Wasanelder Once

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Posts by Wasanelder Once

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  40

  Another JW Suicide

  by orangefatcat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yes last thursday a young brother who was in the same hall as me but in the other cong.

  and he was 29, a newborn baby and a 2or 3 year old and young wife committed suicide.

  was killed here in our town of newmarket by a train.

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  Wasanelder Once

  atypical,

  Have you seen or experienced this: When someone is seriously ill, including mentally, people withdraw from them? It almost seems as if this is some sort of inherited survival strategy within the genes. I know that when somone is terminally ill, people often back off. It always struck me as selfish, self sparing. I understand the desire to avoid the pain of the situation, but I dont know if I can reconcile it with Christianity. This is so true with people with mental illness, or depression. People, not just JW's, tend to back off and leave be. This isn't the best strategy.

  Yes, the Society has a lot of power and uses it. I still believe that they only have the power we give them. There is a majority in the truth who look forward to the "Picnic with a Panda" world than the "End of this System Judgement" one. They are quite happy and do not feel controlled or suicidal. Anyone, in any religion can have self esteem issues. Yes, the society discouraged psychiatrists in years past, a sin to be reckoned with, but now it is the fricken rage to see one or have meds, even among the Witnesses in this area. If what you say is true, I hope that those under the spell of the athoratative WTS will see it for what it is and break freee. I still cannot believe that the society is any more responsible for the suicides of others than their cable service that shows such hopelessness. Just watching "Lifetime" movies, or the news itself can send people over the edge.....

  again, my sympathys to the family. We should keep our eyes on those we love for the warning signs in case they are visible. Most often they are not.

  Best wishes to you and respect for your opinion,

  W.Once
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  14

  Publication Burning

  by Nosferatu in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this summer in august, to celebrate my 10th year out of the org, i'm having a bonfire complete with wt fuel and alcohol.

  it's going to be fun and i'll be taking pictures!.

  so, if you had to choose only one watchtower publication to burn, which one would it be and why?.

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  Wasanelder Once

  I would burn the Insight books. The pictures would give off a lot of nice colors!

  W.Once
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  40

  Another JW Suicide

  by orangefatcat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yes last thursday a young brother who was in the same hall as me but in the other cong.

  and he was 29, a newborn baby and a 2or 3 year old and young wife committed suicide.

  was killed here in our town of newmarket by a train.

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  Wasanelder Once

  rebel8,

  Your point is well taken, No, it needn't be mental illness that brings on suicidal thoughts. It is though, I'm sure you'll agree, not a healthy state of mind. Again I say, we only assume that it is some WT Society induced guilt involved. Who though, really knew this man's state of mind? What if he were involved in some illegal activity? Maybe he was impotent and never spoke with anyone about it? Maybe he just didn't like himself becasue of self esteem issues. What if he had an arguement with his wife that she wont mention? What if he just wanted to get even with someone who hurt him. We have no idea. Just to pin it on Armageddon anxiety is projection I think. We cannot, and in the name of fairness should not, blame others for his actions. We are all responsible for our actions. To lay blame based on speculation is to remove responsiblity for his actions from him to another. Hey, I hate Martha Stewart but that doesn't mean she had anything to do with it. My point is, its not the pressures that lead to suicide, its the lack of perspective and coping skills. People cannot always tell its coming.

  I have never, NEVER, in 35 years as a witness and an elder, once met someone that anxious about Armageddon. Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones?

  It is a human tragedy and his irrational fear of not being a good enough husband and father could have been just as compelling as Armageddon anxiety. You dont have to be a witness to feel like crap emotionally, but it helps.

  I have a young friend who is handsome, clever and productive, attending the university etc, and I had a two month period where he needed to talk, badly. I had to keep constant tabs on him because he was talking suicide. (contrary to popular belief if someone talks about suicide, it doesn't mean they WONT do it.) He was so full of self doubt and needed someone to tell him he was ok. He was calling and listing all the reasons he had for not being alive. I went to the campus mental health dept. and they said they couldnt do anything unless he came in and said he was suicidal. That's bullshit. He wasn't going to do that. They said he'd have to take a number and wait, no appts. I thought, wait, is this the WTS or the University. Liability concerns reach deep in the heartland.

  Respectfully and with deepest sympathy for this family and the issue at hand.

  W.Once
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  40

  Another JW Suicide

  by orangefatcat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yes last thursday a young brother who was in the same hall as me but in the other cong.

  and he was 29, a newborn baby and a 2or 3 year old and young wife committed suicide.

  was killed here in our town of newmarket by a train.

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  Wasanelder Once

  I suppose we can blame this on the WT Society, that's a convenient thing to do. Could it be the two things are not related? This fellow could have had a chemical imbalance that NO ONE was aware of, perhaps not he himself. I just think that people need to take responsibility for thier own actions and not try to explain a tragedy as the fault of others when the man clearly made a poor decision based on faulty thinking. Was it WT thinking? How can we know? Should we let our bitterness and righteous indignation at the WT Society blind our reason? Suicide is not encouraged by the WT, as all here have said. Is the WT at fault because he didnt see a psyche? Ok, how do you know he didnt see a psyche? How do you know he didnt try to get help but rejected it? We will never know. The only victim here is his family, he stole from them the thing they needed most from him, his presence in thier lives. It was sad, but selfish. He was in some sort of pain and I'm sure it wasnt because he didn't get enough hours. It goes way the hell deeper than that. Of course its a tragedy, just dont blame the people he knows for his actions. (Sounds kinda narrow to do so.)

  W.Once
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  28

  Did the Witnesses you know, see "Fortune Cookies" as evil?

  by free2beme in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was in a few congregations growing up and like many things in the organization, rules were often regional.

  one of those issues i remember and it was something i always got a kick out of, was people's reaction to fortune cookies at chinese food restaurants.

  i had not run in to it as a child, and then i moved away as a young adult and was studying with witnesses to get baptized and they would try to make me feel more welcome, by inviting me to meals with other witnesses in the congregation.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Fortune cookies, why of course... These are the future predictions of chinese cookie makers and very evil. Duh? where are you from anyway. Some almost go postal when they see you read them.

  Note: Here's the strangest fortune I ever read in one.... "All your rubberbands are facing the right direction." Wierd, eh?

  W.once
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  12

  i want to make jehoover happy

  by mathead in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  should i join the dubs again and become a 60 hours per month publisher and then work my way up to a 90 hour per month pioneer and then a ministerial servent and then a watchtower study conductor and then a literature servant and then an elder and then a travelling overserr and then a district oveerseer and then a member of the governing body?.

  will this make jehoover happy?

  or confused?

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  Wasanelder Once

  I'm sure if you wanted to do that it would be quite alright with the True God. At least somone who is truly genuine would be serving the needs of the sheep.

  NOT!

  W.Once
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  39

  Marriage advice needed...am I being unreasonable?

  by Virgochik in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  any comments appreciated because i can't think clearly right now!

  here's the story.... .

  hubby and i married 5-1/2 years ago.

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  Wasanelder Once

  If he he asks for sex, just tell him that you've done that but developed a fear of pregnancy. Tell him you'll think about it. Wait, no! He might join a club and do it without you!!!

  Just kidding. Go. Why should you not eat chocolate cake because he's afraid of forks?

  W.Once
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  8

  question about antidepressants

  by aquagirl in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  it it bad in the dubs eyes to be on an antidepressant?im having a hard time getting a straight answer from the dubs i [sorta]know...thanks

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  Wasanelder Once

  aquagirl,

  Some of the sisters in my hall hand those suckers out like candy! It was a trend in the late 80's. All those sisters have since divorced thier "spiritual" husbands and moved in with 'Worldly" men. I wonder if their husbands didn't drive them to pills and infidelity. Some of those guys were real jackasses.

  Hell, take'em if you got'em.

  W.Once
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  27

  my experiences (new user =))

  by Lehtiveli in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i finally made myself to register on this board.

  i think i should tell my experiences.

  so, i was born to a jw family.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Now why would anyone be shocked at this experience being so similar to those of others around the world. After all, its a worldwide un-brotherhood.

  W.Once
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  13

  District Convention Growth Rate

  by TheListener in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  in 2003 53 out of 200 conventions were foreign language, thats 26.5%.

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  Wasanelder Once

  The District convention is a wasteland that no one attends any more. I can remember vast areas of empty seats, whole sections. Perhaps this spreading them out is to make it easier for people to attend? I think it must be money, that's what its all about.

  W.Once