"Nervous Breakdowns"

by scout575 8 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  scout575

  
  "I live in a small town, total area pop around 80,000. I can name so many Priests throughout my lifetime that left either because they got married, became indicated in sexual abuse, had nervous breakdowns or just got fed up with Rome and the Diocese. Parishes are combining due to lack of attendance, schools are closing and they keep praying for f****** vocations!!!! Good luck!"

  The above post can be found at ex-christian.net. Look on page 1 of the section entitled, 'testimonies of former Christians'. The thread is entitled, 'Clergy-moral duty'. The above is post #5, and the poster's name is, 'Garrison jj'. If you're a JW thinking about joining a church, please become familiar with this site.
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  Highlander

  I was always aware of ex-jdub sites and ex-mormon sites, however I never realized there were ex-christian sites relating to 'mainstream' churches. interesting.
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  A Paduan

  If you are a jw thinking about joining a church, consider that - getting married, having nervous breakdowns, getting fed up with the church, or being 'indicated' in abuse, won't result in shunning, your family abandoning you, scorn, labelling and otherwise unloving behaviour. Consider carefully that as a jw these things will be done to you if you become suspected of "thinking the wrong way".
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  peacefulpete

  Paduan, my Italian friend, your comment may or may not be true. If you are in America for instance, there are dozens of mainstream denominations that impose excommunication (involving shunning) and other heavy handed techniques of control. The Catholic Church itself still has it on the books and on occassion uses it. The problem is that the Church got to big to enforce it and was forced to let most defectors go without reprisals. Generally speaking the smaller the church the greater its interference in the personal lives of its members.
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  A Paduan

  for getting married, having nervous breakdowns, getting fed up with the church, or being 'indicated' in abuse ?
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  peacefulpete

  Getting married to a member of another church, yes. For getting "fed up with the church" and being vocal about it, yes. For having nervous break down and seeking medical or professional psychological attention, yes. For being rumoured to be an abuser, yes.
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  scout575

  A Paduan: One of the things I've noticed from reading ex-Christian websites and message boards is how many ex-Christians complain about being shunned by their Christian family and former friends. After they let it be known that they no longer believe the Bible to be inspired of God, they are viewed as an 'apostate' and avoided. Many ex-Christians find this heartbreaking.
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  A Paduan

  It's not my experience. Who are the 'christians' that you continually collectively refer to ?

  Getting married to a member of another church, yes. For getting "fed up with the church" and being vocal about it, yes. For having nervous break down and seeking medical or professional psychological attention, yes. For being rumoured to be an abuser, yes.

  Which church is this ?
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  scout575

  A Paduan: The Christians that I refer to are the people that are referred to by ex-Christians who post on ex-Christian websites and message boards. It is very moving and disturbing to read about how ex-Christians are labelled as 'apostates' and shunned by those that they used to attend church with. I'll quote an example of this as next week's post, but you may find it enlightening to check out the above site for yourself.