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Are the Governing Body Members Mentally Ill?
Data-dog: I believe that many of them would actually be considered mentally ill, if they were ever tested.
Great question and intriguing hypothesis. Let’s take an armchair psychologist’s view and see what we shall see.
First of all, we know they believe things that are demonstrably untrue and/or in clear contradiction with reality. This is the definition of a delusion, which is typically a symptom of mental disorder.
Also, they think Satan and "this system of things" is out to get them, thereby exhibiting signs of paranoia.
And although they can appear superficially normal and even charming at times, they are nonetheless completely lacking in normal human compassion and empathy. They apparently have no consciences as evidenced by their ongoing, utter failure to admit to ever being wrong about anything. They never, ever show any guilt or remorse; they show total disregard for the untold pain and suffering they have caused to countless millions of people; are routinely and oft times brutally calculating and manipulative of their followers seeking their own selfish gain and desires, all the while simultaneously believing they are special and deserve more and better things than everyone around them. These traits are the classic characteristics of a life-long psychopath.
So there you have it: the Governing Body members are paranoid, delusional psychopaths and they are the leaders of a well-established religion with substantial numbers of followers Earthwide.
The implications of this are obviously very serious. Anyone that tries to imitate them will inevitably end up mimicking these same antisocial personality disorders. Sound like anyone you know? Yourself maybe?
Induced delusional disorder (or shared paranoid disorder), also known as folie à deux, is a fairly uncommon disturbance characterized by the presence of similar psychotic symptoms in two or more individuals.
According to Phillip W. Long, MD, the dominant person (in this case: the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses) in the relationship has a delusional disorder and convinces the nondominant person (the Rank & File Witnesses) to adopt his delusional beliefs. Needless to say, that's pretty messed up.
The bad news is that induced paranoia and delusions are very resistant to treatment. A combination of psychotherapy and medication is usually required. According to Dr. Joseph Goldberg, “Psychotherapy can help the person with shared psychotic disorder recognize the delusion and correct the underlying thinking that has become distorted. … However, psychotherapy without antipsychotic medications is rarely able to alter false, fixed beliefs.” And of course a person can't even begin to get help unless they admit there's a problem.
There is, however, some potential good news: the nondominant person can usually overcome the delusions and regain their mental health once separated from the psychotic dominant person or in this case the Jehovah's Witness religion and the influence of its leadership.
To paraphrase a familiar verse for most of us: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her insanity, and if you do not want to receive part of her mental illness."
