JWs and Alcohol Abuse/Addition/Escapism

by LovesDubs 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  LovesDubs

  When I first started studying in 84 at the ripe ol age of 29, I was told oft and repeatedly that JWs did everything in moderation, and nothing sinful or unbiblical. Apparently, like everything else, they have added footnotes to the scriptures that say not to get DRUNK, as that seems to be their only "legitimate" (read, UNREGULATED) escape from the reality that is the Witchtrowel Babble and Trash Sectciety.

  There was one elder in my first congregation that reeked of alcohol even first thing in the morning at field service. I was told by someone "born in the truth" that he had a "body chemistry problem, whereby when he would sweat it would SMELL like alcohol, and he did sweat profusely...hence the reddenned face." And...I BOUGHT that. I cant EVEN believe that I did...but I did. Three years later the man DIED of scerosis of the liver. And only THEN did the rebuking start and the badmouthing about what an embarrassment the guy was.

  In my third congregation, there were four brothers, and a father, who were ALL dyed in the wool dubs, ALL elders, ALL prominent respected men...and the one brother who was our PO would come in so drunk on Sunday morning that they had to prop him up against the back wall of the hall by himself. We were told, however, that he had a herniated disk in his back and sitting was difficult for him. And so what is that lovely odor around him then? Bengay? More like Bendrinkin.

  Every JW wedding I went to in 13 years, the "friends" got sloshed. Looking back, I see more clearly what a pathetic hoarde we were, and they are...hating every minute of their lives, doing what they could to forget about it, no matter how horrid the headache the day after.

  Rutherford started it all.
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  claudia

  Loves, that is one of the reasons I stopped studying. I have never seen drunkenness on my catholic side of the family or any of their friends. Then they tried to "redefine" drunkenness.
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  Winston Smith

  Luv Dubs:
  "Body Chemistry problem"....I heard that excuse used in my old Hall. The trouble is, that the one with the "body chemistry problem died of complications due to alcoholism shortly after. As an ex-elder, I've observed that it is the elders who can't get a handle on their drinking. Of course, that doesn't stop them from sitting in judgement for those who have a similar problem. One of my favorite "party buddies" would invite me over to get drunk and watch R rated movies. His
  rationalization was that "drinking was a part of his culture"(french), and thus allowances could be made for him. I also just heard that he was recently removed.

  Sadly, alcohol and food are the only escapes open to JW's. And lord knows, there's quite a bit to escape from

  -Winston
• 

  NameWithheld

  Yep, every hall I was in the drinking was heavy and constant. Of course, that didn't stop the elders from judgeing and rebuking non-elders and their families for drinking! :)
• 

  Casper

  I agree, I was shocked at the amount of drinking that goes
  on among witnesses.

  I remember one year I was at a "very large" Air Show, sponsored
  by the state. The witnesses had their own area roped off and
  that's where we watched the show, thousands of people around
  and such. Of coarse we were all under the watchful eye of the
  PO. They were all drinking, the witnesses that is. I being
  so new, and uninformed, hadn't brought my own bottle...walked
  with a friend to the nearest liquor store and got the makings for
  "Rattle Snakes"

  Got back and practically set up my own "Bar" making them for
  myself and "friends"... Finally the PO came over ..thought for
  sure I was going to get "BUSTED"...but, he wanted me to make
  him one...and another and another..($$$$) Kept saying..."Hey,
  you're not putting enough "Rattle" in that Snake"... He was
  such a sight..!!! Then a bunch of us walked over to a Hole-in-
  the-Wall bar, and had a few... What got me, was that this was
  suppose to be "ALL-RIGHT" Makes NO sense.

  All those "Happy" faces seen inside the KH...are PHONEY....I knew
  these people. I knew their stories and lives. So much pain and
  stress.... No wonder they needed an escape. I know, I used to be
  one of them.

  Cas
• 

  Mulan

  We had a former CO in our congregation, back in the 70's. He had a drinking problem, but I didn't know that. He always sat in the back behind the literature counter, in a folding chair. One day during the Morning meeting, Sunday, we heard a loud crash, and he had tipped over in his chair, and was out cold. We were told he had hit his head, but he had passed out. His wife told me all about it later. They separated, he died, and she is remarried and doing well. Still a dub too. The most drinking I had seen in my life, though, was on camping trips, when it would be raining. The beer was out before noon, because "It's Noon in Idaho" they would say. (we live on the West coast) By two, the whiskey was out, and by dinner time, who cared? I had small children back then, and rarely drank anyway. The men were funny, and I excused it by saying they had such stressful responsibilities in the congregation, they needed to do this once in awhile. If it wasn't raining, they often would find a reason anyway.
  But we had fun too, hiking and swimming, and those good ole Watchtower studies in a circle. Sometimes it was 10 or more families. Better attendance than the KH had I'll bet!!! :) And lots more fun, and we even may have learned something.
• 

  SanFranciscoJim

  This topic has always been a pet peeve of mine. Alcoholism runs on my father's side of the family, and unfortunately I was not exempted from this disease. During my tenure as a JW, although I never attended any meeting drunk, I went out in field service countless times severely hung over from the night before, and have no doubt that I reeked of liquor. Outside the Kingdom Hall, I was a daily blackout drinker. I repeatedly approached elders in my congregation about my drinking problem, informing them that I had "sinned". Well, here are a couple of answers I received:
  (1)"Well, then, just don't drink so much next time."
  (2)"If you are truly repentant after you sober up, Jehovah will forgive you."
  Talk about giving an alcoholic free license to overindulge!
  Finally, my drinking got so bad that I started engaging in activity (usually in a blackout for which I have no direct memory), which led to my first receiving private reproof, and then later public reproof. Ironically, one of the elders who was on my judicial committee had a nose as red as Rudolph the Reindeer, and outside the Kingdom Hall, I never saw him without a martini in his hand.
  I find it the height of ignorance that even today the Watchtower discourages its members from attending Alcoholics Anonymous because their 12 steps contain the phrase "God as we understood him" instead of "Jehovah", thus making it a Satanic organization! I often wonder how many JW's die from untreated alcoholism. Further, I wonder how many EX-JW's die from untreated alcoholism, because their experience with the Watchtower has given them a fear that groups like A.A. are just another cult (which it is not).
  For what it's worth, I recognized 14 years clean & sober two weeks ago.
• 

  Francois

  Ah, Jehovah's Witnesses, those wild and crazy, fun-loving guys.

  The three elders who came to meet with me to "adjust" my thinking, none of whom had an IQ any higher than room temperature, were these: 1) Brother "A" who was drunk on arrival; 2) Brother "B" who had a cleaning business complete with an illegal power meter he used every day to steal electricity from the power company; and Brother "C" who was a combination of A and B, had his own power meter also, and who was a known, um, tippler. He hadn't tippled that day, but was hung over - it being a Saturday morning.

  An organization characterized by hypocrisy and lying, uuuuum, gimme some of that.
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  crossroads

  S.F.JIM-CONGRATS!!!!!!!!
  It's been around 35 years now for my dad, He surely
  would be dead long ago if not for AA. If any of you
  lurkers out there have a drinking problem you need
  to seek out AA and get real help. So you can become
  healthy again and push more of the watchtower teachings
  so you can get depressed again so you can pick up a
  bottle again so you..................................................................

  Most if not all alcoholics are depressed people
  Many JW.s are depressed people
  Why should anybody doubt the fact that
  many brothers and sisters have a drinking problem.
  But please if you have a problem go to AA AA AA AA
  The life you save wil be your OWN and your FAMILIES.
  Peace and Love
  Mark
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  SanFranciscoJim

  Thank you for the kind words, Crossroads.
  There is a Yahoogroup mailing list for ex-JW's in 12-step recovery which can be subscribed to at:
  * http://groups.yahoo.com/group/xjw12step
  and following the subscription instructions.