Deconstructing Apostasy

Life & healing after leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses…

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22 December 2008

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Author: Moxie
Tags: Apostasy, Jehovah's Witness Apostate

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What is an apostate?

Dictionary: a person who abandons/renounces a religious or political belief or principle.

The Watchtower: a person who rejects the watchtower bible tract society and actively works against god’s holy spirit.

Who would be labeled an apostate?

Someone who persistently questions watchtower teachings,
Someone who voices doubts over watchtower teachings,
Someone who chooses to leave because of doubts over watchtower teachings.

Anyone who questions, doubts or conscientiously objects to watchtower teachings will be labeled an apostate.

The very act of questioning watchtower teachings is viewed to be working against god’s holy spirit and therefore the individual would be disfellowshipped and labeled an apostate.

What are the consequences of apostasy?

Spiritual Consequences:

Active Jehovah’s witness are told that apostasy is an unforgivable sin.
Those who are working or have worked against god’s holy spirit will be written out of the book of life.

The watchtower quotes bible verses at Luke 12:10 and Hebrews 10: 26, 27 where Jesus said that ‘blasphemy against the holy spirit’ was unforgivable. And Paul said that there is no sacrifice for sins left for one who practices sin willfully despite knowing the truth.

But interestingly, those labeled apostate by the watchtower society need not speak against the holy spirit or practice sin willfully despite knowing the “truth”. The merely need to question or doubt the teachings of the watchtower society.

The watchtower society claims that it is the sole channel of god’s holy spirit on earth. But with what evidence do they have to prove this? The answer is none…

Anyone to question this or any other watchtower doctrine will be labeled an apostate.

So according to the watchtower, the spiritual consequences of apostasy against the organization is essentially damnation; death without the hope of resurrection.

Personal Consequences:

The watchtower society teaches its members that apostates are the worst sort of felons. That they have been duped and manipulated by satan the devil and that they are very dangerous.

In the awake magazine of October 22, 2005 the watchtower society speaks of apostates as persons who are actively trying to trick and deceive Jehovah’s witnesses…

“Like rocks hidden below water, these false Christians mask their real intent beneath a pretense of concern for Witness youths. But their goal is to shipwreck the faith of unwary ones.—1 Timothy 1:19, 20.”

So now we see the demonization of the “apostate”. This person who had questions or doubts has suddenly become an extreme danger to others. The watchtower society warns that they are not sincere in their questions or objectives but that they are trying to shipwreck a person’s faith. This is an astounding assumption and extrapolation.

Further, members are taught that reading apostate literature or even speaking with a family member who has been labeled an apostate is very dangerous, and that Jehovah’s Witnesses who do so are at risk of being tricked and becoming apostates themselves.

Therefore all Jehovah’s witnesses are instructed to completely shun and avoid any contact with apostates for fear that they will be tricked and become apostates themselves. This is true even if the “apostate” is family or a close friend.

Jehovah’s Witnesses fear questioning the society in this matter or in any other. They honestly believe that if they question the watchtower they are, in essence, questioning god. Even though the watchtower society has admittedly been wrong many times in it’s brief history, and had to change its doctrine back and forth, it still demands absolute obedience from its followers. No one is allowed to question, no one is allowed to leave. The punishment is disfellowshipping, being branded an apostate and ultimately eternal death.

We can see how the watchtower society instills fear into its followers. The apostate label is a tool that affectively controls their ability to critically examine the organization’s teachings, and paralyzes people with fear so that they remain silent. Those who do speak up and question things will be cut off from their families and friends and will be told that they will suffer death with no hope of a resurrection.

In Review

So by definition, apostasy is the abandonment or rejection of a religious belief. However, we see the watchtower society’s definition is quite different. Any kind of person who has doubts or choses to leave the organization will be labeled as a devious and evil threat.

It seems obvious that the watchtower views these people as a threat. The million dollar question is why?

Why will they go to such lengths to silence someone with questions or doubts?

If they had the truth, what would the truth have to fear in the face of objections?

Why do they turn the word, “apostate” into a straw man. Making a conscientious questioner someone who is evil, devious and dangerous?

A Cult?

The International Cultic Studies Association provides an analytical checklist to identify cult groups. Here are a few items that are directly relevant to the topic at hand. Decide for yourself…

http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/checklis.htm

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
‪Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
‪The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel.
‪The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
‪Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
‪Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
‪The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

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11 Comments »

Jessica said:

I remember crying myself to sleep many nights because I thought my sisters had committed the unforgivable sin, and would be destroyed at Armageddon. Lovely.

# 22 December 2008 at 11:12 am

parabola said:

Thanks Moxie,

For publishing this well written material. Keep up the great work!

# 23 December 2008 at 12:24 pm

Theocratherapy said:

You nailed it! I guess Jesus was an “Apostate” too!?!

# 24 December 2008 at 3:20 am

ActiveJW said:

The Watchtower has harmed so many people this way, I am still in but can clearly see both sides of the coin. The only reason I don’t leave is because of fear of losing my loved ones. But I do not wish to be part of this organization anymore. Something needs to be done to stop this unloving, arrogant, dangerous Cult. This very organization has made me doubt if there is a God at all, if there is one I hope he brings the end to this Organization soon.

Thanks for an excellent article.

# 6 January 2009 at 3:16 pm

Moxie (author) said:

Thanks to the admin at knowreligion.net (Truth Saves) for re-publishing this article on his site! If you guys haven’t already been there it’s one of my current favorites.

Check out the article here and browse the rest of the site!

Link to Deconstructing Apostasy on Truth Saves

# 9 January 2009 at 12:26 pm

jjj said:

As an atheist, now you are free to pursue your desires, and be accountable for nothing. I don’t understand why you chose to use your freedom as a new found atheist to bash a tiny group comprised of only 1/1000th of the world’s population. Your departure as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses was probably a result of one of two things or both: (1) Your inability to get along with someone (parents or another witness) trying to show their concern or (2) A disregard for a higher morality.

If that’s the case, I sincerely apologize for any lack of empathy in connection with #1. We all become offended by people in life. You may have been justified.

The way you use your three pounds of grey matter to articulate yourself demonstrates that you are sharp enough to figure out the foolishness of atheism. There’s way too much other proof in life to believe that nonsense. Even some of your new reputable YouTube “friends” wouldn’t go that far. I think you find it easier to blame others for your situation. Your reaction to whatever happened to you is like taking a poison pill and expecting the people who have mistreated you to die.

You’ve learned enough to know that JAH judges us by getting up from life’s rotten situations, not our falling down. In spite of your posts, I don’t believe that it’s too late for you to get up. Be assured that the freedom you now enjoy with your friends will surely result in your being chewed up and spit out. You’re good enough for now until you’re no longer needed. Those who won’t do this to you are about one in a thousand.

# 15 April 2009 at 2:26 pm

Memnoch said:

Thanks Moxie, I’m really enjoying your site so far (I’ve only just found you). I do have a drawn out story of my own but in keeping to the subject…

Wow! jjj shows blatantly how brainwashed these people really are. Elitists with no life outside the context of the group. They have no idea how badly they damage the spirits of beautiful people with the intelligence and courage to openly doubt the cult/church’s dogma.

jjj, you are living in a dream world and I think it’s so sad that you may never realize before you die (you ARE going to die, Jehovah’s not coming) that you have wasted your life on a fairy tale. And before you comment about my arrogant resolve, re-read your own comment.

If your god was perfect, all powerful, all knowing and truly was love, ‘he’ would never have ‘created’ the MAJORITY of spirits walking this planet, to lead them to destruction. Your god is hate and prejudice.
Get a life while you still can.

Thanks again Moxie.

# 12 July 2009 at 10:50 pm

Memnoch said:

I just have to add to this, the subject brings up a lot of anger in me.

Firstly, what makes you (jjj) so sure that Moxie is pursuing desires, ones that you would consider sinful, when all I’ve gathered from her so far is that she doesn’t believe your dogma? “Foolishness of Atheism”?! It angers me that I was once this self-righteous in my condemnation of others when I thought I believed in the JW dogma. How dare I back then and how dare you now?

The fact that Moxie has DESCRIBED what JWs did to her and her family does not mean she has BLAMED anyone, even though she would have every right to. I don’t see a woman who has “fallen down”, I see a woman who has gained her life thanks to her setting herself free from the closed minded constraints of a cult she was forced into from childhood.

Also, what makes you so certain she has a “disregard for higher morality”? Just because she doesn’t want your church? These are incredibly presumptuous opinions and don’t get me started on the fact that you think because her new friends aren’t in the church, they will use her up and abandon her. This is a disgusting insult to people you don’t know, who will be loyal to her where your church friends were not! It was the JWs that chewed her up and spat her out, are you really so blinded you can’t see that? And now she has come out the other side, she seems pretty healthy to me.

# 13 July 2009 at 2:13 am

shawn ( sonny g) said:

JJJ really doesnt understand I see people say the same thing, “why not leave us alone, why attack JWs when your out?”

One, its not attack, it is, in my opinion, all credible facts and opinion and personal experience. No one s telling you you have to read, or believe it, but it does seem to be well thought out and fair. It just doenst put JWs in a good light, because there are reasons that they arent.
Also, the reason so many do this is it is a matter of justice. The Watchtower is structured on truth, truth, truth. When the supposed ONLY source of DIVINE truth has been found to be false, in some area, a Witness, who, if sincere, is one because they are a serious and dedicated seeker of truth, is rightfully shockd, and angered at the situation. They have been shaping lives, theirs and others, in a fashion totally directed by this thought that the society is the Truth. They boldly put that at every persons door, and “suffer” the consequences that come with being a people isolated from others in the world . To suddenly realise youve invested your most costly currency, your LIFE , to this, to find youve been sold a lemon, there should be JUSTIFIABLE anger, just as when any crime that robs and victimizes someone does in every day life.

It is because the Watchtower is far beyond most other groups in hat it demands, and controls, in e name of God, that the reaction to its problem areas is that much more intense. Youd have to really not care to not react, and some dont. But the sincere witness, i think , must. They are trained to seek truth and detest the opposite, and, they do the same when they leave
of course
the cost is high in some ways to be a witness. when its for nothing in the end, we are justifiably pissed.

# 20 October 2009 at 4:01 pm

For Ex-JWs – Sites to Explore — VirusHead said:

[...] leaving, loving, and thriving. I think some of us would go further and reject the very word “apostate” because its connectations are too deeply [...]

# 9 January 2010 at 12:46 pm

Daniel Chamberlayne said:

How long are we going to allow this arrogant and destructive organization exist without challenging their so-called authority on so-called “truth”??

How many more people have to continue not speaking to their family and friends because they are labeled an apostates based upon what an organization of men say or tell you ?

As long as I’m living on this earth….I will continue speaking out against the injustices of the Watchtower and Tract Society !!

I will continue being a pest and a thorn at their side !!

The organization can call me an apostate all they want….I wont bend and every chance I get…I WILL STAND UP TO THEM AND SPEAK TRUTH !!

Daniel Chamberlayne

Author- The Kingdom Hall No More

# 9 July 2010 at 12:23 am