Do A Number of Jehovah's Witnesses Have A Drinking Problem???

by minimus 70 Replies latest jw friends

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  JH

  When I was active, I never suspected that anyone had a drinking problem in the congregation. I certainly didn't have any drinking problem. I never drank at all. When I went over to a brother's house, he would offer me a beer, but I always declined the offer. Everybody seemed to be so spiritual, so I never imagined that anyone would have a drinking problem or do anything that the bible condems.

  What brothers and sisters did after the meetings at home or elsewhere, I had no clue. Probably some drank moderately, and some drank a little more. Maybe some were even on drugs. I wasn't too close to other witnesses. I went to my meetings and then went straight home so I don' t know. I'm the independent type that likes to be alone most of the time.

  I don't think that witnesses have a drinking problem. They are always together, so it would be hard to hide that.
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  minimus

  If YOU were not a drinker, you wouldn't be invited to the drinking parties. I knew of many that did not get invited to parties because they were non-drinkers and rather than hear about how much drinking went on at the party, they simply never invited possible "troublemakers".
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  nowisee

  when i went into therapy some years back, i was relieved to discover that my therapist had some knowledge of jws, having grown up with one as her best friend -- and then as a result, having counseled many elders in private for alchoholism. (she specialized in addiction therapy).

  i can only tell you my personal experience.... my first husband (the bethelite), told me that everyone in bethel knew that all the big guys had cases of beer and wine delivered to their rooms. he followed suit, as toward the end of our marriage he was passed out every day at 4:30pm -- he loved to drink.

  now was his drinking what contributed to the end of our marriage, or was it our lousy marriage that contributed to his drinking??
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  Prisca

  Where did the Bethelites get the money to pay for their drinking? Most Bethelites I knew were paupers.
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  Flip

  I'd say some may have a drinking problem, but most that I know don't.

  Perhaps, but to an untrained eye, how could one really know?

  For example, my older brother, born a JW, and finally a teenaged baptismal corporate recruit, appeared to drink socially and “in moderation” with his JW peers from an early age and did so for many years. Until relatively recently, as the signs began to appear as subtle as a brick, we finally “discovered” or admitted to ourselves that he was an alcoholic.

  Although my brother was very good at hiding his addiction, he wasn’t so good at it that if a nearly competent “congregational bureaucrat” existed, such one could’ve recognized and openly acknowledged his behavioral symptoms to recommended a more effective program be attempted.

  To my knowledge, nor in retrospect, to my surprise, the latter never occurred. He was such a popular individual, in fact, many of the JW brotherhood encouraged his “fun loving” ways, mot likely not so much as to validate Jehovah’s “happy” people than to create a diversion to balance reality with WTBTS induced dissonance.

  What life of his that remains today, isn’t pretty as he squandered earlier dreams and opportunities. And I doubt anyone could accuse his WTBTS employers, at any stage, of openly pondering his plight, not that it's in their corporate mandate anyway…perhaps because there just aren’t enough magazines manufactured or religious institutional real estate acquisitions yet.

  Flip
• 

  Pistoff

  My experience with alcohol/witnesses:
  My friends in the hall were drinking earlier than me; my dad was an alcoholic, and the thought of it made me sick.
  
  They began drinking at about 16; most of it was at assemblies where the tub got filled up on friday nights. My best friend was busted for underage drinking at the same assembly where he was baptized, too funny.
  
  I began at 18, and quit at 28, full blown addict. I would have been no matter what, but the culture in the congregation tolerates quiet addiction to alcohol more than any other vice. I sat in on a card party at an assembly where the typical two brothers who should never drink together, were drinking together. They were drunk and looking for more, and the sister in our card party politely avoided the issue. After they left, the elder in the card foursome remarked that with all the problems his family had, he thought it was OK for him to "drink a little". Well, he drank, but not a little, he has been booted for alcoholism twice.
  
  But in the mind of that elder, it was OK for him to drink to escape his problems.
  
  Hehe, I now realize that so many witnesses are unable to connect strongly with God without the interference of the WT, and I think that contributes to them seeking solace from alcohol and prevents them from experiencing the strong spiritual connection that can help relieve addiction.
  I have been clean for 20 years, no thanks to the WT who only in 1983 "allowed" the brothers and sisters to make use of 12 step programs and recovery groups without considering them to be "religious" in nature.
• 

  Farkel

  In my adult experience, dubs (especially elders, MSs and COs) were always drunk after "work" i.e selling or promoting Watchtower Crap(tm). At every dub party I attended, nearly everyone was messed up. The booze never stopped flowing.
  
  But that was a long time ago. Over thirty years to be exact. Don't know how it is these days, but from my sources, things haven't changed all that much. If you are connected to WT Power Brokers(tm) and are a drunk, you will never be in trouble. If you are not connected and are a drunk, the drunk leaders of the congo will make an example of you by DFing you, and then go out and get drunk after the JC and celebrate that they just removed a drunk from their midst and kept the Congregation "clean"

  "Jehovah's TRUE(tm)" organization that has been awaited for by countless zillions of people for 2,000 years is ruled by a bunch of idiotic and hypocritcal drunks!

  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Watchtower Insanity(tm) and duality(tm) at its finest!

  Farkel, who laughs at Watchtower Insanity(tm)
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  plmkrzy

  I knew lots of dubs who had no problem at all drinking.
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  BLISSISIGNORANCE

  'like the stars of the heavans and the grains of sand that are on the sea shore'

  How many is that??????????????????
• 

  Blueblades

  In over 30 yrs.in the org.I have not seen or heard of one person being disfellowedshipped for "DRUNKENNESS".

  Drunks will not inherit the kingdom.

  Our P.O.use to come to the meetings with the smell of wine on his breath.When I mentioned this to him,he said it was from mixing it in his dinner.

  Just recently.a few weeks ago,at a party,all the servants were drinking alcohol,congregating around the bar,belly laughing,I lost count of the refills.

  As I am inactive and slowly fading,one of the newly re-appointed Elder,came to my table and started to lecture me about witnessing and going to the meetings.That's another story for another time.I did not indulge in drinking with them at this time.

  I needed to keep my wits about me just in case it got heavy as to why I have slacked off.

  The reason we were there in the first place is because we were invited to celebrate the 35th wedding anniversary of a couple we have known for years whose husband I had a part in bringing into the 'truth'and got him off alcohol abuse.Yet these servants thought nothing of drinking alcohol in front of him at his 35th wedding anniversary

  The counsel about drinking too much alcohol is for others,not themselves.

  Blueblades