by Leander 20 Replies latest jw friends
Over the past 3-4 years I've been hearing about a number of suicides that have been committed by JWs. Whats even more interesting is that all of the individuals were male and they all had some form of a privileged position in the congregation. (regular pioneer, elder, minsterial servant, etc..)
What I'm wondering is how often does this kind of thing occur?
Does anyone on the forum hear or know of cases involving suicide?
There was this girl that I knew who attempted suicide last year. She finally recovered, but I haven't seen her, so I don't know what became of her.
Anyway, my theory about people in high positions in the congregation who commit suicide is that they have realized that they org is a fraud. Now, think about it. If they leave the org, they will be shunned by everybody that they know, including their family. Many of these people have been in org for years or since birth. The org is all they know. They feel that they cannot function in the 'real world' or they feel guilty for having doubt. So, seeing no way out, they kill themselves.
It is so sad.
"I have so much love to give, but no one to give it to."
William H. Macy - "Magnolia"
A few years ago a JW girl got caught fornicating.
Within two hours of getting caught, she stood in front of a speeding train.
Sad.
Thats really sad Mr Biggs, its a shame that if a person happens to make a very human mistake that they've been trained to feel so bad that they take their own lives.
A few years ago my sister-in-law was friends with a young ministerial servant and pioneer. Everyone thought that he was doing really well, you can probably guess the rest of the story. He ended up hanging himself, he also wrote a short note apologizing to everyone he may have hurt by his suicide.
Just last year the wife of the PO lost her brother-in-law. He was a married elder in the congregation with children. I don't know much else about him besides the fact that he shot himself.
Another incident is of a young black brother in the Detroit area, he was also a pioneer and ministerial servant. He lived with his grandparents, one morning after eating breakfast and discussing the text with his grandparents he went into his room fully dressed for field service, put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.
its so sad to hear about stories like these
Leander, your experiences are sad indeed. So far, I only have the one experience (shared previously). I hope not to have any more. Oh, the only other person I knew who committed suicide was a non-JW girl from high school.
When I was five there was this beautiful young woman who came to our home Bible Study. Within a couple of months my mother told me she committed suicide in the washroom of the Witness couples's home while she was babysitting. Mom said she had emotional problems and was depressed over some guy.
It was a bizarre early introduction to this topic.
When I was in my teens, suicide is all I thought about and I told an Elder who studied with me..he said, "You have no right to commit suicide...It's worse than murder." I argued with him. He said,"Because you are taking your own life which you have no right to." Bizarre once again. Interesting that the cure for my suicidal thoughts was a denying of how I was feeling..yet again.
In the last few years I know of a Witness who committed suicide because he was dispondent over his separation/disappointing families/witnesses..he had not been attending meetings. Then a Witness killed himself just before Xmas 2 years ago in his mother's back yard...
In my case, I would say, having the Witness faith in my teens did give me a reason not to kill myself..It didn't solve my problems, but for several moments my just wanting to believe their God loved me prevented me from taking this tragic step.
The Norwegian Newspaper VG documented 11 suicides among JWs and people DFd just in the area where I'm living. THis was a few years back - and nothing gets better.
I find it natural that "priviledged" persons commit suicide. First, they know what the "priviledges" really are. Second, the ones "serving" as elders know the hypocricy (and know they are living a double life as 5 star hypocrites) going on, and if they are the least bit human they know what they are doing. When they don't dare to face the real problems, they can always use the cowards way out - suicide. At least - they don't have to face the consequenses.
On the other hand, I knew personally persons who committed suicide because of the treatment they did get from the assholes called elders. Unfortunately their lives were nothing but a black hole (according to themselves and their ideas), and the only option left to them to get peace with their troubled mind were suicide. In this cases the elders were actually murderers - and many might say I'm cynical for saying this. But if some of the assholes responsible were feeling so bad they blew their heads off, I would celebrate with a bottle of whisky!
Yachyd Da
Kent
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The forced conformity a Dub endures will cause depression in some,as they miss their individual freedom.
Sadly, some will think death is preferable to living a lie in a life full of broken promises!
At our first annual conference of "A Common Bond" [ACB], we held a Memorial for all the JWs who'd committed suicide. It started because a few of us on an email chat group mentioned we'd known someone. Then others said they'd known someone. Etc., etc., etc.
During the session, the question was asked how many knew someone [JW] who'd committed suicide. Virtually everyone in the group [about 60] raised their hand. Then, it was asked how many contemplated suicide. As I recall, about half raised their hand [self included]. The final question was how many actually attempted it. About 10% had. Pretty sobering statistics. I don't think that if you asked this of another religious group that you'd get such a high incidence of suicidal tendencies.
As a side note, while ACB is a gay/lesbian/bi focused group, the question regarding whether or not we'd known someone who committed suicide was not focused on gay/lesbian/bi JWs. I personally knew a young woman who was straight who committed suicide. And, another one, also straight, who'd actually attempted it at least twice while I was part of the Congregation.
So much for "Jehovah's Happy People".
Good to cya posting again, John!
Farkel
