Define the term "apostate"

by Leander 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  Leander

  Apparently there are several different definitions for apostate especially from the Society's point of view.

  Personally I've always thought that an apostate was a person who used lies, slander and half-truths to cause others to stop serving God. But according to the WTS an apostate could be a person who causes someone to have doubts about the society regardless if the information they are presenting is the truth.

  In my little talks with the elders from my congregation and my chat with my father-in-law who is a PO they all dismissed the information that I researched as being from an apostate source or nature. But the facts are that the information that I looked up was 100% percent accurate.

  Some of the things that I've learned are:

  The multiple dates that the society predicted or emphasized that were erroneous

  The swaying back and forth on various doctrines (blood, oral sex, govermental involvement)

  The society's association with the UN

  The obvious untruth about when the society recognized the importance of 1914

  The society's claim to be a prophet but thus far have been unable to accurately predict any significant event

  These are the different areas of research I have looked into that I have been able to confirm as truth. But yet they are simply dismissed by many in the org as apostate teachings or propaganda.

  So again it makes you wonder what is the definition of an apostate.
• 

  Sam Beli

  The Liberal Elder posted this some time ago. It may be of interest to you.

  Posted by Liberal Elder [TheLiberalElder] on February 07, 2000 at 18:13:51:

  In Reply to: **What about apostates? posted by ZionsWatchtower on February 07, 2000 at 17:53:57:

  What is an apostate?

  I'd like to make some comments from technical side to clear up some misconceptions about the word "apostasy" and an "apostate" if I may.

  The term "apostasy" is taken from the Greek expression "apostasia." According the to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance this word means: "a defection from TRUTH; a falling away, to forsake [truth]."

  Also, "Thayer's Greek Lexicon" defines "apostasia" as: "a falling away, defection, apostasy in the bible namely from TRUE RELIGION."

  Then too, "Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words" describes the Greek word "apostasia" as: "A defection, revolt, apostasy, used in the New Testament of religious apostasy."

  IMPORTANT POINT: the word "apostasia" [which translates "apostasy"]is only used twice in the Greek Scriptures. The 2 places are: (1) Acts 21:21 [Paul accused of teaching an "apostasy"] and (2) 1 Thessalonians 2:3 [man of lawlessness guilty leading "temple" into an "apostasy."] Hebrew Scriptures: The ancient Hebrew has no exact equivalent for the word "apostasia," however, the word "showbab," is a close rendering and has been translated as "apostasy" in some translation of the Bible.

  In fact according to "Strong's Concordance," "showbab" can actually mean "apostate, i.e. idolatrous; backsliding forwardly, turn away."

  Also "Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies" defines "Showbab" as being:
  "rebellious, backsliding."

  CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is clear that true "apostasy," strictly from a biblical standards, in either the Hebrew or Greek text, really means a complete defection from Divine TRUTH or TRUE RELIGION.

  And so, we must first establish WHAT IS TRUTH, before we can establish when one is going against the "truth" or has made a "complete defection and separation from "Divine Truth," and is thus deliberately making himself an "apostate" or teacher of an "apostasy."

  True "apostasy" in the Biblical sense, has little or nothing to do with following an organization or the teachings of an organization, unless of course that particular organization teaches correct, Bible-based "TRUTH." That means the organization, must teach that which can be fully substantiated and supported by God's Word of Truth, the Bible, just as Jesus and the apostles did. This Divine "Truth" is what "sanctifies" the footstep followers of Christ and identifies us true disciples of Jesus Christ. -- See John 17:17.

  The following scripture is also of some interest (Matthew 5:22 NJB): "But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother will answer for it before the court; anyone who calls a brother "Fool" will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him "Traitor" will answer for it in hell fire."

  Footnote for "Traitor": "To the first meaning ('worthless person') of the Greek word, Jewish usage added the
  much more contemptuous one of 'apostate.'"
• 

  Sam Beli

  Here is another old post on this subject that I thought was particularly insightful:

  Posted by Royce [rollsroyce] on January 21, 2000 at 15:06:50:

  I've observed that in the JW world (& especially here on H2O) the word "apostate" is viewed by some as a very big power word.

  (As a non-JW, I carry ZERO emotional baggage when the word is directed my way. I hear its big boom, but am totally immune to its supposed power.)

  Those who use it the most (YK & Alan come to mind) don't realize what they are revealing.
  1. It's the PANIC BUTTON for the ULTIMATE WEAPON.
  2. It's most often pressed when the USER can't defend a position.
  3. It's an attempt at emotional blackmail (effective only on some that are just newly exploring independent thinking).
  4. It's also used as a remote-control-car-bomb to blow away the opposition & remind them that the Supreme Court of Brooklyn New York has judged them as inferior & defective.
  5. It's brought out when the USER is most vulnerable & weakest.
  6. It usually reveals that the USER is out of intellectual ammo & Scriptural defenses.
  7. It's a word the USER uses to try & control the rapid unraveling of cherished beliefs & sound argument.
  8. It's an adrenaline shot -- the equivalent of a boxer punching his own head to get psyched up to wage a bloody battle. (Can you picture the "Sermon on the Mount" starting this way???)
  9. I realize the USER uses the word to convey disgust & dismiss the intended target, but often "fear" is the unacknowledged motivation.
  10. It's use does seem to bring satisfaction to the USER, & a feeling of the smug accomplishment of the "There, I sure told them." mentality.
  11. But the USER fails to realize that this expensive "scud" missile very, very, rarely comes close to the target, & when it does land, it turns out to be an immature mosquito that is slapped into oblivion with very, very, little effort.
  12. It turns out that this "power" word, is just a "pesky" word.
  13. It appears to be the USER'S euphemism for "Sh*t, I just lost again! What do I do now?"
  14. My last observation is that those who truly have something to say & have good articulation, documentation & argumentation of substance, rarely (if ever) use the word.

  I may be wrong, but I don't think so. However, I am open to your correction.

  All the best. / Royce

  Sam Beli

  I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Solomon
• 

  MrMoe

  Here is the definition according to online dictionaries:

  http://dictionary.msn.com/find/entry.asp?search=apostate a·pos·tate [ páw stàyt , páwstt ] (plural a·pos·tates) noun
  somebody who renounces belief: somebody who has renounced a religious or political belief or allegiance

  http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=apostasy Main Entry: apos·ta·sy
  Etymology: Middle English apostasie, from Late Latin apostasia, from Greek, literally, revolt, from aphistasthai to revolt, from apo- + histasthai to stand -- more at STAND
  Date: 14th century
  1 : renunciation of a religious faith
  2 : abandonment of a previous loyalty : DEFECTION
• 

  roybatty

  Whenever given the chance I ask JWs "were the apostles and particularly the apostle Paul apostates since they left their particular religion to follow Christ?" I wonder if their families labeled them as apostates?
• 

  bboyneko

  Apostate: Loving, wonderful person with a heart of gold and an intellect to match
• 

  cecil

  Leander

  This is a very interesting topic, because Jehovahs Witnesses use of the word "apostate" reveals quite a lot about their way of thinking and their reasoning.

  Even if a Jehovahs Witness knows how the word is defined in dictionaries and how it should be understood in the biblical and historical context, she or he would use it the way the Society has defined it: Anybody with a critical attitude towards the Society, the Governing Body, The Faithful and Discreet Slave - or anything/anybody who/that represents them, if it would amount to criticism of the top-level - or (their) doctrine may be labeled an apostate, if this person won't stop its criticism and/or stop talking to others about the issue, after having been told to stop. Regardless the info this person provides or wants to talk about is trustworthy and accurate.

  I think Royce (quoted by Sam Beli - thanks for the info!) put i very well:

  ...
  2. It's most often pressed when the USER can't defend a position.
  3. It's an attempt at emotional blackmail
  ...
  5. It's brought out when the USER is most vulnerable & weakest.
  6. It usually reveals that the USER is out of intellectual ammo & Scriptural defenses.
  7. It's a word the USER uses to try & control the rapid unraveling of cherished beliefs & sound argument.
  ...
  9. I realize the USER uses the word to convey disgust & dismiss the intended target, but often "fear" is the unacknowledged motivation.
  ...
  13. It appears to be the USER'S euphemism for "Sh*t, I just lost again! What do I do now?"
  14. My last observation is that those who truly have something to say & have good articulation, documentation & argumentation of substance, rarely (if ever) use the word.
  ...

  These observations hit the nail right on its head!! Label something "apostate", and it won't be problem for you any longer. It's so easy! That's a dead-smart way to mind-control people...

  A little experience: A long-time friend of mine, the PO of the congregation I used to attend, was one of the few, who knew about my doubts and problems with the "Thruth". When I talked to him about it he suddenly got remote-controlled by the "Apostasy-program". He called the way I thought apostate without even considering the evidence. And when I asked him to have a look at the biblical evidence (Gods Word!!! The bible itself!!!) he refused that as well... His reasoning? The RESULT of my thought would equal apostasy (=criticism of the Society and the FDS) - so regardless of the evidence, even from the bible itself, he labeled the thoughts as "apostate". And then he was able to "forget" about it - no need to think about the evidence, as it would end up with apostasy anyway...
  It was interestimng and revealing to see a long-time elder react this way, when confronted with thoughts (and evidence) that finally amount to nothing else, than what Jehovahs Witnesses expect others to do with their belief-system: To check it out and reassure if what they believe is correct!

  The above attitude towards "apostate" thoughts label me as an apostate when I talk about my thoughts. Interesting, what a recent article in the WT stated in this regard about "harboring private ideas". That makes people apostates (in others as well as IN THEIR OWN MINDS, depending on how indoctrinated they are) already if they happen to have ideas and thoughts, that are in opposition to anything the Society teaches... That clears the way for complete mind-control.

  cecil