logical question arises: why did the young and active guy need all of these meetings and stories about Armageddon? Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Ivan admits that he always asked this question, but there was no time to think about it – he was constantly busy with the affairs of the organization. And really few witnesses thought about it. According to Ivan, many witnesses kept on reporting about sermons even after disappointment in the teaching.
Ivan Shiryaev who initially was the zealous follower of the teaching was disillusioned after reading a book “The crisis of conscience” by Raymond Franz. Kindness and humor with which the author conveys the idea that the religious organization is not divine but human strongly influenced the young man and made him doubt of the correctness of the chosen path.
And after much doubt Ivan finally decided to leave the sect. He considers the date October 27, 2012 as the beginning of a new way – on that day he left home and began to hitchhike. According to his calculations, he will spend at least five years on his journey called “From Korea to the Republic of Karelia” (one of the songs of the music band “Picnic”). Having been in all regions of Ukraine and Belarus, as well as in 360 cities in Russia, the young man is not going to stop. Because the trip allows him to escape from prosiness and feel truly free.
By author Julia Gaponova