Posts by Retrovirus

16

"Apostates main topic is always Disfellowshipping! And I agree with the arrangement 100%"

by sabastious in

there are a lot of witnesses that have examined the df'ing arrangement and deem it worthy to be the main force of discipline for god's earthly organization.

the prodfers as i just named them, are advovates of the policy and believe that it churns out, once the offender returns through the system in place, very "spiritual" people.. think about this process and figure out what the desired result the originator of the policy was:.

the subject is acused of a "high end sin" (requires the quantification of sin).if subject has been viewed by two or more witnesses a private hearing is formed with a panel of three elders.the subject is interogated by the panel of elders and information is gathered using policies from a secret elder handbook.

Retrovirus

Perhaps I missed it, but what about the requirement for a DF'd person to attend meetings? While being shunned all the time.

Retro

31

Hello Everyone!!!

by Crank!!! in

jw
friends

this is my very first post here at jwn.

i have been "lurking" here for a few months as i have slowly faded over the past year.

so i figured it was time to become a full blown jw opposer, and i tell you it couldnt feel better!.

Retrovirus

Welcome, and I look forward to hearing your story! This is a great place for learning to understand the jw religion.

Retro

54

I am new here too!

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

for a long while i have been coming to this site on a daily basis and i think it is time to introduce myself.

here we go: my parents learned the truth when i was 4 and i don't have childhood memories of how life was before they converted.

i was a model jw child, although quite mischievous at school.

Retrovirus

That's sad, NVR2L8.

I've seen how older jw's cling to the hope and the routine. My older jw visitor has Parkinsons, and tells me every visit that she believes that "soon" she'll have a perfect healthy body. I asked here on another thread if it wouldn't be better not to disturb her beliefs.

Trouble is, they go in service to the poorer people and to new immigrants. If they gain converts, and the converts or their kids wake up, every chance of another broken family. Hard to know what's right sometimes.

I do hope it works out for your family; that your wife gradually comes to understand, and that there are no confrontations.

Retro

54

I am new here too!

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

for a long while i have been coming to this site on a daily basis and i think it is time to introduce myself.

here we go: my parents learned the truth when i was 4 and i don't have childhood memories of how life was before they converted.

i was a model jw child, although quite mischievous at school.

Retrovirus

NVR2L8,

Hi again. Yes, I saw that article too (more earthquakes will come), it was in the issue that had a lot about Haiti, wasn't it? When you realise that the wt has admitted there is no increase in earthquakes in the last 100 years, it's clear that the intention is to deceive honest members.

Based on my family and friend jws, I'm sure that you family that are "in" are made very afraid by your change of heart. Sometimes I have to avoid all religious subjects for weeks, just to keep the relationships alive. I try to concentrate on "broadening" the friendship by looking for other topics, or meeting them in a different place and just having a good time together.

I live in hope that the many restrictions on reading and entertainment, and lack of socialising within the wt might lead them to wonder why they enjoy themselves more somewhere else, and that if they do awaken, they'll know they have at least one friend out there.

Retro

54

I am new here too!

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

for a long while i have been coming to this site on a daily basis and i think it is time to introduce myself.

here we go: my parents learned the truth when i was 4 and i don't have childhood memories of how life was before they converted.

i was a model jw child, although quite mischievous at school.

Retrovirus

NVR2L8,

It makes perfect sense - and btw, English wasn't my first language either. I found it amazing that the jws would blindly accept such claims in the wt literature, and then be confident to "teach" me the "truth" without any further checking.

And when I pointed out the retraction in 2002, they checked it, and were equally confident that the biblical reference to earthquakes as a sign meant that they affected more people, or caused more damage, or more distress - of course, none of which can be verified in any way.

Now I understand better, I've learned a lot here about the jw mindset, and also that jws are scared away from reading anything outside wt literature and discouraged from getting a good education.

As you keep reading, you'll find the shoddy claims extend to anything that contradicts the current beliefs. I find it quite difficult to chat with my jw friends without offending them by pointing out too much too soon. A little at a time, and much patience is needed.

All the best, Retro

54

I am new here too!

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

for a long while i have been coming to this site on a daily basis and i think it is time to introduce myself.

here we go: my parents learned the truth when i was 4 and i don't have childhood memories of how life was before they converted.

i was a model jw child, although quite mischievous at school.

Retrovirus

Hi again NVR2L8,

have you looked at jwfacts.com yet? (www.jwfacts.com).

The section on eathquakes lists all the times the wt said the frequency was increasing, and also the vague and hidden retraction in 2002.

The jws that visit me still believed that there had been a massive increase this century.

Retro.

54

I am new here too!

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

for a long while i have been coming to this site on a daily basis and i think it is time to introduce myself.

here we go: my parents learned the truth when i was 4 and i don't have childhood memories of how life was before they converted.

i was a model jw child, although quite mischievous at school.

Retrovirus

Welcome!

Congratulations on being strong enough to follow your own conscience! I'm not a jw but have some idea (less than many here!) of how hard it is.

Be patient with your wife, and I devoutly hope the situation improves over time.

Retro.

206

I need a show of hands: who believes the Bible and to what extent?

by Terry in

i'll start off.. i don't believe anything is divine about bible writings.

i believe there may be some marginal history although not much.

i think alot of folk tales and regional myths are contained in the old testament.

Retrovirus

As Quentin said:

Is the Bible inspired and inerrant? No. Can you read the Bible and be inspired by it's contents? Yes.

The Bible contains a lot of good stuff, but also is clearly influenced by customs and beliefs of the time and also agendas. Additionally it contradicts itself all over the place.

I trust my own conscience more than any particular interpretation of Bible "truths".

6

I am no longer a "study"

by kurtbethel in

jw
friends

i posted this in another thread, and when i saw how much detail i had written i decided it deserved its own thread.. my study ended in december in this manner.. the two guys came and we slogged through the usual questions i have and the non answers i would usually get.

discussions that went off on tangents not relevent to my question and would sometimes circle back around, but still with no answer.. on this particular day they wre ganging up on me about attending meetings and my progress not going forward unless i did that.

i asked the bullying one how he would know about my spiritual progress and what qualifications he had to make that assesment, since i was not obligated to report to him on that matter.

Retrovirus

The bullying resonated with me. Yet the lady who did it was otherwise so pleasant, it didn't seem to be her nature. Is it trained, or just that they are so sure they are right?

My jw ladies also called off the study, although they expressed regret, and still come aound occaisionally. My "failure to progress" was not attending KH meetings or conventions and not using the name "Jehovah".

2

Wasps in Awake

by Retrovirus in

jw
friends

the "was it designed" articles in awake usually annoy the hell out of me, but the one in the march issue (p25) is a real gem and i can't wait to discuss it with my jw ladies.. the musta-been-designed is the ovipostor of the wood-boring wasp.

so i can ask, if it's so evidently ( .

and that would include the wasp familiy pompilidae, right?

Retrovirus

The "Was IT Designed" articles in Awake usually annoy the hell out of me, but the one in the March issue (p25) is a real gem and I can't wait to discuss it with my jw ladies.

The musta-been-designed is the ovipostor of the wood-boring wasp. So I can ask, if it's so evidently ( ) designed, all wasps and their ovipostors must have been designed?

And that would include the wasp familiy Pompilidae, right? The wasps that paralyse spiders, inter them alive, lay an egg in or on them (with the designed ovipostor), so that the larva can eat the living spider? What did the spiders do to upset Jehovah so much?

If "after the fall" is attempted, then I can say "so they did evolve, right? If Satan gets a mention, I can ask where in the Bible does Satan create anything?

And then, as always when I'm prepared, I finish off by asking "you will find out for me, won't you?"

One straw at a time.

Retro