List of family/friends lost to the Watchtower cult? (suicides) (page 3)

sass_my_frass

your screen name...... daughter.......age........reason for suicide (df-shunned-etc) .... date

sass_my_frass.... a guy.... late thirties.... father of three; former JW, wife a JW..... 1998?

sf

Is there anywhere where stats can be provided on as to the ratio of jws who have committed suicide?

I am sending this thread out to news media.

And yes, to one poster inquiring about a young girl who committed suicide because her parents stood in front of her and burnt pictures of her, after she was dfed.

sKally

sf

Side note: Sadly this level of "fallout" will continue. Think of the suicides we aren't even aware of...yet!

sKally

hubert

Thanks to all who replied.

Nina..... I know it breaks your heart every time you write about your Dad. Thanks for sharing this sad story.

GGG..... I cried when i read this....I have a 9 year old granddaughter, and can't fathom anything like this ever happening to her.

Kenneson..... Thanks for the links. I will check them tomorrow, as it's late, and I have to go to bed now.

sf........ I can't visualize the devastation this daughter had when her parents burned her pictures after her getting df'd, for any reason. WHERE IS THE LOVE ??????????????

Hubert

Mark Bergheimer, New Jersey, obituary in newspaper, it did NOT mention he was a JW (I believe the family was disgusted with the WT). Was a Bethel worker in the kitchen in the 1970's (was from Kentucky?), was DF'd, "found" in the door to door work by elder (who eventually became CO), came back to meetings, was reinstated, people all had him over for dinner once then dropped him, he felt lonely. Was put on anti-depressants. I made shepherding call on him with new elder whom everyone hated because he was mean and a bully, the elder was harsh the whole time. I had Mark over for dinner to cheer him up. He got DF'd again, don't know why, gained weight, seen on beach with beard and girlfriend. A few months later, OD'd on his medications and alcohol. He was found dead in his chair by the landlord of his apartment. Everyone acted like "so what, he left Jehovah". One brother, who taught me computers, cried when he heard the news and said "one of Jehovah's sheep was lost and it was not rescued". I was too stunned to react. He died early 1990's. He also worked in computers with me.

A Mr. Towler, father of 8 children. Wife and all kids raised as JW's. They were in the book study I conducted. Father never went to meetings. He hung himself about 15 years ago in the basement of his house. Was discovered by 8 year old daughter. The elders DID do a funeral talk at the funeral home, but not at the hall.

I am writing a book about the effects of the cult with a concentration on suicide, divorce, child abuse, alcohol/drug abuse, and family dynamics. I have a degree in Psychology. If there is a link or some common place where all this info can be found, I'd really appreciate it. I think I can get on local TV in a year or two with the book. I'm donating most of its proceeds to Silent Lambs and other organizations that help those who have been hurt by this cult. I was a JW for 25 years. Please email me if anyone knows of any such link or site. I post regularly on Silent Lambs as M.A.N. My email is an alias due to not wanting to lose my daughter by being DF'd yet. She was raped for 4 years beginning at 9 years old. I can't go public yet until she is better or she might end up on this list. Please use my alias. The name is Thomas King and the email is [email protected]. Thank you for any assistance and I think this thread is worth saving.

To Randy: Can this be done in a convenient way? I'm a network engineer, but I don't know much about web pages or design. Can we somehow make a database or list or something where all this info could go? It would be a powerful weapon against the WT. It might even be the basis of the lawsuit that bring them down for good. If someone got on Oprah with a book with 30 million women watching, and people brought out pictures of their lost loved ones, I think that might seal the fate of the WT for good. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want this CULT destroyed ASAP and FOREVER. My wife left me 4 years ago and took my then 16 year old daughter. They now shun me. I was told last night that my now 20 year old daughter wishes NO contact with me EVER. Not even to make arrangements for her future. She has been brainwashed (is that the right word, do JW's even HAVE brains?) to hate me.

I give my condolences to everyone who has lost someone here and to all victims.

Philippe

Contributors to this thread are from English-speaking countries, but the problem is of course a worldwide one. Here are the two cases I personally know from Belgium:

One of the two sons of a JW family died from leukemia, after having refused blood. His mother hung herself shortly thereafter.

When I became a JW at the age of 18, I soon experienced extreme attacks of panic. After a week of trying to endure it, I hung myself, and survived because the rope broke. It took years to recover, and I later became a pioneer. Fifteen years later, I realized the true nature of the WTS when I naively tried to draw the attention of the GB on the error of their blood policy. It ended up in a divorce.

Boxed elder bugs

There were two suicides I heard about while I was at Bethel in the seventies, though I cannot recall the names, one Bethelite a night watchman at the Squibb jumped down an elevator shaft, Bethel called it an accident the police called it a suicide, another I heard about just before I went to Bethel a Bethelite jumped off one of the factory building to his death landing in a vacant lot across the street.

ARoarer

I remember the Christian Longo case where he murdered his wife and and 3 little children.

Apparently his d'fing had left him isolated and depressed . So he took it out on his family.

Rabbit

A good JW friend OD'd in the late 70's after he was DF & shunned by family and friends.

My JW wife and I refused blood transfusions for our new born baby. She survived.

My Mom died refusing a blood transfusion...I wonder if that's a type of suicide ?

I tried to OD several years ago as a JW with depression, anti-depressives & therapy were looked down on then. A few days ago I met again a X witness who was DF 30 years ago for being gay. He was told he ''committed the unforgivable sin" by being gay. With no hope at all, he became an alchoholic, drug addict & numerous suicide attempts. It took him 15 years to get sober & accept himself. He's doing well now. I was really, really glad to see him alive -- so I could apologize...you see, as a good dub back then -- I was the one who 'turned in' my friend to the elders.

My daughter has tried to commit suicide twice, once after DF. She was reinstated and last year tried suicide again...now she has that threat of DF over her head again. She says she's been 'bad' ...and deserves to be punished. If they DF her in the state of mind she's in now...and they probably will...that may be the end of her.

She was forced to break off any contact with me last month with the threat of being shunned by 'our' JW family.

I'm bad association.

nelly136

chimpgirl, faye.

she used to post at tishies and here.

List of family/friends lost to the Watchtower cult? (suicides)