Jehovah Witness coming to your house

[ChristianKnight]

My parents told me they have had Jehovah Witness come to our house once or twice, I just want to ask this about it. What should one do if they do come? Should I try to talk to them outside about god religions and stuff, and try to understand why they don't believen Jesus?

I find it kinda funny that they have a tier in their religion, something like Watch Tower, some kind of magazine or something that they read and follow?

[David Taylor]

"Watchtower" is their Organization that dictates their teachings.

..."Watchtower BIble and Tract Society, Brooklyn, NY"

The overall origination of the group, was a splinter group of the Seventh Day Adventists, which was formed by 19th centurist Charles Taze Russell.

There are alot of false teaching that come along with this group; but most of them can be avoided and put on the shelf so that their primary short-coming can and should be focused on----and that single point is the nature of Jesus Christ.

You see, the Watchtower, and all JW members, teach/are taught that jesus is not God; but is a created being, a 'little god' but not God Almighty.

Their jesus is someone who cannot save himself from his own sins, much less be the sufficient saviour for all of our sins.

So their quandry, is that they follow an organization which has a false-jesus, who is not the real jesus; and after that, all of their other odd teachings (the 144K, Satan/Michael, blood transfusions, holidays, birthdays, military service, soul-sleep, annhilationism, NWT translation Saturday Sabbath, etc....) are really irrellenvant.

Their following the wrong jesus; and not believing and following the true Eternal Jesus of the Bible, is where they are in need of our help.

If this is something you see as a personal desire to reach out to these visitors, and to attempt to help them; then you should spend several hours reading up on them, their history, their beliefs, and then start building with much prayer and self-study; pertinant scriptures them share with them.

Focus solely on the nature of Jesus though, because that is the cornerstone of the entire problem with their view; and when they come to know and accept the true Jesus; then all that other stuff will fall away.

Hope that helps you get started.

Any particular questions, feel free to ask. I'm from a totally Baptist background myself, but have done alot of research and reading about the various false religions and cults out there, what they believe, and have shared with alot of them in the past.

[MidnightsPaleGlow]

I personally would greet them at the door with a copy of the REAL Bible, the REAL word of God and point out the fact that they're deceived and need the REAL Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, not in a condemning way though. I know someone who (or so he claims, and I don't necessarily agree with what he did) actually took one of their pamphlets from them and torched it in front of them.

[ChristianKnight]

I personally would greet them at the door with a copy of the REAL Bible, the REAL word of God and point out the fact that they're deceived and need the REAL Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, not in a condemning way though. I know someone who (or so he claims, and I don't necessarily agree with what he did) actually took one of their pamphlets from them and torched it in front of them.

I'd do it, but what if they wanted to duke? I mean I can duke good, but thats not good to fight if it can be avoided.

[Nyoka]

You have been given good advice here. The only thing I can add is that there is one other thing that closes JW's of from hearing you. This is the fact that if they believe what you say about Jesus then they must leave the JW's. If they do leave the group then NO-ONE in JW's will have anything to do with them. This usually means they must give up parents, spouses, children, etc. This is not an easy choice for them. If you do decide to go ahead and speak to them please remember what you are asking of them and do it in love. People have left the JW's so it isn't impossible.

[ChristianKnight]

Well, I am not trying to convert them, but trying to let them know I don't believe their crap, and that they need to leave people alone.

[cheech]

I use to avoid them by not answering the door...then I became closer to Christ and changed my ways. I usually talked with them at the door, informing them of my belief in Christ what what I believed. That was usually all it took. But there was one day not long after I was saved that I believe I was tested. A JW (female) came to the door wanting to talk to me. I let her in and we talked. I didn't know alot about the bible at the time and was just starting to read it. She told me some stuff that didn't seem quite right from what I remember learning in church but who was I to say as I didn't know the Bible well. She asked if she could come again the next day and I said ok with the idea that I was going to research what she had said and talk to her the next day about it. In the meantime I went to my neighbor who was a Baptist and more into the Bible than I at the time and talked to her about what had happened. She gave me some good things to talk about and said to say what her mother usually says "Jesus is my Lord and Savior, what more can you offer me?".

Soooooo the next day she came back and had a young girl with her (probably a trainee). She began talking and I began responding with things I found in the Bible that kind of contradicted what she had said. She became angry and raised her voice some. The poor young girl next to her looked at her with wide eyes and obviously a bit shocked. She finally got up and went to the door and I whipped out the final words "I have Christ as my Lord and Savior, what more can you offer me?" I believe she said "I can offer you teaching, classes..." etc etc etc" . I replied "why can't you be my friend without trying to convert me?" She didn't like that idea . With a raised voice she said "well can I come back tomorrow?" and I said "NO!". I never saw her again.

That was the only bad experience I've ever had with JW's. I have never had any problems with Mormon's who came to my door. I always invited them in, gave them a drink and talked with them. Once they heard my beliefs they said "Well, it sounds as if you are on the right track...thanks for the drink!" We lived in KS at the time and they would walk or ride their bikes in the hot noon day sun so they appreciated a cook house and drink .

There will always be those who will disagree with your beliefs but I will never turn anyone away who wants to talk about God. I treat people of other faiths with respect...the same way I'd want to be treated. Sometimes you never know the seed you might plant within them .

[thethinker]

Well, I am not trying to convert them, but trying to let them know I don't believe their crap, and that they need to leave people alone.

We should be ready to give an answer to every man for the reason for the hope that is within us. But if you're not prepared from the Scriptures and knowledgable of their teachings and their reasoning, then you should wait until you are prepared.

For if you're not prepared they'll make minced meat of you.

[HisLeast]

For if you're not prepared they'll make minced meat of you.

Quoted for truth.

By "prepared" we should be clear that we mean: well versed in our scriptures, and not just confident in our faith. They have very different interpretations of our scriptures and their churches are adamantine about drilling it into their people. If they're coming to your door, they've spent a significant amount of their spare time in study. I wouldn't open a debate with that unless I had put in at least an equal amount of effort.

[tango]

My parents told me they have had Jehovah Witness come to our house once or twice, I just want to ask this about it. What should one do if they do come? Should I try to talk to them outside about god religions and stuff, and try to understand why they don't believen Jesus?

I find it kinda funny that they have a tier in their religion, something like Watch Tower, some kind of magazine or something that they read and follow?

A lot depends on your outlook. One way is to get rid of them as fast as possible.

Another way is something I used to do with Hare Krishnas in town, which was to talk to them at excruciating length until either they had contradicted themselves so many times they had no remaining credibility or they decided they had spent enough time on me and it was time to talk to someone else. Either way while they were talking to me, they weren't talking to someone else who might have joined up with them.

[thethinker]

Quoted for truth.

By "prepared" we should be clear that we mean: well versed in our scriptures, and not just confident in our faith. They have very different interpretations of our scriptures and their churches are adamantine about drilling it into their people. If they're coming to your door, they've spent a significant amount of their spare time in study. I wouldn't open a debate with that unless I had put in at least an equal amount of effort.

Exactly! They indoctrinate their people very well. I discourse with them and even their women know their stuff. I ask myself, "Why is it that Christian women are not as good in giving a defense"?

Their women have made me go back to the Bible and study. Again I ask: Why is it that Christians are not as prepared?

[PyrK]

My parents told me they have had Jehovah Witness come to our house once or twice, I just want to ask this about it. What should one do if they do come? Should I try to talk to them outside about god religions and stuff, and try to understand why they don't believen Jesus?

I find it kinda funny that they have a tier in their religion, something like Watch Tower, some kind of magazine or something that they read and follow?

I would just simply tell them that the true name of God (they know it to be Jehovah) is now, a well-known mistranslation. YHWH (the tetragrammaton) is likely to be pronounced "Yahweh." There's still some debate [hardly a whisper, but it's there] but none of the debate argues for "Jehova" as the pronunciation. It's been traced back to ~middle ages.

Then I would give them the most stoic look possible hoping to give them the impression that they need to go out and seek the truth.

[daughter]

Exactly! They indoctrinate their people very well. I discourse with them and even their women know their stuff. I ask myself, "Why is it that Christian women are not as good in giving a defense"?

Their women have made me go back to the Bible and study. Again I ask: Why is it that Christians are not as prepared?

Even their women? Wow... is this a US thing? Because most of the best Christian witnesses I know are in fact women! It was in fact a woman who explained to me what was happening when I first started fumbling towards God, and who led me to Christ.

[thethinker]

Even their women? Wow... is this a US thing? Because most of the best Christian witnesses I know are in fact women! It was in fact a woman who explained to me what was happening when I first started fumbling towards God, and who led me to Christ.

Sorry if my post appeared sexist. I was speaking about Christian women as apologists and not as witnesses for Christ. There is a difference. I deal with JWs and have found that the women they send out really know their stuff and that they're very good apologists.

[PilgrimPastor]

My parents told me they have had Jehovah Witness come to our house once or twice, I just want to ask this about it. What should one do if they do come? Should I try to talk to them outside about god religions and stuff, and try to understand why they don't believen Jesus?

I find it kinda funny that they have a tier in their religion, something like Watch Tower, some kind of magazine or something that they read and follow?

My advice to you would be to first educate yourself on the differences between the traditional Christian faith of the Bible and this cult. Cult may sound like strong language but they fit the criteria to be classified as a cult.

The central difference is their denial of the deity of Jesus Christ. This is essential because if he is not God then he can not die for our sins and their no forgiveness of sins for any of us.

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:13-19 NKJV)

Some say that "This Rock" is Peter; I would assert to you that the rock Jesus spoke of in this passage is the steadfast saying that Jesus is the Son of God!

"... and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." (Romans 1:4 NKJV)

Here are a couple of good resources to learn specifics about defending the orthodox Christian faith against JW's.

http://www.carm.org/witnesses.htm

http://contenderministries.org/jehovahswitnesses.php

When in doubt turn to this!