The term apostate is used freely on this forum, don't you find it offensive

by avidbiblereader 53 Replies latest jw friends

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  Legolas

  I like the word apostate... it makes me feel smarter than them somehow: It says in one word "Yeah, I used to believe that, but now I know better."

  LOL...That is a good way to look at it!
• 

  Sunnygal41

  i think in some cases, that the attitude is the same as an African American using the "N" word. It all depends on how you personally choose to look at it, really. Personally, I choose to not let it have any power over me at all. I even joke sometimes and call myself a Big A or an Apostatoe. The nice thing today, is that we all, individually, have the freedom to choose our reactions, our beliefs, etc, unfettered by cultish control.

  Terri
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  Warlock

  I do not consider myself an apostate at all. No matter what doctrine you bring me, religious anyway, if it is out of line with the scriptures, then how am I the apostate?

  You are the apostate, not me.

  Warlock
• 

  Finally-Free

  The JWs call me an "apostate", but I try to keep it in perspective. I look at where it's coming from - a bunch of losers who meekly follow a publishing company that masquerades as a religion. They obey this cult without question because they lack the balls to make their own life decisions.

  I have only met a few hundred of the 6.5 million people who profess to be JWs. Of those few hundred, I am only close to one, my mother. The remainder were people I knew casually, except for a handful who are now out of my life. Many of the JWs I knew don't even know what the word "apostate" means. Their definition of the word is provided by the insignificant Watchtower cult that's largely composed of uneducated window, floor, and toilet cleaners. Many don't even own a dictionary so as to find out the correct meaning. These are people who condemn education, go from house to house and spread lies, pray for the destruction of humanity - even innocent children, abuse one another - sometimes in the most horrific ways, and kick their "loved ones" when they're down. They are people who will shun you because the elders told them to - often these people will never know why they shun you.

  I do not require the good opinion of such people.

  The Watchtower's history is filled with criticisms for everything and everyone they cannot control. Therefore, I am happy when they call me names. It's evidence that I'm doing something right.

  W
• 

  Sailor Ripley

  I have no friends that are Dubs, with whom I associate now. My family doesn't talk to me about Jehoobie any longer b/c they know I just don't care. Any time they talk about Jehoobie, I tell them to go all the way back to the primordial ooze. Let's start there. They don't know anything about that so they've stopped bugging me.

  If I did know Dubs currently, I could not care less what they call me. If someone on this board calls me that, well I assume it's a term of endearment. I call my kid a turd. So what? She knows what I mean... and she is a little turd.

  Go Apostates!
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  Wordly Andre

  The only people who would call me an Apostate is a JW, so no its not offensive to me, "worldly" people don't go around calling me apostate.
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  Rabbit

  I must admit, I found it offensive when I first came here almost 3 years ago. I was soscared a mean ole' evildemonz was gonna jump out of the screen being [think Stargate] connected directly to -- apostates! But, nuttin' happened, honey.

  Not too long ago, I was having a discussion with one of my jw (adult) children about some jw issues. They were trying to encourage me to 'come back, the end is SO near', I calmly mentioned a few things that I had 'doubts' about. All of the sudden...I was told, "You don't realize it, but, you're talking like -- an apossssssssssssssssssstate!" [think Satan speaking thru that sssssnake, "Psssssssssssssssttt ! Hey, you...naked lady, want an apple ?"] I almost laughed outloud at the reaction of my own kid to finding out some of my honest "doubts".

  It was funny, because JW's think they are so sure of their Truth, yet, one or two well asked questions will send them into a panic, as they crumble realizing they have no logical answer. They run back to their 'safe place'. It was not funny tho' to be re-condemned and put on 'restrictions' by your own adult child for several months. Everything is good now with this kid, I have hope for the others. Slowly, surely my kid realizes she can trust me with doubts she has that she cannot discuss freely with any of her relatives.

  JW's always said, "Where else can you go ? There IS no other place to go..." I know now there are many places to go and I'm going to make sure my kids know that, too.

  Now...yep, it's a 'badge of honor', it's just a separation from my former way of life. That is a good thing.

  Rabbit
• 

  betterdaze

  Badge of honor? Here's a fancy red A for Apostate:
  
  http://www.laughinglizards.com/letters-embroidered-initials-iron-patch-ll1189b-p-881.html
  
  Remember Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter? It stood for adulteress (which is what the WT did with the UN),
  but in end the Puritans called the disfellowshiped woman ABLE.
  
  ~Sue
• 

  free2beme

  Don't take it personal. It is used as a way of explaining or distance from the Witnesses and not all parts of life.
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  TowerWatch

  I don’t find the term "Apostate" offensive the way the Watchtower uses it. The Watchtower twists the meaning of that term just as they twist many other parts of the Bible.