Do the beliefs of JW's actually improve the quality of their lives?

gaiagirl

Do the beliefs common to JW's cause them to have a happier worldview and a better outlook on life?

stillajwexelder

no - the incidence of depression is very high amongst JWs

I found just the opposite to be true. Most JW's I knew were very negative, pessimistic people who were not trusting of people around them. Also, the depression and suicide rate is very high compared to people of other belief systems. And there is just the general feeling that no matter how hard you try, you can always do more for the organization. It is very hard for the average witness to keep their heads above water just doing the minimum requirements. And that is why most I knew were stressed all the time including my own family. Lilly

Anator

I have to agree with the above statement, depression and suicides rank very high with JWs. Even though the moral practices are good and this should make this a protection to most, it is the thought that what you are doing is never good enough. Just when you think you are doing all you can in meeting attendance, service and so on, the expectation and the message that this is still not enough creates depression in most and the feeling of being inadequate runs high. The average JW then has the need to look for another outlet in order to feel adequate and to escape the feeling of I'm not good enough.

shopaholic

Not really. A lot of them are unhappy but put on a good show when in the congregation or around other JWs. Plus quite a few are on meds.

DoomVoyager

What, you mean the belief that a vengeful, barbaric, bloodthirsty mesopotamian tribal deity will brutally slaughter you if you don't sell enough books for a New York publishing company?

Yes, I'm sure that makes JWs very happy and gives them great inner peace.

sacolton

The indoctrination forces all JWs to believe they are happy. Simple fact is the organization doesn't want to know if you are unhappy. If they say you're happy then, dang it, YOU'RE HAPPY!

WTWizard

It actually ruins lives. You are told to look and act happy when you are not. There is absolutely no fun. All fun events are banned. You are under continual stress to do ever more, and then there are all those bigger events like the REJECT Jesus Party and the Grand Boasting Session (and these fxxxing waste of paper distribution campaigns).

Practically, it also ruins lives. You are not allowed to go to college, and you have to accept some crap job that pays poverty wages and work part time (because you need the time for field circus). People in that situation get sicker, and die sooner (often of cancer and heart disease) than the typical worldly person. You put your life on hold waiting for something that never comes, only to find it totally wasted. And the rules of courtship often result in celibacy, bad marriage decisions, tyranny of the husband, and loveless marriages that are stagnant.

Anyone that tells you that the belief system of the witlesses improves life is deluded.

verystupid77

No Way To give just an example of how much they guilt you we had a part on our service meeting about getting more time in servce the FDS says we need to up our hours so this elders say lets all stay out untill 12:30 on Saturday instead of stoping at 12:00 what is half an hour of our lifes all of our time belongs to Jehovah anyway. O my God. So like everyone now feels guilty and stays out till 12:30 which really ticks me off because they are only doing it because of Guilt. So now two weeks ago this other elder has the local needs part and he say how about 10 more minutes. I almost lost it in my seat. O dear God. I just wanted them to give me a gun and blow my brains out there. You can not please Jehovah is what I heard nothing is enough. There is no happeness there.