Retrovirus

Joined

• started 11 topics
• posted 713 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Retrovirus

• 
  20

  A Course in Miracles

  by semelcred in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've just started reading a course in miracles and wondered if any one here has any thoughts or any contact with this book?

  as an ex-jw i find it hard to accept reading any other religious publication but i find the idea of the ego's attempt at separation as the real issue against the idea of original sin a fascinating concept.

  also the book was channeled!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  I'll have a go, Rebel8,

  Terry's post, as I understood it, ridiculed the alleged source of the book, without addressing the content. It also asserted that claiming the source was Jesus, was intended to use Jesus as an authority.

  I've read some but not all of ACIM, and, like others here, enjoy exploring the different ideas it presents. No reason why I need an "authority" to do that, or a basis in fact either.

  IMO, these concepts, and your perception of "cultish", don't apply here. No-one will shun me or regard me as a living corpse if I accept some, all or none of it. Or whether or not I change my mind later.

  And just for context, I get a lot from Terry's well thought out posts. Also I work as an analyst, and my work deliverables are entirely based on facts and probabilities.

  ACIM etc., occupies a different part of my alleged brain .
• 
  58

  So why

  by bushido8000 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  it has become very apparent to me very quickly that this forum is dominated by ex-jws.

  i have many questions and topics to present but i first want to know who i am presenting these questions and topics to so i have 2 questions that i would like as many of yall to answer as possible.. .

  question 1: did you leave the organization out of the blue or were you first disfellowshipped?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  Hi,

  My situation is that I studied but never joined.

  I'll interpret Q2 as "why didn't I 'progress'"? Because the literature presented as "Truth" wasn't true. For example quoting Francis Hitching; even citing him as an authority. He has a basic science degree and has never worked as a scientist; the simplest Google search establishes this. And pointing this and other concerns out got me labelled "opposer". Any information that didn't fit was managed by bad-naming the source; a simple logical fallacy.

  I do feel some bitterness as I saw my brothers' marriage to a jw struggle and finally break, and what their children went through. I saw that both parents tried their hardest to maintain the marriage but the jw religion doesn't allow compromise.
• 
  28

  A Letter to My Sons ... A Request for Help

  by 00DAD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it has now been over two years since i was df'd.

  in that time i have had limited contact with my 17 year old son, the younger, and almost no contact with my 20 year old.

  the older boy was baptized 5 years ago and sadly the younger just recently took the plunge into the "pool-aid".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  00Dad,

  have you considered keeping a diary? It could form the basis of your message to your sons, or just help you keep track of things you'd like them to know. And if they have the least interest (I'm sure they do!), they'll read it, whether or not you're still here.

  Best wishes for your efforts to stay in touch.

  Retro
• 
  18

  My trouble

  by bushido8000 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been facing a small dilemma for some years now.

  i have been in the truth since i was 5 years old.

  after experiencing some troubles with man-made rules (non-scriptural, told me that i absolutely could not join my small school's football team) in the kingdom hall when i was about 16, i stopped going to take a step back and look at what was going on.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  Hello and a belated welcome, Bushido8000!

  I'm a non-jw who "studied" with two kind jw ladies for about six months. I'm still sorting out my own beliefs, so have nothing to convert you to or from.

  What I'm sure of, is that we need to keep learning until we find what we need. Once you've started to do this, following along and suppressing doubts gets harder every day.

  Even the Bible tells us to do this. I cannot imagine a loving Father who would forbid it.

  Best wishes on your search!
• 
  12

  Celebrate Good Times: Come On!

  by headisspinning in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  today marks our two years free.

  my now husband was df'd on september 13, 2009 and i was officially canned on september 15, 2009!.

  it has been a long road and if any of you remember, we initially came on this board looking for help to get reinstated.that is a huge laugh now, hey!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  Congratulations, Julia
• 
  49

  What Turns The Average "Worldly" Person Away From The Witnesses?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is it their door-to-door incessant preaching?

  is it their view on blood?

  is it that the religion itself is simply often misunderstood?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  In my case, the "literature". I actually liked the people themselves. But couldn't imagine saying that a world wide flood did happen and evolution was a ruse of Satan. . with a straight face.

  Trouble with the "ministery" is, most "worldly" parents have no problem with education and/or intelligent use of the internet. They are even proud if their children occaisionally win an argument with logic! And once something is understood, as many have siad here, it can't be forgotten.
• 
  47

  Well I have a choice to make

  by Igot2bme in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the elders came today without any notice and visited with me.

  they told me that my mother in law said i didn't want to have anything to do with the witnesses anymore.

  i said yes i did say that and then i laid it all out for them why i felt that jehovah god wasn't with them.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  Igot2bme, two things stood out here

  They told me that my mother in law said I didn't want to have anything to do with the witnesses anymore

  and

  The one elders sister came to my house 2 weeks not to come see me but to see my daughter and recruit her

  Congratulations on your great response to the elders, and with an org like that, what do you have to lose?

  All the best in your free life, Retro
• 
  23

  Parodying Theocratic words!

  by TimothyT in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  many posts here often include parodies of theocratic words.

  below are some examples:.

  borganisation - organisation!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  Pious-sneer!
• 
  138

  My Father passed away during the night

  by jwfacts in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  dad was a great man, great, despite the religion.

  he was powerful, tall and intelligent, yet humble and kind.

  he was an introvert, and a circuit overseer.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  JWfacts, my deep sympathy for your loss.

  As others have said, it seems that you and your father have much in common. The main thing being, that you both helped people cope. it would be hard to overestimate the benefits of your website.

  I profoundly hope that the funeral helps you, your family and the congregation.

  Retro
• 
  11

  Has anyone on here ever taken a hot air ballon ride?

  by Joliette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've always wanted to go on a hot air ballon ride but i'm soooooooooo scared to do it.. has anyone on here ever done it.

  how much does it cost?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Retrovirus

  Hi, I did 10 years ago in Alice Springs, Central Australia. Getting up in the middle of the night was hard - it gets freakin cold up there - but entirely worth it.
  The ascent was magic, almost like dreaming, no engine noise or tiliting or anything. Not at all scary. And you get a completely different perception of the country.

  We did have a bit of wind on the descent, and were crouched in the basket as it whipped through a bit of scrub.

  Overall, I want to do it again!