Resources for Dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses

As someone who grew up in the Jehovah's Witness faith, the topic of how to "witness" to the Witnesses is something I take very seriously. Sadly, most Christians are not strong enough in their faith nor do they know enough about Jehovah's Witnesses to defend their faith. In order to fulfill our Christian duty, we must "evangelize" the JWs who come to our doors or to our places of work.

How do we do this? First, arguing theology with JWs is usually futile. They spend 5-6 hours per week going to their church called the "Kingdom Hall" where they learn to "evangelize" us. Often times, the JWs will argue in circles with you and you won't accomplish a thing. The best way to reach them and to get them thinking is by showing flaws with the Watchtower Society, the JW HQ and home of the Governing Body of JWs, and showing them that they lie about the sources they use and that they don't cite sources they use honestly.

You may be asking, "what is the governing body?" The GB of JWs is called "God's organization" on Earth. It's how the JWs come up with doctrine and theology. They claim that Jehovah speaks to them through this organization and this organization alone. If you can show weaknesses in this group, then the cards come tumbling down. To a JW, the Governing Body is everything.

How do we show weakness and the flaws in the Governing Body? The best way is to print off this critique of the JW pamphlet entitled "Should You Believe in the Trinity." It's truly astounding just how deceptive the writers of this pamphlet are!! The question to ask them is "if the trinity is such a rediculous and un-biblical notion, then why would God's organization on Earth need to lie about the sources they quote and use deception?"

http://www.searchingthescriptures.n...amining-should_you_believe_in_the_trinity.htm

Secondly, here are some facts on the failed prophecies of JWs. Again, how would Jehovah get this wrong?

http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/failed-1914-predictions.php

Flip flop on doctrine dealing with blood transfusions:

http://www.bible.ca/jw-blood.htm


After you've shown that the organization are nothing but men and liars at that, then you can start to introduce theology and the basics of traditional Christianity. If anybody has any questions about JWs or about dealing with them, i'd be glad to help you in any way I can.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."--Mark 16:15

 

Can I ask where in the States you are (generically)?

I have compassion for you having grown up among the JWs and coming out of there to true Christianity. I experience the same feeling when seeing the converts from Mormonism, it's truly a wonderful and sad sight to see.

 

Thanks Stalwart!! I'm in the Mid-West and i'm not sure where they are concentrated the most densely, that's a good question. I can tell you that they are in nearly every town in the United States and in nearly every country in the world. They are strong proponents of Arian heresy and regard them as the true Christians. They also advocate that St. Justin Martyr was in line with their theology and they continue to butcher his work to this day. It's sad indeed.

 

JW's do not worry me because for all said and done, I am strong enough in my faith that they are not going to be the ones who turn me away. I know if anyone turns me away from my faith it will be my own doing per se especially after this year of which for once I sought help and got it and still have my faith. It may help me that I am quite relaxed. I do not know the Bible well enough to quote back but hate that attitude of it anyway. I been going to church 25 years and if any JW or Mormons knock at my door I am happy to say I go to church. I did this to one pair and we did have a discussion and I am not very good at that side of it but it didnt turn into an argument and he actually left me saying something on the lines that, its good to know some young people go to church... I don't know my stuff from their point of view but I know my own faith and don't therefore fear JW/Mormons.
But as Christians and as Anglicans even more so, we should be learning a few lessons from them in that they do bother to evangelise. We can't! These days we can't even say an open prayer in a public place without the British Press saying that we have done so. We can't ask someone if they would like a prayer? That is not saying we will make them conform to the prayer. It is just asking them and that gets rung out in the press as though we've forced them against their will and that isn't the case. If we swear then our non christians friends judge us, though our priests' listen patiently and will say it back in the style language we are using (or my priest will do so anyway). But we do have means of evangelising but on the whole I don't hear that around. I find all JW and Mormons very polite and its actually quite nice having these people on our streets because you can recognise them from afar and know that if you are in trouble ie someone following you, you could turn to one of them if they are there. You can't recongise Anglicans on the street. You can't recognise Anglicans by our speech pattern as of some evangelical denominations. Okay so the term 'Praise the Lord' makes me sqirm when its every other sentence. But you know who they are and they evengelise more than we Anglicans do. We could do with a little lesson from them about how we show God is in our lives to the public but how to protect ourselves being won over to strong arguments whatever the arguement...

 

On a lighter note:

My son said something that tickled me last week. The Roman Catholics and the JWs are actually neighbors in my community. Their buildings are so close to each they actually share a fence. My son says, " Mom, I notice that the JW books have a lot of negative stuff to say about Catholics"..at which I agreed and confirmed. then he goes on to say, "Next time they come here, please tell them to just stand by the gate at the Catholic church and preach to them. That way they will have caught them "red handed" in their "idol" worship.

I'm still in stitches! Please note that I don't agree with their stance on Catholics (for all we know by Catholic they refer to all churches of the ancient faith). I was just amazed by my son's sarcasm towards the JWs.

 

arent they all christians????

 

Jehovahs Witnesses don't worship Jesus as God, therefore aren't Christian

 

At best they are Arians and condemned at the first Nicene council.

And no they are definitely not Christians.

blessings

Fr. Mark

 

We all should have a very solid understanding of John 1:1-18.

The unsound JW translation of this passage either supports or leads them into the unsound position condemned at the First Council of Nicaea 325, the First Council of Constantinople 381, and either Arianism or Tritheism.

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God.

And the word become flesh and dwelt among us.​

 

I dont know wot this means - Arians n Nicene council - but I just thought if you believed in god and Jesus then that was wot made u a christian

 

Christians believe that Jesus is God. God is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Hily Spirit (the Trinity). JWs do not believe that Jesus is God.
Do you go to a Church Zoii?

 

This is a very good summary for those who need one of the basic requirements to call a set of beliefs Christian

Whosoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith.
Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled: without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholick Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son: and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

(The Creed of St. Athanasius, BCP 1662)

Someone who does not believe in the Holy Trinity is not a Christian.

 

Zoii,

Belief in God and Jesus does not make you a Christian. The devil knows God personally, has entered heaven and conversed with God. He knows Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity. If that is all it takes, then Satan is a Christian. Being a Christian is more than just belief, it is obedience to God and Christ.

Arians believed Christ was the first of creation. God created Christ. Christ is not God, but a creature. The Nicene Council was the second council of the Church, Jerusalem (read Acts 15) was the first. The council of the Church denounced the teachings of Arius. St Nicholas, who the world has morphed into Santa Claus, was so upset by what Arius was saying that he marched across the council floor and slapped/punched him. Even then the teachings of Arians/JW was repugnant to the Church.

Blessings

Fr. Mark

 

Do you mean that they are from Satan?

 

Possibly, no one knows what's in the hearts, minds and souls of the arian Jehovah's Witness. They are most certainly misguided members of a false religion

 

Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.
There is but one living and true God, everlasting,
without body, parts, or passions;
of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness;
the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible.
And in unity of this godhead, there be three persons,
of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.​

Zoii, the question as to whether JW's are heretics (christians with some wrong beliefs) or quite simply non-christian is thankfully not our problem to decide. We need to focus of the truth we have received. That truth as revealed in Holy Scripture, and affirmed in the Nicene Creed (Our most important symbol of Christian Faith) is clear. We believe in the Holy Trinity. An important Joint Statement from the Anglican and Orthodox Churches was simply entitled The Church of the Triune God. The first of the 39 Articles of Religion I have reproduced above - Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

The motto of the Anglican Communion is the truth will set you free and right at the heart of how we understand the truth is the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. It is because we understand how important this is to keeping us on track that Anglicans get very titchy with those who want to undo or distort a proper understanding of this core doctrine.

Firmly I believe and truly
God is three and God one
And I next acknowledge duly
manhood taken by the Son (JH Newman)​

 

Having worked in the field of cult apologetics for many years, one question I've found helpful when dealing with Watchtower members is this: "Hi, could you please show me where the Bible states that Jesus is the Archangel Michael. Thanks."

 

I don't know that obedience to God and Christ is essential to salvation, I think that obedience is merely the eventual and inevitable result of faith in God. There are plenty of children and young people that no one would call 'obedient to God', although are saved because of their faith and Christ's sacrifice. I think what is essential to salvation is Christ's sacrifice and the gift of faith. Faith is distinct from belief, faith includes a degree of trust and hope and is visceral rather than rational. So although Satan believes in God's and Jesus' existence, I doubt Satan has any faith whatsoever. Moreover if obedience is essential to salvation, then it is in part by our own work that we are saved, whereas Scripture is clear that salvation is of grace only.

Just my thoughts, otherwise I agree with what you said; 'Belief in God and Jesus does not make you a Christian.'

 

I work with 2 JWS. They are really kind, principled, and generous people. By far, 2 of my favorite colleagues. One day when I was working late I got in a conversation with 1 of them and she began to witness to me. I listened politely to what she had to say but I did ask some questions--not to stump her-- just to understand how it all jived with what I understand the bible to say. She said that JWS do not believe in a literal fire and brimstone hell and believed in soul sleep. I asked her how that squared with Jesus' parable of Lazarus and the rich man, where Jesus described the dead rich man's state as being conscious punishment in a place of fire. I reasoned that Jesus wouldn't lie about what goes on after death in his parable, which she agreed with, so obviously we can believe that after death the souls of the unrighteous will be in a state of conscious torment while the souls of the righteous will be in a state of conscious delight as was Lazarus. She became troubled with that and even went so far as to pull up the JW.org app on her phone to see how to respond. She couldn't find anything to rebut me. Since then she has never tried to witness to me again, though we remain on very friendly terms.

 

Good counterexample Layman. I agree the bible is fairly clear that there is a place of torment, it isn't clear whether it is eternal or
simply "Aeons". I try not to dwell too much on the subject of hell or speculate on who is going there, since I believe that by speculating who is going to heaven or who is going to hell we are making judgements. Jesus warned against judging others, least we be judged. My view on the subject of hell and heaven is that whatever God's judgement will be, it will be perfectly just. I think that this view is the Anglican view.