This is nothing new obviously, I'm just using this as a sounding board to see if i'm looking at this thing correctly. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Watchtower July 15, 2011 p 15 paragraph 4 under the Title "Will you heed Jehovah's clear warnings?"
4 To elders of the Ephesus congregation, Paul said: “From among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things.” Addressing fellow Christians, Peter wrote: “There will also be false teachers among you.” So from where do false teachers come? They may arise from within the congregation. Such ones are apostates.*
*“Apostasy” is a standing away from true worship, a falling away, defection, rebellion, abandonment.
So according to the footnote for paragraph 4, you are labeled an apostate if you simply leave (abandon) true worship, as the Watchtower believes/deems it to be. Therefore if you are an apostate, you are automatically "mentally diseased" as mentioned in paragraph 6:
Well, apostates are “mentally diseased,” and they seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings.
Notice that even if you are not seeking to infect others with disloyal teachings, you are still a "mentally diseased" apostate just for leaving the organization as per their definition in the footnote of paragraph 4.
And this is where it get's funny, with all this labeling of people (who decide not to be a part of the organization) as apostates, the same article has this to say in paragraph 16 along with the quotation/reference of 1 Thess. 4:11 above it:
Remember, too, that we should not impose our own views on others regarding matters that they need to decide for themselves.
I'm getting a little naucious now!!
You can read the whole article here: http://download.jw.org/files/media_magazines/w_E_20110715.pdf