Apostate Activism: Is It Worth It?

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!

SERIES: MARVEL’S DAREDEVIL

I was watching a series this one time,[3] and there was a scene in there that really spoke to me. I recall watching it and thinking, ‘Hha, ain’t that the truth.’ The scene involves a journalist, Ben Urich, who’s been vigorously trying to expose some nefarious activity taking place in his city, the architect of said activity being the untouchable kingpin, Wilson Fisk. The newspaper Urich works for, however, just ain’t interested in his exposé – it doesn’t sell papers they insist. Urich is eventually given the boot from his employ because he just won’t let it go. So he starts a blog, in order to promote his findings.

In this scene, Urich is symbolic of the ‘apostate’ activist while Fisk pictures the illusive and untouchable Governing Body. The two have a frank off-the-record conversation about the realities of their world. Urich expresses a determination to expose the truth making use of whatever platform is available to him, even that of the less illustrious blog. Fisk scoffs, insisting that this generation of people, the audience that Urich is attempting to reach, are just too preoccupied with ephemeral and mundane activities to care about the real truth, that people lack the required discipline and singular mind-set to excavate the truth. I might add to that, a lack of emotional fortitude.