High rates of depression in Org. (page 7)

rosemary

Hiya Rod P....welcome.....i wish you well....and of course every body else too......

Rod i was amazed to read your life....i would like to hope that you fine some peace and tranquility....

and that goes to everony too...........

You know.....i am so lucky....i escaped being a JW by a whisker.....by what i read about every ones experiences.....you all are amazing......some of your stories blow my mind away.....

On top of it all i stopped talking to the bloke who gave me on line lessons.....he was more than manic in his ways..he was depressed.......and still is...he live from hand to mouth becoz he thinks thats the way to be.....he introduced me to a friend of his....she is cool.....takes me for what i am....that is not wanting to be a JW.....but she is depressed.....very much so......

BUT me...na...i'm not depressed......but i do get down sometimes.....thats coz of work.....i am an auxiliry nurse....and what i see makes me sad.....makes me think i am so very lucky to have what i have and the health i have.......

May be i just don't unstand what ex JW's went through...i can imagine but not feel it......but i do understand the upper hand and ideology......but you get ideology in most companies......work hard and you can get some where.....yeah sure you can.....

When i had online studies whith this friend of mine....after a few months i was wanting and willing to be a JW...even tho some things didn't seem to fit into place...i just thought i would accept them....sometime it made me confussed......and sometime i felt i would find answers along the way....then it came to Jesus and the cross...that was it.....i beleieved it was not for me.....

So noe i feel i am searching again over for my spirituality......

I think i have found it.....and i am working on it......i don't feel down about it.....but to me it make sense....It it the Gospel of Thomas.....gospel 77b..."Split wood, I am there. Lift up a rock, you will find me there."......so Jesus is every where....thats nice...it makes me feel cosy inside.....

Thomas says so many things that Jesus said...some bizare...and some so comforting....at least Jesus is there......and so is God....and Thomas said we have the kingdom here on earth now....(maybe that was when he wrote his gospels.....).......today it doesn't feel like it.....

But anyways..thank you for your time.....

I am also a newbie.....but not so new as Rod P....and some others.....

I strive to find a spiritual balanace in my life.....

it's my Birthaday......27 01 64 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME............

AND .....i love a hug..........and i love cats......

good nite...God Bless....XXXXx

rosemary

Sorry for the typo's....i guess i am better with pen and paper...my head gets so engrossed in what i what to say...my fingers can't keep up....so please excuse me.....thank you.......

happy birthday to me...la la la.....( sorry i could ot resist that.....)

Rod P

To Rosemary:

Thank you for your comments. Happy Birthday to you; and I hope you have a good one!

I too have studied the Gospel of Thomas, which is generally considered part of the "pseudepigrapha". There are quite a number of "books" which are included in this pseudepigrapha which many churches, including W.T., do not regard as part of "Inspired Scripture", and they certainly have their reasons for saying so. It is a vast topic to get into. However, in the case of the Gospel of Thomas, there is an important truth revealed therein that is so powerful, I believe the Catholic Church may even fear it, because if too many know about it, they may not have a Church left. That "Truth" is the fact that you do not have to have a Church or External Organization to find the Kingdom of God. It is to be found inside you. There you will find what you are looking for. I believe there is historical evidence that there were some ulterior motives for the Gospel of Thomas not to be allowed to be included with the Scriptures. So Rosemary, you are definitely on to something, whether you realize it or not. In the days ahead I will have much to say about this Gospel, but it will be on my own thread. Yet I am in no way trying to convert you to something. Just sharing some things I know about, and will recommend you examine a few other things as well along the same lines. I found it all very exciting. This was one of the things that helped my in my battle with depression.

God Bless!

Rod P.

rosemary

Thank you Rod P....

What ever you are doing today and everyone else...have a good day ...........

The Gospel of Thomas is really interesting......i am having to re read it coz i am sure i went off into a day dream once or twice or more the first time round reading it.....

Gill

Happy Birthday Rosemary! And many many more!

I was told by a Witness that there is hardly any depression amongst the JWs when I was discussing this topic this week.

She, I would say is depressed and never diagnosed. Her husband is definitely a manic depressive and refused to see a psychiatrist when offered the opportunity recently be his GP 'Nothing wrong with my head!'

Then I listed the long list of people on anti depressant meds in their cong. the anorexics etc and they insisted that this was perfectly normal.

I went through the couple of hundred people I know living down and around my road. One with depression, one with obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. Statistically a big difference. But they wouldn't have it. All apostate lies. JWs are the happiest people on Earth....if this is so...God help the rest of us!

lilybird

My mother, who was the sweetest most loving person you could meet suffered from severe depression and schizophrenia, When she took her meds , she was wonderful. But a few well meaning sisters told her it was bad to take drugs, It could let in the demons, So she stopped taking her meds, and became sick again, My father would eventually get her on meds again and she would be better, but eventually she would always stop taking meds, Most in the congregation knew she suffered from mental illness, but a few times when she went off meds she would act out at meetings , yell at the speaker and accuse others of things that any reasonable person would know is not true, One elder really took personal offense to something she said, He and other elders decided she should be disfellowshipped as she was bring reproach on Jehovah's name, I had to defend her and plead for them not to do that, I said if she was d'f all the sisters that she knew and loved would no longer be able to talk to her,,, Then,,,, and this is amazing to me,,,,,, and this is what really made me decide I needed to get out of the org...... the elders asked me to tell them what to do. I said just make an announcement from the podium explaining she is suffering from mental illness and we must ignore any strange behaviour.. Even in the "wicked system of things" people with mental disabilities are not treated so badly!!!!!!! I couldn't believe that elders supposedly guided by God would ask me,, a lowly publisher ...what to do... Anyways,, they did not d'f her,,, but a year later she took her own life when she was off meds again... guess the elders were happy to be done with problem.....

Max Divergent

steve2 - For some scientific evidence of higher rates of metal illness amongst JW's, see;

Spencer, J. (1975)The Mental Health of Jehovah's WitnessesBritish Journal of Psychiatry 126:556-559.

(Spener is a real scientist and, AFAIK, never been a JW)

My copy is from the Journal, but online copies are readily available too... one source is: http://www.rickross.com/reference/jw/jw72.html

steve2

Hey Lilybird, I felt such sadness when I read your post. People with mental health problems so often respond well to love and understanding. You were there for your mother and did your best. Doesn't it show how the JW elders are often completely out of their depth when it comes to dealing with the complexities of human behaviour? It says a lot for you that you were able to suggest a course of tolerance and understanding for your mother and that the elders did not disfellowship her. Yes, I expect that they would consider the problem now solved. What an absolute shame that they were unable to be more available to help her! My thoughts are with you.

Rod P

To Lilybird:

I actually felt physically ill about your case!

It is just not right!!!!

How can they treat you like that?? In the name of Jehovah!? Sometimes I think JW's put Jehovah where he is not, and put Satan in there instead!

Are you wicked and evil? Is your mom? Are you apostate? Obviously NO!

Does your life feel like it is being played out on the stage set up by God and the W.T.? Isn't it time to end this dictatorship? Spiritaully OR Otherwise?

Rod P.

TheEdge

Lilybird - that is tragic, I am so sorry for your loss.I am shocked, but not surprised, at the elders' attitudes. I don't for a MOMENT imagine Jesus, or indeed ANY loving individual, would treat anyone in this way.

I think the excuse of ''bringing reproach on Jehovah's name'' can be translated as ''damaging OUR (JW) image'' - Image is so important to these people, sadly.

High rates of depression in Org.

Share this