Why use the word apostate? (page 2)

bigwilly

Gopher wrote: "I love using the word "apostate", inaccurate though it is. It takes the power of the term away from the bastards. I use it in a tongue-in-cheek way. Actually I think of it as a badge of honor, synonymous with "mentally free from the Brooklyn bastards". If the Brooklyn bastards don't like me enjoying their term, there's a bridge near their headquarters from which I would invite them to take a jump!" My take as well Gopher, similar to the gay community taking back the term "queer". What was once a term of damnation or exile can be worn proudly and thrown in their face!

Eliveleth

I agree with Gopher and onthewayout: I love us apostates. It means we have abandoned the control of the WT and are able to think for ourselves and worship God the way we see Him from the Bible. I was also called a "Jezebel", because my family got out of the WT too and according to them it was because of my "wicked" influence. I wear that name as a badge of honor also. It is in the nature of the WT to call us names and try to still control us. I praise God that I no longer care what they think about me or call me. I AM FREE!!!!!

Love and hugs,

Velta

oompa

Funny JH, I can just see you sing that!

from now on we could be: Postal

It does use most of the letters.....oompa

nvrgnbk

The word is a badge of honor.

Those who have courageously abandoned erroneous beliefs are all considered apostates by the groups they've left.

From Wikipedia...

Apostasy (from Greek ap?stas?a, meaning a defection or revolt, from ap?, apo, "away, apart", stas??, stasis, "standing") is a term generally employed to describe the formal renunciation of one's religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to one's former religion. One who commits apostasy is an apostate, or one who apostatises. Apostasy is generally not a self-definition: very few former believers call themselves apostates and they generally consider this term to be a pejorative. One of the possible reasons for this renunciation is loss of faith, another is the failure of alleged religious indoctrination or brainwashing.

Many religious movements consider it a vice (sin), a corruption of the virtue of piety in the sense that when piety fails, apostasy is the result.

Several religious groups and even some states punish apostates. Apostates may be shunned by the members of their former religious group [1] or worse. This may be the official policy of the religious group or may happen spontaneously, due in some sense to psycho-social factors as well. The Catholic Church may in certain very limited circumstances respond to apostasy by excommunicating the apostate, while the writings of both ancient Judaism (Deuteronomy 13:6-10) and Islam (al-Bukhari, Diyat, bab 6) demand the death penalty for apostates.

The reliability of the testimonies of apostates is an important and controversial issue in the study of apostasy in cults and new religious movements.

The difference between apostasy and heresy is that the latter refers to rejection or corruption of certain doctrines, not to the complete abandonment of one's religion. Heretics claim to still be following a religion (or to be the "true followers"), whereas apostates reject it.

The term is also used to refer to renunciation of belief in a cause other than religion, particularly in politics. Conversely, some atheists and agnostics use the term "deconversion" to describe loss of faith in a religion. Self-described "Freethinkers" and those who may view traditional religion negatively may see it as gaining rationality and respect for the scientific method.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy

Nate the Apostate

Gopher

Thanks for that posting, NVR.

If sociologists can use the word in a neutral sense, we can ENJOY the heck out of it.

That posting also recognizes that "very few former believers call themselves apostates" -- maybe we should edit that to say "except for many who are very happy they left Jehovah's Witnesses".

nvrgnbk

Salman Rushdie apostacized from Islam, inviting a death sentence as a result.

Look at the company he keeps! LOL!

OUTLAW

The word apostate is as absurd,as Oompa pretending be a former JW.....If I went back to the Kingdom Hall I could no longer preach "Armageddon by 1975"..Or.."The generation of 1914 will not pass away."..Jehovah`s Witness`s no longer believe those doctrines.Jehovah`s Witness`s are Apostate to their own former beliefs.......Apostate is a word the WBT$ use`s to mark anyone who exposes them..And..Jehovah`s Witness`s are taught to fear those marked by the WBT$.......We should`nt let the WBT$ decide how we should be referred to,or called......Keep the WBT$ "powerless" over your life!...OUTLAW

Homerovah the Almighty

I would have to agree with you greendawn, to me the term implies an evil against a known good, in contrary I see us as a good over a known evil

Perhaps we should use " conscientious consumer " instead of apostate

LtCmd.Lore

I love the word apostate!

It says in one word: "Yeah I used to believe that, but now I know better..."

Lore

Cheetos

I know I have always felt the same waay Greendawn.

What comes to mind is a term I use for them:

KnuckleHeads"

Why use the word apostate?

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