Apostasy

First let me say, if you have no experience as a Jehovah's witness this might be a bit odd and confusing. As someone who was raised in this religion and later disfellowshiped (like the girl in the movie) I can say this movie is extremely accurate and heart breaking. The terminology used, the manorisms and interaction between those in the religion and outside is eerily familiar. The boredom, the magical thinking, paranoia and other hallmarks of daily life I experienced growing up are incredibly believably rendered in Apostasy. I must give credit to the actors for portraying so well members of such an insular religion, not an easy task for those with no experience with it.

Again, I'm not sure I can recommend this movie for those without some JW context, but if you want to understand life inside this religion this is a pretty good way to do it.

So many detailed reviews here from exJWs there's no point in going over it. It would have been so tempting to do a smear job on JW, but this film is not about profit or mudslinging. The writer is very fair. JW is not really that different from other religions and its adherents are just nice ordinary people. The accurate mundane lives of the characters is not just a condemnation of religion but a terrifying microsm of the insanity of religious belief in general Great cast, especially Ferranan who is so credible and restrained.

Being brought up in the religion I was interested to watch this. I have to say whoever put this film together has a real insight into how it is. Made me feel really sad to be honest at the end. A religion that makes you choose between your life, your own flesh and blood and God. No loving God would ever do that. It depicts the Witnesses exactly as they are - when you're completely convinced of your own superiority nothing else matters. There's no real feeling, love or concern or care. Just what they believe is 'Jehovah's' will. A very lonely place to be. It's not until you become 'worldly' that you realise that you wouldn't want to live in the 'new system' anyway with people who you have nothing beneath the surface other than Jehovah and taking scripture way too literal. A lot worry about leaving the religion because they're worried about being lonely. Worried they will be shunned by family and friends for making a different choice but as the film really shows the reality of their religion is also very lonely. 'All is vanity ....'

Jehovah's Witnesses is one of the most famous sects in the world, yet it doesn't get anywhere near as much exposure as Scientology. This is probably one of the best faith based movies I've ever seen, mostly because it deals with the emotional and moral consequences the things you are taught to believe can have on those you love in a very realistic way. The acting is natural and none of the performers feel like people acting for a movie. It was like getting into the look of a real family and their hardships. As for how Jehovah's Witnesses members themselves are portrayed, the point is not to show them as evil. It's more of a cautionary stance, on whether it's worth jeopardizing your children's lives because of your conviction to follow one certain ideology. The controversy about Jehovah's Witnesses is that you are not allowed to give or receive blood, even in life-threatening circumstances. The mother in this movie is not an inherently bad person, she just can't find a way to balance her love for God and the love for her children. And that has consequences she might wish she would never had to deal with.

This movie will stay with you after you've watched it. I urge those who not only are interested in the subject matter of organized sects to see it, but those who think a lot about beliefs and how they can affect other people in general.

Apostasy. Fictional yet all too real film about the jehovah's witnesses, as based on the memories of the writer / director who had himself been disfellowshipped from the religion. Brought back memories of how close my siblings and I had been brought up as witnesses like my mum's sisters and offspring. Fortunately dad insisted we were brought up Catholic........ and mum didn't fall under the Witnesses' spell, unlike my aunties (who were in the religion for many years before seeing the hypocrisy of it all for themselves). Also brought back memories of how people can be brainwashed by the 'elders' into banishing their family in the name of the 'truth'. A superbly acted and poignant 7 out of ten.