JW's and Chronic Fatigue Syndrone! (page 5)

Found Sheep

ekruks - wasn't picking on the men just the fact that it's not a female only problem

plus I did like the elder that had CHF.... nice guy

but, shunned me just the same

It's a real sickness and I hope you find some relief

exwhyzee

Yes CF, Epstien Bar, Hypoglycemia, Panic attacks and the Witness Disease....Depression.

So many of the above comments are spot on in regard to these things being brought on by the "Cult Like" mentality of those who subject themselves too far into the Organization. For some it doesn't take much to bring on these ilnesses whether real or imagined.

What they will tell you from the platform about this is " Jehovah's organization is made up of those who have come out of the world...the "sighing and crying" ones who have been beaten about and bruised by the world. It is only to be expected that there would be a large number of his people suffering such afflictions." These people need to draw close to the Organization...immerse themselves in activity.

The thing they forget is that many of those afflicted were raised in the TRUTH. They forget that Gods word is meant to be a comfort to us and serving him is meant not to be a burden. So what happened?? This constant indoctrination, being responsible for having all the answers and peddling of literature containing the answers (often incorrect) eventually sucks the joy out of life....wears you out until your body demands that you do something about it.

N.drew

It is so true that having to much to do and hoping to do it to save another life (but subconsiously knowing it can't) is way too much stress and it can make a person ill. I hope you find relief and love!

Bungi Bill

While I was still "In", it was estimated that CFS sufferers made up five percent of the circuit.

These included several elders, and more than a few who had been pioneers. Sadly, a few were even still either children or else just into their teens.

By contrast, in the seventeen years since I broke with the JWs, I have not even heard of one person who was suffering from this complaint.

Bill.

ekruks

FoundSheep I'm not upset with you Your comments are kind!

Exwhyzee - great comment, great words

BungiBill - yes, the doing too much! As N.drew says, the pressure of trying to save someone else's life, fear people will die in Armageddon, well that is tremendous pressure. The college course that I quit to pioneer, they worked us hard, as have some places I've worked, but nothing like pioneering while trying to hold down a job and be an appointed man - if you try to do all three of those things properly; well it's impossible.

I read that one of the greatest causes of stress, of 'nervous breakdowns'/PTSD is to be striving to achieve a goal that you can't. It hit the nail on the head. It was a eureka moment, though not it seems so obvious, but for a Jehovah's Witnesses boy who was discouraged from anything relating to the 'worldly wisdom' of psychology, it was amazing! It was more enlightening than any Watchtower article I read!

I don't mean to moan, but it's an incredible stress to be trying so hard, giving up so much, to follow a set of rules, to live for a Kingdom, that so many around you, including elders show little regard for. Give up college, living in a room with little food, a rubbish car that kept breaking and I couldn't afford to fix, wearing the same clothes for years, etc., basically trying to live without working enough so I could get doors slammed in my face, and then see elders who do convention items and stuff busy enjoying the finer things of the 'sinking ship' that we were told is this world, hardly busy getting on the lifeboat while sending their kids to University or working full-time "to get by" but driving sportscars while their wife doesn't work or pioneer. It was too much, "Do as I say, not what I do!"

This whole idea of the elders being appointed by holy spirit really used to be such a burden - it was so core to many of our actions, because we did what they said all the time, but they didn't seem to be a reflection of an all-powerful, all loving God.

Fernando

"Cognitive Dissonance" occurs when the beliefs of our "authentic self or identity" are not aligned with our behaviour or actions based on the conflicting beliefs of our "cult self or identity" (Steven Hassan's book "Releasing the Bonds").

This psychologically stressful situation is designed by the (Watchtower's) god of religion to make us ill (in many ways).

Turning to the God of Abraham instead, via his liberating message (the real, authentic unabridged "good news"), changes all of this (2 Cor 3:16; 4:4; Isa 61:1; Gal 3:8; Rom 3:28).

ekruks

Fernando - Yes, this situation occurs, and there seems to be two results: either Cognitive Dissonance or PTSD (nervous breakdown, etc.). It seems to be a survival technique (the Cognitive Dissonance) with similarities to Stockholm syndrom, whereby one denies a problem because it is too paniful to face.

Unfortunately, I have always been very inquistive, which is advantaegous in certain lines of work, where innovation is important, but not helpful to somewhere like the Navy, or a high-control religion, where you are not meant to question, let alone think, but just follow commands. As a home-schooled child, I didn't know any better. As a teenager, I had my doubts, but gave a good go, because despite many doubts, some of what I was told made sense (and I didn't have much idea what the world was like),

but try as hard as I could, I just found it increasingly stressful, the more and more I put effort in to study well for meetings, to preach many hours a week, to do talks, to avoid 'worldly' entertainment, to stay single for MTS - I think the lack of recreation is unhealthy, i.e. for venting stress, which was overwhelming, but the answer is always that you are not doing enough, and when you do a bit more, Jehovah will bless you for being whole-souled.

Fernando

ekruks: My experience was the same. Painful indeed and a huge shock to discover one has invested decades and generations into a blatant and amazingly poor counterfeit!

Religion keeps one on the performance treadmill of trying to prove and establish my own righteousness (Phil 3:9; Rom 3:20; 10:3) by works, merit and lawkeeping - which Paul said was only OK if we consistently achieved 100% - an impossibility.

What a relief the "good news" about God's unmerited favour is whereby he grants us the repentance and faith we need to receive the priceless FREE gifts of IMPUTED righteousness, holiness, sinlessness, sonship and eternal life without any delay!

The "good news" calls us to come as we are and follow Jesus so as to be transformed from the inside by him. He certainly does not require us to measure up first before following him and before he begins the regeneration, re-imaging or circumcision our spiritual heart process.

Whilst on earth Jesus led people away from the elders and governing body (ruling religious hierarchy) of the day. And he persists in doing the same today. Only the ruling religious hierarchy is having some trouble laying its hands on him again! This time the outcome of their vengeful lust will be somewhat different - guaranteed.

~Question With Boldness~

Physical, mental, emotional disorders/problems in general seems to be an issue among Jehovah's Witnesses.

My mother had a lot of mental/emotional issues. Clinical depression, anxiety, bipolar...I knew several sisters with Chronic Fatigue... anger management, you name it.

So much for happiest people on earth.

ekruks

It's incredible how many JWs I know with stress-related issues; probably most. To be honest, I don't really know many worldly people, but I can't imagine that society at large is so ill, because surely it couldn't function. As for world being dysfunctional, corrupt, etc., well, I can't such much different of the workings of the Watchtower society.

JW's and Chronic Fatigue Syndrone!

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