APOSTATE ACTIVISM: IS IT WORTH IT?



I’ve been out of the Watchtower organisation for just over a year now. In my effort to educate people, I’ve created a blog (‘thinkingwitnesses.org’). This, of course – at least as far as the organisation is concerned – makes me an ‘apostate.’ I’ve written so much, invested so much; yet, there is a thought that visits me ever so often, a question: Is all this effort, this ‘clickidi-click-click’ on my computer keyboard, really worth it? Is it helping? Is it making a difference? Or would my time be better spent learning how to play the violin?

Well, dishing out articles may seem like a child’s play thing, but, believe me, it’s not. Those who may be familiar with ‘Thinking Witnesses,’ specifically the style of writing of this authour, will notice the level of detail that is generally espoused to, borne out by the numerous footnotes. Truth is, however, when I write an article, I’m really writing for myself; I’m attempting to collate my thoughts. The process of writing allows me to police myself and to expose any faults in my own logic. That said, I nevertheless write in such a way that my thoughts are readable and hospitable to a prospective audience. The idea is that thinking Witnesses should be able to dissect the (real) truth about ‘The Truth.’

Unfortunately, while Witnesses may be taught to interrogate other people’s beliefs, they are not taught to make an honest appraisal of their own beliefs. In fact, dissent – legitimate or otherwise – is heavily censored. There is a culture of acceptance and compliance within the JW community when it comes to official Watchtower teachings. Substantive truth, in consequence, is often suffocated by the elevation of cherished beliefs which, in my view, seem to serve as a type of comfort blanket. If it comes from ‘God’s organisation,’ so the logic goes, then it must be the truth, even if we don’t understand it.[2]

This, I submit, is a reckless outlook, a dangerous and damnable precedent!