by Sushi Crow 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
ACCORDING TO MOST ACTIVE WITNESSES, YOU ARE AN APOSTATE. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE "TRUTH" AND GO AGAINST IT, YOU ARE AN APOSTATE. YOU DONT NEED TO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED. JUST YOUR KNOWING THAT IT IS THE TRUTH AND NOT FAITHFULLY FOLLOWING WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE MAKES YOU AN APOSTATE.
BETHEL MINUTE
Sushi Crow,
They would just say that you have "apostate" thinking and if you were and unbaptized publisher they would take that "privilege" away from you. In the congregation they would shun you as an apostate just the same because the info would fly around the cong that that is in essence what you are.
econaut
Oh dear Sushi Crow it seems that ‘in a new york bethel minute’ you have been knocked off the fence.
You said , “technically I was never really a JW.” You may have to rely on a technicality to get you out of this one. I think choosing to be a black crow will count against you.
This is what the "Pay Attention Book" unit 5 p93 said [ I guess it is still current}
This differs from what apparently has been said about simply holding other beliefs being apostacy, and of course it differs greatly from 2 John 7 - 11 where it applies only to one who denies the Christ Jesus
Apostasy.
Apostasy is a standing away from, a falling away, defec-
tion, rebellion, abandonment; it involves teaching false
doctrines, supporting or promoting false religion and its
holidays or interfaith activities. (Deut. 13:13, 15; Josh.
22:22, ftn.; Acts 21:21, ftn.; 2 Cor. 6:14, 15, 17, 18;
2. John 7, 9, 10; Rev. 18:4)
Those with sincere doubts should be helped, dealt with
mercifully. (Jude 22, 23; w82 9/1 pp. 20-1;w80 8/1
pp. 21-2)
Apostasy includes action taken against true worship of
Jehovah or his established order among his dedicated
people. (Jer. 17:13; 23:15; 28:15, 16; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10)
Persons who deliberately spread (stubbornly hold to and
speak about) teachings contrary to Bible truth as taught
by Jehovah's Witnesses are apostates.
If it is learned that a person has taken up association with
another religious organization, the matter should be inves-
tigated, and if verified, a committee should be formed.
If it is clearly established that the person has joined
another religion and intends to remain with it, the
94
"Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock"
elders would make a brief announcement to the congre-
gation that such- one has disassociated himself. (w86
10/15 p. 31 )
Working secularly for a false religious organization could
put one in a position similar to that of one preaching false
doctrine. (2 Cor. 6:14-16)
Celebrating a false religious holiday would be similar to
performing any other act of false worship. (Jer. 7:16-19)
Yeah, I don`t think you have to be baptised to be considered an apostate. A word of digression: In my country, the word "apostate" has no norwegian equivalent. So the word used for "apostates" is "motstander", which means "OPPONENT"! And an "opponent" doesn`t have to have been baptised, it is sufficient that he has known "the Truth" (the Lie), and is actively working against it! That last part is very important. So I am per definition an apostate/opponent.
The word "apostate" is taken from the Greek "apo-" which means "away from" and "stenai" which means "to stand"... Therefore "apostenai" means "to stand away from" in Greek...
The dictionary definition further limits the meaning to standing away from a set of beliefs or principles whether political or religious.
The word therfore means "renouncing former beliefs", and does not necessarily define a person who actively promotes a set of beliefs different to or contrary to what they formerly believed. It can simply mean someone who no longer believes.
The above-quoted "Pay Attention" book's definition of "apostacy" as "a standing away from, a falling away, defection, rebellion, abandonment; it involves teaching false doctrines, supporting or promoting false religion and its holidays or interfaith activities" is a tainted definition. It can involve rebellion and teaching, supporting and promoting "false" doctrines, but that definition is merely the in-definition of the religious group in question.
Therefore, yes, if you once believed JW doctrines and now do not, you are an apostate. If you were merely brought up as a JW but never believed, although you are not an apostate by the normal definition of the word, you may still be called an apostate by JWs, because you were associated with them and it was assumed that at some point in your childhood, you must have believed.
Thanks everyone and Brother Blues, I appreciate the info.
dorayakii, you make a good point about what they interpret, as opposed to what the reality of the situation is. This is where things get more complicated. I never really believed what I was being told. However, I was a child (still a minor) when I disappeared. Since I was never around as an adult or even as a teenager (I think I completely stopped attending meetings somewhere between the ages of 10-12, hard to say when, stopped really paying attention earlier), would they say that I was never really old enough to truly understand what was being preached? Has an "age of reason" ever been set? Would I still be considered an "apostate" or was I too young to really know better and just another wordly person?
If this apostate thing doesn't work out for me, I like the word "heretic" (thanx greendawn), especially since this is the origin of "heretic"
Middle English took this from the French hérétique, which took it from the Ecclesiastical Latin haereticus, both words meaning heretic. The original word was the Greek hairetikos "able to chose" from the verb hairesthai "to chose".
Ahh, choice. This word is steeped in the Catholic traditon. Is this too much of a papal buzz words for the Society to adopt? Quite a juicy word.
Trevor, I see your point about being a black crow. Since crows are shapeshifters, if I wanted to avoid conflict, I could always give up the fence for a litterbox and turn into a cat. Wait, just remembered, cats aren't good, either - esp black ones. Oh, well. Btw, Trevor, I recognize your picture. I believe that that giant ball that you have been trying to avoid has found you on this site. It's going by the screen name "ballistic" and appears to have changed it's colors. Run fast!!
They could also call you a heretic.
That's what they call my pastor.
