Prevalence of JW Suicides - Real or Imagined?

by AMNESIAN 82 Replies latest jw friends

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  AMNESIAN

  In one or two recent threads I've seen reference to the possibility of a rising number of JW suicides being another of the organization's very dark realities about which it is vigilant in keeping concealed from its pub populace. Is there anyone reasonably informed regarding this? Is there reason to suppose the incidence ratio among JWs is any higher than among any peoples/religion?

  I'd very much appreciate your responses, including any "experiences" you're comfortable disclosing. This subject has me contemplating something I've often suspected---what the level of depression might be among "the happiest people on earth" and the reason.

  Thanks for sharing.

  -AMNESIAN
• 

  TheApostleAK

  I thought it was bullshit when I read about it first. I stayed in the Borg for another year.

  I know of 3 instances.

  1. Middle aged pioneer. Drug OD.
  2. (VERY!) pretty young sister who supposedly hung herself in a lunatic asylum. Apparently Elders screwed her somehow (maybe J.C. but not mentioned) cos she wouldn't date the "upper class" males in the cong.
  3. A young male publisher who jumped infront of a train.

  Is there reason to suppose the incidence ratio among JWs is any higher than among any peoples/religion?

  I say no only cos I haven't the data available.

  From The Apostle AK
• 

  slipnslidemaster

  I've often wondered that too. I don't know of any specific examples, but I have a gut feeling that it's high.

  If there is a significant number of people that think this also, then maybe reality isn't far off?

  Slipnslidemaster: "But at my back I always hear Time's winged chariot hurrying near."
  - Andrew Marvell
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  Yerusalyim

  I've had a wee bit of training in Suicide and suicide prevention with the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas; a few other places as well. I have no hard data to offer, though I will begin to look at some statistics. Anecdotally I'll say yes, the suicide rate for JW's is slightly elevated from that of the genral population. The are two possible contributing factors for this.
  Anecdotally again, it seems the society attracts those who have emotional problems anyhow, that or the lifestyle creates or complicates these emotional problems. Just as importantly, the absence of belief in Hell, and therefore, no real consequences to suicide factor in on the decesion making process. This I know from my studies, one factor that restrains some from suicide is the idea of HELL. So, when faced with belief that suicide will mean one is not resurrected and only face oblivion, suicide is a more attractive option.

  Let me get back with you on the stats, people actually track this stuff.

  Yeru

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  GodRules

  imagined.
• 

  voltaire

  It seems to me there is a great deal of depression among JW's. Is it higher than the general population? We could probably
  only find out with the society's cooperation. That won't happen. If the rate of depression/suicide is only equal to that of the general population, that is suficient to show that there's no mystical force at work in the congregations. Jim Penton reports that the society held a meeting in which JW doctors were consulted. According to him, the brothers in charge were told that the average JW is under a lot of pressure and therefore more suceptible to depression than the average person. If I recall correctly, Penton believed this was behind the barrage of articles in the 80's that emphasized how caring God is.
• 

  Yerusalyim

  Godrules,

  WHAT is imagined?

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  GodRules

  WHAT is imagined?

  The idea that JW's suffer depression because of the standards that Jehovah puts forth in the Bible.

  Let's talk about depression:

  Of course everyone gets depressed. I get depressed everytime I pay my bills, how the damn electric company takes advantage of people with their high rates, how the phone company screws you if you don't have a special long distance plan.

  I get depressed everytime I have to fill up the gas tank of my car. I get depressed when after a long night of sleep, my body still aches and I feel more tired than when I went to bed. I'm depressed that I have to pay over 800 dollars of taxes every friecking month plus 250 dollars more for taxes from my house.

  I get depressed when I see so much suffering around the world.

  Heeeeeellllllllooooooooooo? THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE NEW SYSTEM OF THINGS!
• 

  AMNESIAN

  Yeru offered:

  Let me get back with you on the stats, people actually track this stuff.

  Thanks, I really appreciate the effort.

  slipn wrote:

  ...I have a gut feeling that it's high.

  If there is a significant number of people that think this also, then maybe reality isn't far off?.

  Yes, I'm suspecting this, too.

  AK wrote:

  1. Middle aged pioneer. Drug OD.

  Any reliable info as to the reason ever surface?

  2. (VERY!) pretty young sister who supposedly hung herself in a lunatic asylum. Apparently Elders screwed her somehow (maybe J.C. but not mentioned) cos she wouldn't date the "upper class" males in the cong.

  Run this one by me again? I'm not quite getting the bit about dating upper class males in congregation.

  3. A young male publisher who jumped infront of a train.

  Wow. Any reliable info as to the reason ever surface?

  GR wrote:

  imagined.

  Hope you're right.

  -AMNESIAN
• 

  Yerusalyim

  Godrules,

  What we are talking about here is CLINICAL depression, which is sharply distinct from what YOU are talking about. And no, it's not what God puts forth in the bible that depresses JW's it's the LOAD of SHIT they add along with it. From my exerience the JW's attrack by far more neurotics and psychotics than any other group I've dealt with.

  We await the second coming of Messiah when all things will be made whole, I don't look forward to the JW idea of a "New System" which is unbiblical, and depressing (think about the boyz in Brooklyn being in charge of EVERYTHING, it makes you shutter.

  Yeru

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]