A number of our readers have commented that they have been fighting depression. This is quite understandable. We are continually faced of the conflict that results from holding to opposing positions. On the one hand we want to serve Jehovah God together with fellow Christians. On the other hand, we don’t want to be forced to listen to false teachings. That is one of the reasons many of us left the more traditional churches.
So this is why I found this week’s TMS and Service Meeting to be particularly galling.
First there was the No. 2 student talk “Will Faithful Christians Be Taken To Heaven Secretly Without Dying?” Our official answer is no, and the sister assigned to this part dutifully taught that position based on the Reasoning book explaining that all must die first before they can be resurrected to heavenly life. Of course she failed to read and explain 1 Corinthians 15:51,52:
“We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
How much more plainly stated can it get? Yet our official position contradicts what we find in God’s word and shockingly nobody seems to notice.
Then, there was the Question Box that laid down the requirements for someone to get baptized. I can just imagine Peter before the household of Cornelius telling all gathered there that even though they had just visibly received the holy spirit, they would have to wait several months to prove they could be regular meeting attendees. It would also be advisable for them to comment on a regular basis. Finally, they would need to be out in service, “logically allowing sufficient time to demonstrate that they were steadfastly determined to have a regular and zealous share in the ministry month after month”. Or perhaps Philip, when asked the question by the Ethiopian: “Behold a body of water! What prevents me from being baptized?”, could have replied: “Woe, big fella! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You haven’t even attended a meeting yet, not to speak of getting out in service.”
Why are we laying down requirements that are not found in Scripture?
But the kicker for me was the final part in which Matthew 5:43-45 was discussed. These verses read as follows:
““YOU heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 However, I say to YOU: Continue to love YOUR enemies and to pray for those persecuting YOU; 45 that YOU may prove yourselves sons of YOUR Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.”
How can we blithely make this point to the worldwide congregation in a service meeting part while simultaneously teaching in The Watchtower that the 7,000,000+ witnesses around the world are not God’s sons but merely his friends? How is it possible that we all sit there with metaphorical blinkers on completely missing the fact that we are being urged to do something that actually contradicts our official teaching?
Enduring this many missteps in a single meeting while all the while biting one’s tongue to stop from crying out, “But the Emperor has no clothes!” is enough to put anyone into a funk, if not a full-blown depression.
Thanks Meleti for an excellent article. It is good to see that there are other thinking people out there. It pains me to sit and listen and bite my tongue. And thanks for all the insightful comments.
It;s even harder to be the TMS Overseer and have to bite your tongue!
Thanks for the very informative post, Meleti. I have also noticed how out teaching about the resurrection/changing of the anointed does not match what the bible plainly says. Another interesting text that highlights this is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17: “For this is what we tell YOU by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep [in death]; 16 because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with… Read more »
Talking about depression, here is one quote that would depress anyone who understands that this is talking to those who Jehovah’s Witnesses meet out in the field service or return visits and Bible studies, yet this same phrase is not applicable within the organization? “No one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family” Awake! July 2009, page 29 In view of the recent convention that has a talk about shunning love ones, this particular quote does seem to be hypocritical in the very least.… Read more »
We hear you, searcher for truth. And I suppose we could open up this to a unity in Christ versus uniformity to rules session but that would take a whole new thread, i.e. how we ask new ones to “make sure of all things” before baptism but “make sure of only one thing” after baptism…..uniformity.
Thanks, Meleti. I’m the anonymous of August 2nd. Another keyboard/Enter mistake from me.
Many things may affect one’s mind. In my case my own fight against myself and my tendencies have been something beyond my own strenght and, who can help? Sometimes I can’t even pray to Jehovah (not because I’m practicing sin, because, thanks Jehovah, nothing has happen) and I have no confidence at all to the local eleders (one elder’s wife usually knows what happen in the congregation). Plus to all this, what you have say: You can’t say anything against what is published. Worse than that: Here you can’t say anything against what elders say (even when they themselves are… Read more »
Have no fear mdnwa, your Father loves you unconditionally! You are a beloved son of God. If you are a father could you imagine killing your son because even though he tried to obey you he messed up because of weakness or ignorance? Of course not. Are we to think our Father is more bloodthirsty than ourselves? Of course not.
Andronicus, you give examples of the very same lawyerism that Jesus faulted the Pharisees for.
Thanks Erick for the encouragement. I also appreciate the thoughts and feelings of mdnwa. Sometimes before I go out to give a talk, I inquire about certain conditions in the congregation I’m visiting so I can apply the information to the needs of the friends. More often than not, the brother will tell me that many individuals are suffering depression, anxiety, or other emotional problems. However, the talk they want me to give addresses none of those issues. Go figure!
Typing error in my last comment. Should read, “so I can apply the information to the needs….
Sorry
Erick, I think the problem may be trying to “live up to our dedication”. How many times has this phrase been used to somehow make us feel we’re never doing enough. The Bible says we’re under undeserved kindness, so the thought of ever trying to live up to a “dedication” doesn’t make sense. Jehovah wants us to serve him out of love, not out of guilt. I’m not saying we shouldn’t exert ourselves, as the scriptures teach, but the constant call to do more can leave us feeling deficient and unworthy. We then lose the “peace of God”, condemn ourselves,… Read more »
Hi Andronicus, I just made the corrections for you.
Thanks Eric and Andronicus for the encouragement. I feel in a no win situation where you get beat down by every day people you run across then you’re make to feel worse in the one place you’re supposed to feel better. Talking with the people you’re trained to involves a small room with two other guys who, in my case, put you through interrogation rather than feel helpful support. People who are not JWs commend me being respectful, helpful and a good person and encourage me on my weaknesses without judgment but inside the org I feel like an outsider.… Read more »
mdnwa
Your father is a true Christian. He is a blessing to his congregation. I only wish there were more like him. “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18 I also agree with Dorcas where she quoted Ephesians 4:11,12. Not all of us are suited to be evangelizers but perhaps some of us are better at consoling the depressed souls and supporting the weak. That is Christianity in action.
Times have change! DUHH!!!! We no longer live in bible times anymore,and it was easier to just get baptized, don’t forget we are living in the last days, the early Christians WERE NOT, SO WE NEED MORE TIME TO GET BAPTIZED. DUUHH!!!!!
Not true. The early Christians were living in the last days. Read Acts 2:14-21. Additionally, there is no scriptural requirement that before getting baptized one should be attending meetings, commenting and going out in service for a period of several months so that other men can determine one’s worthiness to dedicate oneself to God.
Oh, and one more thing. Watch your tone. This is a Christian site.
It would be interesting to know how many JWs honestly believe that they won’t survive Armageddon. Several have admitted to me that they doubt that they’ll survive. A few years ago I would have doubted that I’d survive Armageddon. My wife who is a pioneer admits she doesn’t think she’ll survive. My cousin has told me the same. As an elder a few confided in me that they also doubted their survival. If all JWs would honestly respond it wouldn’t surprise me that less than half believe that they will survive. This is crazy. It is an elephant in the… Read more »
I’m fighting a weakness and I’m VERY hard on myself when I slip up so in my situation yes I do sometimes doubt I would survive, and it pains me to even type that. I even defend my feeling telling others that Jehovah is loving and if he does destroy me then something in my heart is REALLY wrong since he would not destroy someone he could change or was really a good person. As much as I would LOVE to live forever with loving people, being able to see my mom, and being able to FINALLY make true friends… Read more »
I agree with you Erick. I find that one of the most difficult things for me to teach in the congregation is how much Jesus loves us. I try to always take the friends back to his example of compassion and mercy, but seem to always find him playing second fiddle to the FDS. In some of the meetings, including the WT study, Jesus seems to be an incidental by-product of the “organization”. “Did you miss Family Worship Night?—–shame on you!” You didn’t read today’s daily text?——shame on you!” “Your Watchtower magazine isn’t underlined? God help you!”
Thanks erick
I agree the org keeps on piling on the pressure. After a DC or CA I almost always feel worse because i don’t feel i measure up. I am doing my best, and yet I am told it is not enough.
I have often comforted others who have felt this same way, saying that we cannot compare ourselves to others. Yet I see that is exactly what we are encouraged to do by the ever present pressure to pioneer.
I get the recurring point used on this site about the “tossing the baby out with the bath water” but when the org say things that seem contrary to the bible or feel more judged by people who are to treat me as family more than people who are “worldly” I cannot help but to be depressed. I 100% believe in God, believe in the bible as being his true word, believe his commandments are beneficial, even if sometimes I do fall short. I also see magazines with these examples of “love” but congregations I and others went to there’s… Read more »
Like sitting with a “worldly” therapist who’s job it is to help you deal with your depression while feeling guilty that you are there needing help and reluctant to “give a fine witness” to your faith at the end of a session. The dissonant receptors wreak havoc on our entire bodies as we try to reconcile who’s helping who, mixing the emotional depressive feelings with what we feel so guilty in not being spiritually intanct to share. Maybe we can appreciate how depressed Jeremiah must have felt trying to tell his dissident brothers such a contrary message given him directly… Read more »
An elder who I confided in over 17 years ago that I went to a psychologist and subsequent psychiatrist for my very deep continual depression from things in my past made me feel WORSE saying I shouldn’t had gone and if I just absolutely had to go and not take his advice and not just rely on elders and prayer to be careful. In addition to those past feelings I am not sure how I would talk about the org aspect of my depression. It was only within the last few years that the org stopped discouraging meds for depression,… Read more »
I recieved a very simliar reply! The elder that I trusted many years ago as a young girl made me feel weak for “seeking worldly help”. He said, “Well now that you have sought help the wrong way give us a chance to readjust you spiritually. ” I’ve never recieved a good response when attempting to seek professional help as a depressed pioneer. I can remember coming to this site and being amazed that I wasn’t the only suffering in silence. I sought help after literally running away from home with the hope of continuing service to become a missionary… Read more »
What we have here, GWIT is the forces of light and darkness.
I find that the Pioneers in my congregation suffer far more from depression than the publishers. Feelings of guilt and unworthiness for not making their time or not being able to be like Sister Super-Pioneer has left some very frustrated and discouraged. On the other hand, the publishers feel ilke second-rate ministers when they see all those wonderfully happy and productive pioneers give their experiences at the District Conventions and Circuit Assemblies. When I mention from the platform that pioneering may not be for everyone, (because God may have something else in mind for you), I get looks of disbelief… Read more »
Andronicus My father used to be a PO and a pioneer for over 20 years but lost his way and left the org for a couple of years. When he got back to reading the bible and recovered spiritually the one thing he said was he apologized for the type of leader he was and not showing better love to ones in the congregation and his family. Also the haughtiness he had being a elder and pioneer and pushing that on EVERYONE as the “cure all”. He looked back and realized what you said that most were pressured into getting… Read more »
Thanks for the reply, mdnwa. May Jehovah bless your Dad. He seems to have found his “gift” and appears to have found joy in showing that “love among ourselves”.
Andronicus, (Ephesians 4:11, 12) . . .And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, 12 with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ. . . Please notice how often the word “some” is used in these scriptures. I have always held closely to this scripture because we cannot all be and do the same things. We are individuals, with some better suited for pioneering, while others may be suited for helping and ministering to the needs… Read more »
Thanks Dorcas. I’ve used the example of Dorcas in the scriptures to show that her gift was the making of garments for members of the congregation, the doing of good to others. These they showed to Peter when he arrived there. I know Peter didn’t ask, “How many hours was she putting in in service?”.
I think much of the depression stems from an unproductive and frustrating ministry. We’re told to try and start Bible studies every first Saturday of the month. The friends show up for service and we go to the territory. We may actually find a few people home, but placing a Bible Teach book with someone and then arranging for a study that will last at least six months can prove challenging. I went to a door once and just read the householder a scripture dealing with God’s care for us. I didn’t try to place any literature and was surprised… Read more »
I agree. Most seem to be more welcoming when I share something upbuilding from the bible and keep it brief rather than just pushing magazines on them for the sake. So many at my congregation you can tell just want to get placements or study they don’t really use their bible.
Thank you for this, Meleti. I’d like to thank you for all your hard work because it is greatly appreciated. I’m glad you addressed this because it is very difficult for me, due to personal circumstances, to get to the TMS and Service meeting. This week I was able to attend and I kept wondering why I made such an effort to be there. I was SO uncomfortable listening to the #2 talk and keyed in on the very same things you did in the Service meeting. I sat there thinking, “am I the only one hearing and discerning what’s… Read more »
“On another note, I wonder if I am the only sister who posts here.” Frankly, I doubt you are Dorcas but I can also assure you that there are plenty of women therapists that are far more discerning than us men who go to them.
“If I am, I also wonder why. Is thinking for ourselves something the sisters have also given up to their husbands,” Which I suppose is better than giving up ON your husband! (humor helps….)
You are most welcome, Dorcas. And allow me to thank you in return for the encouragement, because it is not an easy thing to maintain this forum; though it has its own rewards. I can also assure you that you are not the only sister commenting on the site. The necessary use of aliases often hides gender, but there are many fine sisters who feel as you do. They’re frustrated at what they see as the progressive hijacking of our faith. I’m reminded that it was to his faithful female disciples that the resurrected Jesus first appeared. And when they… Read more »
“not easy to maintain this forum” is an understatement, Meleti. The hijacking of our faith in not exclusive those ruling over us. There are also those who will hack away here as they have other sites, reducing them to negative talk that leads nowhere, destroying them, not realizing that the spirit flows through the humble comments of those who yearn for a place to commune in fellowship.. Christ searches and listens to his sheep. He doesn’t monitor and protect a groupthink forum at their expense. I find it so refreshing to see how you’ve monitored the comments here so insightfully.… Read more »
Well, we have to understand how our brothers and sisters think. They are sitting in the congregation, nodding their head, thinking: “Yeah, we are truly the only religion on earth that understand these deep truths in the Bible about life on earth and trinity and hell. We are the only ones that go from door to door, We are the only true Christian on the whole earth and I am one of them if I have a good behavior and partizipate in service regularly.” (Many years I thought the same way.) And by thinking this way, we make ourself specialist… Read more »
Too true. We have been taught repeatedly that we are in an ark-like organization. “Just stay in the boat and be saved,” we are taught. We twist Peter’s comparison about baptism being like Noah’s ark into something it was never meant to represent.
Thank you very much for this article. It has confirmed for me what I was told by my Therapist, who is helping me with depression, that one large contributory factor is what she termed “Cognitive Dissonance” which means the great difficulty of holding on to opposing views in ones mind. I am a little at a loss as to what to do about it, her advice, well meant of course, is to stop attending Meetings for a while, and better still, move away and give everything a rest. I do not feel that either course is an option for me… Read more »
“Cognitive dissonance”…now that’s a term I will not forget. Thanks for that and your thoughtful comment. I was looking for a term to describe what I have been feeling lately at meetings. I figured there had to be one.
In discussing some of the more outrageous teachings we have now–“This Generation” comes to mind–with friends, I find that most just don’t want to go there. It’s not that they disagree with the challenge to our teaching. Rather, they are so uncomfortable with where the challenge will lead that they go into a self-induced state of denial.
Thanks so much Harrison, that explains exactly the gnawing discomfort i feel at the meetings. On the one hand i want to be with the brothers and sisters. On the other i think “how can i be such a hypocrite to be here and listen to this”. Yes there are many truths, but I think we can all agree there have been many missteps as well.