Did anyone watch Dr. Phil yesterday?

They were talking about addictions,  sex, pills, food - things that start out small, easily hidden, even socially acceptable - but then get out of hand and start controlling you. Then it becomes destructive, counter-productive and life threatening. The addict protects this addiction to the detriment of loved ones, logic, and most things good.

It reminded me of the way most JWs act - especially when put on the spot with an opposer, unbeliever, or out-right apostate.

It also reminded me of this list ....

"When God Becomes a Drug" by Father Leo Booth

The symptoms of religious addiction:

Inability to think, doubt, or question information or authority

Black-and-white simplistic thinking

Shame-based belief that you aren't good enough, or you aren't doing it 'right'

Magical thinking that God will fix you

Scrupulousity: rigid, obsessive adherence to rules, codes of ethics, or guidelines

Uncompromising, judgmental attitudes

Compulsive praying, going to church or crusades, quoting scripture

Unrealistic financial contributions

Believing that sex is dirty-that our bodies and physical pleasures are evil

Compulsive overeating or excessive fasting

Conflict with science, medicine, and education

Progressive detachment from the real world, isolation, breakdown of relationships

Psychosomatic illnesses: sleeplessness, back pains, headaches, hypertension

Manipulating scripture or texts, feeling chosen, claiming to receive special messages from God

Trancelike state or religious high, wearing a glazed happy face

Cries for help; mental, emotional, physical breakdown; hospitalization

Remind you of anyone?

Will

 

I watched Dr Phil's show yesterday too, and I was thinking pretty much the same thing, especially when he was talking to the first couple about the incident about when the wife was in rehab she phoned her husband begging him to bring her "just one vicodin" and the husband did as she asked. It reminded me of the stories we'd hear about JWs in prison having a page of a WT magazine smuggled into them to help them keep their faith.

I loved the way Dr Phil asked the husband:

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?

It would be interesting to see Dr Phil do a show about religious addiction and deprogramming from a cult or high control religion.

Love, Scully

The other thing that struck me about this couple was when Dr Phil told the woman

"Your WHOLE LIFE is a LIE."  Dr Phil told her that her whole life was constructed around the lie that she was living and that she was dragging her husband and children into it as well, and getting them to enable her addiction.

Right away, I made a connection between the teachings of the WTS which are not based in truth, but are called The Truth?, and how a JW's whole life has to totally be constructed around those lies.  They are told not to believe anything that anyone outside might tell them, especially not Apostates?. 

The WTS supports individual JWs in their religious addiction, the way a drug dealer supports a junkie who is looking for their next fix.  JWs will lie use Theocratic War Strategy? against People Who Do Not Deserve To Hear The Truth? to protect their next fix.  When you believe in a lie of that magnitude, and your life is so entrenched in that lie, your whole life becomes a lie too.  No matter how someone tries to rationalize it, it's devastating when you come to the point of realizing that your life has been a lie, because it has been based on lies.

BTW, I enjoyed reading When God Becomes a Drug, by Fr Leo Booth.  I highly recommend it.

Love, Scully

Sounds like my next door neighbor Stupid Flanders.

okily dokily!

OMG Scully

This is the pain I live with, watching the relationship with my husband go from bad but salvagable to worse and impossible. I realize the stage was set "before conversion" but after the fact makes therapy, etc pretty much impossible.

Not impossible of course if I turn a blind eye to the destructive pusher. I've tried as best I could for about 4 years now, but the last ties have been severed, even when I try & think that I'm only talking to a disease. - the disease is the surrender of independant thought - that eventually destroys relationships, love, trust, morale.

The pimps win.

Thank you Scully. Sometimes it is hard to put into words.