Paris Jackson, who has been raised in a Witness family, has reportedly been taken to hospital following a suicide attempt

News is emerging that Paris Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson, has been rushed to hospital on June 5th following a suicide attempt.

Emergency services responded to a call at her home at 1.27am local time and claim to have taken a single person to a local medical center. Multiple sources are reporting this person to be Paris.

While it is impossible to say at this stage what has prompted this development, the online Witness community will be concerned given that little more than a month ago the celebrity gossip pages were reporting that Paris, who has been raised as a Jehovah’s Witness by her family, was refusing to go on the door-to-door ministry.

Her grandmother Katherine remains a staunch Jehovah’s Witnesses, having confirmed her faith on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2010 where she revealed that she had just returned from the ministry when she heard that her son Michael had been hospitalized. According to the Sky News website, Paris and her siblings continue to live with their grandmother following the singer’s death.

Below is a video, posted to YouTube a month ago, revealing the fact that Paris refused to take part in Witness field ministry…

According to TMZ.com, Paris reportedly “threw a fit” last night when she was told she couldn’t go to a Marilyn Manson concert. The same source reports that there are signs of cutting on Paris’ arms – indicating long-standing emotional problems.

Whatever the issues surrounding this disturbing news, whether this development is related to Paris’ religious upbringing or not, at the center of this story is a very troubled young woman who urgently needs the help, support and understanding of those around her – including trained mental health professionals.

On behalf of all those involved with JWsurvey.org, I express my deepest concern for Paris and my sincerest hope that she will have a quick and speedy recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading…

Related video…

24 thoughts on “Breaking News: Paris Jackson Attempts Suicide

  • June 5, 2013 at 12:06 pm
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    I hope that Paris Jackson gets the professional help that she needs during this difficult time.

    Thank you for sharing this information.

    When teens are suicidal it is not a spiritual malady to be remedied through prayer, as the recent Awake! magazine tries to claim. These children need real help and attention from medical professionals!

  • June 5, 2013 at 1:02 pm
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    Even though I was hoping so hard that this wasn’t going to be the case, I anticipated something tragic along this line some time ago…Here you have a young lady floating around in a parental vaccuum and also under exponential pressure of worldwide public scrutiny and that tender age? With such a freakish family? Public speculation as to who her father even is? Now public charges of her father being a criminal again? Throw in the cult pressure element to confuse things with twisted life and death and abuse pressures that are non applicable and false, making a loving God look like an ogre rather than a friend? She already spoke of bullying and abuse at school when I had her on twitter so I was hoping against hope that nothing bad would transpire…

  • June 5, 2013 at 3:24 pm
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    Nice Work. Great example of someone who chooses to not follow down the path they are given by their family. If she is hurting it is due to all the pressures around her and prayer as little impact in healing her woes. I believe once she finds her way through her problems she will be in a much better place. The cancer of forcing the youth to do what they are told is now manifesting itself with self mutilation and suicide. If Paris does read any of these comments then I tell you that your loved. We respect your choices as long as your happy but be careful not to be fooled by your family as they are manipulated by others too. Great Job Cedars, Save the Children is your mission of truth.

  • June 5, 2013 at 10:49 pm
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    Her grandmother needs professional help first for a long lasting solution. She must be psychologically disturbed by the cult teachings. This cult has the capacity to penetrate and destroy your life through family members. They BELIEVE that they are “The First Woe—Locusts” “The Locust Plague Today” “a plague of locusts that attack those ‘who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.’ that “authority was given them, the same authority as the scorpions of the earth have.” (Revelation 9:2, 3) (Read Revelation Climax chapter 22)!!!

  • June 6, 2013 at 11:46 am
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    JWsurvey’s own Richard E. Kelly has been quoted in Charisma News on this link: http://www.charismanews.com/us/39785-did-cultish-religion-move-paris-jackson-to-commit-suicide

    “There is a high incidence of suicide attempts and cutting among JW children,” he says. “They’re told to go to all the meetings; they’re told Armageddon is coming; they’re told they need to go door-to-door to hand out materials. Kids with minds of their own develop problems with these demands and act out in various ways. Suicide attempts are not uncommon.”

  • June 6, 2013 at 12:04 pm
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    Way to go Richard!

  • June 6, 2013 at 7:15 pm
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    Dat, dat, dat… My thoughts and prayers are with Paris and family in working through this, but isn’t this family built on being “independent” of following Mama Katherine’s wishes? and, specifically, the wishes of the elders? Paris is true to her father’s nature–a free-spirit with morals and ethics but unwilling to be confined to a box of conformity. Consider that for a celebrity (and Paris as a descendant of a superstar and having a paparazzi following qualifies) they would need to “tone-down” and “costume-up” to fulfill the door-to-door requirement to avoid attracting photographers and possibly harming the service group as they are trampled or run over. That is weird.

    But, what really, really is ironic is that the origins–if we reach way, way, way back to the roots–of influence on Russell and the Watchtower publications, we find non-conformity and free-thinkers who refused to be confined to a box of conformity–a rebellion against standard Christian theology and forms of devotion.

    I LOVE IT!!! A dose of their own medicine and a bitter pill to swallow!

    Hang in there, Paris. TO borrow a phrase, “it gets better!”

  • June 8, 2013 at 2:10 pm
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    It’s often posited that a cult drives people to commit suicide. Naturally, any group disowns this infamy, but a group’s dynamics can create fertile grounds which accelerate an individual’s inclination toward suicidal tendencies. As we’ve seen from the “Letter to Elders” regarding India and the push for “exemplary JW families” and the constant measuring up to the “ideal Witness” model written in the Watchtower creates an atmosphere where perfectionism is rewarded and praised. To counter that Jehovah’s organization realizes we are all humans with imperfections due to Adam’s falling short, etc, etc is to dodge the issue on how the Watchtower literature has painted the ideal Witness character for men, women and families. It’s akin to the similar suburban and urban ideals that were portrayed in family and advertisements during the 1950’s and 1960’s for an ideal family and home; families went through extraordinary means to hide their dysfunction to the point of self-harming and enabling those who were causing harm.

    We see this repeated in the incessant denial of Witnesses that child abuse and pedophilia exists in the organization and that the Watchtower Society covers it up to avoid presenting the “less-than-perfect” reality and preserve its “a paradise away from the world” hype. We all heard that–you didn’t want to leave a meeting or assembly because it was the ideal of how the “new world” would be–“the new system.” It disguised the fact that someone in that audience may have been beating their child beyond disciplinary measures, a spouse being abused, or someone struggling with addictions.

    So, being less-than-ideal and facing isolation — further isolation — a teen would have some serious issues to cope, and thus a need for secular / professional assistance in mapping out “who they are” versus everyone else, family, and religious community.

  • June 10, 2013 at 9:00 am
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    Great comment. I’ve recently learned TTATT and what you stated is exactly the observation I’ve reached about JW world.

  • November 6, 2013 at 9:39 pm
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    Slow down. Let’s find out all the info like prescription drugs. Not to say this is tragic and our children need support (of which I have one).

  • January 24, 2014 at 9:14 am
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    I was once caught up with this ‘cult’. People have to start educating themselves on this stupid cult and help those who are in need by showing them love and patience. Educate yourself on these dangerous cults who are greedy and do not care about your well being and who blame everything on their god. Swearing that it’s gods law and we have to blindly follow it! That is not how free will works. Free will cannot be followed if there are wolves in sheeps clothing deceiving those, trapping those who are vulernable to it’s attacks and persuasions. Don’t drink the poison! Love yourself

  • March 6, 2014 at 9:02 am
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    (Please bear with my English, I am no native speaker)

    While I have every sympathy with your website and cause against JW’s, I really feel extremely uncomfortable seeing Paris’ attempted suicide dragged in here for possible proof of how corrosive this cult may be.

    You even say you “express your deepest concerns” but yet have not the decency to refrain exploiting her suicide attempt. Just because it may serve your cause. Please don’t all jump on me, that’s just how my first (and second) reaction was to this posted here.

    • March 6, 2014 at 9:11 am
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      Thanks for your observations Sandie. However the above article was worded extremely carefully so as to not make any assertions as to the causes of Paris’ suicide attempt. i.e. “Whatever the issues surrounding this disturbing news, whether this development is related to Paris’ religious upbringing or not, at the center of this story is a very troubled young woman who urgently needs the help, support and understanding of those around her – including trained mental health professionals.”

      Are you saying that young JW celebrities are somehow “off limits,” and we in the Ex-JW community are not allowed to talk about well-publicized problems that may befall them?

  • March 6, 2014 at 9:15 am
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    Former Jehovah’s Witnesses no longer have to go by the ‘rules’ of the Watchtower. We are part of the world now and there is absolutely nothing wrong with Cedars’ article that addressed a possibility that crossed many of our minds. Why can’t we talk about this? The answer is, we can!

  • March 6, 2014 at 9:42 am
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    Sandie,
    When you lose someone to a cult and you know that it has an extreme hold over them and you hear that they are sad and have attempted suicide, would you keep quiet? The most compassionate thing you could do is to tell the world about the cult, so that nobody else has to suffer. That is all Cedars is doing and I for one am very grateful. Do independent research and find out about what people have experienced, the loss of family members, the loss of years of their lives. Its not like being a Catholic, there are consequences for being associated with this cult. Many children had no option but to be fed these teachings, because its what their parents or grandparents wanted – Paris for example. For some the only escape that seemed possible was suicide. Others have walked away but bear the scars. Rather than attack the messenger, be part of the army that is stopping the abuse. Paris may one day thank you for that.

  • March 6, 2014 at 12:24 pm
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    You are right, you didn’t explicit said, that her religious upbringing was the cause of that. I read that too and have to honor you for this.

    And yet, bringing it here in this possible context. It has something of “using” her case to try to imply something, while nobody but her knows what drove her to that point. It might be simply a boy (or girl) who broke her heart. It might well be something else. Nobody knows.

    Of course her suicide attempt is well documented in the yellow press, full of speculation. I just somehow think, she’s a desperate girl in great pain, don’t try to prove a point with her, well documented or not.

    I didn’t want to start a fight here, and I understand also that you are all somehow at least emotionally abused from JWs, I just don’t get it that you drag a teenager into this, who didn’t volunteer for this article at all. That’s all. Sorry.

    • March 6, 2014 at 12:28 pm
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      Thanks Sandie. I take your observations on board. But since I was merely reporting on the news and reciting known information about Paris rather than “using” her, as you put it, there isn’t a great deal I can do. In any case, thank you for visiting JWsurvey and I hope you find the information on this website useful.

  • March 6, 2014 at 12:34 pm
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    So glad,

    telling people from one’s own first hand experience is something completely different than this. Nobody can claim to know this teenage girl from acquaintance, not me, not you, nobody.

    I don’t even take particular interest in her case, I am no person to hunt celebrities, I wasn’t even fan of Michale Jackson, because I was and am really more of the Freddie Mercury fan.

    I just think, you can do better than that. Bring people with first hand experience. If you have to refrain to uninvolved kids, then this is just mind boggling to me.

  • March 6, 2014 at 1:26 pm
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    Sandie,
    There are many thousands that will give you first hand experience, me included, I have a dead nephew, a sister and a more, because of this cult. Cedars reported what the press was reporting. I can see the links, to the experiences of many, not least because of my experience. I am glad he is exposing abuse of this cult and the effects it has upon young minds. It may be mind boggling to you, it is not to many thousands who know the facts. I can only say, do the research.

  • March 15, 2014 at 4:09 pm
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    Whilst in the ladies room at the Kingdom Hall, I overheard two young teenage sisters saying that they didn’t want to be there and they had failed to ‘get out of it’ that day. They were only really there to please their parents. The internal conflict resulted in the one young girl committing suicide about a year later. The other one married the first young man she could get, in order to leave home. She soon left her husband for a man ‘in the world’ and was of course disfellowshipped. What a sad state of affairs.
    The teenage children of Jehovah’s Witnesses are often in a state of mental distress, trying to please ‘God’ and yet wanting some sort of excitement in their lives. Balance and understanding are needed. Pressure to conform will never work.
    As is the case with Paris, she needs love and more than the usual amount of care. She is in a very precarious position with media attention to cope with as well as a dominating grandmother. I do hope she comes through this and learns to enjoy her young life to the full without any more tragedy.
    I have now left the Watchtower Society because of finding out that there is deceit in their teaching and the despicable cases of child abuse continue to rise.

  • March 20, 2014 at 10:57 am
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    I’VE BEEN IN THAT CULT FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS, I REALLY DON’T AGREE ABOUT FORCING OUR CHILDREN TO BE SOMEONE THEY’RE NOT, JUST LIKE THEIR PARENTS, THEY BRAINWASH THE WAY THEY’RE BRAINWASHED. MY CHILDREN ALL LEFT ON THEIR OWN, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONALITY AND EDUCATION WHICH THE SOCIETY ISN’T TOO KEEN, BUT GOING FROM DOOR TO DOOR WON’T PAY YOUR BILLS. THE GUILT THEY PUT IN OUR MIND IS ABOUT THE HARDEST, BUT IT DOES PASS.YOUNG ONES BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE NO SHAME.

  • June 20, 2014 at 2:02 pm
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    I feel so badly for MJ’s children, the way he obtained them and his example to them could not have been anymore sick and twisted, a privileged we accord the wealthy and famous. I really want to corner Katherine and bluntly ask her: “How the Witnesses working out for the kids, your marriage”? If they is a more dysfunctional extended family on earth, I am not aware of them. The Tower certainly has not been the rock they could hold to give their kids a good foundation and enrich the parents marriage. It just makes for such a sad story of hurting and unproductive lives, (outside the very temporary success in the music biz). If you believe in the power of prayer, say one for the grandkids.

  • June 26, 2014 at 1:46 pm
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    Wow …….same church it was in the early 70’s.
    Everyone into everyone else’s business. That is why I left.
    Why would ANY of you want to know the business of Jackson’s daughter? Did you really expect ANY different? And where was the wonderful Katherine when Michael and all the brothers were being abused by their father? I am sure she was a JW back then. WAKE UP!!!!

  • June 26, 2014 at 1:52 pm
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    I agree . I was told as a 17 year old in 1971 that the end would be within a year or two. Then I saw the true picture a few years later and left. NEVER to go back.
    I wonder what the number of drop outs is now?

Comments are closed.