What IS Apostasy

by Krystal 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Krystal

  
  We tend to throw around the term apostasy quite loosely here... I was thinking the other day, what EXACTLY (according to the WTBS) constitutes "Apostasy"

  "Definition: Apostasy is abandoning or deserting the worship and service of God, actually a rebellion against Jehovah God. Some apostates profess to know and serve God but reject teachings or requirements set out in his Word. Others claim to believe in the Bible but reject Jehovah's organization" -Reasoning from the Scriptures (pg 34)

  It goes on to list "identifiying marks of apostates"

  • They seek to make others their followers, thus causing sectarian divisions
  • They may profess to believe in Christ, but treat lightly the preaching and teaching work he assigned to his followers
  • They may claim to serve God but reject his representatives, his visible organization
  • Not only do they abandon the true faith but they then "beat" their former associates, using public criticism and other methods to hinder their work; the efforts of such apostates are devoted to tearing down not building up

  To me, this sounds like apostasy can be easily defined as anyone who goes against the ORGANIZATION, not someone who commits an unforgivable sin or who speaks openly against God.

  Anyone else find any "society" info on apostasy that sounds any different than the above? Am I supposed to believe that I will be punished by God for going against an earthly organization?!

  (why did this not sound so foolish to me before?! )
• 

  AlmostAtheist

  >>To me, this sounds like apostasy can be easily defined as anyone who goes against the ORGANIZATION, not someone who commits an unforgivable sin or who speaks openly against God.

  Yep, that's pretty much it. In fact, just believing differently is enough to get you DF'd for apostasy. You don't actually have to do or say anything, though how anyone would know is never explained.

  Handy, ain't it? Apostate = anybody that ain't just like us! An adult version of "cooties"...

  Dave
• 

  TallTexan

  • They seek to make others their followers, thus causing sectarian divisions

  Hmm...don't really see many 'postates starting their own religion. Alerting people to factual evidence is not trying to garner followers.

  They may profess to believe in Christ, but treat lightly the preaching and teaching work he assigned to his followers

  Notice how they minimize the person's belief in Christ if they don't follow the organization's idea about preaching. "They may profess", thus stating that if one does not agree with the Society's version of the preaching work, they are then only 'professing', not that they really believe. Additionally, one may believe in Christ and do plenty of 'informal' preaching or discussing of beliefs, but if that person does not follow the 'formal' preaching work and offer lots of literature, then they are not preaching correctly. Any Biblical basis for that claim???

  They may claim to serve God but reject his representatives, his visible organization

  Again, they minimize the service to God if one does not accept the visible organization. Show me in the Bible where it says "You must acccept Christ AND his visible organization"...oh wait - it doesn't say that.

  Not only do they abandon the true faith but they then "beat" their former associates, using public criticism and other methods to hinder their work; the efforts of such apostates are devoted to tearing down not building up

  When an organization does not change from within, public pressure is the only way to achieve change. Additionally, since the WTS does not inform it's membership when it lies or practices deceit, the public forum is the only way to get that information disseminated. "Apostate" effort is devoted to something positive - getting people out of a high-control organization.
• 

  tetrapod.sapien

  the definition in most dictionaries is quite different from the definition the society hsa hijacked. usually, anyone who abandons their faith makes an apostate. to the society, they feel a need to demonize apostates, and it is anyone who works against the spirit aka the wts.

  i really enjoy being an apostate. and not just to the wts, but to all sorts of other doctrines, including xianity, puritanical morals and the god concept.
• 

  greendawn

  Any one that decides to challenge the WTS even slightly is labelled as an apostate, back in the early 1980's many bethelites were disfel/ed and thrown out by the Governing Body for wanting to study the bible without using any WTS publications. It's an org that does not tolerate the least objection to its doctrines and policies.
• 

  AuldSoul

  why did this not sound so foolish to me before?!

  Because, like most of us, you were fooled by it. Being fooled isn't a sign of low intellect. Remaining fooled in the face of contrary proofs is a sign of low intellect. After exposure to contrary proofs, remaining an unfooled Witness who doesn't actually conform but gives the appearance of conformity doesn't seem to damage the intellect.

  And yes, they expected you to believe you were supposed to remain loyal to an organization to prove loyalty to God. In mathematical terms, it works out as follows:

  Let l = leaving; let y = loyalty to; let o = organization; and let g = God

  lo=lg

  Cancel like terms to simplify lo=lg so o=g

  yo=yg

  Cancel like terms to simplify yo=yg so o=g

  Over and over again they make the organization equate to God.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
• 

  dorayakii

  apo- is Greek meaning "off" or "away" and is from the same Indo-European root as the word off Old English " æf" German "ab"

  -state is from the Greek "stenai" meaning "stand" from the same IE root as "stay", "stand", "stasis" (to be still) and "anastasia" (to stand again)

  "Apostenai" in Greek therefore meant, to "stay away" or to "stand off", in the literal sence. However, as we all know, words with Greek, Latin and Normon French roots, are often used in more of a metaphorical way that their base Anglo-Saxon (Germanic) equivalents.

  The word was imported into Latin where it aquired the form "apostata" meaning "defection, desertion, rebellion", but gradually aquiring its present meaning "one who forsakes his religion or faith" by 1340. Use in a non- religious political sence is attested in written documents from 1362.

  The word is therefore not necessarily a negative word. Apostates have abandonned their previous faith or belief system which they have now discovered to be false. The word is merely used in a negative sence, by organisations like the Watchtower, who use the labelling tactic to vilify ones who no longer share their belief system. WTpublications mis-define the word as people who have taken an active stand against the Watchtower. However, even those who merely no longer share the same belief structure, can rightly be called "apostates" from the WT.