More Bad News (page 3)

Thanks for all of your concern. I heard he was in love with a JW girl and said he couldn't support himself so couldn't get married and support a family. He was a fourth generation JW. I haven't seen him in several years, it was at his uncles funeral who was killed in a car wreck.

Ken P.

TheOldHippie

But you should not jump on a "suicides are common within the JW community" wagon. Even if a few persons know about quite a few suicides among JWs in some particular areas, that is a very limited and narrow field of knowledge. So many other factors might be contributing, and it is by no means an easy task to try to convert local occurences to a general scale. An investigation some years ago indicated that suicides were somewhat more common among JWs in I think it was Western Australia - but such an investigation tells just that - that is was more common in that particular area at that particular time. It tells nothing more. To convert it to a nationwide or global scale, huge investigations must be made, and easy-made remarks on sites like these are not exactly living up to such a standard. In European countries, investigations were made, and no coherence was found. You will find people "getting their religion wrong" in all groups and churches. How many have not lived in fear and committed suicide because of fear of a burning hell? How manyhave not been afarid because of predestination? Have many have not lived in fear because of fear - or "knowledge" - that there is NO God? Suicides are more common in Eastern Europe that elsewhere, and it was particularly so during Socialist times. So does Socialism lead to suicides? Why on earth should people in Hungary year after year top the world's suicide "Top 10" list? There must perhaps be some deep-rooted cultural "thing" rather than easy "solutions" others might seem to find by looking briefly at it. I can honestly and openly state that in my decades, I have known of perhaps a couple of suicides among the JW community, but I know of tens in my neighbourhood. In rural areas with people living under the pressure of "here, things must be done as they always been done, and you must act in accordance with our standards", and where everybody knows everybody - suicides around here are more common than elsewehere. Of course, you can say that the JW communityhas an equal set of thinking, but - and as said, this is purely based on MY experiences - suicides are "ten times as common" within the rural communities here as within the JW community of my country.

Colton

I heard he was in love with a JW girl and said he couldn't support himself so couldn't get married and support a family.

I couldn't help wonder if this had something to do with the Watchtower's negative view on higher education?

ex-nj-jw

Sorry for your loss, Ken

nj

carla

I'm so sorry for your loss. So many suicides within the jw's, just heartbreaking.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Sorry for your loss, Ken. Support the family as best you can. I hope this trend ends.

As far as the suicide rate among JWs. I can't say that it's disproportionately higher... but I can't believe that it's lower than the general population. Just from the ones that I've know that have attempted or committed suicide, as well as the number that suffer with depression, it makes the term "spiritual paradise" sound hollow and meaningless.

The religion has a bad combination that creates a rather superficial happiness, but a very real fear and pain. You look forward to an earthwide paradise... which comes at the slaughter of 6 billion mostly innocent lives. There is no end to the "theocratic work" that needs to be done... and you'd better do as much as possible or you'll get slaughtered too. And no matter how much or how well you do, it's never good enough. You can only have close friends who are dubs. You can only marry a dub... regardless of availability or compatibility. If you miss a couple of meetings or FS, you'll get hounded. If you make a mistake, you'll be meeting with a JC. If you decide you've had enough, you'll be shunned by most of the people you know. It encourages putting life on hold until the end comes "very soon now"... for over 100 years "soon", waiting for the "real life" as pictured in those magazines you have to try to place all the time or you'll be slaughtered. Postponing marriage and family, dismissing education and career, these can be endured for a few years, but when you wake up and realize you have a crappy job, no money, no personal life, bleak future (until 6 billion people die), nothing going in your life except for "congregation privileges", and you're 42 years old when you never expected the "old system" to last to your 24th birthday, life is bleak, hopeless, joyless. Yeah, I'm speaking from experience.

Does the JW belief system cause depression? Well, are JWs the only depressed or otherwise mentally ill people in the world? No, depression is everywhere. But, being a JW doesn't cure depression or anything else. Obviously.

B the X

Dagney

My deepest condolences.

I am so sorry for your loss. It's just tragic.

JustWantTruth

So sorry to hear that...that is incredibly sad. I will pray for you and your family. A few years back my uncle (who was an Elder) tried to commit suicide by slitting his throat and wrists, fortunatelly he survived. But Yes depression runs high in this religion. As one ex-elder ( still JW) told me, it especially happens as people grow older in the "truth".

caliber

May knowing you're
in the hearts and thoughts of others
help you and yours
through this time of sorrow

Extending deepest sympathy
For you in your loss.
And hoping, too,
That comfort and peace
May come to you ...

Caliber

More Bad News

Yizuman

Decided