Alcohol and the Witness (page 3)

ballistic

I'm suprised we haven't got more British posting to this thread because we are "a nation of drinkers".

disclaimer: I can't speak for everyone

Cheers

willyloman

One more opinion in support of the majority here: JW's are by and large heavy drinkers. Elders especially like to drink, or feel they have to, because of the extra pressures they face.

What would make an interesting study is the role alcohol plays enabling in cognitive dissonance. One brother I know quit drinking after serving many years as an elder. He quit because he sensed he was becoming dependent and decided to stop to see how his body reacted. When the reaction was bad, it scared him and he swore off booze.

As the months went by, he began to be surprised by how his view of things changed. He looked at things much more critically, and asked questions he used to stifle. He came to realize his drinking had masked and inhibited an inner struggle for many years. Now sober, he began to think independently and to see the "truth" for what it truly is. Big emotional earthquake for him.

wednesday

Raised in the South, people here are really uptight about alcohol, and i'm talking worldy people not just jws.The cong. i grew up in they drank. If u drank too heavily, ie, got loud drunk at a party, u could expect counsel. It seems the non-drinkers view themself as holier than the drinkers. The message i got, u can drink, but learn to do it well and in small groups. And don't tell the new ppl, less we stumble them.

weds

stillajwexelder

Yes no question in my experience that many JWs are quite big drinkers. COs will certainly drink and the was once a joke going around that went something like this

Question "What is extremely spiritual and and alcoholic?"

Answer A German/French/Spanish Bethelite ---

depending on which country you were from -- I assume you all get the idea

When elders became stressed I know of quite a few whose best friend became Jack Daniels and Jim Beam (some pretended to be sophisticated with Glenmorangie or Glenfiddich etc. ) In fairness and to be honest I was one of them -- nothing better than a glass of Jack

minimus

Most of the Witnesses I know, like to drink a lot. And it has nothing to do with "Booze Rutherford". JW's drink because they NEED to escape. The Bethelites drink with friends because it's the only legal thing they can get away with. Congregation elders will drink with each other and gossip about all those in the Hall because they can. They "deserve" their down time and besides, what will anyone say? If JW's said "natural drugs" was something that could be indulged in, you'd see a bunch of JW drug addicts. Meanwhile, instead, you'll see a bunch of JW alcoholics.

jads

I have read this post and I feel that people just don't have a live if all they can do is sit back and boo-hoo about the "wicked" Watchtower Society. Come on now get a life. Especially Nina. All you do is complain, complain, complain about when you were a JW. And also the sarcastic remarks about the Watchtower is becoming staled and old and "booooring". I hope your husband or boyfriend does not have to listen to your whining. My God if I was the JW's I would have "kicked" you out also. Get a life. You have drunk Catholics, drunk born-again Christians , drunk Jews, drunk Mormons, ; Why do all of you ex-JW's think that the JW's are the only religion in the world that has hurt their members. Yes I can understand the anger when you first leave but after awhile people start thinking that you are the "crazy" one not the JW's. Alcoholism is a "disease" that affects every race, every age, every religion in the world. By constantly pointing the "blame" finger at JW's you isolate others that cause harm on people. My Born-Again Christian friend was seduced then sexually harrassed by her "born-again" christian pastor. He finally left his wife for his mistress but not one person put a post on the internet about this well known pastor's behavior. It seems that Born-Agains and ex-JW's are ok with all kinds of church misconduct but the minute JW's are involved in misconduct they will stand on the mountaintops screaming and shouting about the big bad Watchtower Society. Come on now.

MrsQ

jads,

I don't think anyone denies that there are other people from other religions who have suffered in the same way we have. But there are certain, unique social and religious experiences that all of us have shared within the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. That is why this message board is not for Catholics or Born Again Christians, or any other group...and that is why we talk about being JW's and what it was like when we were.

If I were a former Mormon, I might be posting in a Mormon discussion forum. See?

As far as whining and holding on to the past, well--if it bothers you, you probably should not be around ANY people who are trying to heal from past bad experiences. Part of the process is getting it all out of your system.

A discussion group like this serves a purpose. When I get it out of my system, I'll probably stop coming here. Until then, it would be great if I didn't have people like you trying to censor my feelings just because you seem to be in a different 'place' than I am.

Q.

Brymichmom

And here my mother thought that when my father became a baptized JW, that it would solve his problem with alcoholism. My father is a lifelong alcoholic and I believe that my mother became a JW just as an escape because she was so unhappy.

About 3 years after my sister and I left the WT, my father starts to study and became baptized. Did he ever quit drinking? No, I think his alcoholism even became worse. Now my mother is stuck with a baptized JW for a husband she cannot leave or be "scripturally divorced" from. She's definitely stuck, but she sure holds on to her WT values and teachings. Meanwhile, my dad is now quite sickly but continues to abuse alcohol. He's never been DF'd for being a drunk. My mother has tried to sic the elders on him, but it only resulted in a "private reproof", LOL!

Everyone at the KH feels sorry for my mother because she has an alcoholic for a husband and 2 apostate daughters! Oh my, where did she go wrong in life????

Farkel

I've never seen more freakin' drunks in the 33 years out of the dubs than I did in the 24 years I was in. Most elders and all the other high-powered dubs were a bunch of drunks. So were the R&F that got invited to the parties.

Dubs are liars about their drinking habits. JFR made drinking a CULTURE in that religion as that was was about the only vice they could have (Jesus drink WINE and was called a "drunkard", wasn't he?)

After-Memorial sessions were the biggest drunk-fest one could imagine in my experience. Also, everyone got drunk at night after those grueling 5-7 day assemblies they used to stick to us. Dubs got drunk every weekend and showed up Sunday mornings for the PT and WT study majorly hung-over. Everyone winked at each other and no one said anything.

If one could get through his Instruction Talk without falling on the floor and passing out from the 15 Scotches he had before the meeting, it was considered to be a good thing.

The people who were trying to sober up at the KH farted the worst farts imaginable, and even as people passed out from them, no one ever said a thing about what was actually going on. The passed-out people were not called on at the Watchtower Study, and were quietly carried to their cars when the Sunday meeting was over. Many of them died from methane poisoning before they woke up or got home.

I swear I am not making this up! Farts in Kingdom Halls are the WORST in the world.

Farkel

drwtsn32

JFR enjoying a kegger.

Alcohol and the Witness

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