Retrovirus

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Posts by Retrovirus

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  36

  My Wife is reading "Learn From a Great Teacher" to my oldest daughter.

  by garyneal in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in the past, i've tried reasoning with my wife concerning the reading of religious materials to our children but the reasoning is not getting through.

  she believes that since my oldest daughter prefers church to the kingdom hall (no surprise) that in order to provide any kind of 'true' religious instruction she must read wt material geared to the kiddies.

  in the past, i reasoned that if she insists on reading material to her that will ultimately trash my way of life then i could do the same.

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  Retrovirus

  garyneal wrote My oldest is very intelligent indeed

  Then you're very probably home free. Who do kids listen to in late primary school and their teens - their own age group or their parents?
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  151

  Introducing Myself

  by StandFirm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello to jwn!

  this is standfirm.

  i mainly post on the topix jehovah's witness forum, but i decided to give it a try over here also.

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  Retrovirus

  StandingFirm,

  I'd like you to support your initial assertion that "apostate material" is unconvincing - not by quoting the wt as saying so, but by giving examples and showing the fallacies in them.

  Retro
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  12

  my mind is screwed has anyone ever felt like this?

  by deservingone26 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my mind is screwed.

  i am so messed up and there seems to be nothing i can do i can try to be as positive as i want but it always comes right back to this!

  right back to me hating myself.

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  Retrovirus

  deservingone26, it sounds like depression, and depression can be treated. Get a referral to a good counsellor!

  Also, I've never been a jw, but do know that the stress that you are under must be immense. You don't have to carry it alone. Getting help is as sensible as getting an infection treated before it worsens.

  Whatever you do, it will take time but it will get better. You are not without personality or boring ,everyone seems boring while they are depressed. That will change, and you can become whatever you choose.

  You are as valuable and important as any other person on the planet.

  Take care of yourself through this hard time and keep in touch here!

  Retro
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  31

  My Experience as JW

  by umadevi in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hello, i am new to this site and it is comforting to know that i am not the only one that has problem with wts.

  i'm 36 and single parent with 8 year old son.

  i work full time from 8am to 5pm in order to support both of us.

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  Retrovirus

  A warm welcome, Umadevi!

  I'm a non-jw (failed to progress at "bible study", so now bad association). I also raised my two as a single parent.

  Any God that may exist and love us, would know that caring for and providing for your son is the best and most important thing you can do.

  Read on here, read the books suggested and have a look at jwfacts; then make up your own mind! It's important, more especially for your son's future!

  Best wishes always, Retro
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  151

  Introducing Myself

  by StandFirm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello to jwn!

  this is standfirm.

  i mainly post on the topix jehovah's witness forum, but i decided to give it a try over here also.

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  Retrovirus

  Hi again StandingFirm,

  Thanks for your reply. I cannot provide "convincing apostate material" because I'm not an apostate. But my experience is the mirror image of yours: I was in a "bible study" for many months and found the wt material quite unconvincing. So perhaps we could get to specific materials.

  I reply to Flipper, you quote a recent wt article:

  "Andre, who had served Jehovah for years, had the bitter experience of being led astray by apostate thinking. He felt that having a quick look at an apostate Web site would not be dangerous. He recalls: “Initially, I was attracted to the so-called truths that the apostates spoke of. The more I examined what they said, the more I came to think that I was justified in leaving Jehovah’s organization. But later, as I did some research on the apostates’ arguments against Jehovah’s Witnesses, I became aware of how crafty the false teachers were. Information taken out of context was their ‘strong evidence’ against us. Thus, I decided to start reading our publications again and to attend the meetings. Soon I realized how much I had missed.” Happily, Andre returned to the congregation." -p. 19

  So, what specific "apostate material" have you researched? If you don't have a preference, could we start with jwfacts?

  In turn, I'm happy to discuss any part of "What does the Bible Really Teach?" and explain what I found unbelievable.

  Retro
• 
  151

  Introducing Myself

  by StandFirm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello to jwn!

  this is standfirm.

  i mainly post on the topix jehovah's witness forum, but i decided to give it a try over here also.

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  Retrovirus

  Interesting!

  I like to practice defending my beliefs against opposing beliefs, voiced by whomever

  My own beliefs vary over time and are always available for adjustment, preferably by reality; possibly by logic. The beliefs of all religions I know also change over time, just not often as fast as jw beliefs.

  You replied to The Love Doctor

  The Bible in the case of disfellowshipping also does not make exceptions in the case of family members

  Where does the Bible say anything about disfellowshipping?
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  151

  Introducing Myself

  by StandFirm in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello to jwn!

  this is standfirm.

  i mainly post on the topix jehovah's witness forum, but i decided to give it a try over here also.

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  Retrovirus

  Hello and Welcome, StandFirm!

  I'm not a jw, but have had "bible studies" with some kind neighbors, which have left me with a lot of questions.

  Hopefully you will give me some answers!

  You write ...

  and my defenses the best they can be

  Whom or what do you need to defend against?

  Retro
• 
  42

  Today's WT Study Stupidity About Df'ing

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in today's watchtower study, towards the end, you had one of those typical comments by a former df'ed witness expressing appreciation for being shunned.

  these comments always remind me of a stalinist show trial in which the accused enthusiastically accepts being executed for the greater good (probably to save his family).. after this kind of nonsense is expressed, you will get a flurry of self righteous comments emphasizing how important it is to shun your disfellowshipped relatives, so that they can come back in the "truth".. oh, really?

  do any of these people raising their hand realize that, if the "success" of disfellowshipping depends on your shunning, then the "repentant" person is "coming back in the truth" for the sake of their relatives -and not because of fearing jehovah !!!???.

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  Retrovirus

  Welcome, Tracylee!

  (For background, I'm a non-jw, "failed" to make progress in the "bible study")

  A general question, if a jw must speak to someone in the course of their work, are they still obliged to shun? That would make for some bizarre scenarios, if, say, the jw was a doctor or emergency services. . Or if the "shunned" person was one of these. ..

  Does the wt allow no leeway at all for common sense?
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  33

  New light on NEW LIGHT

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  well, it just sort of came to me while i was driving.. the doctrine of new light is a false analogy.. why had i not considered this before?.

  here is what i'm thinking; see if you don't agree.... jehovah's witnesses are divided into three distinct tiers of membership.. 1.governing body anointed.

  2.clueless anointed.

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  Retrovirus

  This was my light-bulb moment for the day

  Jehovah's Witnesses are divided into three distinct tiers of membership.

  1.Governing Body anointed

  2.Clueless anointed

  3.The rest of the non-anointed schmucks

  Is that about right?

  Mr Flipper has explained this to me before, but I still had trouble believing it. The unbelievable arrogance of decreeing that all anointed not on the GB are clueless! And the R&F simply accept it. . .
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  13

  Can You Explain This? (Blood)

  by headisspinning in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don't understand why the wt puts so much time and effort into informing people about the intricacies of blood transfusions and fractions, but they don't really focus attention on the dietary side of not eating blood.

  because it was clearly a dietary restriction in the bible and maybe not so clearly in regard to blood transfusions (i'm still pondering this part).. is that ever discussed with bible studies or prior to baptism?

  it seems to me that if the command to 'abstain from blood' is so important that people will put their life on the line over it, then shouldn't very clear direction be spelling out in detail about what foods are okay to eat and what foods aren't?

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  Retrovirus

  Hi Headisspinning,

  I could be called a Christian, the group I belong to have similar beliefs to Unitarians.

  On the blood issue I'd just emphasise that blood transfusions were not known in Biblical times and therefore cannot be covered by what was or wasn't allowed then. When given intravenously, blood functions as an organ, and is not a food.

  I also agree with Pirata's point - What is more important; the symbol of life or life itself?

  So no, the WTs' complicated rules on blood fractions make no sense to me at all.

  Retro