What's the thinking behind calling yourself 'Apostate'? (page 3)

tenyearsafter

I like to think that the WTS is apostate...Russell was apostate from the Presbyterian church, and most of those that weren't "born in" are apostates from some other church...so who really is the apostate?

NewChapter

Well okay Essan--point taken. I will continue to use the word and not actually worry about how a JW feels about it. If they are scared they are not ready. If I worried about what JW's thought, then they really would still have power over me.

Attitudes are shaded in many meanings. It's not always easy to express them in writing. Yet using the word in such a way makes me feel better, so I will continue to do so. The least of my worries is how some JW or anyone else would interpret that.

Also, I'm PROUD to be an apostate. It means I broke away and that' s pretty significant. White people don't understand why Blacks have reclaimed the N word. But one thing is not up for debate---doing so has empowered them. I think I understand on a much smaller level why that is. Yet I'll tell you one thing, I won't let the society convince me it's a BAD thing to be. Then they truly would have power over me. "Oh dear don't call me an apostate cuz that means you think I'm evil and rebellious!" No, I don't think so. Call me what you want. I embrace it. You no longer have the power to hurt me with that word cuz it's mine.

NC

AwareBeing

Hello all!

Our family has members of different races, religions , and backgrounds.

The way we describe our relationship to the WT is that of being aware.

JW's who are faithful to these men, take pride in being know it alls.

Thus, we should let it be known that we're aware of the WT's manipulations.

Thanks for reading.

OUTLAW

Don`t ever give the WBT$ any power over you..Especially by letting them define who you are..

WBT$ can stick their opinions of us ,"Where the Sun don`t Shine"..

I hope it makes them all Walk Funny..

...................... ...OUTLAW

Twitch

Good thoughts and thread. I don't identify as an apostate, though technically its correct in their vernacular, doctrine and practise which I completely reject. Also I'm only an xjw here as well since the real world doesn't know or care. And neither do I any longer. However, this place is a touchstone to that part of my life and I appreciate it as such. But the term apostate is not a term I need or use. I'm just me, like everyone else.

leavingwt

From Wikipedia:

Apostasy is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy apostatises and is an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday use. The term is used by sociologists to mean renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to, a person's former religion, in a technical sense and without pejorative connotation. The term is sometimes also used by extension to refer to renunciation of a non-religious belief or cause, such as a political party, brain trust, or, facetiously, a sports team .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy

By this definition, I'm most certainly an apostate. I couldn't care less if WT uses the word as a pejorative. They view ALL non-members as future bird food. I just happen to an ex-member who can fluently denounce their vile and disgusting theology.

Of what benefit is it to assign value to the opinons of haters?

wobble

I do think there is a distinct possibility that the almost celebration of being an Apostate that we see on here could drive a searching J.W away.

But if they are still that much in thrall to the Org. then any of the opinions expressed on here could do the same thing, so I don't think we need worry about it.

Interesting that one of the defining points they identify about an Apostate is that they "wish to draw others away after themselves" , this was said in the D.C talk about Apostates.

I don't think any of us on here who are Xjw's fall under that category, I know I don't want anyone to follow me, I have enough trouble with the Taxman following me !

I do want any who are in the WT/JW religion to examine its teachings, its practices and its history with an open mind, and collecting all the information they can from as many sources as they can.

This site is a good place to start.

sd-7

Well, for one, it wasn't my idea to call myself an 'apostate'. I prefer to use the term in quotes, as a reminder that it is a subjective term, used by cult leaders, in this case. I consider myself a human, at worst a heretic, and at best a freedom fighter. So I don't feel a need to use the term in reference to myself or anyone else unless it's in quotations or while being sarcastic or satirical.

Also, I do NOT see it as similar to blacks who use the 'n'-word. That word is associated with hundreds of years of slavery and denial of basic rights. A theological disagreement pales considerably by comparison to the unlawful kidnapping of millions from their homes and subjecting them to slavery, murder, and oppression for the sake of economic gain. (Although admittedly, there are some glaring similarities...) I consider people who do use the n-word that way as being ignorant of what they're doing. The power is taken away by us refusing to use the term that was placed upon us by our oppressors. Thankfully, we're all beyond American slavery and can attempt to forgive, but not forget.

But for someone who realizes that the Watchtower Society is guilty of apostasy, the term 'apostate' really has very little meaning. I think that whenever I see myself as an 'apostate', I'm just feeling the lingering effects of their programming. So I try not to see myself that way, if possible.

--sd-7

Velour

I've thought about this topic a bit before too.

I'd like to do to apostate what gay people have done with queer. To call a gay person queer is just stating the obvious. Hell, we even got "Queer eye for the Straight Guy".

I'd like, in several years, for apostate to simply mean normal everyday folks who don't buy into the WT teachings. I'd like for the insult and fear associated with that word to be stripped away. The Watchtower isn't going to quit using the word. They will keep attaching "angry", "mentally ill", "unhappy", and "dried up" to the word and I feel the only choice we have is to do our best to change the meaning of it and show that the WT isn't using the term apostate correctly. Language evolves based on how we use the words.

If someone comes here and sees all of us apostates living happily, enjoying a sense of community with our mental faculties in tact I think we've done a great thing in helping to shed the stereotype the WTBTS is trying to push. Besides, if someone comes to this site they know they're on an apostate site so seeing the word isn't going to be a scary surprise.

AwareBeing

Israel's King Saul was the appointed leader of God's people in a governmental arrangement.

Without understanding fully how Saul was in the wrong, David accepted God's spiritual direction.

David apostatized from Saul, living as a fugitive among the nations. History shows Saul to be the real apostate.

By us living clean moral lives like David, the WTBTS won't have a leg to stand on; we'd have more integrity than they do!

What's the thinking behind calling yourself 'Apostate'?

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