What Does this Mean? (from new elders' manual)

by jamiebowers 17 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  jamiebowers

  pg 55, paragraph 25:

  There are times when an emotionally distressed
  Christian may seek professional help.
  Whether a Christian or his family pursues treatment
  from psychiatrists, psychologists, or therapists is a
  personal decision. An elder should not assume the responsibility
  of recommending a specific practitioner
  or facility. He may draw attention to or discuss material
  in the publications that provides cautions regarding
  therapies that may conflict with Bible principles.
  (w8B 10115 pp. 28-29; w82 6/15 pp. 25-29; w75
  pp. 255-256) While participating in group therapy by
  a professional therapist is a matter for personal decision,
  there could be a revealing of confidential facts
  about other members of the Christian congregation
  during such sessions if a Christian does not exercise
  discretion.

  Is this talking about child molesters? Can someone look up the citatons?
• 

  fokyc

  I think they might be talking about hypnotherapy;

  where you could be in a trance like state and not be aware of what you are saying and doing!

  Only an opinion.
• 

  Aussie Oz

  I dont know that i would read too much into this...

  in various organizations and even on a personal level, recomending a particular therapy can be a tricky thing and confidences in any matter can be betrayed unwittingly, religion or no religion.

  Yes it can be seen to be a way of protecting themselves or others. Sad thing is, in this litigation crazy world, everybody has to be careful about what they say...

  but it does have legal dept written all over it none the less.

  oz
• 

  DaCheech

  they don't want to stop you (for legal reasons)

  but, they want to warn you NOT to tell others of stuff that goes on in the congo.

  they are afraid that psychologists will know ALOT of dirt, if group sessions are used many people will know JW dirt.
• 

  Pistoff

  This can only be about child molesting.

  That is the only thing, short of murder, that a therapist might report, and thus would be at issue for an elder who wants to COVER IT UP.
• 

  looloo

  when i talked of my childs abuse to my counsellor , i got the impression it was not the first jw story of abuse she had heard !
• 

  baltar447

  One on one therapy is confidential. Group therapy on the other hand is only as confidential as the person with the loosest lips. Heaven forbid people know that the JWs are imperfect people too that make mistakes.
• 

  WTWizard

  I wonder why they need a rule about everything. Even when something is blatantly obvious. What next, getting permission to seek medical treatment when you are sick?

  And, about those "revealing of confidential facts", the person needs to be exposed. If a person checks himself in confessing to be a "pedophile", the congregation still needs to be warned about it so children can make informed decisions instead of being surprised. In the event that an actual molestation has occurred, and there is hiding of this fact, there is a good chance that another will happen because no one is able to take the precautions to prevent it. And this is more likely if they start recruiting more from prisons and mental institutions--instead of hiding the problems, they ought to be more upfront about them.
• 

  sd-7

  This could be interpreted in a couple of different ways, at least. Since one of the primary purposes the elders serve is protecting the Society from legal liability, they're concerned about a JW in therapy revealing child molestation that is going on--perhaps also rape or other similarly disturbing acts done by people in the congregation. It is also possible they are concerned about the details of a judicial committee being discussed with an outsider--since committees are closed off even to people INSIDE the religion. The key is, they don't want anything revealed to a worldly person that embarrasses the organization.

  The fact that they feel a need to say that seeking therapy is a personal matter is an implication in itself, though--in short, that they reserve the right to withhold that option from JWs if they so willed it. A personal decision is one that no one needs to tell you is personal. Right? Jesus said that the ailing need a physician. That applies to the mind as well as the body, so if anything, the Bible SUPPORTS seeking therapy. (Luke 5:31) To suggest that those living in the "spiritual paradise" should not talk about goings-on within the religion is a clear indication that the Governing Body is well aware that that notion is a load o'crap.

  -sd-7
• 

  jamiebowers

  Thanks for the comments everyone. That's what I thought it meant, but I couldn't believe the society would be so "brazen" about it.