Retrovirus

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Posts by Retrovirus

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  124

  Are JWs the worst restaurant customers?

  by Alfred in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  (a little background info before i ask my question...).

  my sister-in-law (non-jw), who manages a popular chain restaurant near a kingdom hall, just found out that my wife and i have recently faded, so she decided to get something off her chest the other day... you guessed it: she wanted us to know that jws are the worst customers ever!

  she then told us some really embarrassing stories about how jws would request a table for 15 to 20 people (after a sunday meeting) and then (when the bill came) some of the jws would start deliberating amongst themselves on whether or not the waiter was diligent or not (to justify the low tip he was getting anyway).

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  Retrovirus

  This thread is heading downhill, but I'll try a different perspective.

  How unreasonable is it for the wt to

  1. tell jws not to get an education

  2. expect them to pioneer and put meetings etc ahead of work

  3. demand that they dress smartly (in an old-fashioned and non-provocative way)

  4. expect them to tip freely - with what?

  Yes, I know there are well-to-do jw's, but this strikes me as the height of hypocrisy.

  I've had to watch the small change several times in my life (we just didn't eat out), but I know how hard it is to hand out the money

  Retro
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  25

  My Story....Long and Im sorry

  by itsbeenalongtime in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok...so this is my story.. i'm not sure why i have to post this..maybe more for myself than others.... .

  back 2002 i had a my daughter.

  i was 18. her father was was pretty much an awful mate and never worked....the same old story.... anyway a long story short we ended up moving in with his aunt, who at the time, was a sister.

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  Retrovirus

  Thank you for sharing. I've never been a jw, but have been through a painful divorce and "shunned" by family members, so I feel your pain.

  I'm sure it was because of those things that I "studied" with jw's; guess I would have done anything for a bit of encouragement and affection then!

  What pulled me through was the need to be a strong single parent for my two.

  Whatever the rest of your story, and whatever the future brings, I devoutly hope that you and your kids make it through to a happy and free adulthood.

  Warmest wishes, Retro
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  96

  April 15th WT - WT Society says " Obeying Us is Same as Obeying God "

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is a non-study article in the witness only version of the april 15th titled " do you discern the evidence of god's guidance ?

  " essentially in this article the alleged " faithful slave " is telling witnesses that to be approved to survive armageddon- they will have to recognize the " faithful & discreet slave's " authority in their lives.. notice these direct quotes from pg.

  4 , " jesus christ is the assigned leader of the congregation.

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  Retrovirus

  From the OP, quoting the jw watchtower, non-study article

  He HAS DELEGATED some authority to a faithful slave class, made up of faithful spirit - anointed Christians

  .

  I seem to have lost track of the "current light" on "spirit anointed ones". Do the GB all claim this status? Wasn't there a recent article saying in effect that even those claiming to be spirit-anointed should be obedient to "God's organisation"?

  So what authoriy or priveleges does "spirit anointing" give the individual these days? And if none, why is it still something to claim?

  Just wondering, Retro
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  3

  untitled

  by itsbeenalongtime in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have been thinking a lot about how once someone is appointed in the in hall....such as a ms or elder...how many people always make such comments as: "well jehovah has appointed him so we have to deal with it" or "even jehovah uses wicked people in his organization"..how can people believe this??

  i do not understand how holy spirit can be apart of such beliefs.

  i know of a brother in our hall right now that has committed fornication, never telling anyone about it.

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  Retrovirus

  Having read "Crisis of Conscience", I'd say that if the Holy Spirit can't straighten out the governing body, what hope does it have with all the elders and MS's?

  Hope you are enjoying posting and I look forward to your story.

  Retro
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  39

  using the name "jehovah"

  by finallyfree! in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i find it to be frankly disrespectful.

  im a father, if my kids were to call me by my first name id find that wierd.

  we address judges with "your honor" and various other titles, so why on earth would we call the almighty god by his first name?

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  Retrovirus

  Thank all, it's very educational on this site (well, sometimes )

  My rather simple thought was that when my jw friends kept saying "Jehovah God", it sounded like God needed them to remind him of his name!

  It was one of the 2 reasons why they discontinued the "Bible" study, that I wouldn't use it. They told me it must please God as it was the most commonly accepted pronounciation in the world. . . Yet who did they say ruled the world ?

  Retro
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  15

  Time to stop obsessing

  by Qcmbr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i think i may have reached another crossroads.

  the most tolerant woman in the world and i were discussing it last night.

  i've seen my loss of faith like a relationship breakup, i've done the gut wrenching fear bit and i've been heavily invested in the anger and angst phase where i've sought out people who believed as strongly as i once did and challenged them (like an ex-lover calling up for a shouting match.

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  Retrovirus

  Qcmbr, I'll miss you, but dree your own wierd! It matters less what we believe than what we do.

  Keep evolving, Retro
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  21

  Carpenters - Yesterday Once More

  by possible-san in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  carpenters - yesterday once more.

  i love this song.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0orogjusbg.

  .

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  Retrovirus

  All the Japanese people have my prayers, Possible-san.

  Stay well!

  Retro
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  37

  "See! See? Just as like the bible says! earthquakes are increasing!"

  by highdose in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  which is what a dub said to me today.

  i would like to come back to him with evidence that they are not.

  does anyone have any helpful links they could post to refute this?.

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  Retrovirus

  the wt did, however, claim that the number of eartquakes was increasing for many decades. A good source is the "earthquakes" heading on jwfacts.

  Their retraction was so well hidden that many jws atill believe it. My visitors did.

  Retro
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  31

  My brother is now being trained as a Circut Overseer.

  by Voices in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i received a phone call from my mother (who is still a jw, but very accepting of me still as her loving son, even though i was disfellowshiped for questioning the oranization and choosing the bible over the watchtower at that time).

  she makes normal talk, just regular stuff pertaining to situations of ours.

  about me coming to visit, and or her coming.

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  Retrovirus

  Voices,

  I've done the despair and depression thing, several times. and a main reason was that my parents constantly compared us as kids and judged (you'll never be as good at this as x).

  Therapy is hard. It's difficult to face the truth about ourselves, and change is probably hardest of all. But these things are real, and lead to a real, better life.

  You are no more a sinner than anyone else. If you are still religious, you know that the Bible teaches this too; if not, sin is a useless concept anyway!

  You are a person whom life has given the insight and motivation to pursue a hard path that will lead to better things. Use it, work through it and I wish you all happiness.

  Retro
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  47

  I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS !!!!!!!!!!!

  by wasblind in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  1) i think it's ridiculous to tell anyone when and how to use something they paid for ( computers and internet service ).

  2) i think it's ridiculous to tell married couples how to act in the bedroom.

  3) i think it's ridiculous to tell people what kinda cars they should buy ( 4 door for fieldservice ).

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  Retrovirus

  That adults send their small children to strangers with pamphlets because they fear rejection.

  That studying is equated to underlining supplied material and giving answers reword what was just read.

  That a CO can tell an audience that the jws could rebuild Haiti faster than all the relief crews and everyone applauds.