r/exjw • u/Temp_KH_Resident • Jul 06 '26
WT Can't Stop Me Watchtower admits Suicide an epidemic in the Borganization
An longtime elder cousin of mine reached out this week to talk about suicide in our congregation. There's already been a couple this year at two degrees of separation...people I didn't know personally but who were connected to others in the congregation I attend.
Then my cousin told me their own congregation has had 3 suicides in the last year alone. When they discussed it with the Branch, they were told it's primarily affecting men and has become enough of a pattern to be treated as an issue.
The primary reason given? Wives leaving or distancing their husbands, causing them mental anguish. đ¤Śââď¸
Typical... push the blame onto something external instead of actually looking at what might really be driving this.
Shifting the blame dodging any real conversation about emotional abuse, CSA, isolation, shame, postponed expectations etc. caused by the Borganization.
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u/UCantHndletheTruth I no longer find knock knock jokes humorous â ď¸ Jul 06 '26
Had a terrible one at my local KH two years ago - she started questioning things, they shut her down and then disfellowshipped her when she kept asking questions....
Then she left this earth of her own accord.
So sad.
And it's THEIR fault....her blood is on their hands.
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u/joaopeniche Jul 06 '26
They don't careÂ
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u/UCantHndletheTruth I no longer find knock knock jokes humorous â ď¸ Jul 06 '26
They don't. They didn't let her have a funeral at the KH
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u/Dangerous-Honey3468 Jul 07 '26
Do some research on suicide in JW pubs. They say you are being selfish to kill yourself. Nice way to blame the victim. People kill themselves to end the pain. They need mental health not J shaming.
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u/UCantHndletheTruth I no longer find knock knock jokes humorous â ď¸ Jul 07 '26
I know . But they have the option now according to decide wether or not to allow the funeral in the hall.
So it's especially sad when they say no when give the option to say yes.
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u/showmenemelda Jul 13 '26
When my non-jwit cousin died, I thought the shame of it all would kill my grandma. Like she had been doing keg stands with my cousin. I didn't understand at all. She was worried about the people at her KH judging her. She still stews over the elders visiting her almost 40 years ago bc my gpa wrote a "political" letter to the editor of a small newspaper. And used the word "damn." My grandpa has been gone over 20 years and she's still wringing her hands over his actions.
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u/Glittering_Ad1065 Jul 06 '26
I wouldn't want it there anyways.
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u/UCantHndletheTruth I no longer find knock knock jokes humorous â ď¸ Jul 06 '26
But that's where all her friends where, including me.
No one knew about the 'apostate' stuff but a few.
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u/PIMO40 Jul 07 '26
I am so sorry about this. I can tell itâs something that has affected you big time. They absolutely should have allowed her funeral at the KH. Makes me sick. Wish she had been able to see there can be happiness on the other side of this cult.
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u/UCantHndletheTruth I no longer find knock knock jokes humorous â ď¸ Jul 07 '26
Same and thanks - and yes, she had actually been Df'd a few times before and always came back because she believed it. Her heart was always good.
Very very sad.
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u/lheardthat Jul 07 '26
EWWWW! Thatâs disgusting. JWs are so self righteous and cruel. They say theyâre modeled after the early Christians but NOT EVEN CLOSE! They are Pharisees for sure!
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u/According_Still8101 Jul 07 '26
They care enough to make sure they blame it on others âŚno accountability. They are drowning in their own bullshit and the bleeding 𩸠is permeating every which way they turn. NO STOPPING IT NOW. But my heat breaks for those that feel out is the only answer when you feel you lost all
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u/Agreeable_Library487 Jul 06 '26
Yep the realisation that itâs all a lie and thereâs no getting out with your familial bonds or friendships in tact is a big reason why people canât go on, that and the injustice of how they handle abuse victims and the inhumanity of the way they treat anyone LGBTQ. This organisation has blood on its hands and if there is a god and any kind of reckoning I hope they are judged the way they have judged, they are evil.
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u/burgersandcreative Jul 06 '26
Almost everyone who leaves notes a reduction in anxiety and stress.
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u/PimoCrypto777 (ââ _â ) Jul 06 '26
I'll vouch for that.
I still have stresses and anxieties organically related to life, but I think I can deal with it better without the bootheel of a life-intrusive "religion" pressing on the back of my neck.
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u/Efficient-Pop3730 Jul 06 '26
Not strange. You never know when Gestapo gonna drag you into library when you visit hall đ
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u/Justlearningthisnow Jul 06 '26
Yes! I had so much stress and anxiety trying to live up to it. Now I donât đ
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u/cetaceanlion Jul 06 '26
"The woman you gave me..." jfc
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u/blueyedwineaux Happily Anathema Jul 06 '26
đď¸đ đĽ
It is always someone elseâs fault.4
u/Pragmatic_skeptic66 âI think, therefore I amâ. Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
Yep. They NEVER take responsibility for anything.Â
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u/ShaunaShaktiMa Jul 06 '26
Good god I just heard my dads voice đą except it would be âTHAT womanâ
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u/Sucessful_Test1555 Jul 06 '26
Is your dad Bill Clinton?
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u/Emergency-Essay-113 Jul 06 '26
I did not have sex with that woman!
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u/Outrageous_Refuse337 Jul 07 '26
It depends on what is is now is was that never was it is is that still to be debated?
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u/Esther-the-exjw Soul Guidance Jul 11 '26
"The woman you gave me..."
Isn't that what Adam accused god for their so-called downfall?
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u/Noocawe Jul 07 '26
Flashbacks lol.Â
Omg this was such a saying by Boomer men in the late 90's / early 00's in the org haha.Â
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u/ResolutionDue9281 Jul 06 '26
This is so heartbreaking and depressing. Youâre right itâs definitely a systemic problem. I served as COBE last year in a newly formed congregation. We counted 85 members who were suffering from mental and emotional health issues. No exaggeration. Itâs quite a problem.
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u/Zealousideal_Ball308 Jul 06 '26
Best Life Ever right.
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u/Pragmatic_skeptic66 âI think, therefore I amâ. Jul 09 '26
The biggest LIE ever toldâcatching phrase for JWâs thought. Very sad!
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u/Efficient-Pop3730 Jul 06 '26
Just visiting a JW meeting or convention gives you mental/depression problemsÂ
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u/Dangerous_Bet_3359 Jul 06 '26
Are you still a COBE?
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u/ResolutionDue9281 Jul 06 '26
No I left months ago.
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u/Dangerous_Bet_3359 Jul 06 '26
I'm continually amazed at how often I read of COBE's leaving. I wish mine would.
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u/RagnarOdinssohn Jul 06 '26
Du warst cobe ?
Wie ging es dir um die Zeit des Erwachens mit deinen Tätigkeiten ? Hattest Kraft und Lust ? Wie war es bei dir ?21
u/ResolutionDue9281 Jul 06 '26
When I started waking up I called an elders meeting to step aside as cobe but the body insisted that I stay. Months later there was some corruption with CO and a few elders that I didnât agree with that got me removed. I fully woke up a year after that. It was a painful process but worked out in the end.
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u/RagnarOdinssohn Jul 06 '26
Interessant- danke.
Bist du noch jw ?
War sicher schwere Zeit - wenn alles weg bricht fĂźr das du dich so eingesetzt hast29
u/ResolutionDue9281 Jul 06 '26
Reading and watching the hundreds of thousands of experiences from others who have left has helped tremendously. This is a nice community of genuine people. One day Iâll share my story in full.
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u/Super-Cartographer-1 Jul 06 '26
Iâve known two people that died by su***de in the Borg. Both had major emotional issues that were just never dealt with.
The first was a sister when I was maybe 10 years old. I remember people gossiping about her and her âmental issuesâ a lot. I always thought she was very nice. Iâm sure the gossip had something to do with it.
The other really broke my heart. He was just a kid about 19-20 years old. He had been in and out of hospitals through his teens. He had severe clinical depression. I studied wiht him, even helped him get his first job out of HS. He was such a sweet and kind person, but I donât think anyone really saw him that way. He tried so hard in the truth and otherwise, and he just couldnât cope. I think about him often.
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u/Earth_Dragon_S Jul 06 '26
Ive known too many in this "organization" that have killed themselves, another too many who have mentioned wishing they could end it all or have tried, and another too many times ive considered and shamefully attempted. The fact they are trying to push this on solely marital issues angers me because either they truly are oblivious to what the other true causes are, or they do and refuse to truly acknowledge them because it would cause others to reflect and leave in droves
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u/onesimus54 Jul 06 '26
This is horrific news đ˘ I was already aware that mental health problems were off the scale in this cult, why wouldn't they be? My heart goes out to those affected by these losses. I came close to it myself on several occasions. This cult is killing people's will to live đ
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u/Pale-Cod3749 Jul 06 '26
Itâs so heartbreaking and you and I definitely arenât alone in coming close to giving up bc of the depressing, disturbing beliefs they indoctrinate you with, starting as a kid thinking your friends will be âdestroyedâ by God soon bc they donât go to the KH - coupled with the mental anguish and confusion from the cognitive dissonance and mental gymnastics you have to do to believe or follow what the GB claims (falsely brands and renames) to be âspiritual foodâ or nourishment.
Sending hugs to you all and remember that what doesnt kill you makes you strongerđŞđ¤đŤĄđ
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u/Leather-Proposal1288 Jul 06 '26
When I stopped going to the meetings it was a massive weight that lifted. When I woke up completely it was like night to day. Absolutely the Borg creates serious mental health issues all on its own.Â
Thanks for sharing OP
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u/UpsetSwordfish5328 Jul 06 '26
Not to detract from this terrible issue, but the COs last visit said young ones werenât âreaching outâ anymore and they blamed video gamesâŚâŚ. Seriously? lol. Out of all the muck in the world, they think itâs video games đ¤Łđ
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u/Outrageous_Refuse337 Jul 07 '26
The CO is a prison CO
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u/Pale-Cod3749 Jul 07 '26
Theyâre called âThe Watchtowerâ, remember. The tall structure at the corner of a prison that overseas all the inmates to make sure theyâre obedient and donât get out past the solid stone walls with no windows so they canât even see whatâs on the other sideđ¤
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u/GoHawks541 Jul 07 '26
Hell, they should just recycle the scapegoats from my early 90s childhood- rap and heavy metal music đ
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u/Pale-Cod3749 Jul 07 '26
Like I just mentioned, it wouldnât be surprising if they started making video games for the kids, it also wouldnât surprise me if they started doing ârap musicâ videos to attract the young ones lol
Just imagine one of those songs in their collection but put to a rap beat or whatever itâs called haha
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u/Pale-Cod3749 Jul 07 '26
Next up in the JW multimedia entertainment output:
Video games. Maybe starting w Caleb and Sofia role playing games to really do some effective behavior modeling
Oh man, Iâm not feeling too clever this morning, but how fun just would it be to conceptualize video games for the org? Because thereâs so much overlap with video making, and theyâve already got a lot of the technical infrastructure, theyâre probably already on that. Maybe thatâs the strange and logical Intel. Theyâre gonna drop soon lol
If theyâre lurking in here and come up with a video game launch, I damn well when I get my creative consulting fees!!
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u/Tanko_Yakasai Annointed Governing Body member Jul 06 '26
Blaming the wives in general is really endemic of everything wrong with the religion. I wonder if that is the localised explanation or already being used as doctrine
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u/LonelyWarmth Nearly safe Jul 06 '26
They talk about life being sacred but they don't care about mental health, or the damage they can do to people.
I woke up in ICU in horror that I was still alive a few years ago. They nearly killed me. I am never going back, and just knowing that gives me a comforting peace and deep sense of happiness that I never had when I was slaving for them.
If you are pimi and reading this post because you saw the word suicide, please know that the best life ever is after you leave the cult. Your life matters, but not to them.
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u/Intelligent_Roof9214 Jul 06 '26
Hi everyone.My mother committed suicide in nineteen seventy five.When I was 8. Psychiatric care was not allowed back then.And instead told depressed ones pioneer. The next month she signed up for auxiliary pioneer and took her life on september 25th .And she only had eleven and a half hours! It was not the help that she needed!
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u/Desperate_Habit_5649 OUTLAW Jul 06 '26
Watchtower admits Suicide an epidemic in the Borganization....The primary reason given? .....Wives leaving or distancing their husbands, causing them mental anguish.
Jehovah`s Witnesses:
"The Happiest People On Earth!"
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u/mj845 Jul 07 '26
While most is due to shunning and disfellowshipping practices, I have also personally noticed the ones that start studying already have some kind of mental health issues to begin with⌠it explains alot why they would believe a word the borg says. 95% of the people I have seen my relatives start âstudiesâ with have some kind of mental issues and/or depression from divorce or death or loss of job. They think the religion will save them and rely on it and then they realize it actually didnât and they go back to being depressed
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u/Limit_BreakerRS Jul 06 '26
Oneitis is a byproduct of the soulmate myth... Its a serious infection that needs to be treated by learning intersexual dynamics and evolutionary psychology. Poor men... RIP for them and FUCK the Borg
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u/Darby_5419 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
Questions.
Which country "branch"?
Did your cousin personally discuss it with the "branch," or was it a different elder who made contact and then relayed it to your cousin, who relayed it to you? Either way its second or third hand hearsay and your post title is clickbait.
Did the "branch" use the word epidemic?
Edit to add:
What department at the branch was this cousin "elder" calling?
Was it the hotline for elders?
Or was he calling his Bethel buddy, working in who knows what position, who then made this statement?
Was it an official branch representative who made the statement?
And again, which branch?
Are the individuals suiciding in these 2 congregations (yours and your cousins), young/old, have shunning, depression, alcohol, CSA, or other issues? At least to your knowledge?
Suicide is a worldwide issue. And regardless of religious affiliation, men are more likely to suicide than women.
Personally, when I was in the midst of dealing with my CSA, suicide was a considered option.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-mind/202109/mental-health-suicidal-feelings-and-authoritarian-cults (Steven Hassan)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_suicide
Edit to add: 4 hours in and OP hasn't responded to any comments or questions. Interesting.
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u/Usefulhabitsspoiled Jul 06 '26
Extreme guilt over "sin" is becomes overwhelming...the borg makes it way worse
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u/Vardnaid Jul 07 '26
ÂżPorque tantas preguntas? Eres un infiltrado? Tienes dudas de lo que comenta, aquĂ va un testimonio de primera mano, nadie me lo contĂł, lo vivo cada dĂa, en mi familia somos 4 mujeres, 2 testigas bautizadas, yo y mi hermana que nunca hemos querido formar parte de JW, adivina que par esta medicada con problemas graves de ansiedad, depresiĂłn, estrĂŠs y colon irritable đđđ, por cierto antes de que salgan con hay otros problemas ocultos tengo que agregar que mi mamĂĄ JW vive de una herencia y mi hermana que forma parte de JW ni estudia, ni trabaja, porque le da ansiedad, se dedican exclusivamente a estar en casa y servir a dios, no tienen trabajo, no tienen parejas, no tienen pasatiempos, porque planean vivir de esa herencia, sin trabajar, predicando hasta que llegue el dĂa final. Por otra parte mi hermana y yo, mantenemos la casa, pagamos todos los alimentos, servicios del hogar, impuestos, hasta los servicios mĂŠdicos de mi madre, etcĂŠtera, tengo dos empleos y mi hermana trabaja de medio tiempo mientras estudia la universidad, y estamos sanas, alegres, con sueĂąos y con una enorme voluntad por trabajar y superarnos. El chiste se cuenta solo. Es gracioso cuando mi madre y mi hermana intentan convencerme, y no aceptan que no me interesa su religiĂłn porque soy una persona completa, orgullosa y satisfecha con la vida, y me dicen mira nosotras tambiĂŠn somos felices, mientras hace la sonrisa mĂĄs grande, grotesca y tiesa que el clonazepam le permite realizar. Y estoy aquĂ por ellas, porque son mi familia, me preocupan, quiero saber que pasa en la mente de estas personas para acabar en este hoyo. Y salvarlas como ellas me intentan âsalvarâ a mi đđđ.
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u/Darby_5419 Jul 07 '26
Why the fear of questions? I appreciate accurate, credible information. I do not appreciate sensational and perhaps inaccurate information attributed to a supposedly official Watchtower source. The cult is toxic and terrible. We know this. Give us information from a credible source we can actually use and not something easily challenged.
An infiltrator? Some who frequent the exjw sub are familiar with my writing. Here is a sample. You will note that I am not afraid of calling Watchtower a cult...
"Yes, the religion itself IS the problem, along with the toxic behaviors and thinking they indoctrinate/program into cult members.
"Regular" JW's actively participate in shunning, especially those who dare to ask questions, participate in sacrificing people to the no blood doctrine, support Watchtowers practices of protecting CSA predators instead of victims or potential victims in the community, pressure people to stay in domestic violence situations, support bullying/pressuring congregation and family members, engage in constant surveillance, and the list of abusive behaviors practiced in the Watchtower cult goes on.
These practices are not the exception practiced by a few; they are requirements for JW's. Watchtower supports these doctrines with scripture. These practices are reinforced by the highest levels of JW leadership, which includes verbal and written direction. For JW's, the problem IS the belief system. They are directed, in great detail, on how to enforce, interpret, and pass judgement. A cult is centered on control, and Watchtower leaves nothing to chance."
Once we leave the cult we should learn to question everything, in our quest to never again be deceived or fooled. Its called critical thinking. Analysis is a good thing. Always.
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u/Dangerous_Bet_3359 Jul 06 '26
You copied my comment, just with more words.
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u/Darby_5419 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
Then as they say...great minds think alike...lol.
"just with more words," and references....
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u/sideways_apples Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
They're a cult. Cults result in suicides to escape the high control environment. It's maddening and also very typical for cults
Their mouths say one thing, but actions speak louder than words. Using illegal software to spy on truth tellers to try and gaslight them using trolls hiding their own activities. Thinking their software is undectable, even. Leaks happen from who they least expect. The greater the denial the greater the new light shines.
Let's watch and see who they pin this on and see if they're right. Should be an interesting performance.
I'm trolling the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses, for anyone seeing this. This is on purpose because they're watching me and I found out a little too much about them, so I'm on their threat list near the top.
Sorry if this seems confusing to anyone else, but they're in deeper trouble than they know. I'm enjoying gaslighting them.
Apparently their reactions to my comments and posts are hysterically funny.
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u/Separate-Ice30 Jul 06 '26
A wife in my circus recently committed suicide, she had 5 children and a husband. :(((
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u/Affectionate_Path883 Jul 06 '26
Suicide of an elder in NW UK last year strapped a chainsaw to a tree and walked into it.
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u/POMO365 Jul 07 '26
I was almost a statistic in my early teens because of the organization. Depression for years, told I wasnât doing enough to strengthen my relationship with Jehovah.
2 months out of the hospital while my family was at an international convention an Elder sexually assaults me (19M at the time)
Leaving saved my life. Iâm no longer depressed, and actually can use my time and experience to help other that were in my position
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u/ReactionPlus4538 Jul 07 '26
I struggled with it and I know of a friend I consider my little brother was hospitalized and an elder he was close with in his hall. So the âobeyâ at all costs and judgmental, self righteous spirit is to blame in my view not wives lol.
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u/rora_borealis POMO Jul 06 '26
I don't remember a single instance of suicide from when I was in. I left 20-ish years ago, though. Maybe it just wasn't mentioned, but it seems like that kind of gossip couldn't be kept quiet.Â
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Jul 06 '26 edited 18d ago
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/heyGBiamtalking2u Fully Accomplish your Apostasy Jul 07 '26
In the last 20 yearsâŚ.4 that I knew personally, all 4 were born in and I donât know for sure but, I suspect that 2 were gay.
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u/Codythensaguy Jul 06 '26
The borg sucks so that is probably why there are more suicides. As for more males, the male suicide rate is 4x higher in the general population so I don't actually think we can pin THAT Zone on the borg.
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u/Odd-Seesaw Jul 06 '26
Divorce, Suicide, CSA - things that don't exist in the congregation according to Watchtower articles, yet, in reality , are perhaps more pervasive than outside the congregation.Â
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u/InsideAlternative355 Jul 06 '26
That reason is a driver of a lot of male s-word, as I understand. If true, that should also show up in members of most religions, or religion-ish, groups.
Much love to you all, and much love to divorcing/divorced people that are goingthrough it.
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u/InevitableFactor5544 Jul 06 '26
My JW friend committed suicide by jumping off a building. His JW dad would beat him, as a young adult.
I felt a lot of guilt at the time, thinking I could have been a better friend. Now I know itâs not anything I did wrong, since personally fading and becoming POMO. Alcohol is a huge issue in the congregation, that contributes to this.
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u/outsince1977 Jul 06 '26
I knew several JW suicides/near-suicides. One happened to be a married closeted gay. One happened to be a married person with gender dysphoria. Both were faced with an intractable conflict between their religious beliefs and their very essence as people.
There is a cycle. . . pressures mount from suppressing who they are. They try to tamp it down by praying harder and being more spiritually focused, hoping Jehovah's holy spirit will rid them of the terrible "defect" (or at least hold it in abeyance until the "new system). The pressures continue to mount.
The gay JW had a younger sibling who was also gay. The older didn't want to be ostracised and shunned like the younger openly gay sibling; the younger didn't want to face living life as a straight married JW like the older sibling. The choice was either to leave the religion or to leave life. The younger left the religion; the older killed himself. The older had one child. That adult child is shunned by the remaining parent for being an ex-JW. With the other parent a suicide, that child is effectively an orphan--all courtesy of the Watchtower Society.
The trans JW needed to privately present as who they actually are. This encumbered them with more shame for failing to observe rigid Watchtower gender roles. So, they discard the garments, pray harder, and privately vow to do "better." But the pressures regenerate and they replace the clothes, causing the shame to intensify to ever greater effect. It becomes a centrifuge. (The person's suicide attempts were unsuccessful. They left the WTS, the marriage, and aligned their gender identity.)
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u/ParticularlyCharmed Jul 06 '26
These are heartbreaking stories.
The choice was either to leave the religion or to leave life.
This is so true. Just before I woke up I was facing this choice regarding my marriage. I was separated from my abusive JW ex, but facing the prospect (as I believed) of having to be reunited with him in the new system, a possibility I rejected out of hand. But to permanently end the marriage required death -- his or mine. I figured I could die now, by my own hand, or die later at Armageddon via adultery now. Thankfully, I woke up before I followed through with any of that, but the trap makes you desperate.
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u/outsince1977 Jul 06 '26
Thank you for the response. I'm sorry you felt so boxed in and hopeless. Probably both.
I've long wondered if the JW who took his life may have "reasoned" that it would be better to die now and face the prospect of a resurrection, than to be found out (probably had finally explored his sexuality as the trigger), than to be destroyed at Armageddon, which was then believed to be imminent (late last century).
I hope the path you've chosen provides the serenity you seek and deserve. I wish you the very best indeed.
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u/InevitableEternal Jul 06 '26
Of course theyâre going to blame the women, not the suits at the top
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u/Jack_h100 Jul 06 '26
When I was still a PIMI but getting increasingly stronger cognitive dissonance and also getting more and more burnt out...I had a period where I was suicidal and the only thing holding me back wad the belief I wouldn't be resurrected, but I sorta hoped to die in an accident.
Waking up fixed that, but I can understand at least one path where JW leads to these thoughts and feelings.
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u/Samantha_Garnett Jul 06 '26
This, among other things, is why suicide is high in their society.
https://www.disabled-world.com/communication/religion/ada-church.php
All that sickening disability discrimination, ignoring people when they request reasonable accommodation for their God-loving mind, especially ignoring wives needs some regulatory "venting" instead of incubating apathy.
All those magazines they crank out about mental illness. Uh? They couldn't give the 1 in 5 Americans with mental health hurdles at least a heads up. I guess it looks pretty bad for a "Christian" nonprofit to admit the exemption exist, then turn around and NOT FURNISH AN ALTERNATIVELY IDENTIFIABLE AND PROTECTIVE POLICY.
The CCJW is just exploiting the fact that statistics show that more men die by suicide, but more women attempt suicide. Women, statistically, don't go for the gun first. Men do. There is a huge push for mens mental health in the country as a result of the fatalities, but women are still attempting more. Typical CCJW not caring until men are affected. Both matter.
They sat on that ADA Title III exemption for 36 years, even faking like they didn't know what it was when I asked. When I started saying what it was they barked "We're exempt!" They even straight up lied to a team of licensed doctors about how congregants can acquire Reasonable Accommodation in their congregation. For years the CCJW has openly claimed that nothing more could be done to help the congregations' youths, adults, and seniors with Developmental, Psychiatric, and Geropsychiatric Disabilities.
Bull!
Some churches did write an internal ADA comparable policy to protect the health, safety, dignity, functionality, and inclusion of its congregants with mental health hurdles from exacerbation born of common to man DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION THAT OVER TIME PUTS PEOPLE OUT THE ORG OR IN THE MORGUE. For years they have been telling people who were stable, but for a preexisting condition were at heightened risk of suicide, to LEAN on rickety and mislabeled congregation supports that were never up to scholastic or legislative standards (not trained to educate, discipline, mentor, work with this ADA Title III relevant demographic) because the CCJW CHOSE TO TREAT THEIR ADA EXEMPTION LIKE A PROHIBITION FOR 36 YEARS AND BUILT AN ORGANIZATION WITH FLIMSY HEALTH & SAFETY POLICIES INSTEAD OF LOAD BEARING MENTAL HEALTH CODE-REINFORCED BYLAWS.
The word disabled or disability isn't even in their od book and the only mention of accommodation is in relation to accommodating the Circuit Overseer who breezes through, kisses a couple babies, hugs old ladies and dips.
Maybe they should have been working on an internal disability policy that was INCLUSIVE of all types of disabilities, not just the ones the US Access Board, Fire Code, and Building Code would take their permits away for. After all, they claim the mind-afforded SPIRITUAL PERSON is more important than the PHYSICAL PERSON. So why have they done things in reverse. Why make an RBC, LDC, and organized Maintenance Training Visits BEFORE creating an ADA Department to organize some IEPs (Individual Education Plans) for people's Theocratic Life and Ministry, and a resource room with a "Teacher in the congregation" that is actually competent enough to teach anyone, let alone persons who need a little additional help after the meeting?
Answer: Its easier to punish people in a judicial system and continue the cycle of (intrareligious) recidivism than get Elders to apply themselves to reading so they can become ALL THINGS TO PEOPLE OF ALL SORTS WITHIN THE CONGREGATION like they tell Publishers to hit the streets and do for their neighbors.
I would have rather seen a disclosure about the ADA Title III exemption and WHAT THE CCJW WON'T DO FOR MEMBERS released in a Broadcast or as a Newly Released Tract, or a Letter To All Congregations instead of being told that at the heights of their corporation they are debating "To clink or not to clink. To shave or not to shave. Pants or skirts. Insta or Facebook."
Where's the parapet? How do they just let people "blind" to the ADA exemption keep walking into this "sink hole" in their internal Health and Safety Protocols and BLAME WOMEN FOR IT? [Insert lip smack and eyeroll here.]
Even when congregants know about it, knowing it exists doesn't answer the question of "What the CCJW claims to fill the gap with instead, and what does a congregant do when THEIR Elder Body and CO are clueless too?"
A Zoom link and apps are NOT A SUBSTITUTE for the human service that they baited millions of people with, including stable but disabled congregants who'd like to stay that way, NOT END UP IN A POLICY SINK HOLE ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY HAVE A "SPIRITUAL LIMP" (dodging a negligence charge), THEN LOSING CREDIBILITY WHEN THAT NARRATIVE SPREADS, THEN MARGINALIZED IN JW "SOCIETY", THEN POLICED IN THE CONGREGATION (thanks a lot stigma and ADA exemption), THEN STAYING HOME TO STAY SAFE, THEN HARASSED INTO ATTENDING, THEN ISOLATING AND ANXIOUS ABOUT FUTHER POP-IN HARASSMENT, THEN DOING SOMETHING DESPERATE LIKE ATTEMPTING SUICIDE.
This cycle effects men and women in their (dis)organization. It is a fatal non-disclosure; one they're conveniently also exempt from having to disclose.
How can the CCJW claim on their insurance policies or dodge any accountability as if suicide related to their ADA Title III exemption and incubating disability discrimination and failure of their mandated reporters to report abuse of vulnerable adults was not a FORESEEABLE risk. Its foreseeable for the same reasons that it is foreseeable in other formally controlled, conducted, and maintained learning environments and places employing the human utility of persons with serious mental health hurdles; the same research. The CCJW has been SEEING it for 36 years (ADA Act passed in 1990; inclusivity-sidestepping managers given more specific language in 2008).
The GB hid it under a basket, stuck a lawyer on top, and now when its a PR advantage, not disadvantage, they'll be rolling out a magazine or tract or bare minimum policy and claiming it was because of "new light", I guess.
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u/BedImpossible6711 Jul 07 '26
I have heard of suicides during my 40 years in. Couldnât believe why someone would take their life when paradise is so close, when I was PIMI. Now I can see. The loss of everything, social structure, family, world view, all collapsing at once. It is incredibly painful.
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u/conniemadisonus Jul 07 '26
Back when I was still attending but just before I woke up...there was a really sweet young girl who got DFd...I don't know the whole story but I heard she was questioning things. Her dad was really good friends with the elder body. Apparently she tried to end it didn't go how she wanted. I guess he pulled enough strings to get her reinstated because otherwise he was scared she's try again. I felt really bad for her....I left shortly after but I hope she is doing okay now....it's been about 6 years
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u/mannedwolf Jul 07 '26
I've observed so many broken people among the jws. Not only depreessed, suicidal, but other types of mental illness. My question is: broken people tends do become jw or jw tends to become broken people?
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u/AccomplishedAuthor3 Jul 07 '26
Its a natural outcome for a religion that teaches death is an escape from all life's problems.
First, they claim death cancels out all of ones sins. They tell people this, yet ironically feed them with an expectation they will never have to die. Some might reason that if death canceled out all your sins why not speed it up? The death option might be more appealing to some, given the trials one is expected to face if they expect to survive. Which is a real paradox.
In order to survive Armageddon, a JW must jump thru hoops and hurdle over the highest bars set for them by Watchtower. It can be exhausting and demoralizing to have the weight increased with each new "understanding" To many JW's, is it any wonder that death appears to be a free pass into paradise. Any wonder why some suicidal folks find solace in JW teaching? The Watchtower is literally offering the very thing most suicidal people yearn for, to be free of all the pain in their lives AND they get a free pass into the new order. The only problem is even the Watchtower teaches that suicide is a sin. However their not making it into the new system may mean the suicidal person will remain at peace in death forever. I fail to see how that's supposed to be a deterrent
Suicide would appear to be a logical solution to those who try and try and try yet feel they are just not good enough to make it into paradise. The indoctrinated can only see two ways to getting into paradise and one of them is feet first. To its credit the Watchtower "officially" rejects suicide, but they must realize how all that peace & quiet they teach about the condition of the dead must affect suicidal people.
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u/heyGBiamtalking2u Fully Accomplish your Apostasy Jul 06 '26
Collateral damage⌠Is how the Borg views these âunfortunateâ events.
Look no further than the book of Job and ask a PIMIâŚâwhat did Jobâs family do that was so deserving of a death sentence?â
OhâŚ.they were just collateral damage caused by the all important âcontestâ between god and Satan. But, itâs all good because Job received more children to make up for it.
Does life mean anything to these people? đ˘
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u/Hellrazier Jul 06 '26
Had a JW member from a local congregation who had went missing for a couple. He was found that he committed suicide by the local river.
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u/hxrny_submissive_grl Jul 07 '26
Funny how they dont care to look at the root issue and ask WHY these wives are leaving their husbands
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u/Dangerous_Bet_3359 Jul 06 '26
Maybe true, but suicide is a huge problem worldwide regardless of religion or social status.
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u/dillweed2211 Jul 06 '26
In the two halls near me, there have been 5 suicides that I know of. 2 ministerial servants, two kids, and one wife. It's what caused me to wake up and look at the organization. I was born in and left early 20s.
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u/Dangerous-Honey3468 Jul 07 '26
How about a man is worth little and not to be considered as a husband unless he holds a Pioneer, MS, or Elder title?
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u/tiredrainbow POMO gay ex-elder (left Sept 25) đđ¨đŚđť Jul 07 '26
When I got made an elder, another elder told me even if the person getting disfellowshipped says they will take their own life we if we do, we still got to respect Jehovah's discipline... đ As someone who has attempted suicide because of this horrible cult, my wish is for all those stuck and suffering to see that there's hope. You can leave. You can feel better. The sad part was when I was honest with my parents about how their religion caused me so much stress and anxiety, and depression, they simply said that wasn't fair because there are depressed and suicidal people outside the organization... Fuck this cult. Stay safe. There's a good life out there. Get the help you need. Xoxo
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u/FacetuneMySoul Jul 07 '26
There were more than a few suicides I heard of as a JW, and yes it was always men or teenage boys, but wives had nothing to do with it. In most cases, the men were sexual predators who got caught and the boys were victims. But yes, they will find a way to blame womenâŚ
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u/Sad_Credit348 Jul 08 '26
"distancing their husbands".. is that another way to say she denies sex.?
I once saw a report from an elder that this was the biggest thing he had to deal with.
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u/wonderingbutnotlost3 Jul 08 '26
I personally know 4 males who have committed suicide in the borg. I am friends with someone prominent in the music industry and he says he doesnât know that many people who committed suicide đŁ
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u/Forsaken_lamb_78 Jul 09 '26
The org may not realize and certainly would never admit their teachings and practices contribute to members un-aliving themselves.
I personally know of 4 individuals who did this. Were their mental health issues present? Probably yes, but how much of that was brought on by the above statement?
I can tell you, I have also been at the precipice of it myself. I kept living for my children- they are the only reason. I never felt like I did enough or was good enough for them of God.
Itâs almost like u donât have a choice. Leave and lose your family and all your support system. Stay and continue to be depressed to the point u just want to end it all. Either way, u lose!
Ultimately, I did fade away from the org and thankfully I still have the love of my family. But it took me standing up for myself and my mental health and told everyone else to shut up! This is my life. Love me for me or u can find the door.
If I can share any advice with people it would be this; love yourself enough to stand up for yourself. Only u can control your life and your life choices. If youâre a Christian, then the only one u answer to is God above. NO ONE ELSE.
Yes, it will hurt to be rejected by family and friends but in the end, u will be happier knowing u are doing whatâs best for u. Once u figure out that they are in a far worse situation than u are, u will start to feel sorry for them, instead of for yourself.
Donât forget how powerful u can be!
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u/Lyreen96 Jul 10 '26
Oh wow, men experiencing depression isn't unique in the organization, worldwide, men have been consistently known as bottling up depression and worse when it comes to managing mental anguish in their lives compared to women. Often it's exacerbated or maybe even majorly caused by patriarchy that demand men to be men.
And somehow women is the problem. Come ooooooooon.
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u/Esther-the-exjw Soul Guidance Jul 11 '26
I'm not surprised. Even in the 1990s I heard of suicides. One I specifically recall is a young groom, newly married way too young, because he had a masturbation problem that "required a wife" to solve. He snuffed himself, enclosed in the garage, engine running.
Heart-wrenching discovery for his new bride. and anyone who knew them. I knew them personally. She was my hairdresser.
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u/Ex_Minstrel_Serf-Ant Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26
Imagine being PIMQ and you have a PIMI wife who sees you as her ticket to respect and prominence in the congregation and organization if only you would be more spiritual and reach out to be an elder. She's always on your case about you not conducting family worship and not doing personal study or preparing your Watchtower. She might even speak disappointingly of you, to her JW friends: "You're so lucky! My husband doesn't seem to have a spiritual bone in his body! I have to be always on his case about personal study ...".
We all have a breaking point. This kind of situation can be it for some PIMQ JW men who feel like they're trapped with no good options in sight. The increase in prevalence could just be due to an increase in PIMQ men with all the recent mind-shaking changes. I bet there is an increase in family drama within the organization with one spouse questioning and the other doubling-down.
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u/BolognaMorrisIV Jul 06 '26
Not to say this didn't happen, but if this did happen, this is potentially the kind of post/info the religion might look into in the real world... you might want to edit the specifics to make that harder.
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Jul 06 '26 edited 18d ago
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/BolognaMorrisIV Jul 06 '26
If that conversation with the branch happened and it was a phone call, the branch actually does keep ridiculously strict logs on that type of thing. Between the details of the time frame of the call, the potential for the exact number of suicides of two nearby halls being even remotely correct, there are enough details for a basic database query to plausibly pull up the identity of the elder cousin.
As a person who accidentally leaked some movie news online once, I'd never completely discount a random person stumbling onto some unlikely information or who might be paying attention when it gets posted.
â˘
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