Ex Jehovah’s Witness Apostates: The Real Truth
The Watchtower Society who leads the Jehovah’s Witnesses has come under fire by thousands upon thousands of people across the world. While Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to be persecuted due to the bible’s prophecy which states that lovers of God will be persecuted, is this scripture really valid to use as an accurate reason for the persecution? Or, have they misunderstood the reality of what is really happening to Ex Jehovah’s Witness apostates?
There have been a large, unknown number of people across the world who were once associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Whether they were forced to leave the congregations for any reason, or whether they left voluntarily, former JWs all had one thing in common. They knew that upon leaving, they would face the loss of their loved ones. The Watchtower Society, who governs Jehovah’s Witnesses have for some time referred to former members as “mentally diseased” and “partaking from the table of demons”. Recently, they removed the phrase, “mentally diseased” from their literature when discussing Jehovah’s Witness apostates. The organisation was referred to as a hate group by former members, causing what is presumed to be additional pressure on Watchtower to revise their bible text to remove “mentally diseased” from their bible scripture.
*Note: However, they continued to keep the word apostate in their bible verses, a word which translates in other bible versions as godless or hypocrites. The Watchtower usage of that word does not match the top Christian bible translations in terms of the word apostate.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Defend their Position Against Ex Jehovah’s Witness Apostates
DefendingJehovahsWitnesses.blogspot.com website states:
“It’s The Bible That ORIGINALLY Said That Apostates Are “Mentally Diseased” – Not the Watchtower Article
First, [many] are mistaken as to who said that apostates are “mentally diseased.” The Watchtower article was quoting GOD’S WORD at 1 Tim. 6:3-5. So it is God Himself who uses the term “mentally diseased” or “mentally depraved” of those who teach contrary doctrine!!”
The article also shows the scripture which was in the earlier version(s) of the New World Translation Jehovah’s Witness Bible, previous to the 2013 revised version. The old version of the scripture reads:
“If any man teaches other doctrine and does not assent to healthful words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor to the teaching that accords with godly devotion, he is puffed up with pride, not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words…men corrupted in mind and despoiled of the truth.”
The 2013 New World Translation bible version found on JW.org now reads:
“If any man teaches another doctrine and does not agree with the wholesome instruction, which is from our Lord Jesus Christ, nor with the teaching that is in harmony with godly devotion, he is puffed up with pride and does not understand anything. He is obsessed with arguments and debates about words. These things give rise to envy, strife, slander, wicked suspicions, constant disputes about minor matters by men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, thinking that godly devotion is a means of gain.”
(Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures; Revised 2013 Edition)
*Note: The ESV English Standard Version bible reads differently. See 1 Tim 6:3-5.
Jehovah’s Witness Proven Wrong; Keeps Article Posted on Blog
The article on Defending Jehovah’s Witnesses website does not take into account that the Watchtower Society has since removed the phrase “mentally diseased”, which they previously claimed were God’s words.
The article also states:
“Second, you notice that critics of [Jehovah’s] Witnesses must always in some way misrepresent what was said by Witnesses. The article was not talking about “those who leave” the Witnesses but about a specific group: Apostates.”
It is alarming to come to the harsh realization that the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been taught and truly believe that the bible was solely referring to people of their own religion. When reviewing the scripture in Timothy, the context is specific. The Watchtower Society relates that scripture directly to anyone who leaves the Watchtower Society, and refers to those individuals as having turned away from God Himself. By JWs own admissions, if you leave their organisation, you leave God. If a person exposes any controversial history of their organisation, they’re known as an apostate who is headed for a gruesome death in Armageddon.
Further, the article emphasizes that Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that they are equal to God. While they deny this claim, the article continues to demonize former members while implying that they are blind and ignorant. It reads:
“So as usual, you will notice that those who criticize the Witnesses require from their hearers an ignorance of the Bible (or blindness). Because when they criticize the Witnesses they end up criticizing God Himself and His Word!! That is called blasphemy!”
It is also stated by Jehovah’s Witnesses that former JWs are liars. It is unfortunate that the Watchtower Society has encouraged Kingdom Hall talks by elders which speak so lowly of anyone who leaves what they allege is “Jehovah’s Organisation”. This further reinforces the current JW members into believing that anyone not found in the organisation is considered “demonic”, or under the influence of satan. As a result, current members view their former JW family members as worthy of death at Armageddon, due to their leaving the religion. This is due to the classification of former members as being “enemies of God’s people”.
The following video is an actual recording of the Jehovah’s Witness talk which states that all former members (the term apostate is generically used to point the finger at anyone who left JWs in this talk) are to be viewed as having a deadly disease. The video is provided by anti-cult activist John Cedars, who’s work on JWSurvey is widely known to the world of former (and many current) Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The public talk given at a large convention discusses the imperative religious discrimination that JWs should be exercising toward former members, who are here discussed in a manner which promotes the intentional infliction of emotional distress on former Jehovah’s Witnesses. While also commonly referred to as psychological abuse, the intentional infliction of emotional distress is a claim which has been made in courts against churches. The Jehovah’s Witness congregations are taught that if you cast off the former member and abandon them, it will cause them great distress, and hopefully make them return due to loneliness and suffering. This is highly dangerous to the emotional state of someone who has lost their entire families. Many suicides have been the result of this intentional causing of emotional pain due to shunning.
It is stated that some Jehovah’s Witnesses have gone so far as to say, “I can’t wait to live in his house after Armageddon”, when they encounter opposers of their religion while knocking on doors. The phrase is said in a laughing manner, assuming the opposers will die in Armageddon for disagreeing with JW religion.
Jehovah’s Witness Disfellowshipping caught on Hidden Camera
In final, a secretly recorded video was released by Eric of JWStruggle.com, recorded for the world by former Jehovah’s Witness Isaac Bourn. Isaac was disfellowshipped for apostasy. The video has been viewed over 44,200 times in just 8 days, quite possibly a record of Ex JW videos. Isaac is a fine gentleman who I have had the pleasure of speaking with. He plans to move forward with his life positively, and experience new beginnings as a former Jehovah’s Witness. Watch his story and his privately recorded video here:
Related:
Errors Found in New World Translation Bible: Apostate
What Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe
Jehovah’s Witnesses Prophecy List
May God’s grace and truth be with those who have yet to uncover the detrimental affects of the Jehovah’s Witness Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.