# I just spoke with a Jehovah's Witness



## Tim (Sep 22, 2008)

I came across a JW on my way to school today (or rather he came across me). He showed me his magazines (Awake and Watchtower) and asked for donations. I said I wouldn't be making any donations but asked,

"What is this all about?"

"The Bible."

"So, what happens when we die?"

"We go to the grave and wait for the resurrection."

"What about heaven and hell? Who goes there?"

Then he mentioned that hell was the Greek word for something, but as he was saying this, I noticed that he was backing away from me.

"Why are you leaving?"

"Because you have your own ideas about things," he said. 

And that was it! From my two questions, he gave up. And I didn't even give any of my "ideas". I was rather disappointed at not having an opportunity to speak with him more. 

You see, I had come across this man before and was ready this time because I have recently given witnessing a lot of thought, and have been looking at some of the materials from "Way of the Master". 

At that previous time, I said, "I think you guys are on the wrong track theologically". He immediately turned to leave and as he was doing so, mumbled that I was going to hell.

What gives? Is this man just not bold enough to engage someone in discussion, or is this a characteristic of JW "evangelism"?


----------



## Webservant (Sep 22, 2008)

Tim said:


> What gives? Is this man just not bold enough to engage someone in discussion, or is this a characteristic of JW "evangelism"?


I have had the same experience. I don't think they're looking for a debate.


----------



## Tim (Sep 22, 2008)

Hmmm. Then I am wondering how to have a dialogue when this happens again (and it will). Does anybody have any suggestions? Although I am normally not that outgoing with strangers, I really want to make an effort to be bold and engaging (in a good way), just like the apostle Paul in the marketplace or synagogue.


----------



## LadyFlynt (Sep 22, 2008)

Get an elderly female JW...they'll argue with you till the cows come home, then tell you that you're going to hell 

(the exception being my husband's great aunt...Aunt Charlotte doesn't discuss religion with family and winks at us for not celebrating the pagan holy days  )


----------



## Mushroom (Sep 22, 2008)

So why are JW's telling people they're going to hell since they are annihilationists? I guess consistency is not required of Russellites.


----------



## matt01 (Sep 22, 2008)

Tim said:


> What gives? Is this man just not bold enough to engage someone in discussion, or is this a characteristic of JW "evangelism"?



I don't think it is characteristic of the organization's evangelism style. I have had several encounters with a couple of them (a married couple), who walk around the neighborhood where I work. They have listened to me, and then given scripture that they think supports their views...


----------



## Augusta (Sep 22, 2008)

Maybe in foreign countries they go for the easy convert and walk away from the slightest debate or questioning.


----------



## Webservant (Sep 22, 2008)

Augusta said:


> Maybe in foreign countries they go for the easy convert and walk away from the slightest debate or questioning.


I get the impression that they are looking for an easy mark. When I lived in Baltimore City, there was one at the same bus stop where I used to wait. We started talking, and I asked him a few questions - and despite the fact that he was at that stop every day for weeks before that, I never saw him again. Same thing with the ones who used to knock on my door. Once I engaged them, it was always, "Here's a Watch Tower. See ya!" After that, I would see them start at the top of my block, hit all my neighbors, skip my house... you get the picture.


----------



## yeutter (Sep 22, 2008)

A Jehovah's Witness that works for me, Melody, is always giving her heretical pitch to a Roman Catholic gal, Gloria, who works for me. Melody never hawks her false gospel to me. At Christmas tide almost two years ago I heard Melody get Gloria really confused about the Trinity and divinity of our Lord. I went and printed off a copy of the Athanasian creed and gave it to Gloria. I told her that if Melody tried to dispute any proposition in the creed with her she should come to me and I would show her where in the Bible these truths were taught. I have had a few openings since to talk about spiritual things with Gloria. Melody avoids talking with me about such things.


----------



## Jerusalem Blade (Sep 22, 2008)

Tim,

That's not always typical. Some JWs know their Bibles, and can defend their doctrines. Your fellow sounds timid, or uncertain.

If you want to engage one, let him or her talk for a while. If you are not a listener, but an arguer, they won't spend time with you. If one of them asked me for a donation for one of their mags, I'd ask if they would accept a dime, and if yes, take it, study it, and wait to see them again, and discuss it.

My style / strategy is to draw them into a relationship with me where we discuss the Scriptures, and I have a chance to give them the gospel, and to undermine their confidence in the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. That's the weak spot in their "world view" -- as it is the authority of all they know and teach. But the Watchtower -- the "Society" or "Organization" -- has made false prophecies, well documented from their own publications, and the JW who loves the truth will listen.

Brad is right, perhaps the main pillar of their entire system is built on the denial of the doctrine of eternal Hell. If there is no Hell, Christ did not need to make an atonement to save us from it, and from Jehovah's wrath. If we do not need to have an atonement to save our souls from eternal death, it is no matter (they say) if Christ is not God, and so forth. 

It was Charles Taze Russell's aversion to the doctrine of eternal punishment that began the whole thing.

There are precious souls among them -- God's elect are among them -- and they that are of the truth will come to Him. It's a pond we should fish in. When a JW is converted, they become a powerful force to convert other JWs, and to teach the church the ins and outs of effective witnessing to them.

There are good books out on this.


----------



## Devin (Sep 22, 2008)

I was recently approached by a JW at a gas station on my way to work. I was very unprepared and rather sleepy to be honest (not to mention in a hurry for work!). She showed me their literature and told me about the end of time and what not. At the end, I told her "I will gladly take your literature, however, I am a Christian and I believe Jesus Christ is God". She then was confused because she though I believe Jesus = the Father, etc. Because I didn't have a Bible at the time, I asked for her NWT. Even though the NWT deletes many references to Jesus being Yahweh, they left a couple in there (Hebrews 1 quotes a verse about Yahweh being the creator and applies it directly to Christ). Eventually, the elder JW tried to drag me into passages like Proverbs 8 and such...and I tried to stick with Hebrews 1. 

We didn't really get anywhere from there, and they told me I had better go to work (I was late 10 minutes). I wished them a good day and left it at that. I feel I really should have done a better job, but then again it could have been a lot worse.


----------



## Tim (Sep 23, 2008)

Jerusalem Blade said:


> If you want to engage one, let him or her talk for a while. If you are not a listener, but an arguer, they won't spend time with you.



Thanks for your suggestion, sir. It is possible that when I asked those questions I did so in a way that suggested that I already "knew the answer." But what I was really trying to do is allow him to speak and present his point of view. Oh, well, I won't over analyze this, but I do want to learn from this experience. 

Thank-you all for your comments - very helpful!


----------



## turmeric (Sep 23, 2008)

I asked one why she became a JW. She used to be a Baptist, but somehow only heard the Law at church. She decided she wasn't good enough to go to heaven so when they told her there was no hell, she went for it. So I did the "Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died" thing and she said that was encouraging, but hurried away.


----------



## MMasztal (Oct 8, 2008)

If I'm in the mood, I'll engage them and get them talking about their definition of hell actually being annihilation. Then I'll have them go to Rev 20:10 which has not been edited in their NWT. 

Rev 20:10 "and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were. They will be tortured day and night forever and ever."

being "tortured day and night forever and forever" doesn't sound like annihilation to me.

At that point I ask them to account for that passage, which they can't. I then warn them about being a false prophet---- at which point they leave.


----------



## SolaGratia (Oct 8, 2008)

That "you have your own ideas" thing from the JW's is something that the Watch-Tower teaches their members to say. I have had JW's (both in english and spanish) tell me this phrase. Its a strategy in their part and a good one to get your attention, since JW's believed they do not have their own made up ideas, but only believed what scriptures teaches. 

If you want to witness to a JW's you have to, in their perception, act like a student who is really curious about learning the truth as found in the scriptures, which is really the Watch-Tower teachings. JW's think that they only can correctly understand the scriptures. If you want to talk to a JW's about the bible you have to start by saying "according to scriptures" or "scriptures teaches that so and so" or put it in a form of a question. For example, you can say to a JW's, "Do you agreed that the scriptures teaches that there is only one God?" and then they will listen to you. If not it is because you "have your own ideas" that is, you are a unbeliever that cannot be converted, since you are not willing to be school by them and them only in order to correctly understand the scriptures correctly. 

In all, we really need to be prepared when it comes to witnessing to other religious groups. When it comes to JW's I recommend this book in the link below;

Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah


----------

