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Jehovah's Witnesses, and Drugs (Ask A JW here)

Interesting, I would say Mormons are more vigilant on this front with the two year missionary requirement which may take you across the planet.


yea but you go on a two year morman mission you get a free ride to bringim young university =D
 
^Seriously? BYU isn't a bad school if you can put up with the policies.

Yes - this is an excellent dialogue you have going, delsymfan! I don't think any less of you and I know others don't either. Faith is a very personal thing and all are free to believe as they please.

Like others, I do not really agree with the JWs' forced policy of dissociation with nonbelievers. To me, this smacks of the type of totalitarian control characteristic of cults. I was raised Catholic, and I was not dissuaded from having non-Catholic friends at all. It makes me sad to think of families being split apart for having diverging beliefs... I guess that's why you don't want to be disfellowshipped.

What would be the consequence if someone in your family or congregation were to find out that you were using mind-expanding drugs? Would you be given the opportunity to "get clean" before being disfellowshipped?
 
Answer: NO. DF. Right there. Get clean come back. Period.

Sorry I just read the last part and had to say something.

Hell, an elder could see that you are on this site, associating with no believers, letting the "pollute your mind" and you could end up DF. Wake up.
 
Pillthrill actually you are kinda wrong on that one. Not DF'd right then an there. You are right about being caught on here though. That having been said my name aint flying around. They are much more focused on reading kids myspaces/facebooks/twitter's and looking for evidence of bad deeds being done.

I was actually caught with Marijuana. I was pretty damn high, and thought It would be a great idea to smoke one up in my room. Of course poor decision. I sat down with my elders and told them it was a purely isolated incident, and a one time lapse of judgement. They let it go deciding I was genuinely remorseful.

I believe, and this is untested however, that much of their issue lies with legality. I've heard some high ranking overseers suggest that if a drug were legal that it may be a "conscience matter" (not punishable but not exactly something you broadcast)

That having been said I dont need to test those waters.

Charles Taze Russell had a break-off following. Again, i dont acknowledge him as a prophet, just a guy more interested in finding truth. Things have changed a hell of a lot since he was around. Again, I've never been taught to follow one man or abide by a single person's teachings. In my 19 years I've heard his name mentioned on a platform probably less than 5 times or something.

Livinginthemoment: I agree with what you said about the drug policy. I think its to prevent people from leaving. I dont think they want anybody to leave at all. They take extreme measures to prevent this. Why I dont know. They write it off as "protecting the flock." I dont buy that. But then again I dont see anybody getting rich off voluntary donations.

And also about the Army. I'd personally love to be able to say "I'm a JW" and not join. I dont want to kill somebody. Thats just me. I think its great that they stick to their guns on that one. Why should I kill somebody just because my government says so? Nobody should be killing anybody for the army or not. I respect that person a lot for standing up for that. Not just as a religious belief but honestly as a human being. None of us should fight. Worldwide.

And Mariacallas, thank you. Much appreciated.

I can totally see why people view them as a cult and I can see where it may appear that way. Again, i dont like to label things that way. Perhaps they are a bit of both. But to me the purpose of a cult is to honor a PERSON or to MAKE MONEY. They do neither.
 
Umm if you were a "good moral follower of Jehovah" you would feel bad enough about being on here it wouldn't take the elders getting after you, the guilt should be enough to urge you to get off, or even admit it to the elders (like I did, then I just went off).
You act like you are this good JW who believes and follows such values.
Guys, most JW are just like this....
 
Answer: NO. DF. Right there. Get clean come back. Period.

Sorry I just read the last part and had to say something.

Hell, an elder could see that you are on this site, associating with no believers, letting the "pollute your mind" and you could end up DF. Wake up.

I was afraid this would be the answer. :( That seems to be the consensus of most of the ex-JWs who are active on the Internet, some of whom were disfellowshipped due to drug/alcohol problems.

Do the JWs have filters on what information someone is "allowed" to seek without "confessing" on the Internet or through other media?

And delsymfan - feel free NOT to answer this - but did you sign the document refusing any forms of blood transfusion treatment, and is that consistent with your own wishes?
 
Mariposa, as I said Pillthrill's answer is not accurate. You truly have a chance, if caught/busted whatever to flat out "repent and turn around" and you could be ok. Especially if it was discovered as a one time thing.

I've disclosed fully. Yes I have my "blood card" and its legit. Personally I'm all for it because again there have been huge medical advancements. I find the benefits of bloodless options to be worth it.

And besides, if my life seriously comes down to a blood transfusion, I'd rather just go out and look good to all my family and friends.

Again I personally do not care much about the rule. I care about my family however. I wouldnt want to live knowing I let everybody I know down. Simple as that.

And Pillthrill its very clear and obvious my "conscience" allows me to do drugs as I see fit and allows a whole lot of things. I do live the JW life to please my family and friends, and it has its benefits. But there are areas I take my liberties. I feel no guilt over it.
 
I just cannot understand how you can be fine with the blood transfusion thing. This is simply a hypothetical situation but I'm curious about how you would react if your wife, after having your first child, lost a significant amount of blood in the delivery and needed blood in order to save her life? Understanding she will die without the blood but will be 99% likely to recover if they simply give her blood. There are so many situations where you wouldn't just rather die than get a blood transfusion. I got the feeling that you thought many situations that called for a blood transfusion were a 'lost cause' sort of scenario anyway? I just have to say this is completely incorrect. :\

So yeah, just curious how you would react with the new mother scenario.
 
^no,no blood EVER. God said no, no means no. Their is hardly any gray area with them. And if there IS the elders kinda guilt you into the BETTER choice. Hell, I had a no blood card. That was the first thing to go into the shredder.

Go ask your trusted elder or hell even one of the annointed what Jehovah God would say about you doing drugs and associating with us. Honestly I bet you would be in a bit of trouble. I'm eternally annoyed by this because so many JW are like this. They tell you how to live in the ways of Jehovah, but then going around sneaking around doin shit.
Dude, if you can't tell you "brothers and sisters" about it. You shouldn't be doing it. Uh duh.
No that I'm not saying get out of that mess, I got out and it was the best thing I did. But don't try to "share the love and life of Jehovah God" with people here. Most don't give a shit, and others either debate or laugh at you ( but I'm sure you are used to the laughing and getting doors slammed in your face stuff anyway)
AND...even just associated with me, here, someone who is Disfellowshipped...is against what the governing body says should be done and care result in the disfellowshippment of the sinner. Hmm you better be doing your "turning around.."
 
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Pillthrill I think you are taking the purpose of this post in different way than what it is.

No intent was ever made to "share the love of god" here with anybody. I didnt start by inviting anybody to the next convention or anything. I simply wanted to give people an open forum to talk ABOUT JW's, not start a signup sheet to join them.

I'm obviously not planning on telling people what I do. I, for aforementioned reasons, more or less live a double life. But its for a cause I can support, that of preserving my family unity.

I know for a fact if I told people what I was doing here I would have some problems to deal with, and that is why I dont discuss that sort of thing. I wish I could be more open but that is simply not an option.

in regards to the blood issue. Again, personally I wouldnt have a problem with it. Although in the instance you gave Amor, its up to her. If she wanted to, I'd support it either way.

Again though in almost every instance where there would be a 99% survival rate, you can get alternative options. I have Non JW friends in medical who have confirmed this. Its really only a problem in the 3rd world now where they have less medical options. Again, I dont care, but I think if it came down to it if I know people will find out what I did, I'd rather not live with that.
 
Delsymfan


OK, I have not read any of the other posts after you addressed my comments, so I will just stick to what you say in response to mine.

>>I dont think they want anybody to leave at all. They take extreme measures to prevent this. Why I dont know. They write it off as "protecting the flock." I dont buy that.

[B]I don't buy it either!!!

Can I suggest why? They don'g want you to leave, and spread the ins and outs of the cult! Simple as that! They make pretty sure of that while you are in it-and I think you know that, and thought they are not watching you in here, you still are protecting them and could it be guilt? Then you have been brainwashed heavily!

Unless you are here to convert a few to get off drugs-just a thought-and you spread the cult underhandedly, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt-and my statement is only just thrown in loosely.[/B]

Secondly> >>And also about the Army. I'd personally love to be able to say "I'm a JW" and not join. <<<You did not read my post carefully! I clearly stated, it is compulsory as a National Service where the persons are!!!! It means you have no choice! 3 years of National Service ends up 7-with 4 of those years spend in prison for refusing to obey the rules of the service which are part and parcel of that service![/B]

>>I dont want to kill somebody. Thats just me. <<<Hey, you don't kill anyone in the National Service!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is the exercise of it, in case the country goes to war at some stage!!
Here you go, where the myth rubs on you in their stories!!


>>>I think its great that they stick to their guns on that one. Why should I kill somebody just because my government says so? Nobody should be killing anybody for the army or not. I respect that person a lot for standing up for that. Not just as a religious belief but honestly as a human being. None of us should fight. Worldwide.<<<This one is very very naive!

My friend, you are trained to protect your country and countrymen-or you will be slautered at an invasion. ....you may wash your hands off this, but someone's got to do it! In such cases where it is mostly required-you let the others take the responsibility to protect the inoscent. By the way if some maniac attacks your mother in the street with a knife, would you seat there and watch him kill her or would you try to take the knife away, and if he attacks you too, try to reason with a maniac-and before you know-you are dead too?? Let's face reality, not the one that JW try to pass on!


No one wants to kill or be killed, but if someone does not like your foreign policies or anything else, and your conflicts are not sorted after long use of strategies, and the other invades your country, I should hope that we don't have Jahoba Witnesses running our countries at such time, with feathers instead of guns!

Common now! Let's be realistic!!....and hence you are blindly defending the cult you were raised in!
 
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Livinginthemoment..

You do need to read all my posts. I use drugs. I am not here to convert a single one. That is not me. I am not defending the religion in its entirety. The original post here was in fact a bit of an attack on their drug policy. I do however believe in balance, and I fully believe that I can support some aspects of what they do and reject others. Its common sense. I disagree with many things, but I support others. I dont support everything PETA does, but I approve of their overall goal. I disagree with some communist beliefs, but some parts of it make sense. Its balance.

I did read your post and I do understand some people face jail time for refusing civilian service.

Let me say this, that person may have made a personal choice. In fact recently JW's just had a meeting about civilian/national service. And if it was not a direct "go to war" scenario they COULD do that if they so chose. That instance may have been his personal preference to stay out of it.

Again I dont care what the reason is I dont believe in killing people. Its my personal decision. If the army called me and told me I had to go to war, I would probably refuse regardless of my religion. I hope that makes sense to you. Its not just because they say not to.

I genuinely believe if everybody did that we'd have no soldiers and no wars. War is really a sad part of our reality I understand, but I can do my part to help work against it. We are all people for crying out loud, living on the same planet.

And I have utmost respect for somebody who goes to war however. You have to understand I respect everybody's freedom to do what they please. And if that is to fight for a country's rights, I applaud them for doing what they believe in. That having been said I personally believe in neutrality and I stick to that.
 
Your prorogative!! We have a larger responsibility then ourselves-in the larger picture-and some are left to deal with it, and others to seat on the outskirts and watch others take that on.

I just added some more info up the post above you-what would you do if a maniac attacks your mother or child in the street with a knife? When you try some nutral act and you find yourself under the knife too? So you will seat there and make a last prayer before you go?
Surely your gut instincts will push you to try to protect them not by trying to take the bullet for them for that won't save them!
The belief system of the JW is based on superstition and in making their followers victims! They take your power away-and leave you in a state of nutrality. I sure know, that though I am very much against war and against violence, that if I had a child, or if a loved one is in the grasp of thread of their life-I will not stop to think but attack the attacker with anything I will find!
Jw, make you weak and irrisponsible, by acting nice and the saviors of unrealistic and idealistic views and actions, placing lives at risk and train you to be an onlooker. That also goes for transfusions when your loved one is in danger of dying!
 
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delsymfan, while I am not a JW myself (and never will be) I am following this thread and your kind answers with curiosity. It is always interesting to see the world through the eyes of others, and I thank you for your courage and your patience, seeing as how the whole thread is slowly turning into a rant against JW. Please everyone, delsymfan seems to be a nice and polite guy, and he is not here to convert anyone, so cut him some slack :-)

Neuro
 
LITM, the above is your take on it. I believe anyone should be allowed to practice the religion of their choice whether or not someone else thinks it is a cult. May I ask where you were primarily raised/are living now?

Delsymfan, thanks for your continued responses. I am agnostic (raised, baptized and confirmed Roman Catholic, not excommunicated, though in a technical sense I likely could be). I am not under religious pressure from family and I have a belief in the numinous, for lack of a better way to put it. I have not had an easy life but I look to myself to bear my burdens and I bear them as well as one could expect. I do my best to do right by myself and others, and with notable exceptions, I'd say I do a decent job. I'm improving rather than regressing. :)

It seems to me as though you want more than anything else to keep up appearances. I see this as inauthentic - I'm not calling you "inauthentic" but I think something will eventually have to give somewhere. You cannot play "good boy" forever. I know you are not trying to preach to or convert us (those accusations are just asinine, no offense to those who made them) - you know you are not speaking to the easily converted. ;)

I know nothing about you other than that you are male, a member of Bluelight, and a Jehovah's Witness. Do you wish to have children and would you raise them as JWs?

Also, what would your first thought be if you were to be caught unambiguously under the influence of drugs by your family or elders? What would happen if your Mom/Dad walked in on you as you're enjoying a 4th plateau dose?

I share your opinions on war and would not fight for a cause in which I did not believe, to the point where I would be incarcerated first as well.
 
LITM, now see you just brought up a completely different view here. We are in fact allowed to defend ourselves. That is not something that is prohibited. And if a man on the street were to try and hurt me or my family you can sure as hell bet I'll take a stand against that.

However that is a big difference from going to war for your country's wishes. I understand where you see the similarity, and I understand that if for instance the USA was pacifist you could easily have another country march in. I understand it doesnt work right now, but I still believe in it.

Mariposa-

You are pretty much right on. i am trying to keep up an appearance. Granted, there are some things I support and some of these rules I recognize as having benefits. But for the most part, I desire to not rock the boat. I can see where this may make me come off as fake, or insincere. However I do this, not because I just want to have fun, but really because I dont want to hurt people.

I'm 19 and about to leave home for Peru. As life goes on, I can probably live a little less of a JW life. That having been said, again, for the family aspect of things if I choose to get married it will be to a JW and thats how it is. Hopefully I can find a JW living a similar life to mine, and we can be happy that way. There are plenty out there, its just a matter of building enough trust for them to tell you what they are really up to. As far as kids go, I likely would raise them in this religion too. However, if they decided at any point in time to leave, i would probably tell them how I've always felt. And perhaps, after a generation when my parents are gone and we have no contact with anybody in the family who is JW, we could quit peacefully.

There is a bit of a joking saying among many JW kids, but its true. Born a JW you are JW for life. We've yet to meet anybody who's tried to leave that turned out Ok. Most of them have had tons of issues because of all the pressure to come back. I've seen it. They try to rebel so hardcore they end up dying of an OD or something. I'm smarter than that, but I see that if you leave, they make it hell.

And lol to the 4th plateau comment. I always take extreme precaution. In peru it wont matter, I'll be alone. But I've always been extra careful to avoid parental contact when using things in my home. Again, it would hurt them more than it hurts me if they found out. That one time they caught me with MJ was not pleasant.

Thanks Neuro
 
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.Only those of the 22,000??? (correct me if I'm wrong its been a long time and I've repressed a lot of that bullshit.) anointed that will go to heaven to rule with Jesus Christ are allowed to partake. The rest do not. They do not go to Heaven, they will remain on the Paradise earth that will be created. Those who do not believe in Jehovah God or do not serve him correctly or share the "life saving knowledge" with others will just die. Thats it. There is no hell. However, when the Paradise earth comes, those who were faithful, including those in the Bible will be resurrected and live together in Paradise. *BLEH*

i think its 144,000
 
I love Mormons. They're very nice people and they actually give a shit about their religion.
 
Lol kinda unrelated pet sounds but thanks!

Actually they seem like ok guys, but I dont like some of those break-off branches of mormons that marry 13 year olds in underground hide-outs in Utah. Not cool to me.

And yes it is 144,000. I dont really know if anything major like they say is going to happen in the future, but to me it DOES make sense that not everybody should live in heaven, otherwise why was the earth made in the first place?

I will say if Adam & Eve did exist and their purpose was to take care of earth, why not continue having people do that later.

But personally i dont see the big global change they predict happening soon. If ever. It just doesnt sound right to me.
 
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