Just saw the film, "Apostasy"

by Bad_Wolf 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Bad_Wolf
    Bad_Wolf

    It was a very good film but not fully what I was expecting. A JW could even watch it, I don't think the title fit the movie. There was absolutely nothing about apostasy, nor do I recall the word even being mentioned.

    SPOILERS BELOW:::::

    The bad: I think the title might keep JW's from watching it which is a shame since nothing in the film is directly about what JW's consider apostasy. It could almost be a film that the WT would approve to watch lol. I was thinking the film was going to be about somebody who accepted a blood transfusion, or who was disfellowshipped for apostasy and showing them come to a realization that what they were taught and told as not being the truth, questioning or not believing in the governing body, etc. Somebody who felt guilty of how the organization was running or lost faith in the governing body, not kicked out for sin, etc, those who meet the WT definition of apostates. Instead it showed how somebody died for the no blood stance and another disfellowshipped for fornication. The reason for fornication was not explored, whether she was a true believer but got weak or she no longer believed it was the truth and didn't care. The film then showed the struggles and shunning required for that and the vagueness and coldness by elders for those who try to return or them instructing family to shun them. The disfellowshipped girl feels the elders and everything is becoming unreasonable. It does not go beyond that. She never researched, finds anything, or in the bible argues JW teachings are contrary, etc. So that's why I don't think the title was good.

    I also think the death for not taking blood scene might be confusing to non jws because early in the movie they show the girl turning in her blood card and having been cautioned she could die from her condition.Then far later it shows her fainting and then a funeral. If an outsider forgot or didn't pay attention to her having a blood card to not take it, they may think she merely died. I think it could have been stronger and helping explain more by showing her in the hospital and a doctor is saying that she will live if she gets a blood transfusion and she either is conscious enough to refuse blood or her mother refuses it for her and either her or her family refusing it. This movie will probably more help bible studies and non jw's than existing jw's since it showed the life of a typical disfellowshipping in jw households but nothing to really challenge the beliefs. But since JW's try to teach that they don't breakup families and no matter what normal family interactions continue if one is excommunicated, this shows bible studies how that is a blatant lie.

    The good:
    It did a great job of showing what JW life is like. It was shot in an actual kingdomhall! Most of the actors really did well acting like JW's, you would think they all had been ex jw's to pull it off. It exposes the lie that JW's do not break up families as claimed on jw.org faq on shunning family members.

  • mentalclarity
    mentalclarity

    I also just watched this and felt that it's portrayal of JW life was spot on. The only thing is that there was little context and background info, I think, for a non-jw to understand the film.

    The really funny thing is when I watched it I had this realization of how actually creepy and weird the JW religion is if you are a person looking at it from the outside. I guess i'm so used to the crazy that it doesn't really phase me. But this film allowed me to be a spectator (and now I'm not a participant obviously) which gives a very unique perspective. Kind of like how it would be if I would walk into a meeting again after 10 years. Very cringy.

  • Bad_Wolf
    Bad_Wolf
    Very cringy.

    It was very cringy. Parts of it gave me the same feeling I would get if I heard somebody scratching their nails on a chalkboard.

  • mentalclarity
    mentalclarity

    Part of the weird feeling was thinking to myself..was that me? Was that how I sounded when I would talk about the "new system" or the "organization". I mean it was pretty run of the mill JW stuff. There wasn't anything over the top and yet it was kind of humbling to think that I was actually a part of that at one time.

  • sparrowdown
    sparrowdown

    Yes I'm sure the cringe factor that exjws feel on watching it is only felt because we have been there, done/said that, I see it as over-identifying with the characters and story.

    The normies that watch it may find some scenes awkward but would just think "what weirdos" JWs are.

  • Introvert 2
    Introvert 2

    The good:
    It did a great job of showing what JW life is like. It was shot in an actual kingdomhall! Most of the actors really did well acting like JW's, you would think they all had been ex jw's to pull it off. It exposes the lie that JW's do not break up families as claimed on jw.org faq on shunning family members.

    You really think it was in an actual Kingdom hall ? Maybe rather just a prop ? Either it was a sold off building or a fabricated prop as I just don't see how they could film inside an actual functional kindom hall ??

  • scotsman
    scotsman

    The exterior was a recently sold Kingdom Hall, the interior was a Masonic lodge.

  • Introvert 2
    Introvert 2

    ah ok thanks for the info Scotsman !

  • Bad_Wolf
    Bad_Wolf

    I was going to reply I know from a director interview by Cedars on youtube it was a recently sold KH. I don't remember any mention of interior being a different place, I thought he said they had to furnish it because it was already gutted or maybe they did do interior elsewhere.

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