The Symptoms of Religious Addiction

by Scully 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Scully

  So I'm re-reading a book that I first read in 1994, when I was considering leaving the JWs. It's called When God Becomes a Drug - Breaking the Chains of Religious Addiction and Abuse, by Fr. Leo Booth (Tarcher Putnam, 1991).

  On page 59 is a checklist of "The Symptoms of Religious Addiction", and this was a complete a-ha moment for me when I read it such a long time ago. It just crystallized some of the behaviours of JWs (and expectations of the WTS) that were spiritually unhealthy.

  The Symptoms of Religious Addiction

  • Inability to think, doubt, or question information or authority
  • Black-and-white, simplistic thinking
  • Shame-based belief that you aren't good enough, or you aren't "doing it right"
  • Magical thinking that God will fix you
  • Scrupulosity: rigid, obsessive adherence to rules, codes of ethics, or guidelines
  • Uncompromising, judgmental attitudes
  • Compulsive praying, going to church or crusades, quoting scripture
  • Unrealistic financial contributions
  • Believing that sex is dirty - that our bodies and physical pleasures are evil
  • Compulsive overeating or excessive fasting
  • Conflict with science, medicine, and education
  • Progressive detatchment from the real world, isolation, breakdown of relationships
  • Psychosomatic illness: sleeplessness, back pains, headaches, hypertension
  • Manipulating scripture or texts, feeling chosen, claiming to receive special messages from God
  • Trancelike state or religious high, wearing a glazed happy face
  • Cries for help; mental, emotional, physical breakdown; hospitalization

  Not all of these apply to the JWs, but many of these criteria do. Some of the behaviours - like "shame-based belief that you aren't good enough" can haunt a person their entire lives, even after they've broken away from the abusive religious system. I struggle with it sometimes myself even though the rest of the list I've been able to reconcile over the last almost two decades.
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  WTWizard

  Unrealistic financial contributions. You mean like some of the older people that had little financially, yet put large bills into the contribution boxes like they were toilet paper? Instead of enjoying them while they were still on the earth or investing them in something that would hold its value when it does become toilet paper. Better to spend it on yourself, and enjoy it now (especially if you lack children) or to get hard assets that can be passed down as inheritance to children--but no. Another was when I found 200 toilet papers in a device I bought from the witlesses, only to have to donate it instead of simply giving it back or keeping it. Compulsive following rules and guidelines as well as making stupid donations. If you are donating beyond your means or beyond the value you receive from the religion (and it only takes one), you fit that guideline.

  And that "sex is dirty" is nothing more than smut. People develop fixations when they are deprived of something this natural. Many naturally "straight" people become gay, repressing their natural orientation--while other naturally gay people become repressed. Many become pedophiles, often bitter to the point where they start molesting children with the view of ruining their lives. The ones that marry often find themselves in stagnant marriages that become bad, usually because they were poorly matched to begin with. Adultery followed by shame and guilt results.

  I don't recall seeing any of this with true Satanism. True, there are Satanist cults (the ones that mutilate people or offer them as live sacrifices, torture and mutilate animals as sacrifices to Satan, and terrorize people are not true Satanists but are merely cults). But, I don't see most of these traits among true Satanism. No compulsive attendance of anything, no compulsive or excessive donations, no hang-ups or judgmentality regarding sex, no compulsive fasting, no conflict with legitimate science, no nothing. Real Satanists are expected to cross-reference everything, especially regarding science. The ones that are actually in cults may display some of these traits, but they are in fact worshiping evil and not Satan.

  And don't expect magic from joke-hova, allah, or jesus. These entities do not give salvation. You work toward it yourself, and you take the credit when you achieve certain things. All Satan and His Demons do is protect you from angels and show you how to empower yourself, though they may help you where you lack certain things. As for salvation itself, you are the one that works toward it yourself. God will not fix you, nor will that thing give you salvation (works or none). Instead, you can expect much burdensome work designed to destroy your soul, along with unconditional dedication to that thing. The excessive church attendance, LIE-ble reading and quoting, and donations follow.
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  Phizzy

  Thanks for posting that Scully, it could be an "A-HA !" moment for any religious person reading here. I like it because it is not an attack upon a person's personal faith, but simply showing where Religion has a deleterious effect.

  The problem with the mind-controlled JW's readin such alist is they will take comfort from the few items that do not apply to them personally, and ignore the majority which do.

  That is just as silly as the grossly over-weight person who says "Well, I never eat french-fries", I need not explain further.

  If any of the list applies to you, please realise that we are all here, on this site, to help you get free of such bad things.