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Jehovah’s Witnesses and The Mentally Diseased
Submitted by Andrew on May 15, 2012 - 12:58 pm 21 Comments
Before I start, I’d like to admit something. My name is not Ben. It is Andrew. I had to keep a false name because of the problems I would have been given by Jehovah’s Witnesses, but now that I am not a Jehovah’s Witness, I frankly don’t care what they think. I am an ‘apostate’ and damned proud of it. Most Jehovah’s Witnesses here in Cyprus seem to treat me like an apostate anyway, as this post will show. In fact, before I became a contributing member of JehovahsWitnessBlog.com, the elders in the Nicosia English Congregation had called me several times to accuse me of being an apostate (they even lied to me in order to get me to a meeting with them). I wasn’t doing any ‘apostasy’ at the time, but the orignal Ben was leaving the JWB team, and it seemed like a good idea to take his place. So here I am, still thankful to the elders for pointing me towards this website. From now on, I’ll post under my real name.
So, let’s begin. In the July 15th 2011 issue of the Watchtower, the Jehovah’s Witness organization called all apostates mentally diseased, which caused quite a kerfuffle. It’s typical cult tactics – rather than address the issues raised by former members of the religion, which they could do if they actually had answers, they resort to foul tactics of running them down instead, in order that the regular Jehovah’s Witness will view apostates as extremely negative.
Yesterday, I went to the supermarket, where a Jehovah’s Witness called Eleni Drousiotis (a loud-mouthed wife of an elder, David, in the Nisou English congregation) bumped into me, my wife, and my kids. She was very friendly, saying hello with a big smile on her face – to my wife. Not to me. No, no, no! You see, I am an apostate! She rudely ignored me as if I wasn’t even there. I have decided that next time a Jehovah’s Witness here in Cyprus decides to ignore me instead of being polite, I’ll make them regret it by embarrassing the holy spirit out of them.
But then I came across an article on the Watchtower’s official website called, When Someone You Love Has a Mental Disorder. Oh goody! Let’s take a look at how Jehovah’s Witnesses should treat a ‘mentally diseased’ person such as an apostate! It might be a small point, but I particularly liked this paragraph:
Stay connected. Communication is vital, even though at times it may seem that your comments are misconstrued. The responses of someone with a mental disorder can be unpredictable, and his or her emotions may seem inappropriate to the situation at hand. Nevertheless, finding fault with the sufferer’s remarks will only heap guilt on top of depression. When words fail, sit quietly and listen. Acknowledge feelings and thoughts without condemning. Strive to remain calm. You and your loved one will benefit if you simply and consistently show that you care. This was true for Matt. A few years later, he expressed his appreciation for those whom he said were “helping me when I didn’t want help.”
Wait a minute! How can this be? So, being mentally diseased means they should avoid me on the one hand, yet this article says they should stay connected and listen carefully. I’d love to have a long discussion with many Jehovah’s Witnesses about their cult and the lies they have shovelled, but I doubt any of them would let me.
On a side-note, where do the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses get off giving advice to people about issues they have no knowledge about. Are they Doctors? Psychologists? Caregivers? Of course not! Their advice could be sound, or it might not be – I don’t know because there are no references to any sources of information that would back up their claims. Surprised? No, neither was I.
Back to the main point. Jehovah’s Witnesses are hypocrites, and a cult. You can tell someone is in a cult when they act in a certain way that is contrary to regular behaviour, and they can justify it to themselves. Of course, we all know it’s very rude to completely ignore someone, not even to say ‘hello’, when they are stood right in front of you, but talk to the rest of their family. We all know that spreading lies about people being ‘mentally diseased’ is hateful. We all know, for instance, that letting a child die rather than give them blood is inexcusable. Try telling that to a Jehovah’s Witness! They make me sick.
P.S. We’re now on Twitter. Follow our rants and misgivings @ www.twitter.com/JehovahsBlog
Jehovah's Witnesses and The Mentally Diseased,12 Comments
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- Maria Rodriguez: Well said! I particularly like number Zero: all the times that they’ve been right. This is a real...
- Sheila: Wow I’m pretty sure you’re heart would be as cold as ice if I could see it in the abyss that...
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I’ve also asked to be disassociated. Ive so far sent text messages, emails, Skype IM’s and written on JWB about my predicament, yet they allow me to continue on as a Jehovah’s Witness.
The chief honcho, John Taliadoros, replied to my text today and told me to write him a letter and sign it if I want to be classed as disassociated. Or, he said, I could seek “spiritual assistance.” I didn’t know there was a spiritual assistance helpline. We must get one setup on JWB mate!
Regards,
Teeny Pyjamas
P.S. I’m sending this from my phone, therefore if there are typos, you’ll understand why…
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Andrew Reply:
May 15th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
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Andrew Reply:
May 16th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
@Terti – You are right – Jehovah’s Witnesses are experts at making people feel bad. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence (I haven’t researched this in depth, yet) to suggest that there is a high percentage of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are depressed or on anti-depressants and that the suicide rate is extremely high – one of the highest of any religious group. Like I said, don’t take my word for it as I need to check the evidence, but I wouldn’t be surprised. All the meetings are on about how ‘you’re worthless and not doing enough for the organisation’. Thanks for commenting!
@Dizzy – When it happens, I’ll be sure to let the JWB followers know!
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1 Timothy 6:4 he is puffed up [with pride], not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words. From these things spring envy, strife, abusive speeches, wicked suspicions,
– Revised Standard
1 Timothy 6:4 he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions,
– International English
1 Timothy 6:4 he is boastful. He doesn’t understand anything; he is sick. He likes arguments and fights about words. Jealousy, fighting, words against God, and evil thoughts occur.
– Living Bible
1 Timothy 6:4 Anyone who says anything different is both proud and stupid. He is quibbling over the meaning of Christ’s words and stirring up arguments ending in jealousy and anger, which only lead to name-calling, accusations, and evil suspicions.
– Weymouth’s New Testament
1 Timothy 6:4 he is puffed up with pride and has no true knowledge, but is crazy over discussions and controversies about words which give rise to envy, quarrelling, revilings, ill-natured suspicions,
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Andrew Reply:
May 25th, 2012 at 7:43 am
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How can you expect someone to understand you when you don’t understand them? That goes for everyone in this world, including Jehovah’s Witnesses. Like I said, not all congregations are the same. So please don’t judge all Jehovah’s Witnesses by the ones you have encountered because not all of them feel the same. That’s like judging someone because of the color of their skin or because of the things they don’t have or the fact that they don’t smile enough to suit you, etc.etc. If one black, Asian, white, Hispanic, or any other race, acts one way, does that mean everyone of that race acts the same way? No, it doesn’t. It’s called stereotyping.
So, please don’t judge all Jehovah’s Witnesses by the one’s you have encountered. Thank you.
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Teeny Reply:
May 26th, 2012 at 9:11 am
Thanks for the comment.
Is it “stereotyping” when all Jehovah’s Witnesses are meant to allow their child to die instead of providing a simple blood transfusion that can save its life? Is it “stereotyping” to say that Jehovah’s Witnesses are to shun their children, siblings, parents and friends if these ones have a different views to them, e.g. disfellowshipped?
Is there a difference between judging someone based on their race and someone who is in a cult? I’ll let you answer that.
Regards,
Jaymes Payten
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Andrew Reply:
May 26th, 2012 at 9:17 am
Thing is, there may be many groups that do good things, but have one or two things that I disgree with. So, I do not become a member of such a group, nor do I go out recruiting for more members. My moral outlook tells me that if I disagree with a group, I should not promote it, support it and identify myself with it. Likewise, any Jehovah’s Witness who knows something is wrong with the religion and doesn’t follow the rules is either trapped because it is a cult and they could lose their friends and family, or they are hypocrites. I don’t see another option, but I am open to suggestions.
I hope you see the point. Finally, a smaller point, I haven’t seen one JW say something like, “please don’t judge all atheists by the ones you have encountered,” when the Watchtower called all atheists militant, or ‘mentally diseased’. There is a disconnect here.
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Andrew Reply:
May 26th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
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for me i believe in Jehovah .. and this organization is the one of the chosen of Jehovah God .. isaiah 43:10-11
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Andrew Reply:
June 18th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Also, I don’t believe Jehovah exists, but if he did, I still wouldn’t want to worship such an evil being. Have you actually read the Bible where he condones slavery, genocide, infanticide and more?
And your organization is not chosen by god – no evidence for that, and if so, God must like false prophets (lookup why 1975 was so important in your religion), and people who cover up child abuse (see the New York Times today).
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Steve Reply:
August 10th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
1. Instead of answering our questions, the WT just resorted to name calling (calling us “mentally diseased”), and you’re calling US immature?!
2. You say “JW is a peaceful religion”. I don’t think it’s “peaceful” to contemplate how you’ll “rejoice” at the destruction of billions of non-JWs. Nor is it “peaceful” to be required to hate apostates. (That’s right: the WT has ORDERED you to “hate, loathe, and detest” anyone who has come to their senses and left your cult.
3. How do you know what makes “Jehovah god angry”? Does he speak to you directly or via visions, or what? For all we know the thing that really tics him off is a religion calling themselves by his name which makes embarrassingly stupid statements like this one.
4. The Scripture you quoted (Isaiah 43:10-11) disproves your contention. It states that you are to witness to the fact that there was no god formed after Jehovah. Yet you witness to the belief that Jesus (as “the Word”) is “a god” formed after Jehovah. This is why, when the verse used to appear on the cover of every Watchtower magazine, they only quoted the first part of verse 10. They couldn’t even quote one entire verse of the Bible without giving away one of the many inherent contradictions in their doctrine!
“Chosen of Jehovah God”? Thanks for the laugh of the day!
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the only concern in my life is how can i let my family no that what they are doing is so far from the real truth , and they are being fooled
thx so much for letting me realise that there are others who have experienced the same as Me
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Andrew Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
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What’s even more interesting is that I personally know the people you mention. I grew up on that dreaded island in a family of JW’s. Before my 18th birthday I left both the cult and the family. I’ll spare you the ugly details but for me it was the only way to survive. Long story short, I have been living in a far away land for almost 30 years now and have since reconciled with the family under one condition. No mention or any type of discussion related to JW beliefs is to be brought up while I visit. Yes, it’s sort of ignoring the huge elephant in the room but perhaps the only alternative to shutting them out of my life altogether.
Blind faith does not leave room for reason with JWs so any type of discussion is pointless. What’s important in my opinion is to tell JW family members what their beliefs and actions have done to you as an individual and how damaging their shunning is to kids and adults.
My family had the decency to aknowledge wrongdoing (pulling the old card of course that “new light has changed all that”) and that was good enough for me.
Keep up the good work Andrew. It helps more than you think. Oh, and if you ever want to know more about the people whose names you mentioned in your posting, email me. I’ve got dirt that would knock your socks off!
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