Retrovirus

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Posts by Retrovirus

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  24

  Hello ~ New Here.

  by witnomore in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  although i haven't been a witness for over 20 years, it has taken me that long to finally feel brave enough to join another church (aka christendom) and begin researching my past beliefs.

  all this research has opened a few old wounds, but mostly liberated me from a lot of quilt.

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  Retrovirus

  Welcome, Witnomore! Research, logical thinking and education are all important to staying out and guilt free.

  Best wishes, Retro
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  6

  untitled

  by so confused in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this weekend my husband got a call from his brother stating his family do not want to hang out with us anymore because we make them feel uncomfortable.

  i think my husband was a little shocked and did not say much.

  i'm not sure if my in laws feel the same way we will find out on friday our usual family dinner day.. so its only tuesday but looks like a productive and better week so far.

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  Retrovirus

  She forgives me for shunning her and told me if i have the chance do it for someone else in need - that is all she asks. She told me it took her years to get over being shunned and leaving this religion. But she has made peace and is happy

  So confused, you have a lovely sister! . It's good that you're seeing a therapist. Keep taking care of yourself and your little one(s).

  Happy birthday to your hubbie!

  Retro
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  8

  Hi! First Post/Advice On a JW Friend?

  by that_girl in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  long time lurker, first time poster.

  :) i'm not sure if a post this long is allowed as a first post (or if this is even in the right section), but here it goes!.

  so while in high school, i became friends with a jw.

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  Retrovirus

  Hi and welcome, that_girl! I'm also a never-jw with some friends and family "in".

  My experience has a lot in common with yours. My ex-SIL and I were good friends and I tried to keep the relationship going after she and my brother seperated. At first I got letters with a page of family stuff and 2 pages of preaching (emails were too dangerous to her), then when I began to rebut the preaching, she sent the local jws to call on me.

  So began a so-called "Bible study"; again we made no headway. The beliefs were just extreme and no way would I follow the ridiculous question and answer method. After a few months we gave up, and since then, not a word from ex-SIL, although I wrote twice more.

  About a year ago the "study" watchtower had an outrageous article about "apostates", calling them mentally diseased, and since then the pressure has continued to keep the faithful afraid of the world and its satanic influence. Your poor friend and her mother are indoctrinated, I'm afraid.

  And congrats on your psychology major!

  Keep posting and reading; you'll learn a lot about jws here!

  All the best, Retro
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  210

  Spare the Rod and spoil the child, How did that work for you

  by jam in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in proverbs there are several verses on the wisdom.

  of using the rod for discipline.

  the notion that children.

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  Retrovirus

  I copped a few "spankings" and boxes on the ear as a child and was determined it would be different for my kids. Explained this very clearly to my mother and also to my children.

  Then when eldest child was four, I overheard her pushing the boundaries with her grandma. Grandma was becoming quite annoyed, and daughter reminded her that smacking was not an option. Grandma replied sweetly "I know dear, but I'm an old lady - and I might forget!

  Retro
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  27

  July 15th WT - WT Society Promotes " Freedom " by using Fear & Guilt

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  of course, freedom means a lot of different things to many different people.

  however- to the wt society it means controlling it's jw members through fear and guilt to promote a " conditional " freedom - which turns out to not be freedom at all - just a manipulated socially restricted condition in which jehovah's witnesses are caged animals waiting for the next bit of " spiritual " food to be thrown to them by wt articles like this.. at the start of this article on pg.

  7 in paragraph 1 it states that due to lawlessness, none of us have freedom to roam around at night, there are alarms, security systems - so the wt society infers we are all living in fear.

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  Retrovirus

  Hi Mr Flipper!

  from you OP

  Those who are enthralled by the world's spirit and who indulge their fleshly desires may THINK they are free. The reality, however , is quite the opposite. Mountains of rules and regulations are necessary to curb their hurtful appetites and behavior.

  But . . .doesn't the WT, officially at least, tell it's members to comply with the laws of Society? So they need to obey all the "rules and regulations that apply to "worldly ones", plus everything else the WT loads on top. That's now called "freedom"? No wonder the article is all over the place!

  He saw a heart that would be receptive to his liberating law, a heart that would SUBMIT to His kind influence. "

  To me this is worse still. So "Jehovah", the loving father of all, causes billions of souls to be born, creates a chosen few with the right "heart condition" and sets them up to be saved while the rest go to oblivion? But of course in two "classes", the earthly and heavenly? And further, these must still "earn" their salvation (ie SUBMIT, and lose their freedom) or perish with the not-chosen?

  Doesn't stack up too well against most human parents, does he?

  Retro
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  21

  Well ladies. What say you about the latest public tower

  by therevealer in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  is this statement on page 5 "though the surgeon performs the actual operation, is he more important?

  it is hard to say.".

  meant to be translated "is the guy more important to the gal?

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  Retrovirus

  Yes, JWFacts got the point. At the end of page 4 they do quote that Eve was created as a "helper" and complement" to Adam, and then deliberately focus on the meaning and implications of "complement" only. Absolutely typical Watchtower misrepresentation.

  Also have a look at the box on page 9, about Paul telling women to remain silent and ask their husbands later. "Likely. . .some Christian women were so enthusiastic that they interrupted the speaker. . . ". A flagrant example of going beyond what was written if ever I saw one!

  Of course women were not regarded in any way as equals to men in Biblical times. And this is clearly replected in the Bible.

  Retro
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  23

  At my breaking point

  by so confused in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so it does not seem like im dealing very well.

  its been 6 month since we have stopped going to the meeting.

  embarssing in front of co-worker and my new supervisor.

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  Retrovirus

  Hi, I'm a never-jw (some family in, and "studied" for a few months), but I am a mum. You are exactly right to put your welfare first now, and that of your children, born and not born.

  Unfortunately, in my experience jws are trained to detect and exploit vulnerability (after all, it's for our own good right? ). But, it's great that your family have decided to ease off.

  Best to avoid discussion of things jw until you are sure you're ready. Don't hesitate to say you're not ready, have a headache, backache, need some space, whatever. Practice some "gentle put-offs" - any counsellor could coach you - such as "I'll consider that when I'm feeling better", "no, not right now, thanks", "tell me about . . .(anything else)" etc.

  And keep doing whatever makes you feel good now - spending time with your kid is great; that's the sort of thing you'll remember in the better times to come.

  Best wishes, Retro
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  25

  When there are hundreds of thousands of toys in the market, why buy your your child the magic toy

  by Mr Facts in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when there are hundreds of thousands of toys in the market, why buy your child the magical toy?..

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  Retrovirus

  Please, MrFacts, tell me which toy is actually magic and what it does! I want to buy it for myself!
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  31

  What Watchtower Got Wrong with Their Child Molestation Policy

  by Billy the Ex-Bethelite in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  in the style of stephen lett, i'm trying to come up with an exhaustive, enumerated list (without his crazy eyebrows, goofy facial expressions, and nutty voice).

  what watchtower has gotten wrong isn't just their 2 witness rule.

  it goes much deeper into other failures of jw dogma that has allowed this injustice and others to flourish in their organization.

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  Retrovirus

  I'd like to add to Nugget's point about repentance. Like many other religions, the WT is arrogantly confident that their elders can diagnose "genuine repentance" and that this would prevent re-offending. There seems to have been a small measure of watchfulness that the stepdaughter was not bothered again. . . but for CC to have been molested over 2 years, shows that the offender was allowed access to other children - completely unsupervised.

  They deserve to lose much more than $28 million.

  Retro
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  67

  This was my 'Sign'

  by MsGrowingGirl20 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my previous post i mentioned that i'm staying in the org because i think i got a sign from god...some of you asked a lot of questions about my sign and even shared the society's view on asking for signs which i didn't know.. i didn't disclose exactly what the sign was.. some of you asked me what it was and even stated that i know that you all would pick apart and prove that my sign was just a frivolous excuse to hold on to the org.. maybe you were right.. so i've decided to tell you all exactly what it was---no embellishments or exaggerations.

  i would love to hear your opinions since i'm still in a terrible mess.sometimes i'm 100% this is not the truth then other times i'm 60%....i feel if god was giving me a sign i'd be 100% this is the truth you know?.

  so i woke up that morning and organized to go meeting.

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  Retrovirus

  Ms Growing Girl

  Just wanted to say I really admire your courage.

  You have read CoC, brought your concerns to this site and planned higher education. This, given your upbringing and the controlling nature of your religion is extraordinarily brave. Your willingness to disclose the nature of your sign is a further example of this bravery.

  Any God who cares about the moral values of this children cannot be displeased by courage and a willingness to test and lean. This IMO is confirmed by the Bible.

  With this attitude, and your care for your cousin, I'm sure you will both find your way. I hope it will be as painless as possible.

  Best wishes, Retro