by Trojan 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
My view is that I am labled. If that is going to be the case, I might as well try to drop the neg conotation. Redefine what it means for me.It is a brand of honour to be labeled apostate by the JWs. It means Im thinking for myself.
I see your point but disagree personally.
Matt
I've never been a JW (married to an a DF'd JW), but I like to feel I'm an apostate, as well~!
1 : renunciation of a religious faith
2 : abandonment of a previous loyalty
Sounds about right. I have renounced the faith in that organization and its teachings .. Once I was loyal to the WTS . I beleived their deluded assertions that they were the "Faithful and discreet slave" acting for Jesus Christ...Now I know better, so I have abandoned that loyalty ... Everyone should apostatize from something they learn to be wrong.
I believe that Ray Franz said "Apostasy is an ugly word", and it is in the WT parlance, seen from those on the inside ,just as 'heretic' was to a middle ages Catholic. But from out here , it is liberty!
I dont use the term to apply to myself, if my wife calls me an apostate, I reply I am apostate to The JW's not the Bible.
The Bogeyman Danny's apostate page
I rarely use the term apostate. I don't consider myself one, I'm merely a former jw who finally saw the truth about the wt and did something about it. I had too many labels attached to me during my jw years, ie study, unbaptised publisher, pioneer, and I left the labelling behind when I left the org behind.
If my former colleagues call me an apostate, that's up to them, I expect I've been called worse since leaving, but I don't care, not any more.
Thanks to you all. I can't go into detail to the comments that I liked most, but it seems that the consensus among you is:
You see, I needed your input on this one (and many more points, I thank you for any short comment) as I'm seeing things from "this side of the fence", but you guys/gals are further ahead in the process (your opinions are like a "boost" in terms of "getting there")
I liked what James Free said: "It is the Org. that calls anyone who disagrees with them an apostate. Trojan, if the GB read your posts, which are mild but still public disagreement with their ways and teachings, they would call you an apostate. To them, they are the only way to Jehovah. That is why they say of those who diassociate themselves:"
If I combine that with what others said (like IP_SEC and kid-a - liked your comments boys!), that you change the meaning of the term, than it's like what happened to the "Made in Germany" label. Do you know the story? Since I lived many years in Germany (im not a german, eventhough my english has traits that betray me as one) it was interesting to read the story about the "Made in....." labels.
It all started when the allies wanted to crack post-war Germany, so they wanted to "warn the world" about the product they where buying and a law was passed that ANY german product had to have that label on it, so people could decide and avoid buying it, if they felt like sabotaging the germans for what they did. But, nobody guessed that the germans started doing good stuff, put hard work into their products and suddenly people where actually LOOKING for stuff that had the label on it, because they knew it was good quality (Mercedes cars, Porsche, Siemens, etc.).....Now, the punished germans wheren't so punished at all and the guys that invented the idea looked like idiots. Other countries started following the idea (soon "Made in US" came out...), and nowadays the label is whatever the countries made out of it (like if you read "Made in China" you know the price tag will be cheap....)
So, "Apostate" is a brand label that you are molding like the Germans did with the label that was meant to punish them! Good. Then lets keep up to that. (Although I still have that "blocking", "red lights alerting" feeling in my mind.....damned....how do you get rid of that???????)
Apostate TM
Trojan.
PS: To James Free: I'm living up to my nickname, if you know what I mean...
Why do you use the term "Apostate"?
Sometimes, I'm just not in the mood to deal with them. It gets them off the porch in lightening speed!
sKally
I prefer "Apostababe" myself.
It's a silly word meant to convey evil on those thus branded, by making fun of it the power of the word is lost.
Plus it's fun to say.
Dams
i stood corrected here when i was getting upset about being labeled an apostate. It means you have a different view, you left a former religion or whatever you were in. It doesn't mean evil, foolish, nieve...
I see that several of you use the term "apostate" or call themselves "apostates". The problem I have with using the term is that you continue to follow WTBTS thinking of "branding and labeling" people. They charge that word with lots of negativity and label people that have different thoughts. If I finally leave this Org. I would not accept the term, as it implies an "abandoning of faith",
Yes, I agree, I may disagree with some of the teachings, but I don't view myself as one leaving God and any teachings about him that can be supported by scripture that are not design strictly to control others thoughts.
They use the this word to scare the R&F and make the oposition sound like satanic loosers, just like the Repulicans use the word "liberals" to scare and vilianize the opposition to their way of thinking.
You are right, by labeling others they perpetuate the idea that they are some how better than those who disagree openly with them.
OC
