Why are JWs so afraid of apostates? Their view of apostates seems to be out of the realm of the ordinary, the natural. It’s as if the words of apostates are supernatual or spiritistic – as if apostates are some kind of Jedi Knights who can slightly wave their hands or twitch their eyes and bring one under a spell. There really is some kind of spooky, demonic, supernatural connotation to the word among JWs. I guess the org has created that connotation purposefully.
In the last six months or so during a Watchtower Study in a local congregation, a clueless elder in a comment very forcefully said something like “So we shouldn’t even be curious. We don’t want to go their websites and even look at a few words. Just a few words is all it can take to completely ruin somebody spiritually.” I hear stuff like that from JWs often and I read stuff like that often in JW publications.
Does anybody remember the picture (artist illustration) in the Watchower in the late 80’s of the lady who received some kind of apostate material in the mail? If I remember correctly, she had that classic JW housewife look – like June Cleaver. She had the piece of mail extended at arm’s length and she was turning her head away from it and kind of holding her nose up in the air as if she were holding three-day-old road kill. She was holding the mail over the trash can about to drop it in. That might not be an accurate description, but that’s the picture I have in my mind. The point was that we should immediately trash any apostate material we might receive without examining it. (If anybody can find that picture, please post it.) When I was at the peak of my belief in JWdom, I did not understand the fear of apostates and I did not like the picture just mentioned.
I just don’t understand. What’s so powerful about the words of those who oppose certain or all parts of JWdom? How can JWs believe that just a few words is all it takes to destroy their faith. I never understood that. I always thought that those must be some powerful words if a few is all it takes. Hell, it takes at least six months of indoctrination with JW words to get a convert. How can apostates do it in a few lines? If JWs are who they say they are, why are they so worried about the words and writings of apostates? What do they fear? It seems that JW words should be able to overpower apostate words if JWs are what they claim to be.
2Co 10:4,5 [old NWT]:
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things. 5 For we are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God; and we are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ;
Shouldn’t the words of JWs and their super Jedi Knight GB be powerful and be able to overpower the words of apostates? See 1Ki 18:19-39. Elijah had no fear at all in testing out his god and way of worship, but the JWs won’t allow their way of worhsip to be tested. They don’t allow any negative talk against it. They can say all they want negative about you - little things and big things – but you can’t say anything negative about the org or its policies and teachings.
I think I know the answer to my question. I think the org higher-ups know there’s nothing supernatural about apostate words. They know that the words of many (most?) apostates are clear, simple, factual, logical, & revealing. However, the rank-and-file really seem to believe the rhetoric about apostates. They really seem to believe that apostates are like evil Jedi Knights. I don’t excuse the rank-and-file, though. If they are logical, thinking, reasoning people as they claim, then they should be wondering why it only takes a few apostate words to destroy years of JW words. They should think. They’re no better than those they condemn who blindly follow other religions/groups.
...OUTLAW