Apostasy my ass!

by Glander 50 Replies latest jw friends

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  Glander

  Let's call it what it is - Disagreeing with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society after baptism into the cult. In no way is the literal definition of the word "apostasy" applicable to what the cult is using the word for. It is a buzz word that scares the crap out of the rank and file and keeps them from communicating with those who have become enlightened about the cults lies.

  We here on JWN have accepted the WT label, "apostates", with a sense of humor, such as calling our get togethers Apostafests, etc.

  But we are actually the "Enlightened".
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  Londo111

  Agreed!

  The word is a thought-stopper.
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  blond-moment

  I agree totally. I know some who don't care for it, but I, for one am proud to be an apostate of the WT. Turned my back on a genuine false prophet, a destructive mind control cult. It's a badge I wear proudly.

  It also, for me, is a big F/U to the WT. It is a clear and difinitive statement to the fact "I see thru your BS, you are no longer pulling one over on me"
• 

  tornapart

  I think of myself as one of the Conscious Class..
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  cedars

  Technically, rightly or wrongly, we all commit apostasy if we abandon the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses. My dictionary defines 'apostasy' as "abandonment of one's former (esp. religious) belief". So, even if we leave our former belief system for all the right reasons, we are technically apostates whether we are happy with the word or not.

  Where the Society is misleading in its use of the word is to insist that by "apostatizing" from Jehovah's Witnesses you are "apostatizing" from Christ by default. It's true that many apostates become atheists, but many also continue as Christians. These should not be labelled as apostates per se, because if Christ is the head of the christian congregation and somebody continues to follow Christ (just not the Watchtower), then they haven't abandoned belief in him, just the organization that claimed to represent him.

  Cedars
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  00DAD

  You hit the nail on the head. They use the words "apostasy" and "apostate" because of their pejorative, dismissive connotation that demonize their opponents without having to address their actual arguments or reasons for "disagreeing" with WT teachings/policies/rules, etc.

  It is a classic example of an ad hominem attack:

  Abusive ad hominem (also called personal abuse or personal attacks) usually involves insulting or belittling one's opponent in order to attack his claim or invalidate his argument. ... This tactic is logically fallacious because insults and negative facts about the opponent's personal character have nothing to do with the logical merits of the opponent's arguments or assertions.

  This is why they also make the patently absurd assertion that "apostates" are "mentally diseased", which is so ridiculous for any number of reasons!
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  truth_b_known

  So, by definition, any person who leaves a religion to join Jehovah's Witnesses is an apostate. Only born-ins and people who started off as athiests are not apostates.
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  00DAD

  Cedars: My dictionary defines 'apostasy' as "abandonment of one's former (esp. religious) belief".

  Rutherford was an apostate from the teachings of Russell, Knorr apostatized from Rutherford, Franz apostatized from Knorr. The Current GB has apostatized repeatedly over the years. They have changed many teachings since I was baptized in 1984. They are the apostates, they hypocrites and liars.

  Come to think of it, Jesus was an apostate from the Judaism of his time. That's why the Pharisees and the other religious leaders put him to death.
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  Yura Ivanova

  Nobody on here is Apostate. Like Jesus, all those that spoke out against falsehood were brandished [blasphemers]. The Term Apostate has little to do with what EX JWS say concerning the practices of the Watchtower. Apostasy is linked to the Great Falling Away from the True Faith just bfore the Great Tribulation, this might still be very far off into the future? We might not see it, we may not even be the Generation that is to witness all these things? If anything, it is the Watchtower that has committed the act of Apostasy, and ever since 1879. But, their BS is now wearing thin, and as CEDARS said in a recent article, they are on the decline [rapidly]. They were initially banned only in [3] states, but they are banned here now in [all] states in Russia. The power of the Internet now allows even rank and file to examine the truth about the so called truth. Over 1.5 million have left the ranks since the year 2000, and no doubt many of these after finding the real christ have also had their names added to the Watchtowers list of Apostates. But, the Watchtowers rule by fear wont last forever, its wearing thin now. I wonder what will happen after 2014 for the rank and file when life goes on as normal? I wonder what would happen if there was a mass protest and rebellion? What would the Watchtower do then? Would everyone taking part be labelled as Apostate?

  Yura Ivanova

  Kazan

  The Russian Federation
• 

  baltar447

  It's just name calling.

  And as pointed out, it becomes a label which thought-stops the cult members from listening to any criticism.