Another Elder Suicide? (page 2)

Mysterious

I think there would be more suicides except that most feel it is unforgivable even if they would not actually tell a worldly person that is so many words. There is also the fact that reminding someone suicidal of their obligations (who will go to work for you tomorrow) has actually proven effective in many cases to keep the person from going through with it. Who has more obligations than a JW?

still_in74

Ya know what keeps me going? Appreciating the here and now and not living in the past and future. Really feeling, experiencing life as it happens, letting those experiences make me turn water into wine, lemons into lemonade

well said Mr. Flipper. Thank you, you have given words to think about this week.

And thanks to all of you. I talked to my wife today about it and we came up with 5 witnesses (1 raised but not baptized) that have commited suicide in the past 3 years that we knew directly or through an immediate relative. How many people know 5 people that have killed themselves? And I know of other cases after the fact as well.

Every now and then i get that feeling of experiencing life in the moment for even just a nano-second. Its a great feeling but vanishes so quickly. It would be nice for all of us to feel that everyday.

Thanks so much!

choosing life

That's a shame. I can think of 3 jws I knew that committed siucide. And tons of others who have entertained the thought. Just losing the rose colored glasses is difficult to handle. I used to hate that question whether we could possibly squeeze another drod of blood or sweat out of our bodies for the organization?

My thoughts are very much with the families who must deal with this.

emptywords

There are a lot in the org that have bi/polar and other depressive illnesses, borderline personality disorder is another mental illness that is common especially among the sisters.

The problem is the trying to live up to the all the laws within the congregation, the coldness of the elders and the heartless not good enough do more mentality.

When faced with a problem they have no one to turn to, can't live with the truth and can't live without it, like a bad marriage but you're not allowed to divorce, so you just go through the motions. No one can do that for to long without it causing severe mental angish and torment. Someone in a congregation I was in years ago commited suicide and the elder told her sister that she would not get the resurrection because she committed an unforgivable sin, this sister left the truth for years, then they changed that thought later, but the damage was already done.

My prayers and thoughts go out to this dear man, and his family and friends. Chris't love will win over all this and I believe he is safe.

Effervescent

So sad... I can't imagine the dark cloud individuals like this must live in to get to the point of taking their own life... especially among "God's Happy People".

12-15 years ago, I would have never imagined suicides within the Organization... now... it's almost common.

Tigerman

If I were an Elder that had gotten to the point of suicide I think I would take a minute to decide just how I got to this point . . .and instead of pointing a gun to my head, I would point it in the direction that would do the most good.

brinjen

Tragic waste of life

Marcel

last summer convention '06 i felt the first time in my life like commiting suicide for real. not only think about it. i felt like going literally crazy. three days programming but knowing it, three days crying through the night. crazy shit. i recovered fortunately and can see things much clearer now.

delilah

Welcome, Still in.......another tragic story....this religion makes me so mad, to think of the strangle-hold it has on people. They feel that there is no way out....my condolences to his family.

Mary

This is sad. Witnesses are "trained from infancy" to view the world as a terrible, terrible place and their fellow man worthy of eternal destruction. But don't worry---Paradise will be here "soon" and all your problems will vanish like an ice cube on a hot stove. In order to get there, you cannot think for yourself, you cannot go to university, make any long-range plans or goals for your life, you must attend 5 meetings a week, go out knocking on doors every Saturday morning, have a 'family study' once a week, keep your marriage intact and reach out for "greater responsibility" in the congregation. This means you'll spend even more time away from your family, trying to fix other people's problems even though you have absolutely no training whatsoever. And don't even think of suggesting that anyone go to a Psychiatrist or Psychologist for help----they're all working for Satan and just waiting to lure you out of 'the Truth'.

Instead, tell the sister whose hubby is beating her up, that she just needs to pray more and go out in Service more. What about the pretty 19 year old whose just told you that a fellow elder sexually abused her when she was a kid? Not to worry----unless someone else witnessed her being raped, there's nothing you can do. Don't bother getting her any professional help-----she'll eventually forget about it. Besides, she was probably flirting with this elder and he shouldn't be judged too harshly now should he? And whatever you do, don't report it to the authorities because that would bring reproach upon God's Organization. Jehovah will strike you dead at Armageddon for doing that.

And the reward for doing all of this? Absolutely nothing, except being told that you're not doing enough. If you don't do more, you'll make Jehovah very, very upset and you and your entire family will die the Second Death at Armageddon which really should be here by now.....

Is it any wonder that an elder in this religion would commit suicide when their life is generally described above? There's little or not joy, no personal relationship with God allowed, no individualism allowed, and no motivation to make something of yourself in this world. The only surprise is that more don't kill themselves.

Another Elder Suicide?

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