How Jehovah's Witnesses Encourage Mental Illness

by metatron 34 Replies latest jw friends

  • metatron
    metatron

    While being a Witness does not automatically make one mentally ill, it should be clear that huge

    numbers of Witnesses are - and moreover, that the Watchtower Society encourages certain kinds

    of mental ills to maintain its control over publishers.

    Examples:

    The next time you attend a Witness meeting, take a good look at what Witness kids are often

    encouraged to do. Since they can't understand what's going on, you will often find them told

    by their parents to 'count how many times Jehovah is mentioned in the talk' or 'write down every time

    Jesus is mentioned' or similar busywork. Also, ask yourself, what do you really learn at the meetings

    that you didn't already know? Why do you travel many miles to attend uncomfortable assemblies

    when , in fact, you sit through them in a semi-stupor? Why do you put time in field service when

    it's abundantly obvious that no one is home or interested? How can you engage in "preaching"

    with no one to talk to?

    The answer to all of the above is that they encourage Obsessive - Compulsive behavior

    as it suits them. The closer you look, the more of it you see.

    Suppose you are a young person. You should be encouraged in every way to be optimistic and

    set solid goals for yourself. But what happens instead to Witness kids? The world is endlessly

    presented as a dark, evil place, doomed by God. Everyone you know - outside of the organization-

    is wicked and will soon be slaughtered by God. College is futile because Armageddon is coming.

    You can't join school sports because of 'bad association'. When you get older and rebel against

    this ugliness, you may be shunned and abandoned by your family. More than that, the organization

    makes clear that it is supreme, over any family bond. If you 'stay with the truth' , you will undergo

    a lifetime of prophetic disappointment as dates are set - and then abandoned. Armageddon

    is always "soon" .. but never comes.

    Is it clear enough for you now? Do we really need an "expert" to confirm that the above is sick?

    Do you have any doubts about why so many Witnesses must rely on psychoactive pills to keep going?

    metatron

  • Open mind
    Open mind

    I'd say you nailed it metatron!

    Thanks.

    Open Mind

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    They also actively promote the "You are never good enough in Gods eyes" mentality. If you aux pioneer you should regular pioneer etc.

    This attitude is proven to promote clinical depression

  • minimus
    minimus

    Interesting.....but I wouldn't say they "encourage mental illness". If one is prone to mental illness, they better not become a JW, huh?

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    I think what metatron is saying is that JW methods/teachings etc , have a strong tendency to produce mental illness - perhpas promote is not quite the perfect word but I understood exactly what he was trying to say

  • 144001
    144001
    Interesting.....but I wouldn't say they "encourage mental illness". If one is prone to mental illness, they better not become a JW, huh?

    I'd take it a step further; rather than "encouraging" mental illness, I believe that in many cases they cause it or aggravate it. Your second point brings up another issue that has actually been studied to a certain extent, and that is whether this organization has a tendency to attract those who are mentally ill or predisposed to becoming mentally ill. Experts have concluded that it is both; it causes mental illness in some cases and attracts the mentally ill in others. In any event, the studies that have been performed indicate that the mental illness rate among Jehovah's Witnesses is far greater than the general population.

  • minimus
    minimus

    JW teachings can produce mental illness??? Stilla, you gotta be kidding.

  • minimus
    minimus

    I think a lot of crackpots become JWs but I don't think their teachings produce the disease of mental illness.

  • metatron
    metatron

    Good Grief!

    Is it fair to say that Witness teachings aggravate/encourage/amplify/increase/exacerbate

    depression? Can I get an Amen?

    metatron

  • minimus
    minimus

    I'll give you that. But maybe Jerry Bergman will state that JWs have mental illness because of adhering to the teachings, If someone is predisposed toward depression, I think it's safe to say,"don't become a JW".

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