why do we call ourselves apostates?

by recovering 35 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  recovering

  I think that the very act of questioning the teachings of the watchtower society does not make us apostates!!! Does not the bible teach us to examine what it teaches? That is what the apostle Paul says in the bible. So if the bible says to examine what we are taught and only hold on to what is true, we should not be considered apostates in my opinion.

  Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
  Bible quote, Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 5: 21

  Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
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  Gregor

  Recovering. You are correct, of course. But I think the use of the term about ourselves here on this site is tongue in cheek. We are mocking the use of the term by JWs to describe anyone who has left the organization because they no longer accept the teachings of the WTB&TS.
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  recovering

  Thanks Gregor. I was not sure if those posting really did consider themselves apostates. I felt that by allowing the JWs to label us we where allowing them to still control our thoughts. I do question their policies and beliefs, however I do not think that I am actively opposing god.
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  John Doe

  I've never called myself an apostate.
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  recovering

  I think that the witnesses use the term to further try and control their members. I also tend to agree with psycologist who think such terms are used to brain wash and keep total control if it's members.

  A remarkable thing about cult mind control is that it's so ordinary in the tactics and strategies of social influence employed. They are variants of well-known social psychological principles of compliance, conformity, persuasion, dissonance, reactance, framing, emotional manipulation, and others that are used on all of us daily to entice us: to buy, to try, to donate, to vote, to join, to change, to believe, to love, to hate the enemy.
  
  Cult mind control is not different in kind from these everyday varieties, but in its greater intensity, persistence, duration, and scope. One difference is in its greater efforts to block quitting the group, by imposing high exit costs, replete with induced phobias of harm, failure, and personal isolation. Source: Phillip G. Zimbardo, Ph.D., What Is The Message Behind Today's Cults?
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  recovering

  sorry for the double posts
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  recovering
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  PrimateDave

  I don't call myself apostate. Antichrist, perhaps, but not apostate.

  Dave
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  Poztate

  It's my way of laughing at the WT and their ridiculous beliefs.

  There is nothing that strikes fear in their hearts like a good Poztate™
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  Homerovah the Almighty

  Good point recovering ,

  Being an apostate to truth is one thing, opposing lies , corruption, deceit is quite something totally different in my opinion.

  I always wonder why people call themselves a name constructed on the premise of opposing the truth,

  its actually the opposite.