Maybe theres a symbiotic relationship between dubs and apostates, like, well I dont know, stomachs and tape worms. Ahh, no thats a parasitic relationship.Maybe JWs can only define themseles in relation to apostates. If we didnt exist they wouldnt. Maybe were doing them a real big favour, embodying the boogey man, and giving them something to rail against.
I think you are right. Evil defines good and good defines evil. I think of it like this: Witnesses, as well as several other religious institutions, define their righteousness by using apostates and 'worldly' ones as their standard of unrighteousness. I think that the term 'embodying the boogey man' is a good one. I think what sets apostates apart from the rest of the evil in the world, is the whole idea among witnesses that when you become an apostate you have learned the 'truth' and chose to leave. Whereas in the world, they know nothing else. Now go back to evil defining what is good and good defining what is evil. Once you take notice of that gut feeling that something is wrong and you search into it, those definitions become so much more clear. db74 i stopped counting last year when i turned 30