To Save a Witness Life

by metatron 7 Replies latest jw friends

metatron

Elsewhere on this forum, the subject of Witness suicide came up. Some project
images of Jonestown and a dying organization ordering its membership to take their
own lives.
Given the prominence of the Legal Dept. in the organization these days, I find this
notion very unlikely. Why be overt when you can be sly?
...but that doesn't rule out the likelihood of silent, discreet suicides among
Witnesses in the future.
At some point, it will become obvious to all but the most dim-witted Witnesses
that the 'truth' is fading away into history, its numbers inflated, its money
dwindling, its young people slinking away, its doctrines exposed and indefensible.
When that day comes, many older Witnesses will find themselves painted into a corner
after decades of Watchtower indoctrination. Many will be stranded in time, with little
money put aside - and cut off from 'unfaithful' relatives they shunned and 'worldly'
people they ignored.
Some will stop taking vital medication - some will take overdoses - others will simply
pass away, as if by simple force of will.
How do I know? I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN! Many Witnesses have survived for years using
fantasy as a crutch - a device that will be pulled away, in the near future, as a
means of emotional support. This will have consequences.
Of course, the Governing Body has been warned about this - by people who should
know. Their demonic reaction ( you know, the image of Satan pulling down victims
although he knows he's doomed?) is MORE SHUNNING and MORE ISOLATION and MORE
DUMBING DOWN.
Keep trying with your Witness relatives. A little here, a little there - maybe
a kind word or gift or card unrelated to the holidays. Some of them don't even
understand the concept of "unconditional love" - rather like the Monty Python
sketch in which a businessman can't grasp the idea of a charitable donation
(John Cleese "You mean I get nothing in return?").
You never know who you might save...

If we give up caring and compassion, what's the point of living anyway?
Good luck
metatron
TR

Seeds have been planted with my 'hovah brother. We'll see, we'll see.
TR
CoonDawg

For me, the biggest challenge is sowing those seeds with my 9 yr. old daughter that lives with the psycho-bitch from hell...(we just call her Satan for short) who is a 'hovah extremist. I believe if they ever declared a holy war, she'd be like the hezbolah suicide bombers.
I keep trying to show my daughter that there is unconditional love here...even if she should decide in her future to stay a 'dub. I sometimes worry about the depression, etc. because she's such a subjective child.
Well, anyway....those are my thoughts.
Coon
JT

Some project
images of Jonestown and a dying organization ordering its membership to take their
own lives.

I don't think it was so much that some are "Projecting sucide"
but more of a "Could you see jw doing it", and based on how they will die even now it can't be ruled out
as Given the prominence of the Legal Dept. in the organization these days, I find this
notion very unlikely.
i agree --based on what i have been told, the Legal and Accounting Dept/Treasurer dept pretty much are running bethel at this point
At some point, it will become obvious to all but the most dim-witted Witnesses
that the 'truth' is fading away into history, its numbers inflated, its money
dwindling, its young people slinking away, its doctrines exposed and indefensible
One would think that would be the case, but Religion has an unusally way of surviving- case in point the catholic church the are pushing almost a Billion members - one would think that with a history like it has no one would touch it with a 10 ft pole, yet it has reinvented itself and it survives
same with jw the jw of 2002 is nothing like the jw of 1960 or 1920 or 1879, yet it still exist- if anything the wt like many other long time religions that have some wild past - they reinvent themselves- Hell-- who would have thought that voting would be a consciecne matter when you talk to the men and women who died in Malawai and WWII- even the Bible Students are still around-will it be the same size perhaps not, i think most would agree the Hey day was the time leading up to 1975 in terms of Explosive growth- at this point it is almost staying at 6 million based on births, a few converts a few reinstatements a few reactivations- it has been hovering around 6millions for almost 20yrs and yet the memorial goes up by the Millions each year, but the number of front line jw stays the same- look at the annointed numbers- it has been 8000 for as long as i can recall
When that day comes, many older Witnesses will find themselves painted into a corner
after decades of Watchtower indoctrination. Many will be stranded in time, with little
money put aside - and cut off from 'unfaithful' relatives they shunned and 'worldly'
people they ignored.
you could not have stated it any better
How do I know? I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN! Many Witnesses have survived for years using
fantasy as a crutch - a device that will be pulled away, in the near future, as a
means of emotional support. This will have consequences.
i agree with you about the fantasy , but from my view that is what all religions have done- it offer it's followers fantasy the only difference is the location of the fantasy/property
JW are promised that they will get to sit under their Fig Trees on paradise earth and to my knowlege no one knows of anyone who has told them they got thier home and fig tree yet
other belief system promise you will get your Milk and Honey in Heaven and to my knowledge as well no one has reported back telling the story about how Ice Cold and Fresh the milk in heaven is
as human we have a need to have hope and folks have been known to survive based only on HOPE, even if the Hope turned out to be a sham
Keep trying with your Witness relatives. A little here, a little there - maybe
a kind word or gift or card unrelated to the holidays. Some of them don't even
understand the concept of "unconditional love"
-
You never know who you might save...

If we give up caring and compassion, what's the point of living anyway
i agree with you 110% we never know where the seeds will sprout, I look at myself as a test case- i was truly dyed in the wool and anyone who had left wt would have said JT will never come out he is a Company Man to the bone- yet I'm out due to having info presented to me that eventually i could not fight-
for it was all true and the same with our families- i see the frustration so many times in poster who try so hard to get mom or dad to see - well give them time and let them move at thier own pace and level and in time hopefully they will see what we see THE BRIGHT OF DAY
Good luck
metatron

JT, Imagine a world-wide religion -- run by lawyers and accountants!
Oh, wait.... imagination isn't needed! It's here!
Yes, the organization has reinvented itself - but the reinvention presently
required is something the organization:
has never been good at ( real love, real brotherhood, real friendship,
and - gasp! - social functions!)
and is strongly fighting ( shun your df'd relatives, shun the inactive,
avoid large gatherings, isolate, isolate, shun, shun)
------ insert miracle here ---------------( a 180 degree turn about that MAY compromise
the vital work of magazine peddling)
As for suicides, only a few may actually say plainly, "I'm screwed, I wasted my life"
Far more will suffer from depression they can't find a reason for - more will have
their subconscious scream at them every time they encounter another cutback, another
downsize, another evidence of decay.
Some will say "it's hopeless, I can't do enough - I won't make it".
Like an airplane - you remove a bolt and it still flies
you remove another, it still lands safely
another, it still gets to its destination
and another
and another
and another
and then it crashes
and the 'cheese cracker men' give their knee jerk counsel,
"you didn't pray/attend/whatever enough, too bad!"
and that's how it goes down
metatron ( old Bethelites know 'how it is')
Marcos

You are right, metatron.
metatron ( old Bethelites know 'how it is')
The thread you refer to is probably mine: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/default.asp?site=3
As I mentioned, the thrust of my question was not so much suicide but more along the lines of what the WT might look like in the near future. But, the points made regarding suicide are chilling.
I sincerely hope that this will never be the case. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if something similar happens, the good old boys at the GB will still be with us accusing the brothers of "overreacting" to a message the GB never gave (ref. 1975).
Marcos
hooberus

JT said:
"i agree with you 110% we never know where the seeds will sprout, I look at myself as a test case- i was truly dyed in the wool and anyone who had left wt would have said JT will never come out he is a Company Man to the bone- yet I'm out due to having info presented to me that eventually i could not fight-"
JT what info was presented that you could not refute? and how was it presented?
Realist

JT,
One would think that would be the case, but Religion has an unusally way of surviving- case in point the catholic church the are pushing almost a Billion members - one would think that with a history like it has no one would touch it with a 10 ft pole, yet it has reinvented itself and it survives
very true!!! corruption, lying, killing (millions and millions), changing doctrines etc.etc. and yet people believe in the catholic church. i am afraid there is no hope the WT will dissolve within the next 100 years.

To Save a Witness Life

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