What do you say if you get asked "Are you an Apostate?" (page 2)

nicolaou

Tim, why pay any heed to the cults SELF-SERVING definition of the word? I have willingly turned my back on my former faith and the god I believed in. I am an apostate.

Simple.

Well for obvious reasons, with my friend I threw the question back at him. We had a discussion about what I believed and what I was "struggling" with. He decided I am not an apostate, but the phrase TTATT set off alarm bells, so in order to maintain a friendship and save hin from getting baptised, I will tread carefully when it comes to labelling myself an apostate.

tim hooper

Nic - I do it just for the hell of it, it confuses them when you turn their own words back on them.

KateWild

it confuses them when you turn their own words back on them.-tim

This is so true. My friend was confused that I was using an internet term, but he himself admitted to reading the internet sites, when I turned the question back to him, it made him think, really think. He asked the right questions and confirmed his bias that I was not an apostate as the WT describes.

nicolaou

What is to be gained by confusing anyone already unfortunate enough to be trapped in a cult?!

KateWild

What is to be gained by confusing anyone already unfortunate enough to be trapped in a cult?!- nic

For me in this situation, my friend is not trapped in the cult, he stopped going to meetings over a year ago, but he still thinks it's "The Truth". So what is to be gained?

First off, the maintaining of a friendship that has already proven to be unconditional, and the releasing of any residual indoctrination my friend has.

Ones may leave the CULT, but may remain indoctrinated, I want to help ones like this if I can. If I don't they are at risk of rejoining a damaging CULT and could risk family ostracising in the future. Him not being baptised put him in a delecate position, everyone talke to him, but are pressuring him to get baptised.

A blessing and a curse if you will. Kate xx

tim hooper

The title of the the thread is:

What do you say if you get asked "Are you an Apostate?"

Someone who asks such a question is unlikely to be trapped in a cult. The language is that of an accuser.

KateWild

Someone who asks such a question is unlikely to be trapped in a cult.- tim

Many who are trapped may use acusitory language. They have bee indoctrinated to do so, they have been taught everything on the internet is a lie if it's going against the WT. Therefore the accuser may be trapped, the accuser may also be a power hungry elder with no concept of good ethics. It's for the one being questioned to discern the intent behind the question.

Kate xx

KiddingMe

It depends on who's definition of apostate you are using. Since he is most likely asking you in the JW sense, you could've answered, "the WT defines apostate as (describe as Tim Hooper did above). Since, I'm not trying to draw loyal JW's to follow false teachings etc. the answer to your question is no.

if you want you could add something like, "however, according to (Webster or whatever source) anyone that leaves their former religion is considered an apostate. So in this sense, yes I am, along with anyone else that has departed from their former religion."

KateWild

So in this sense, yes I am, along with anyone else that has departed from their former religion."-kiddingme

I like that one since I was a convert anyway, so would have been an apostate when I got baptised as a JW. Good one of the question comes up again. Kate xx

What do you say if you get asked "Are you an Apostate?"

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