Why do some here refer to themselves as "Apostates"? (page 3)

Magick

"apostate" has taken on new meanings to exjws.

i'm proud to call myself an apostate or to associate with other apostates...because it means i woke up. i am no longer a jw drone, but a free thinker.

most "apostates" i have met are far more intelligent, creative, witty than any jw i can remember. plus, apostates are waaaaaayyyy cooler!

there's some sarcastic humor in calling ourselves "apostate" ... (if there's one thing we exjws are good at it's sarcasm) plus...by changing the core meaning of the word, playing around with the way it is spelled etc...we take the jw's evil sting out of it.

i remember when i first became semi-comfortable with the word...(about 4 years ago) i would come up with silly "apostate" screen names and haunt jws in chat rooms. it's sick and twisted...but, that's why it was so fun. (i'm a much more mature apostate now) lol

dorayakii

Hehe, i feel ya Magick

I think in the JW mind, apostate=dangerous.

Witnesses believe that "apostate" is by far the most evil word, the most evil type of person around.

I've even heard that the "apostacy" is sinning against the spirit or the unforgivable sin. It is worse than murder or child molestation to them, because even known murderers and paedophiles are allowed back in the congregation and on the ministry. I think the underlying reasonis the belief that if your physical body is killed or violated it will be able to be resurrected in perfection in the New Order and "the former things won't come to mind". On the other hand, "spiritual violation" or "spiritual death" means no resurrection and eternal "cutting off".

The venom with which JWs spit the word "apostate" used to really frighten me, but i think after having seen the child abuse cases on Panorama and seeing the Silent Lambs banners waving, i realised that "they" weren't so bad, and it started me off on the road to even be like "them". Being on sites like these with similar minded people also desensitized me for the better and caused me to really question the "benevolence" of the Society. Whereas before, i only had niggling doubts but would never dare go on a website to confirm them with anything negative about the WTS, now i'm free of guilt and i have a profound distrust and even hate for anything that comes out of the mouth of the WTS.

I don't think i quite fall into the category yet, not being very active and vocal in denouning the WTS (except on the net), but i would be proud to be called a "poztate" even if its just to gain solidarity with other vitims of the WTS.

Max Divergent

NEW LIGHT!!

Apostate: 1) anyone who dosn't go to meetings, 2) anyone who goes to meetings but donsn't like them (evidenced by word, facial expresion or by inference), 3) anyone whom it's convenient to discredit

rebel8

By the dictionary it's appropriate.

Technically true. However, WTS puts a lot of other meanings onto the word. Snips from http://quotes.watchtower.ca/apostate.htm:

unrepentant apostates go, at death, not to Sheol, or Hades, but to Gehenna

haters of Jehovah, haters of what is good.

avoiding them as we would poison or a poisonous snake, for they can poison us spiritually.

Devil and other opposers of true worship are skilled in deception.

they stand ever ready to break our integrity if they can. Their propaganda is designed to weaken our faith, to cool our love for God, to sow doubts in our minds—yes, to make the spiritual paradise appear to be no paradise at all.

the only satisfaction, of a perverted kind, may come in beginning to beat one's fellow slaves with slander and half-truths.

spiritual turmoil and trauma

complete darkness

pamphlet that is filled with slander and half-truths

The Devil's tactics have not changed since Eden. He uses subtle questioning and an appeal to self-interest.

I could go on, but that's more than enough to make my point: The WTS adds on a lot of negative things to the meaning of the word "apostate" that the dictionary doesn't begin to hint at.

When I use that word to refer to myself, I am using it as a shortcut to explain how I'm viewed by a crazy cult. I know full well that I'm actually none of those things.

I can't imagine many non-cult religions viewing their detractors in this manner. I mean, how many Catholics do you know that were excommunicated and called demonic for speaking against some of the church's teachings? Maybe a few throughout history, but how many since it's become a modern normal religion? None. I'll bet the church just shrugs it shoulders when someone doesn't agree with them and does nothing further. They don't go around publishing litter-ature calling them demonic.

sf

~bumps thread~

minimus

'cause it's fun.

love2Bworldly

"When I was a dub and when I first exited the term "apostate" struck fear in my heart. They were the damned. I think I enjoy referring to myself as one now because it shows how far I have come from that time in my life. Their words no longer have any power over me." I agree with that. I do rather enjoy calling myself an apostate just because I know what type of images the JWs have of them, and I know I'm a way more normal thinker than any JW.

tetrapod.sapien

i refer to myself as an apostate because i like to consider myself intellectually honest.

Why do some here refer to themselves as "Apostates"?

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