Jehovah's Witneses: What is an apostate?

Question

I have been called an apostate by just about all of the Jehovah's witnesses who troll YA.

I find this label interesting, in that I did years of research into the beginnings of the Jehovah's Witness faith, and actually found out for myself that it is not based in Scripture.

I am now a sincere Born again christian, who feels scripturally oblegated (kind of like you are scripturally bound to go door to door) to share the findings about the WBTS and expose false religion.

It is my understanding, that an Apostate knows what the truth is, and in order to deceive and mislead, preaches an alternate gospel.

How can you justify the Name Calling? Is it possable that someone can actulaay leave the Jehovah's Witness organization and adopt sincerely, another form of Christianity, without being Aopstate in your eyes?

Please: Only direct answers to the question posted, and if you can refrain from calling names, that would be much appreciated.

U.L.

Adara...You make my point for me...Typical JW non answer.

Adara: I know the rules, and I also know what a scriptural apostate is. The two are not the same. do the Witnesses make up their own Rules?

Answer 1

An APOSTATE is an Individual that "Dresses Up" their Avatar Like a "RED Nosed" (CLOWN) Just Around Halloween !

AND; the Avatar IS an Xact "Representation" of the CLOWN "Behind the (MASK)" ! ! !

Answer 2

I am thankful you asked this question. I have been called Apostate. I have never been Jehovah's Witness.

In Merriam- Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition says apostate is one who commits apostasy. And apostasy is 1. renunciation of a religious faith 2. abandonment of previous loyalty. And a synonym for it is 'defection' which is stated as conscious abandonment of allegiance or duty as to a person, cause or doctrine.

To me this can be a change for the good or for the bad, depending of the standard you measure what is good and what is bad.

So where this word gets its negative kick is that the key word for apostasy is 'desertion' and that is 1. act of deserting; esp; the abandonmet without concent or legal justification of a person, post, or relationship and the associated duties and oblicatios 2. state of being deserted or forsaken

However, the way JWs call me Apostate, I am proud if it. It separates me from their teachings. I am aware that there are specific opportunities when the enemy will TRY to deceive me, discourage me, or turn me away from my Commander-in chief, the Lord Jesus Christ. I see Jehovah's Witnesses as the lions who prowls around for the vulnerable prey. But I will never be forsaken. I am armed and dangerous ; ) with my Bible. I put the full armor of God around me and no evil can harm me, belittle me, discourage me and call me names that does not truefully apply to me as daugther of Most High.

Jesus is our Comander-in-chief- the highest authority we will ever have.God uses a wide variety of churches to reach and disciple emerging generations. As unity of the church - the body of Christ- is important, we need to make distinction from others when we have core differences. In any day I am happy to be apostate in JWs' eyes because I love my Lord and I want to honor Him and be His own, in His eyes.

Answer 3

I think only baptized people can be apostates. You can't do that if you weren't baptized. Its wrong to use the word apostate like an insult, but its hard to use it at all then since it might sound that way. Its like calling someone a fornicater, I guess. They might not think that masterbating someone else is fornication, so they don't think they really are a fornicater.

Answer 4

Official Apostasy
In the August 1980 edition of the monthly paper called Our Kingdom Ministry, which was sent to all congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses, the front page contained the statement that five members of Bethel, and also a number of others, had been disfellowshipped, and the article went on to speak of "apostasy" and "promoting of sectarian divisions", which could be construed to imply that those who were disfellowshipped were apostates. The article did not mentioned names related to an apostasy.

Later on 1 September 1980 a letter to all Circuit and District overseers was sent out by the Governing Body stressing the new teaching that anyone who disagrees in thought with any of the Watch Tower Society's (aka Jehovah God's) teachings is committing apostasy and is liable for disfellowshipping, even if he or she does not actually teach or spread contrary beliefs. The written official policy stated, under the heading "Protecting the Flock":

This idea was not quoted nor a direct reference given, as was always a custom of Jehovah's Witnesses letters to Overseers.

“ Keep in mind that to be disfellowshipped, an apostate does not have to be a promoter of apostate views. As mentioned in paragraph two, page 17 of the August 1, 1980, Watchtower, "The word 'apostasy' comes from a Greek term that means "a standing away from,' 'a falling away, defection,' 'rebellion, abandonement.' Therefore, if a baptized Christian abandons the teachings of Jehovah, as presented by the faithful and discreet slave, the 144,000, as represented by the Govening Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, and persists in believing other doctrines despite Scriptural reproof, then he is apostatizing. Extended, kindly efforts should be put forth to readjust his thinking. However, if, after such extended efforts have been put forth to readjust his thinking, he continues to believe the apostate ideas and rejects what he has been provided through the 'slave class' then appropriate judicial action should be taken.”

Franz's commentary on this apostasy policy:

“ The letter presents an official policy. It actually says that a person's believing—not promoting, but simply believing—something that differs from the teachings of the organization is grounds for taking judicial action against him as an "apostate"!
The letter makes no qualifying statements limiting such differences of belief to fundamental teachings of God's Word, such as the coming of God's Son as a man, the ransom, faith in Christ's shed blood as the basis for salvation, the resurrection, or similar basic Bible doctrines. It does not even say that the person necessarily disagrees with the Bible, the Word of God. Rather, he disagrees with "the teachings of Jehovah, as presented by the faithful and discreet slave." Which is something like saying that a man's accepting and obeying a King's written message is no guarantee that he is loyal; it is his accepting and obeying what a slave messenger claims the ruler meant that decides this!

The symbol at the top of the September 1, 1980 letter ("SCG") identifies the composer of it as Leon Weaver. But it should not be thought that this "thought-control" policy was the thinking of one individual, nor was it some momentary off-the-cuff expression of extremism which a person might make and afterward feel ashamed of as a rash, harsh and utterly unchristian position to take. The composer was a member of the Service Department Committee whose members, such as Harley Miller, David Olson, Joel Adams, Charles Woody and Leon Weaver, were all longtime representatives of the organization, with decades of experience behind them. They were agents of the Governing Body in supervising the activity of about 10,000 congregations and the activity of all the elders, Circuit and District Overseers in the United States, where nearly one million Jehovah's Witnesses live. They were in regular contact with the Service Committee of the Governing Body and were supposed to be thoroughly familiar with the Governing Body policies, attuned to its thinking and viewpoint and spirit.

Whatever the case, the letter and its policy—which evokes memories of the position of religious authorities in the apparent Inquisition—had to have been approved by a number of headquarters representatives, including several Governing Body members. Since people's friendships, family relationships, personal honor and other life interests were all at stake, it should be presumed that these men gave long, careful thought to that statement of September 1, 1980, before approving it as an official expression from the "faithful and discreet slave" of Jesus Christ. What they there said was no light matter to be explained away later by saying, "Well, we really didn't mean it exactly the way it sounded." As the facts show, people, many persons, were actually disfellowshipped and continue to be disfellowshipped solely on the basis of this very thought-control policy sent out. The denigrating label of "apostate" is placed on their name simply because in their own hearts, they cannot accept all of the Society's interpretations.

Answer 5

You won't get an answer, you know. Their attempt to define "apostate" would greatly embarass the JWs on this board and they know how ridiculous the stance would appear to the casual, uninitiated observer. They wouldn't want to "bring reproach upon Jehovah" by letting the general public in on their dirty little secret.

The only way most of their rules make sense is for the person to be neck deep into it, already.

Answer 6

You know the rules about apostates and those disfellowshipped. That's all I have to say.

Answer 7

JW religion is based on scripture, just not yours. All scripture is, is man's claims to god's revelations.

Answer 8

I know you didn't direct the question to me, but I have wondered the same exact thing. I strongly believe that at least 95% of jw's have no clue what the word "apostate" even means. It baffles me.

Answer 9

Why don't you instead move on and get a life (sigh)

Answer 10

APOSTASY

This term in Greek (a·po·sta·si′a) comes from the verb a·phi′ste·mi, literally meaning “stand away from.” The noun has the sense of “desertion, abandonment or rebellion.” (Ac 21:21, ftn) In classical Greek the noun was used to refer to political defection, and the verb is evidently employed in this sense at Acts 5:37, concerning Judas the Galilean who “drew off” (a·pe′ste·se, form of a·phi′ste·mi) followers. The Greek Septuagint uses the term at Genesis 14:4 with reference to such a rebellion. However, in the Christian Greek Scriptures it is used primarily with regard to religious defection; a withdrawal or abandonment of the true cause, worship, and service of God, and hence an abandonment of what one has previously professed and a total desertion of principles or faith. The religious leaders of Jerusalem charged Paul with such an apostasy against the Mosaic Law.

It may properly be said that God’s Adversary was the first apostate, as is indicated by the name Satan. He caused the first human pair to apostatize. (Ge 3:1-15; Joh 8:44) Following the Flood, there was a rebellion against the words of the God of Noah. (Ge 11:1-9) Job later found it necessary to defend himself against the charge of apostasy on the part of his three supposed comforters. (Job 8:13; 15:34; 20:5) In his defense Job showed that God grants no audience to the apostate (Job 13:16), and he also showed the hopeless state of one cut off in apostasy. (Job 27:8; compare also Elihu’s statement at 34:30; 36:13.) In these cases the Hebrew noun cha·neph′ is used, meaning “[one] alienated from God,” that is, an apostate. The related verb cha·neph′ means “be inclined away from the right relation to God,” or “pollute, lead to apostasy.”—Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros, by L. Koehler and W. Baumgartner, Leiden, 1958, p. 317.

Apostasy in Israel. The first two commandments of the Law condemned all apostasy. (Ex 20:3-6) And before Israel’s entry into the Promised Land, they were warned against the grave danger of apostasy resulting from marriages with the people of the land. (De 7:3, 4) Even though a person who was inciting others to apostasy was a close relative or a marriage mate, he was to be put to death for having “spoken of revolt against Jehovah your God.” (De 13:1-15) The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were quick to exonerate themselves of a charge of apostasy that arose because of their construction of an altar.—Jos 22:21-29.

Many of the kings of Israel and of Judah followed an apostate course—for example, Saul (1Sa 15:11; 28:6, 7), Jeroboam (1Ki 12:28-32), Ahab (1Ki 16:30-33), Ahaziah (1Ki 22:51-53), Jehoram (2Ch 21:6-15), Ahaz (2Ch 28:1-4), and Amon (2Ch 33:22, 23). In due time a nation of apostates developed because the people listened to apostate priests and prophets (Jer 23:11, 15) and other unprincipled men who, by smooth words and false sayings, led them into loose conduct, immorality, and desertion of Jehovah, “the source of living water.” (Isa 10:6; 32:6, 7; Jer 3:1; 17:13) According to Isaiah 24:5, the very land became “polluted [cha·nephah′] under its inhabitants, for they have bypassed the laws, changed the regulation, broken the indefinitely lasting covenant.” No mercy was to be granted them in the predicted destruction.—Isa 9:17; 33:11-14; Zep 1:4-6.

What characteristics identify apostates as distinct from true Christians?

An apostasy among professed Christians was foretold by the apostle Paul at 2 Thessalonians 2:3. He specifically mentioned certain apostates, such as Hymenaeus, Alexander, and Philetus. (1Ti 1:19, 20; 2Ti 2:16-19) Among the varied causes of apostasy set forth in apostolic warnings were: lack of faith (Heb 3:12), lack of endurance in the face of persecution (Heb 10:32-39), abandonment of right moral standards (2Pe 2:15-22), the heeding of the “counterfeit words” of false teachers and “misleading inspired utterances” (2Pe 2:1-3; 1Ti 4:1-3; 2Ti 2:16-19; compare Pr 11:9), and trying “to be declared righteous by means of law” (Ga 5:2-4). While still making profession of faith in God’s Word, apostates may forsake his service by treating lightly the preaching and teaching work that he assigned to followers of Jesus Christ. (Lu 6:46; Mt 24:14; 28:19, 20) They may also claim to serve God but reject his representatives, his visible organization, and then turn to ‘beating’ their former associates to hinder their work. (Jude 8, 11; Nu 16:19-21; Mt 24:45-51) Apostates often seek to make others their followers. (Ac 20:30; 2Pe 2:1, 3) Such ones willfully abandoning the Christian congregation thereby become part of the “antichrist.” (1Jo 2:18, 19) As with the apostate Israelites, destruction is likewise foretold for apostates from the Christian congregation.—2Pe 2:1; Heb 6:4-8; see ASSOCIATION.

During the period of persecution that the early Christian congregation experienced at the hands of the Roman Empire, professed Christians were at times induced to deny their Christian discipleship, and those who did so were required to signify their apostasy by making an incense offering before some pagan god or by openly blaspheming the name of Christ.

It is evident that there is a distinction between a ‘falling’ due to weakness and the ‘falling away’ that constitutes apostasy. The latter implies a definite and willful withdrawal from the path of righteousness. (1Jo 3:4-8; 5:16, 17) Whatever its apparent basis, whether intellectual, moral, or spiritual, it constitutes a rebellion against God and a rejection of his Word of truth.—2Th 2:3, 4; see MAN OF LAWLESSNESS.i shouldnt even be answering but i want to make sure we have a chance to answer with no name calling