So I am possessed am I?

trailerfitter

Well after a long spell of silence, I managed to get into a discussion about what happens when I get angry in the heat of the moment arguements with my JW wife. I did have and arguement with my partner and ended up throwing something on the floor as I was very wound up. (It is much better to express my anger this way than to hurt anyone).

Apparently Satan was working through me at that moment..........really? I would have spat my coffee out of my mouth if I was taking a sip at the time at this observation Perhaps this may have been an anthropmorphic phalacy at this point in the discussion however on closer examination of what is meant by Satan I came to understand that this is an actuallity in her ( converted ) eyes.

I retorted that this statement of me being possessed is simply not true and I am ultimately responsible for my own actions as they precceeded my own thoughts ( and reactions). But . Further into the dicussion I asked if mentally ill patients are also possessed by demons...She agreed with this. From a medically trained person who was trained in an atheist country ( USSR) I am taken back by this breath taking statement and realised how strong the WT doctrines are wrong and how quickly it has wiped out her reason and understanding. Are we to regress to the dark ages again and rely on excrosism to treat mentally ill people?? I cannot comprehend the stupidity and danger in these sorts of thoughts.

excuse the pun but What the hell are the WT teaching their followers about modern medical practices??

Broken Promises

JWs used to believe that mentally ill persons were possessed, a belief that comes from the dark ages.

These days, they do not publish this idea in their publications anymore, but some still cling to this belief. It appears the JWs in your area still believe in the demons = mental illness idea if this is what they're telling your wife. It is an outdated belief that has been replaced to reflect modern medical reasoning.

Those with the WT library on CD might be able to find WT articles which promote their more modern thinking, that mental illness is a physical illness which requires professional treatment.

Anony Mous

It's not uncommon. They say apostates and everybody outside the JW are all 'influenced' by Satan. Many take this to mean possessed. By the same reasoning you could say the GB is 'influenced' or 'possessed' by a Spirit (whether or not it's the Holy kind).

zoiks

For a group that condemns superstition, they sure are superstitious, aren't they?

Lore

What the hell are the WT teaching their followers about modern medical practices??

They teach them that taking blood is evil but if you split it up into a bunch of smaller parts first it might be ok. . . that's pretty much the limit of the WT teachings about modern medicine.

OUTLAW

I cannot comprehend the stupidity and danger in these sorts of thoughts.

Welcome to Watchtower World..

............................;-)...OUTLAW

garyneal

It is possible to come under that influence and believe that every bad thing you see is Satan doing his dirty work. I remember back when my wife and I first married during the time that she and I were studying and I was using it as a replacement for church attendence how I came to believe that when my wife would act out that she was under the influence of Satan or that Satan was trying to split us up.

I no longer believe that and believe that my wife and I are both responsible for our actions. While she still likes to say that Satan is influencing me, I know better. The only thing influencing my wife is the WT and her family but she alone is responsible for her actions.