I have a friend who was struggling with suicidal thoughts a few months ago and now her new boyfriend is trying to convert her to be a JW. So I am a little concerned to say the least.
First off, welcome to the forum!
I would like you to take my words very seriously here. I am not a mole, an idiot, or anything like that. I am a real person who has suffered from suicidal thoughts and depression for ages. I do not blame the witnesses for that one little bit. Not one. If you want to see back-up for what I am going to say, click on my name, go to topic history, and go to page one and check out my first post here. It isn't pretty.
Enough said about me.
My answer to my depression was Jehovahs Witnesses. What did they teach me? And what did I fully indoctrinate myself in to make myself "better"? God would make me better, no?
I was made to feel weak. I was told in Watchtower studies and Awake! articles that depression is clinical but that putting your trust in doctors or therapists was wrong wrong wrong. My depression worsened considerably. I was treated as an outcast in the "loving" congregation. I was treated as weak and a loser; someone who was not worthy of assosiation, despite my field service hours being "average", auxillary pioneering many many times, and not missing too many meetings. I was continually criticized for not going to assemblies because I just could not handle the crowds. It made my physically ill to go there.
So what am I trying to say here?
As someone who looked to a god called "Jehovah" for help, his organization leaves much to be desired. In fact, if it weren't for leaving the witnesses, I would have died. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind of that. Your friend is well advised to stay well away from "Jehovah's Witnesses". Far far away. They're mind control, conditional love towards children, and sick beliefs that I fully endorsed and taught whilst one is not the way that any god in the bible would have you believe. Witnesses are very narrow minded. They only accept things from the headquarters as truth; they teach that Jehovah teaches them directly. Unfortunatley, it is run like a democracy.
Unfortunately this "air" person chose to hijack this thread. That's a normal witness thing to do; deny everything without one bit of research except for what the WTBTS says. One only needs to read a good book on cults to see the real truth of Jehovahs Witnesses and draw direct comparisons with them and a full-blown cult. Some call them a "high-control group". This is the best description out of all the experts. Unfortunately, "air" is in the cult and has his/her eyes closed at this point. In fact, by even coming to this website and posting here, this person risks complete disassosiation from all friends and congregation members. Sound like control to you? It should.
Tell your friend to get medical help. Don't find religion in place of happiness. Clinical depression is not cured by a belief system. It is cured by changing the chemical imbalance in your friends brain.
If only I had gone to a doctor years ago. I wouldn't even be an ex-dub.
