Has anyone lost a friend or known of someone who committed suicide over BORG-induced guilt?

by Alpaca 64 Replies latest jw friends

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  Sunspot

  Yes, I can safely say that I have known three I am sure of and a fourth I am leaning towards thinking he did the same because of the circumstances surrounding his death at 21 years of age. The other three ALL were having difficulty staying to the rigid "WTS requirements"; one was DFed and another had just come back to the JW fold. One was a longtime "study" that had an alcohol problem but appeared to be conquering it and then went home and shot himself right after an elder's meeting. There was another suicide of a recently DFed lady that occured a couple of months before I moved here so I never knew her. They ALL had that one link.....they were either had been IN the WTS and were now out....or they were studying......and all these are from a very small area here in the boondocks.

  My heart goes out to all of them and the families they left behind that now have to cope with their deaths.

  Annie
• 

  wha happened?

  Yea a sister in the congregation got negative attention from the elders. Her df'd daughter would come by from time to time. The elders basically stalked her with the help of others in the cong. Her daughter was baptized in the "stay alive in 75" campaign at a young age. Probably never really understood what her baptism meant. df'd at 14.

  After all the negative support she got, and the absolute shunning from everyone else, she pulled her car into the garage, closed the door and kept her car running. She was found later by her daughter.

  My frind who was an MS at the time, and who had been directed by the elders to pass by her house to see if the daughter was there, still feels guilt over the incident
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  primitivegenius

  yeah i knew of a couple who actually suceeded and many many more who either attempted or were in the process and thank god were interupted. i think we all know hundreds that have thought about it.

  one of the ones i knew who suceeded........ it was from guilt, OMG he watched a rated R movie......... such a waste. i dont even think anyone knew that he watched the movie..... but the guilt of it all destroyed him.
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  asilentone

  PG, omg suicide for watching R rated movie?, fuck that damn cult!
• 

  Lady Lee

  1. I was terribly suicidal for years before I left. No one helped when I asked for help. My only way out was to leave the JWs. I was sexually abused by the same my sister's father and my three uncles (same three who abused my aunt (her brothers)
  2. my 13 yr old aunt who was sexually abused by her father and 3 brothers (all baptized) Instead of helping her they sent her away from her mother and she went to live with an aunt she barely knew. She committed suicide shortly after. by drowning in spite of the fact that she was terrified of water
  3. my mother's best friend who could not live up to WT expectations - by drowning also despite being terrified of water
  4. my (step)sister who was sexually abused by her father and 2 of her/our brothers - she decided that since she could never be a good JW she would be the best of the worst and spiraled down to drugs and alcohol finally committing suicide - by drug overdose 3 years ago
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  oompa

  a good friend of mine killed himself with a shot-gun and some here may be glad, but it was still awful for his family....he left a long tortuous note which indicated he was so attracted to children that he could no longer trust himself and was afraid what he may do...still chokes me up as he was such a great guy and very caring....i actually kind of respect him for this...is that nuts or do some here understand that?

  the other was a young gay man who was df'd.....he had struggled and tried so hard and his failure to WT and prob family was too much........oomps
• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  Yes three young adults or teens, this was particularly around the 1975 era, wrought with anxiety, guilt and depression I would assume.

  One young fellow hung himself in a garage which was located right behind a Kingdom Hall.

  If my memory serves me correctly his family were the ones that donated the land which the Kingdom Hall was built on, as an irony.

  Actually my older brother who is a witness, is a brother in law, to the brother who committed the suicide, strangely enough.
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  Homerovah the Almighty

  Sorry to hear about your brother Johnathan AllTimeJeff, that is one of the many circumstances involving gay people and the JWS

  thats worth noting, I'm sure there are other similar stories that relates to your own.
• 

  Alpaca

  Thanks to all for the responses.

  The stories are all so heart wrenching.

  I wonder if any mental health studies have been done that compare the incidence of suicide within the BORG to the general population?
• 

  ColdRedRain

  Puternut and nearly yours truly. I'm still dealing with the aftereffects of my suicide attempts to this day.