Farewell to a friend. (page 2)

Scorpion

Doug,

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. I have experienced the same type of situation.

bajarama

I heard on a news program that hard drugs in America claim about 8,000 to 9,000 lives a year. I wonder how many lives are lost due to the watchtower's hardline policys on blood, df'ings and others.

bajarama

I am very sorry to hear about your friend. My sentiments are along the lines of RedhorseWoman and others. It is my belief that all the injustices inflicted on victims of the WTS will in time be delt with and forgotten. May your friend find the rest he could not find here in this world, in the arms of our savior and redeemer, Jesus Christ. Take care.

CornerStone

Prisca

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, Doug.

Suicide is a death that results in more than the usual amount of grief for those who knew and loved the person. So many questions, emotions and empty voids result as a result of suicide.

May Jehovah comfort Jonathon's wife, family and friends.

dshields1

Dear friends,

Thank you so much for your kind words. They really mean alot.

I was in for twenty seven years and I know all too well the darkness that
the slaves of the WT walk in. You see my wife's father (a former circuit
overseer) committed suicide as well many years ago. My wife found him in their garage. He
was apparently having an affair with another woman and was so guilt ridden (besides
having severe depression) that he just couldn't cope. Of course the WT is
so good about letting us know that we are forgiven of all of our sins.
(NOT) I read his note that he left. It was so sad. He asked for his
family and Jehovah to forgive him as he could not forgive himself.

Very few of the brothers attended his funeral. Everyone said that since he
committed suicide that he wouldn't be in the resurrection etc. This man was
a good elder and a member of the congregation for years and these people
just cut him and his family loose! I couldn't believe their hypocrisy.

I know now how important the work of helping JW's is. I thought at first
that it might just be "sour grapes" on my part after coming out of the
organization and that maybe I should just "live and let live". (My mother's
words. She is still a JW.) However, when I see good people dying as a
direct result of what they believe I get really really angry.

I started a JW ministry recently and will continue my work. Even if I just
help one person out of the WT then I believe it will have been worth it.

Thank you all again for your comforting thoughts.

Friends are truly a gift from God.

Doug Shields

JAVA

Doug,

I really wish I could have helped him to find Christ, but I didn't.

I wish you or someone could have helped your friend, and sorry his depression was so great he took his life. It's an act that can't be undone, and continues to hurt those left behind.

I also wish there were more outreach groups with goals of helping others without the need of turning people back to Jesus, God, or (add your favorite deity). If Jesus would have worked for your friend--great, but one size doesn't fit all. Many ex-JWs are shy of religion, and the very last thing they want is another sermon. It seems most groups reaching out to former high-control religious members are other religious groups. The Watchtower is crap, but Jesus Saves groups can be destructive when they teach people are lost (i.e., roast in hell or will die) if they don't believe in their Savior. Many consider that jumping from the frying pan and into the fire. Some like it hot, but others benefit from a helping hand that doesn't come with religious strings or judgements.

--JAVA

...counting time at the Coffee Shop

teejay

JAVA,

>>The Watchtower is crap, but Jesus Saves groups can
>>be destructive when they teach people are lost if they
>>don't believe in their Savior... Some like it hot, but others
>>benefit from a helping hand that doesn't come with religious
>>strings or judgements.

very well said, my Man. very well said.

why not just help? or listen? or be a friend? it reminds me of
my time as a dub, when i had no interest in people (relatives
especially) unless i was in witnessing mode. why can't we see
each other as human beings with the same basic needs?

peace,
todd

jurs

Doug,
I'm sorry about your friend. Your compassionate posting perhaps my help someone else.
Take care JURS

Uni girl

I'm sorry to hear about your friend, it is such a shame to hear about a young man unable to cope and then kill himself.

I went to pioneer school with a lovely man and he later began to ask questions about the 'truth' and because he felt so bad and alienated he eventually fell into a deep depression and this led him to throw himself off a high rised building, he was just 25. He was an extremely loving son and husband but he couldn't cope, we all tried to help him but we couldn't....

nojw86

Sorry to hear of your friends death. So sad when hope runs out on many of us, and depression set in, but reading your post maybe other on the board can be helped to see a way out. Prayers to you and his family. nojw

Farewell to a friend.

--JAVA

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