Do A Number of Jehovah's Witnesses Have A Drinking Problem???

by minimus 70 Replies latest jw friends

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  freedom96

  Interesting topic.

  My father was a prominant elder for my entire youth. I always had known that he would fix a drink nearly every night, though it never registered with me the seriousness of it.

  I remember sitting down for our weekly personal study and he would have a mixed drink right next to him.

  As I later found out, he got drunk nearly every night, though of course he would deny that he had any sort of problem.

  In regards to the question do most have a drinking problem, I would offer that I believe that there are the same amount of drinkers whether you are a witness or not. Witnesses just hide it better.
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  Lady Lee

  I know a few who drank to excess. Depending on their status and how well they ghid it most got away with it.

  One was an elder's wife. They lived in the KH apartment. She regualrly has booze coming in the back door of the hall.

  Another is my mother. She hides it well but can't live without it.

  There were quite a few young ones as well. Most were marked as poor association and a couple were DFed. My daughter who worked in a college pub for a while used to see a few JWs coming in and getting wasted.
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  berylblue

  I drink at least a gallon of pop each day. Does that count?

  LOL, drwtsn. But the question which begs asking is "what kind?" I down about a gallon of Diet Pepsi a day. Nectar of the goddesses.
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  blondie

  I would say since the WTS featured a talk at the DC this year on drunkenness, that they know there is and long standing. Like any other problem in the congregation, alcoholism is swept under the rug and brothers/sisters are not encouraged to seek professional help.

  Blondie
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  gumby

  I never had any problem

  I just got in the car......went to Circle K and bought it......then took it home and drank it........no problem

  Gumby
• 

  drwtsn32

  LOL, drwtsn. But the question which begs asking is "what kind?" I down about a gallon of Diet Pepsi a day. Nectar of the goddesses.

  Uh oh... I hope I don't start a holy war, but I prefer diet coke! Actually diet vanilla or diet cherry are my favorites!!
• 

  logansrun

  I do think that JWs drink slightly more than the average population....for various reasons. The "culture" of drinking at Bethel is true! Trust me....I knew this a few years ago when a former Bethel elder told me, and I quote verbatim, "There is plenty of drinking that goes on at Bethel." (Emphasis his) I think he was saying this to encourage me to go, actually. I also knew a Bethelite who said that the day of Gilead graduation is a time for "little martini parties" all over Bethel. I don't believe a lot of the stories about the "secret culture" of Bethel, but I sure do believe this one. It's true.

  Funny thing, the first non-JW party I went to had very little alcohol -- just some beer. Nobody was drinking much at all there. Oh, they were smoking pot in the back yard though.

  Bradley

  Chicago District Overbeer
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  caspian

  Min.

  I urged them to drink to extract information from them

  I alwaays wodderred why yourr poossts weeree aa liittllee hhaardd toooo understanddd...

  hic..

  Cas
• 

  neverthere

  In the family I knew, most of their sons had some sort of problem with alcohol. One of their daughters liked to drink too. Makes you wonder sometimes, but then again, if you look at alot of organized religions, many people have drinking problems.

  Diana
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  badolputtytat

  I met my (elder) father in South Carolina, two week-ends ago. Since I could remember, He would wake up, drink a cup o' coffee and then stick a six-pack in his truck, and thus began the day. (I never saw him "drunk" and he always claimed he never drank fast enough to catch a "buzz".)

  Nothing has changed after twenty years. He had to drive for four hours to meet me, just as I did. He left early in the morning (before day-light).... by the time he got there, four hours later, he was half way through a twelve pack of Bud. Through the course of the day he finished that 12 pack, and went to get another one... half gone, and some for the next morning.

  The next morning he woke up an hour earlier than I did. (I who drank two beers) He used this "alone time" to prepare for a talk. ... and have a beer.

  During our visit, (which I have much more to tell... later... and some questions for you guys) He told me that he had to give the Watchtower Study the following Sunday(as part of his duties).... he said, "I always have to have at least three beers before I can do it".

  I felt sorry for the man, for some reason. (but I will tell you that part later... interesting actually, and some very strange things going on) I think I was actually a little embarrased for him??