There are many things that people will criticize one for, including their dogma or choice of profession. One of the more powerful declarations is that of the apostate. According to Webster dictionary, an apostate is, "someone whose beliefs have changed and who no longer belongs to a religious or political group."
The apostate can be seen as a problematic individual. The reason for this is the nature of the apostate. To many, the apostate is a traitor to the organization or ideology that they once followed. This can lead to some thinking that the apostate is inconsistent in viewpoint or is not willing to stay loyal. This is even more common in regards to a political unit.
The apostate is not, in fact, a problematic individual. Rather, it is an individual who has often been granted new evidence and who has decided to change their stance as a result. This is not inherently a problem, as those who have taken a new stance in response to new information are individuals who created their ideas from an informed position.
The apostate is an individual who rejected an old idea because they have been presented with some kind of data and, thus, changed their stance. This is not a bad thing, as it shows that the individual has more or different data to support their new stance. These individuals should not be chastised or be seen as problematic individuals by their former groups. Rather, they should be seen as a person who no longer is in line with their previous ideology.