Originally posted by Rajk999Its rather interesting and somewhat ironic that a member of my immediate family
Did this one already about a year ago. After some to-ing and fro-ing both galveston and RC conceded that it was best to stay away from apostates and that they are in fact mentally diseased.
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suffers from a mental illness and has been recommended by professionally qualified
health specialists to keep attending the Kingdom hall as it provides interaction and
avoids isolation. Then again they dont have a motive, unlike these disgruntled ex
witnesses, do they. Your absolutely correct, it is best to simply ignore apostates,
(Jude 12-13) . . . These are the rocks hidden below water in your love feasts while
they feast with you, shepherds that feed themselves without fear; waterless clouds
carried this way and that by winds; trees in late autumn, [but] fruitless, having died
twice, having been uprooted; wild waves of the sea that foam up their own causes
for shame; stars with no set course, for which the blackness of darkness stands
reserved forever.
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.
Rad the scriptures quoted if you are really interested in learning what apostasy is and why a true Christian would avoid any association with such a person...
-Removed-I can tell by your comment that you did not read those scriptures and get their meaning.
If someone killed your wife and by all things they say and promise you, they will also kill the rest of your family and kill you too, why would you do as you say we should do and forgive and let them come into your house and live with you?
Just an example but read those scriptures and then think about this question.......
While I'm conflicted with the JW's doctrinally but imagine if mainstream Western Christianity had the same zeal as the JW's do? (I know I'm stereotyping a bit here) but R.C. does have a point about for example the Church down the street when have they ever come and knocked on my door? It's in my neighborhood I can walk to them. I've had JW's knock here several times now in the last year. I don't open to spare them and myself arguing LOL but it's case and point.
Manny
I am an apostate with respect to Christianity. I am glad my family does not hold to the doctrine of the JWs, or else they probably would never want to see me again. To me this is one of the saddest aspects of the JW faith; the splitting of families along religious lines. I have heard of two cases where this idea of shunning apostates has been extended to family members who fail to convert to the faith with the rest of the family.
Originally posted by galveston75If a person could do just as you have said they are truly living by the words of Christ
I can tell by your comment that you did not read those scriptures and get their meaning.
If someone killed your wife and by all things they say and promise you, they will also kill the rest of your family and kill you too, why would you do as you say we should do and forgive and let them come into your house and live with you?
Just an example but read those scriptures and then think about this question.......
Manny