Did you drink to get over being a Witness? (page 3)

No, I did not but I knew of several in my congregation who did. I remember several couples would get together weekly to play cards and just drink, drink, drink to the point of getting drunk. I also knew of some who would come to the hall with alcohol so strong on their breath that you could get drunk just talking to them. Could never figure out how they got away with that though.

DIMPLES

xjwms

I drank when I was a witness ... ease tension of the demands

and I continue to drink

Something I just enjoy.

TheListener

I drink to get over my family being witnesses. (you know finding the right smiley face isn't as easy as you might think)

NYCkid

Hell yeah, not so much to deal with being disfellowshipped, but more to make up for lost time. Since I was d'fd when I was 23 or so, I felt I had to make up for all those times in High School when I used to do after school witnessing and missed all the stuff the cool kids were doing on the weekends while I was watching South Pacific with the family on our new VCR (videos were quite new in the late 80s so my parents had to rent all their favorite films from the 50s and 60s).

Then it got to the point that I just wanted to be really bad, after all, that's what's supposed to happen to us when we leave, so I started smoking and "other things." The only thing I regret is picking up cigs cuz I'm still battling that as we speak, but I will always enjoy a cocktail or two or three with friends.

Incidentally the first time I drank was when I turned 21 and went out to TGI Friday's with a couple of JW friends and ordered a pina colada or something, but the first time I got pissed passed out drunk was probably a year before I was d'fd when I went to a brother's "divorce" party after the Thursday night meeting and mixed beer and vodka (partying after a meeting was very strange to me since I had moved to the NYC area from a very rural JW conservative congregation of the likes which would never have occured)...About 4-5 of us among the group of 10 or so all passed out (I in the bathtub first then later in his bedroom with my head in a bucket) next to this hot sister (I'm gay but she was hot). Thankfully the "brother" who hosted the party (his wife had left him for another brother) was well liked by the Elders (and his ex-wife was the PO's sister) so nothing came of it and I assume all present didn't dare say a word (it was never spoken of after the next day). It was blasted fun tho, despite the headache the next day...we all called in sick and went to the diner for greasy fries and a cheesy omelette the next day...

ballistic

others had a night like that ?

a NIGHT!!!??? Sheesh, for a few years I couldn't remember a night when I didn't drink. Of course I don't drink as much as I did back then but I still feel you should leave starting threads like this to the Brits and the Irish.

steve2

Hell, what a ironic question! A significant proportion of witnesses need to drink to cope with just being in the religion, let alone turning to it when they leave!

Anyway to answer your question on a more personal level:

I've always been really proud that, of all the sins I could be accused of, I have never succumbed to either alcohol or drugs, either as a JW, ex or otherwise. By contrast, my JW relatives go through periodic love-hate struggles with booze.

It is no small consolation for me to feel extra good about this particular "strength" of mine - and, given the wide range of things that the JWs boast about, I feel "entitled" to boast about my singular ability to progress through my life without the need for numbing agents, legal or otherwise!

It is probably meaningful that a significant number of JWs would not need to be disfellowshipped in order to succumb to the necessary numbing effects of alcohol. Even as active Witnesses, they're prone to reach for the bottle to get through the night!

tijkmo

there is no problem in the world that getting smashed.....

wont make a whole lot worse

BrendaCloutier

I grew up in a fairly normal (for JW"s) home with adoptive parents who were very normal drinkers - my mom would buy a nice bottle of wine, enjoy a glass or two, and finally throw it out 3 weeks later cuz it went bad! My dad might have a 6-pk a month.

I developed alcoholism. I've since traced it back 5 generations on my birth-mother's side.

However, it was leaving the witnesses with my "good JW" alcoholic husband that my own disease took hold. When we divorced - I looked at the witnesses again! I did NOT like what I saw, and decided "no way" was I ever going to go back. So I got bad. I wasn't a good girl any longer. Alcohol, sex, some drugs, and lots of raising hell! It was the 80's afterall, and Disco was still king. I did it in SPITE of the witnesses. Sick logic, eh? Well, I was sick.

My JW upbringing kept me from getting help with my alcoholism for several years. When I attended my first meeting - on a Sunday evening, in the basement of a - GASP! - Baptist Church, I had a difficult time even touching the doors, let alone opening them and going in. I was going to be struck dead by that act!

Well, I am here to tell you that nothing of the sort happened! It was still another 3 years before I could get and STAY sober, and it has been an incredible learning experience, and even a recovery experience from JWism!

Satanus

No, i didn't. I went straight into christian church attendance. I liked it better than being a jw. After 2 yrs of christianity, i found out about the bible being a myth. That was very depressing, but i didn't drink because of it.

S

Did you drink to get over being a Witness?

FlyingHighNow

Dimples