Mental Disorders among JW's

by Blackfalcon98 87 Replies latest jw experiences

  • exwhyzee
    exwhyzee

    I remember when the issue of how so many JW's were "depressed souls" **Exekiel 9:4 was often sited as the reason for this. It was more than a suggestion, that those who were sheeplike would be the ones who recognized the wickedness of the world and yearned for righteousness and thus were attracted to THE TRUTH.

    **4 And Jehovah said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.

    Use of this scripture seemed to be a way to gloss over or explain away, serious mental issues that needed to be addressed by highly trained professionals. Those who were suffering anxiety and depression were often told by well meaning but untrained Elders, to pray more or attend meetings more ,read and dwell on the truths of the Bible or those found in the publications. Often those with serious issues not based in environmental factors found no relief whatsoever in following this advice and often felt this was because Jehovah didn't care about them or they were unworthy of his help.

  • frankiespeakin
    frankiespeakin

    I few quotes from the freeminds website:

    http://www.freeminds.org/psych/quotes.htm

    w63 3/1 p149:

    w63 1/15 p37-8:

    "The second reason for our critical times is modern man's rejection of God's Word the Bible. Enemies such as Wellhausen and his prejudiced school of higher critics, Darwin and his evolutionists, Freud and his theories, Marx and his atheistic revolutionists-all these have played a

    sinister role in destroying the guiding influence of the Bible for many; especially since so many of the clergy have adopted such worldly wisdom. . . . According to Freud, one of psychiatry's chief authorities, religion is a great illusion that man will get rid of someday. Psychiatry stresses, "Know thyself," as if an enlightened self-love is sufficient for successful living. More than ignoring God, analysts often contradict God by advising those with guilty consciences that fornication, adultery and sodomy are not wrong in themselves. The charge rightly has been made that such counsel tends to exterminate the conscience.""

    w63 3/1 p149:

    "There is as much confusion and disagreement among psychologists and psychiatrists as there is among Christendom's religious sects. Far better is it to know nothing of such secular wisdom than to adulterate or slight God's Word because of it"

    w63 5/15 p319-20 (Questions from Readers):

    "* Would it be necessary for a psychiatrist to change his profession before he would be eligible for baptism and recognition as one of Jehovah's witnesses?-R. W., United States.

    No, it does not seem that this would be necessary. The fact that the Watch Tower publications have discouraged dedicated Christians consulting worldly psychiatrists except in extreme cases does not mean that a psychiatrist cannot and does not help those who consult him.

    Whether a psychiatrist continued to practice his profession upon dedication or not would be entirely his decision to make. It is possible that he could be a far better psychiatrist by reason of his

    now understanding and appreciating Bible principles, and especially because of his faith in Jehovah God and his dedication to do God's will. See "Scriptural Aspect of Psychosomatic Medicine," in The Watchtower, April 15, 1954, pages 232-236.

    However, a dedicated Christian psychiatrist would need to be very careful not to unduly influence other Christians so that they would come to him for worldly wisdom instead of going to their overseers for heavenly wisdom. In fact, he would have to lean over backwards, as it were, so as not to imply that his psychiatry is a higher wisdom than that found in the Bible The Bible contains far better advice for making over our personalities than does either psychiatry or psychoanalysis. And only its wisdom leads to everlasting life.-1 Cor. 13:1-13; Gal. 5:19-23; Col. 3:1-25."

  • stuckinarut2
    stuckinarut2

    Oh wow!

    those quotes are priceless!

    "Yep, don't go to worldly mental health experts! They may just make you doubt your faith"

    What twisted, leading reasoning!

    I would hope that the modern GB is embarrassed by such older quotes....but I doubt they really would be sadly....

  • frankiespeakin
    frankiespeakin

    Yes they clearly are against going to them with unless there is some extreme case and you got no choice(must have happened to some of them). Any way a psychiatrist is on slippery grounds if he tries to drum up business by offerring different council than the loving sheppards appointed by the WT.

    w63 5/15 p319-20 (Questions from Readers):

    However, a dedicated Christian psychiatrist would need to be very careful not to unduly influence other Christians so that they would come to him for worldly wisdom instead of going to their overseers for heavenly wisdom. In fact, he would have to lean over backwards, as it were, so as not to imply that his psychiatry is a higher wisdom than that found in the Bible The Bible contains far better advice for making over our personalities than does either psychiatry or psychoanalysis. And only its wisdom leads to everlasting life.-1 Cor. 13:1-13; Gal. 5:19-23; Col. 3:1-25."

  • 3rdgen
    3rdgen

    frankiespeakin, thanks for those quotes. This is the JW "wisdom" I grew up with and that carries over for the most part today. Mental health issues have such a stigma attached to them that some people get touchy when the subject comes up. That is unfortunate. If someone has a broken bone, they don't call the elders first do they? There is no shame attached to the broken bone. The broken mind? Not so much.

  • frankiespeakin
    frankiespeakin

    The quote sounds like a bit of a threat to all baptised dedicated psychiatrist to becareful or else be disfellowshipped!

  • Enzo
    Enzo

    Oubliette: you think that statistics about PD from one nation are sufficcient to the psychiatric world to make such claims about JW's, or other religious people? who' is suggesting this? You are putting here some statistics about America, and then are making your own conclusions... I can understand blondie and other members who use their thinking abilities, that these conclusions are personal idea's, and never found in the Psychiatric Literature..

    frankiespeakinn: I don't now if you are a JW, but the watch Tower you quoted is from 1963, and these instructions are not used anymore.. I know personal a JW who is a trained psychologist, and a lot of Jehovah Witnesses are going there to be threatened, with good results.. A view of them where encouraged by the CO, and very wise elders.. The organisation of JW is taking another direction about psychiatric disorders because they can not cured only by spiritual Assistance, and they are admitting it, and don't interfere anymore in these matters... despite the fact that a view here are using information about the elders book, or quoting Watch Tower literature.. These instructions are changed Now..

  • 3rdgen
    3rdgen

    ........"and a lot of Jehovah Witnesses are going there to be threatened, with good results."

  • zeb
    zeb

    i am reading Ray franz book "in Search of Christian Freedom" page 608 details the matter of suicides and depression. Some of the book is so galling i have to leave it and come back later.

  • Still Totally ADD
    Still Totally ADD

    filpper I remember a CO telling the BOE to df mentally ill people is they did something wrong. According to him the Wt. did not feel mental illness to be a factor in doing something wrong. Still Totally ADD

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