In Canada we have a name for people who stop drinking..
We call them "Quiters!"..
..................... ...OUTLAW
alcoholism a clear and present danger for JWs and XJWs?
by quietlyleaving 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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straightshooter
Like everything in the WTS, it is who you are friends with and who you know. I know of some cong that would have handled this elder with a jc immediately, where another cong may not if this elder had just the right contacts.
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OUTLAW
Lots of JW heavy drinkers in Canada..
No one Worries about Blood Transfusions here..
Vodka is considered a Blood Substitute..
................. ...OUTLAW
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quietlyleaving
thank you all for your comments.
yes outlaw - quiters who quit quitting life I'd say
I agree that total abstinence is the way forward if one wants to come out of alcoholism.
But I think the benefits of being alcoholic must be very strong. I wonder what an alcoholic is trying to say about their life, particularly a jw about his/her life and an an xjw about theirs?
IMO a JW suffers from too much restriction and not enough spiritual mindlessness intoxication whereas an xjw would seem to have all the time in the world to find some spiritual mindlessness intoxication. As almightyhomer said wine does have sacred associations. So is it important for xjws to find some spiritual intoxication to avoid the snare of alcoholism?
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blondie
Many active alcoholics don't see themselves as alcoholics; they feel they can handle what they drink
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Butterflyleia85
Wow I remember Alcohol being a killer for me... as soon as I hit 21 I was drinking.
The trap was getting so drunk I lost all my control and committed a sin. I did this once and the elders gave me counsel and I was public reproved.
I loved alcohol so much because of the ability to let go of my "self control"... I was more out going, I felt confidant, and I felt I was in a dream. Sometimes I would get my dreams mixed up with what was really going on.
But I abused it... I realized also even though you feel you are safe and nothing will happen, the consequences and risk you are taking is not worth it, whether you realize it or not it does happen you are not safe whether it be yourself or your surroundings you are not safe! Especially now that I have allot to live for why take that chance...
It didn't take much longer to learn. But the key is I learned... I can set limits for myself that is what makes me responsible. My fiance and I can enjoy drinking with out the consequences... just be smart and grown up about it...
What I feel makes an alcoholic is someone dependent of alcohol... Someone that doesn't set limits...
But I believe we all have the ability of self discipline.
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Farkel
:alcoholism a clear and present danger for JWs and XJWs?
While there were a lot of nice anecdotes in this thread, few stepped forward to try to actually answer the question raised.
JWs are a culture of drinking. This culture was started by Joseph Franklin Rutherford. While Charles Russell and Clayton Woodworth were teetotallers, Rutherford was a full-blown alcoholic. The JW culture of drinking started at Bethel. If you didn't drink there, they made your life miserable. If the sisters cleaning the rooms in Bethel found a semen stain on your sheets, you might be in big trouble. But if they found 6 empty pint bottles of booze in the trash, it was no problem.
I grew up a JW in the 1950's and 1960's, and the drinking was no big deal. There were plenty of JW parties, and people got blindingly drunk and stupid (including elders) and no one raised an eyebrow. That was still pretty much the case when I left the cult in late 1974.
Someone has already observed that drinking is about the only "vice" the WTS will let dubs enjoy, and I agree. You couple that fact, with the fact that for decades the returning Bethel boys gave the impression that a lot of drinking was not going to bring on punishment and it doesn't take long for a culture of drinking to get started.
Farkel
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digderidoo
Alcoholism has no religious boundaries. It has no social boundaries, not status boundaries.....alcoholism isn't bothered about who it effects.
I have met hundreds of recovered alcoholics but know of only two who are ex jw's, one of those being myself. I also know of ex jw's that drink heavily, but then again i know of many heavy drinkers.
I think the effect of being in a controlling religion can be a trigger for an alcoholic, but i don't think being a JW causes someone to be an alcoholic.
Paul
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JeffT
I drank frequently as a witness. Fifteen years after I left I recognized that I was an alcoholic and got help. My wife told me once that when we were in, she and some other women from the congregation frequently met at the park to let the kids play. Some one always brought one of those "jug" bottle of wine.
I think alcohol is a problem for JW's for a number of reasons (some already noted):
It is allowed, one of the few things that isn't outright banned.
The life style demands some sort of release.
Most importantly, Elders have NO training for dealing with the problem AND the organization seems generally opposed to psychiatric help and Alcoholics Anonymous. Some elders are more than just generally opposed to these things. Telling an alcoholic to go out in field service more is not going to help his or her problem.
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Butterflyleia85
Well said JeffT I'd have to agree!