What does the word "Apostate" mean to you now?

by JH 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  RichieRich

  I do not like the title and do not label myself with it.

  While I understand that sentiment, I liken it to certain kennings or epithets used against groups of people.

  I am fat. So, by not labeling myself as "fat", I only make people uncomfortable around me, and disillusion myself.

  I am an Apostate (I like capitalizing it). Therefore, I only disillusion myself by trying to avoid the title.

  I believe that in today's Watchtower, the Society labeled themselves as apostates. However, I don't like to disgrace myself through association with them.
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  freedom96

  The first thing that will always come to my mind is that of the witness term of apostate. I know they would consider me one, though I don't think of it that way, and don't want to be labeled by their stupid rules.
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  Calliope

  sigh...

  it's every other thought i have these days.

  this wasn't part of my 8-year plan.

  sigh...
• 

  Calliope

  woohoo!!!

  but i'm now a JUNIOR MEMBER APOSTATE!!!!
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  Honesty

  
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  poppers

  The value of a word like "apostate" permits the one using it against another from actually seeing the labelled one as someone who has inherent worth, dignity, and divinity. It permits people to put others in a box as though they are a totally known entity - looking beyond what's in the box takes too much effort, too much compassion, too much honesty. No need to actually think and evaluate for oneself because "apostate" says it all. How very sad.
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  greendawn

  To apostatise from an apostate organisation like the WTS you are coming closer to the truth and God. They say that it is the devil that influenced the apostates to leave the JWs yet it the Devil that seeks to keep them in that pseudochristian environment.
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  delilah

  Amazing1914 said,"The Watchtower Society has perverted the use of the word, and they have perverted many other Christian teachings in order to suit their own desires to justify their own thoughts to themselves." I also think they use the word apostate loosely, in order to frighten the flock, and keep them from learning the REAL truth about the truth. I've learned the word "apostate" is not a scary word, nor are the people who are labelled as such. In fact, the opposite is true, the WTS is very scary.
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  Think

  Acording to Dictionary, apostate is a person who renounce/reject belief or theory/give up a habit/pursuit or practice/ to religious ( cooked up in Brooklin too), or political or alliegance.

  Here come the question:

  IF I was misleaded as a child into believing that : HITLER / STALIN / RU$$ELL / RUTHERFORD / DAVID KORESZ / JIM JONES / MARSHALL APPLEWHITE / DON CORLEONE / RAPETOWER / ANOTHER CRACK POT HEAD CULT LEADER

  IS the Messiah, and later on learned that i was cheated out of the true salvation and betrayed, am I apostate ????

  Very goooddd !!!!!
• 

  reneeisorym

  a·pos·tate ( n. One who has abandoned one's religious faith, a political party, one's principles, or a cause. I am quite proud to be an apostate from the religious cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. Since all it means is that you left a religious cause, I am glad and proud that I left. Proud apostate since January 14th, 2006! I am not an apostate from God. I abandoned the cult in favor of Christ. That's a great thing.