Jehovah's Witnesses: Would you consider someone an apostate if...?

Question

...one had said in 1994 that “the generation that would not pass away before all these things occur" referred to by Jesus apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ’s presence but fail to mend their ways."

Let me be more specific. What if one said this and was vocal about it?

Also, what if now they are indeed correct?

P. June: You miss the point. If someone said it in 1994, they would have been disfellowshipped and not automatically reinstated when the Society recieved their new light in 1995.

Cheri/ Don SC, Golden Hair, Turquoise B, H, pppp, "the TRUTH, whatever your going by now, I thought I would be in jail in 2 years? Now 3 years agian. "New Light'?

I have no idea what your 94 Mustang/Sperm Whale referance means. Unfortunatley for you, you have to be cleaver and intellegent to create a riddle as well as to solve one.....Dave

Answer 1

An apostate, according to Jehovah's Witnesses, is a former baptised JW who advocates, or speaks about, their disagreements to others.

My parents were of that generation who were alive and "saw with eyes of understanding" the signs of Christ's second (invisible) presence and absolutely believed they would still be around when Armageddon came. They died disappointed.

I was of that generation who were led to believe that 1975 marked the end of 6,000 years since Adam and Eve and that Armageddon was therefore imminent. Why, Watchtower Society literature proudly claimed this would happen within the 20th century!

However, as to your question, do JW's consider people who see the sign of Christ's presence (according to them) but fail to mend their ways as apostate, then no. To be an apostate you would have to have been a JW who then rejected their teachings and was vocal in your disagreement. That would include me, then.

Answer 2

no longer anybody who's now no longer a Jehovah's Witness could be considered an apostate. An apostate could be somebody who leaves and then spreads lies or slanders or hate for Jehovah's human beings. Or they start coaching, believing or practising doctrines that they know complete properly are no longer bible based. They wooden the assemblies and attempt to bypass out their propaganda. they have web pages that are committed to trashing Jehovah's Witnesses. they are definitely ones who've betrayed their brothers, who've their very own time table. a reliable occasion of somebody interior the Bible who replaced into apostate replaced into Judas Iscariot. He betrayed Jesus for some silver money.

Answer 3

If they just said... "hey, isn't this an interesting idea" and wanted to talk about it - No.

But if they decided to teach it in the congregation and draw off followers who believed it to and debate with the elders and dispute over it. And cause divisions and sects within the congregations?

Then, maybe.



Additional details response:

My answer stands. We wait on Jehovah to make clarification in the congregation through the "faithful and discreet slave". It causes divisions in the congregation - a practice condemned by the scriptures.

Answer 4

The Bible shows us that we need to wait on Jehovah thru his earthly organization. For example, in the book of Acts, a controversy arose whether non-Jewish Christians needed to be circumcised. Those with the right attitude waited until a ruling was made by the older men in Jerusalem. As a result, all the congregations benefited.

The same thing goes for us today. We wait for clarification concerning the Scriptures whether to accecpt something or not. As we learn more about the Bible, adjustments are made. As an organization, we unitedly move forward with those adjustments.

Answer 5

This is not a question for the public.
Whatever goes on in the committee meetings is done in privacy and under Jehovah's direction.

Answer 6

No one is disfellowshiped for an action because all forgiveness comes from Jehovah through Jesus Christ not through the congregation.

Disfellowshipping comes from a failure to repent and turn around. Therefore who ever it is you are talking about is guilty of a hard and unrepentant heart.

If this person is you then you know why you were disfellowshiped and it was not for the reason you have stated here. Your worldly words will convince those who do not know and who want to harm the congregation, but Jehovah reads hearts.

When we learn humility, Jehovah and the congregation, greet us with open arms and a loving heart.

Answer 7

They have shown themselves NOT to be "God's mouthpiece" on the earth but verifiable false teachers prophets in much more evident ways than such a spin as that: http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/TheBIBLEandSoCalledJEHOVAHS-WITNESSES.html

See also, http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/DEITYofCHRIST.html