I'm curious how many put off seeing a doctor or some other "worldly" professional because you didn't want to bring "reproach upon Jehovah's name" or were counseled against it.
Did You Refuse To See A Doctor Or Therapist Because You Were A Witness?
by minimus 27 Replies latest jw friends
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minimus
While my niece was disfellowshipped, she felt guilty about seeing a psychiatrist because she was told that her spilling her guts could bring reproach upon God's name. For quite a while she tried to handle all her guilt and feelings, right and wrong, until it was almost too much to bear. After trying to commit suicide, she KNEW she had to get help. The therapist wanted to meet with her parents because she felt that my niece's ideas were strange. After my brother and SIL went to some sessions, they too saw the need of therapy. They felt quite guilty in the beginning but after they both got medication they are doing better and learning to develop a little bit of independence. 2o years ago they NEVER would have gone to a "worldly" therapist. Now they're doing better than ever.
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freedom96
I know that in our area there was a witness therapist that some would go to, figureing that would be ok because he would not lead them away from the WTS.
I figure that if someone feels that they should go to a therapist, then go! Nothing wrong with that. What is wrong is the WTS telling people that they shouldn't go. They are so paranoid that the flock will leave.
And I hope they do.
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blondie
No, I never let any JW convince me that it was not theocratic to go to a medical physician or qualified therapist. Nor did any of my family. We also encouraged people to go to a proper doctor and to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. We also discouraged people from going to JW quacks who masqueraded as qualified medical personnel. It is amazing to me the number of JWs that are into untested and unproven procedures and diets based on the verbal testimony of 2 or 3 JWs. Over the years I can remember 5 different JWs that died because they failed to go to a qualified physician until it was too late. In all 5 cases the families fell apart and the "left the truth." I can remember an elder's wife who was told that she should go to a place outside the US for cancer treatment. I warned her and told her to have her oncologist examine the "medicine" she was supposed to take. The test came back saying that this stuff would not only not cure her, it would make her sicker. She stayed home and saved her money for treatments that could really help her.
Pardon my posting this long article, but here are some of the medical treatments that JWs use and write to the WTS about.
12/15/94 WT p 19 A Health Test for You?
The Watch Tower Society does not make recommendations or decisions for individuals on medical and diagnostic practices. If certain practices have aspects that are questionable in the light of Bible principles, however, attention may be called to these. Then each person can weigh what is involved and decide what to do.Dear Brothers: I would like your opinion. A [certain health practitioner] seems to have good success, but a method she uses makes me suspicious. . . . By examination she determines what is wrong. Then to find out what kind of medicine or how much of it to use, she puts a medicine bottle next to the skin near a gland or an organ. She tries to pull down the patient’s raised arm. The kind of medicine or the amount of it is determined by the force she needs to pull the arm down. The theory is that electrons, like a current, travel from the medicine through the metal cap of the bottle to a body part, strengthening it. Is this like water witching?
THIS letter from Oregon, U.S.A., concerns a practice that some use to determine nutritional needs, weigh emotional issues, assess memories, and resolve questions about daily life. However common the practice is, are the writer’s suspicions justified?
What might a Christian want to consider in making his own decision about the practice of muscle testing mentioned in the opening letter?
Certain modes of testing the strength or response of muscles are part of conventional medicine, and few would question their validity. For example, poliomyelitis can weaken muscles, and therapy for this may involve what is called kinesiology—"the study of muscles and muscular movement." Such kinesiology is also used in rehabilitative therapy for stroke victims. Most people would understand such treatment.
But what of the muscle testing described in the letter at the start of this article? This sort of "kinesiology" has been used in an attempt to find out whether certain foods, herbs, or vitamins might help or harm a person. As often practiced, the individual holds out his arm, and a practitioner presses down to test muscle strength. Next the subject puts a nutrient or other substance in his mouth, on his abdomen, or in his hand. Then the arm muscles are retested. It is claimed that if he needs that nutrient, his arm will test stronger; if it is bad for him, the muscles will be weaker.
Some who have tried this believe it works and that the effect is based on forces within the body. They reason that there are many things that modern science cannot explain but that occur or can be observed. Thus, they claim that there might be lines of energy or interaction between forces and substances, even if physicians have not yet discovered or accepted these.
On the other hand, the book Applied Kinesiology states: "Sometimes [books] teach that chemical substances, such as nutrition, are evaluated by holding the substance in the hand and testing the muscle. There is no evidence that suggests any reliability in this type of testing. . . . A philosophic attitude can be so strong that operator prejudice interferes with obtaining accurate information in the testing process." "An examiner who is experienced in manual muscle testing can easily make a subject’s muscle appear weak or strong at his discretion by simply changing the . . . test very slightly."
Beware!
However, some muscle testing goes beyond this. Consider what is termed "surrogate testing." This might be practiced in the case of an old person or a baby too weak to be tested. While a surrogate touches the baby, the practitioner tests the surrogate’s arm. This has even been applied to pets; the surrogate’s arm is tested while he is resting a hand on the collie, German shepherd, or other sick pet.
It is not for us to judge such actions, but you might ask, ‘Are bodily forces behind these effects?’ Scientists have proved the existence of cosmic rays, microwaves, and various types of electromagnetic radiation. Yet, do all creatures, even infants and house pets, have within them forces that can flow out and produce a testable effect on a second person? The Babylonians thought that forces could flow out to and affect a sheep. You might ask yourself, ‘Do I believe that something similar can happen with humans or animals today? Or might the effects have another explanation?’
Some healers claim to measure a person’s "forces" with such devices as metal spirals or pendulums. These supposedly move as the healer’s "energy field" interacts with that of the patient. One practitioner and writer in this field, who had once been a research scientist, sometimes diagnoses with the use of a pendulum. She also asserts that she can visualize "the human energy field" or colored aura said to surround individuals. She claims to use "internal vision" to look into a body to see tumors, blood cells, or microbes, and to view the past.
As noted earlier, gauging forces by means of arm strength has been used to test emotions. A widely distributed book said: "If you desire to throw [in] a slight emotional test at the same time, ask audibly ‘Do you have a problem?’ and retest. This will occasionally weaken the arm if the nutrition is poor." Some use such a test "to identify the age at which specific physical, emotional or spiritual trauma" occurred. It is also employed to make ‘yes or no’ decisions on daily matters.
Likely, many who do such muscle testing (kinesiology) would say that their practice differs from what was just described, that no spiritism is involved, or that they do no emotional testing. Nevertheless, is what they do still based on a belief in forces within each human that can be tested or seen only by certain people claiming special powers?
Christians do not take such issues lightly. God counseled Israel: "New moon and sabbath, the calling of a convention—I cannot put up with the use of uncanny power along with the solemn assembly." (Isaiah 1:13) When that nation became apostate, they were ‘practicing divination and looking for omens.’ (2 Kings 17:17; 2 Chronicles 33:1-6) Evidently they sought information by special rites, and then they spoke "what is uncanny."—Zechariah 10:2.
Some muscle testing may be innocent, performed with no harm to patient or practitioner. Clearly, though, some may have uncanny or supernatural aspects, such as internal vision, mysterious auras, and the use of a pendulum. Christians must not practice uncanny powers. They should not even experiment with such, for they are not curious about the deep things of Satan. (Revelation 2:24) Rather, there is good reason to exercise caution about anything that might seem related to the practice of spiritism, which God’s Word condemns.—Galatians 5:19-21.
What a practitioner does is his responsibility, and it is not our intent to review and pass judgment on each one’s claims or procedures. Even if you feel that some of these practices do involve uncanny power, it is clear that many who tried them did so in all innocence, with no thought of involvement in spiritism. It may have been just a reflection of their desperate desire for good health. Still, some who have been involved in such practices have decided later that any potential physical benefit was not worth the spiritual risk.
Again, each individual must resolve what to do regarding such personal matters. Yet, Christians should remember God’s counsel: "Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps." (Proverbs 14:15) That applies to health claims too.
Satan is eager to distract God’s servants from true worship. The Devil would rejoice if he could do so by getting Christians fascinated with other interests. He would be even more delighted if they became fascinated with things that are, or seem to be, uncanny practices that might draw them into spiritism.—1 Peter 5:8.
Though Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, Jehovah God’s attitude toward occult practices has not changed. As noted earlier, God commanded the Israelites that "anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell" was not to be found among them. "Everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah . . . You should prove yourself faultless with Jehovah."—Deuteronomy 18:10-13.
How wise it is, then, for Christians today to keep on "the complete suit of armor from God . . . because we have a wrestling . . . against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places"!—Ephesians 6:11, 12.
[Footnotes]
Many people still consult shamans, witch doctors, or similar healers. A shaman is "a priest who uses magic for the purpose of curing the sick, divining the hidden, and controlling events." A witch doctor, or shaman, might combine herbs with spiritistic practices (invoking mysterious forces). A careful, loyal Christian would shun such involvement in spiritism, even if it seemed to offer a cure.—2 Corinthians 2:11; Revelation 2:24; 21:8; 22:15.
This is a general description, but the testing process may vary. For example, a subject may be asked to press his thumb and forefinger together, and the practitioner tries to pull them apart.
She writes: "How do these seemingly miraculous events take place? . . . The process I use is called laying-on of hands, faith healing or spiritual healing. It is not at all a mysterious process, but very straightforward . . . Everyone has an energy field or aura that surrounds and interpenetrates the physical body. This energy field is intimately associated with health. . . . High Sense Perception is a type of ‘seeing’ in which you perceive a picture in your mind without the use of your normal vision. It is not imagination. It is sometimes referred to as clairvoyance."
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Scully
When I was depressed after our youngest was born, my family doctor referred me to a psychiatrist who specialized in treating post-natal depression. An elder's wife, whom I considered to be a friend at the time, seemed concerned about me, and asked me what the family doctor recommended.
I told her I was referred to a "specialist in postpartum depression". She wanted to know what I meant by the term "specialist", so I told her he was a psychiatrist. For the rest of that conversation, she never once used the word "psychiatrist", instead she called him a "shrink". Rather than saying something positive, like acknowledging the fact that I was doing what I needed to do to get better, she bad-mouthed the mental health profession up one side and down the other. She said things like "Whatever you do, don't mention that you're a Witness, or the shrink will think we're all crazy," and "Don't let that shrink brainwash you out of The Truth™," and "Why do you need to see a shrink when you have The Truth™??" Then she broadcasted to just about everyone that I was going to a "shrink", and the next Local Needs Talk™ just happened to be about how some in the congregation "use depression as a crutch to avoid going to meetings or engage in the preaching work", and that going to 'worldly counsellors' instead of to the elders showed a lack of trust and faith in Jehovah's provisions.
I felt like a piece of dog poop listening to that talk, knowing it was about me, and knowing that everyone in the congregation knew it was about me. I just can't begin to describe how sickening it was to be singled out like that for an illness that wasn't my fault. Would they do that to someone who had cancer? or had been in an accident? I seriously doubt it, but they thought it was just fine to publicly humiliate me like that, when I was already on the verge of committing suicide.
Love, Scully
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Swan
On the contrary!
Through my work we had an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) which provided counseling services. This was about the time in the 1980's when the Society was relenting on some forms of counseling for things like depression. When my brother got stuck by a carelessly discarded hypodermic needle at work, there was a lot of stress in our family about him having to go through HIV testing and possibly getting AIDS. I figured this was a perfect opportunity to test out the EAP. So I made an appointment and went to get talk about it and get some information. Assured that she wasn't going to hypnotize me out of the truth, I proceeded to tell her my feelings and I felt a lot better for having done so.
A few years later I got real depressed. I went to the EAP and was able to think out some things. She also sent me to a doctor for some anti-depressants. In addition, she recommended the book "Feeling Good" by David Burns. This helped me see some flaws in my thinking patterns. It also became apparent that many in the congregation had those same flaws. Slowly I worked on correcting my thinking.
A few years later on, as I was nearing the time to deal with my depression, anxiety about the truth, the family, my feelings, and my life, I went back to EAP. They put me in touch with a wonderful psychiatrist who helped me very much during my exit from the JWs. Just for the record: It was my idea! This doctor didn't encourage me to leave; I had already made up my mind when I started going.
Tammy
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NeonMadman
I've been known not to go to the doctor when I probably should have. Not because I was a JW, just because I was a guy...
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Swan
Scully,
Just so you know, if I slip and refer to my doctor as my shrink, it's not out of disrespect. It's just a pet phrase we used.
Tammy
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Scully
Hi Tammy:
It's not uncommon for psychiatrists to be called "shrinks", so your using it wouldn't seem to me to be disparaging or disrespectful. I was just offended at the way this "sister" used the term - to someone who was already in such a precarious state of mind - such that the utter disdain she was communicating in her tone of voice projected onto me too. It was obvious by the way she talked to me that she felt I was committing some kind of grave sin that needed to be addressed by the elders. Which is exactly what happened in that Local Needs Talk™ a little while later.
It's pretty sad when JWs think that their form of "counsel" is so much superior to that of supportive caring professionals. All I can say is "By their fruits you will know them."
Love, Scully
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Swan
Dear Scully,
I hear you and agree 100%. It was totally not any of her or their business.
I was just offended at the way this "sister" used the term - to someone who was already in such a precarious state of mind - such that the utter disdain she was communicating in her tone of voice projected onto me too. It was obvious by the way she talked to me that she felt I was committing some kind of grave sin that needed to be addressed by the elders. Which is exactly what happened in that Local Needs Talk™ a little while later.
A relative of mine went to a counselor who was supportive of JWs to deal with some issues concerning child abuse she had suffered. I was very supportive of her on that. The last thing she needed was anybody tearing her down.
The last thing someone who in therapy needs is for someone like this woman to make them feel worse. The thing is that the JWs won't see the irony in that. A Local Needs Talk (TM) to induce guilt in those in the congregation who should come to the Elders for help with their self-esteem problems. It would be funny if it weren't so painful!
Tammy