How to talk with Jehovah witnesses

[GojuBrian]

I'm a man of christian faith. I attend a non-denominational church, but I grew up in Church of Christ. Just a little background info..

I have had a JH couple stopping by my house about once a month for a while now. They are an elderly couple and very nice. They have asked me questions and I have answered them the best I can. They have never pushed their religion on me nor I them.

From the start I told them we will disagree on some major issues, that was fine with them, they just wanted to talk.

But, they continually hand me their literature. Should I even accept it? I've been throwing it away.

Should I offer to pray with them that they accept the totality of Jesus and His message?

Should I just continue with the friendly visit without making waves?

Thank you for your comments.

[TrackerJack]

I really miss my JW coming by.

We used to get into some real interesting discussions. The last time they came by she brought a leader of their church with her.

I think they determined that I was a risk to speak to, because they never returned.

I think that speaking with them is the perfect witnessing opportunity. You just have to know what you believe and why. I'd also recommend you pick up a book on witnessing to them.

I would flip through their literature to understand their view, then find Scripture to have on hand to defend my position the next time they come around.

[coheir]

I go to a free will baptist church and they have small tracts in the lobby for anyone who cares to take them.

I picked up a few and one is refuting JW

things they do not like or believe in

God is Triune

Deity of Christ

Physical resurrection of Christ

Physical return of Christ

Existence of hell and enternal punishment

just a few

it also gives verses for these if you care for them let me know and I will post them

Edited June 27, 2012 by coheir

[GojuBrian]

I go to a free will baptist church and they have small tracts in the lobby for anyone who cares to take them.

I picked up a few and one is refuting JW

things they do not like or believe in

God is Triune

Deity of Christ

Physical resurrection of Christ

Physical return of Christ

Existence of hell and enternal punishment

just a few

it also gives verses for these if you care for them let me know and I will post them

Yes, please do.

[OneLight]

There is a good book called "The Kingdom of the Cults" ISBN 978-0-7642-2821-6 from Bethany House Publishers that is well worth the $30.It has a huge section on what the JW's believe. I have used this book many times when researching other "religions", which are really cults.

[coheir]

God is Triune

matt 28:19---3:16,17

Gen 1:26

1st John 5: 7,8

Deity of Christ

John 1:1---5:18---5:23---8:58---17:5---20:28

Isa 7:14---9:6

Phil 2: 2-8

Heb 1:1-4----13:8

Rom 9:5,6

1st John 5:20

Resurrection of Christ

Luke 24:39-44

John 20:27-28

Mark 16:14

1st Corin 15: 15

Physical return of Christ

Zech 12:10

Matt 24:30

1st Thess 4:16,17

Rev 1:7

The Existence of Hell and Eternal Punishment:

Rev. 20:15; Matt. 5:22; 8:11, 12; 13:42, 50; Rev. 14:9-11

The Final State of Satan:

Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41

Human Government Ordained by God:

Rom. 13:1-7

The Existence of the Soul:

Isa. 55:3; I Cor. 6:20; Acts 7:59; Job 32:8; Gen. 1:26

(Man created in the image of God: I Cor. 11:7);

Matt. 26:38

The Complete Satisfaction of Christ’s Work:

(Infinite Atonement): Rom. 5:10, 11, 17, 19;

John 1:29, 6:44; Rev. 13:8; Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22;

I Peter 2:24; Col. 1:20; II Cor. 5:21

Edited June 30, 2012 by OneLight
It was too hard to read in the original format. Hope you don't mind.

[JohnD]

I have a half brother who left the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom hall because of Matthew 24:26-27 disproves the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (JW H.Q.) claim that Jesus returned invisibly to Brooklyn.

His father, my ex-stepfather (since our mum divorced him about 30 years ago) is still a JW because he has a strong emotional bod to them. He was going to commit suicide in 1979 in the mobile home he rented after he and mum split when two JW';s knocked on his door... I tried for years to reason with him but as I said his emotional ties are too strong.

First thing you have to do is recognize these people are wolves in sheep's clothing.

If they come to your home they are on a mission.

They are out to convert you!

They are not on a truth-finding mission. They already possess what they believe to be the truth.

So for all their niceness they are actually being disingenuous.

And yes they will stop if they believe they are at an impasse (they cannot convert you or you present a danger to them continuing to believe what they believe).

I get the JW / Mormon / you name it knock at the door once.

I give them answers they cannot question and questions they cannot answer. And soon into the conversation they develop the urge to leave and never come back.

[JohnD]

With most folks I discourage these visits unless you are well versed in why you believe what you believe and can show it in the Bible... preferably the KJV since the founder of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society used the KJV until the New World Translation (rewriting the Bible) was published.

There are many ministries online that can show you the error of the WTBS and how to witness to a JW but until you know very well what you believe and why a 90 day wonder from the Kingdom Hall can turn the average Christian into a doctrinal pretzel in no time.

Briefly...

the Jesus of the JW's is not God incarnate but a reincarnation of Michael the Archangel. Jehovah God created Michael and Michael created everything else, according to the WTBS.

First of all there is no mention that Jesus was ever Michael. And:

Isaiah 44:24 (KJV)

24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

When the KJV has LORD all in caps in the OT it's the tetragrammaton YHVH which JW's translate Jehovah.

Isaiah 44:24 (KJV)

24 Thus saith Jehovah, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am Jehovah that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

This is their rewrite version of the same verse:

"This is what Jehovah has said, your Repurchaser and the Former of you from the belly: “I, Jehovah, am doing everything, stretching out the heavens by myself, laying out the earth. Who was with me?"

See how it is rewritten to dish against Trinitarian theology?

But they still don't get out of the corner they backed themselves into having Jehovah create Michael and then Michael creating everything else... it still says Jehovah did it by himself...

They have had many of these oops passages in their rewrite Bible over the years and rewrote the rewrite... no doubt they'll rewrite this too one day.

This ought to tell you something about their Bible...

[JohnD]

This is another one that kills me in the NWT

Hebrews 1:8 NWT

But with reference to the Son: “God is your throne forever and ever, and [the] scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.

This is how they try to wriggle out from under the translation:

Hebrews 1:8 (KJV)

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

God the Father says to the Son "Your throne o GOD..."

They say God is your throne...

Pretty stupid.

But these are the lengths JW's will go to disbelieve what the correctly translated Bible teaches that Jesus is God incarnate and is the sole Creator in the beginning.

[amor]

I smile sweetly and speak to them in rapid Italian,except in Italy where I switch to French