Does anyone have any information on lawsuits in regards to JW's victimizing the mentally ill?

lme123

I am a former JW, 14 years removed. I moved out of state away from my JW family for 10 years, and currently moved back to my home town 2 years ago. It was a great healing process for me, especially being away from all of the confusing and controversial influences I was raised with. I meet a lot of great x-Jw's out of state who provided support. Now that I am back, its been a barrage of past JW influence, and most recently my best friend growing up had contacted me. This person was disfellowshiped for 12 years and has extreme mental illness which this person is being treated for. When we were younger, this persons mental illness was bucking its ugly head, and the symptoms of the disease lead to this person being disfellowshiped. I am extremely hurt that this many years later she still is struggling with the control JW's have had over this person all of these years. When this person needed the support of family the most, they had turned their back, and this person suffered for over a decade. Another significant family member of mine was reproved for symptoms of mental illness. When I lived out of state, I met many people who had stories of congregation members committing suicide after disfellowshipment. Growing up, there were multiple young people in the congregation I attended who had multiple suicide attempts, the elders were having their meetings and causing further damage. I could write a book on everything wrong with what happened during my 19 years being raised as a JW. My question is, does anyone have information on how I could gather a group of such wronged people, whom have been disfellowshiped or reproved due to mental illness for a lawsuit bringing to light how JW's victimize the mentally ill? This is my first post, I hope I have followed the guidelines. Thank you.

violias

You raise an excellent question and one I hope Barbara Anderson will reply to. She might have some insight on this. They are having their feet held to the fire for their treatment of children and one day I hope the many adult rape victims will get represented. . I would very much like to see them exposed for their treatment of the mentally ill. However, I will tell you in the south/southwest etc, the Bible Belt, there are many churches that are similar in their treatment of the MI and some may be worse. I am talking about the Pentecostal type churches that practice something called Deliverance( Exorcism by any other name is still Exorcism ).The church of Christ is also very legalistic and so are any number of fundamentalist religions here in the Bible Belt. The catholic church I understand does not really do very many real exorcism's . It is more the offbeat religions that do these things .Saying that however COC and Pentecostal are not considered offbeat down in south but they practice these things, , at least secretly. BTW, Pentecostals got such a bad reputation that they now disguise themselves as Non-denominational Bible churches or something called Four Square churches and similar names. Beware.

It is a great question and hopefully will get some response from Barbara.

violias

bttt hoping someone will see this topic and post something to help this person.

smiddy

Lme123

Thank you for posting this topic , it deserves more than just a casual glance and moving on.

.Their have been a number of studies around the world I believe , whether the religion of Jehovah Witnesses leads to mental illness or whether the mentally affected are drawn to the beliefs of Jehovah Witnesses .

However this topic is about how Jehovah Witnesses treat fellow Jehovah Witnesses in their midst who might display mental illness.

The bible has very little to say about mental illness , The christian greek Scriptures seems to equate it with Demon possession and not a case of mental illness .

Jehovah Witnesses have very little to say about Demon possession , or for that matter mental illness . In first world countrys , unless of course they are speaking about third world countrys where demonism is supposed to be rife.

However in first world countrys it is mental illness , not demonism .that is the problem that needs to be addressed .

I do not think the Governing Body of Jehovah Witnesses have ever got their head around the distinction if any , between a person with mental problems and a Demon possessed person , or if even such a person exists in todays society .

smiddy

hoser

I do know in some congregations publishers who show signs of mental illness are falsely accused of secret sins causing their mental illness.

Chaserious

one day I hope the many adult rape victims will get represented

I am a little confused by this statement. What is the connection between the OP's question and "adult rape?" And who are these many victims?

StarTrekAngel

I was just about to start a thread to ask something similar. I just finished reading an article on Jehova's Trumpet that has left me in shock. I am actually questioning and I need to ask if that site is for real. Because I can simply not believe what I read there.

violias

am a little confused by this statement. What is the connection between the OP's question and "adult rape?" And who are these many victims?

This was just used as an example of one of the many things that like treatment of the mentally ill, the Borg sweeps under the carpet. There are many victims in the Borg of mental illness., child molestation, adult rape. It is the mistreatment of women and children . I do not want to move the topic of the thread to this, just chiming in that there are many issues within the Borg that need exposure. that was all. They do mistreat the mentally ill , first by trying to treat them themselves instead of sending to a doctor. Many religions in the usa do practice Deliverance and it used on mentally ill people all the time. The wts does not but what they do is say you lack joy and must not have God's spirit instead of saying you need to see a doctor. I have seen this and not in some backwoods country congo. And some still will say it may be demons . they many not say it in their mags but they will say it to you in the congo and back rooms and if they come to visit.

I will admit they have moved forward a bit about medication but them recommending therapy still is not that common. There is a strong mistrust of the psychiatry field .

Does anyone have any information on lawsuits in regards to JW's victimizing the mentally ill?

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