Jehovah Witnesses and Peace on Earth

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This is a bit of a story. Okay, I had two lovely ladies who are JW’s come to my door Saturday and again earlier this afternoon. I was a little suprised they returned today because they hadn’t in the past. Now I want to start practicing apologetics in real life and this seemed like the most opportune time.

Now, when these ladies arrived on Sat., they read from their translation of the Bible about peace on earth and goodwill towards men (which the way they phrase in their magazine is so different than what I have ever heard and read). They asked me if I ever thought it would happen. I answered yes, because I was a bit rattled from having visitors (I don’t get visitors and when I hear something out of the ordinary it rattles me a bit because of issues in the past). They then left me their magazine (which promptly went in the recycling bin after reading and laughing at it and recognizing the fallacies). They left after handing me the magazine (I had answered the door in my pjs).

They came back earlier this afternoon and since I answered the door in my bathrobe (I was getting ready to go the library at school to write a paper) they left me with the “positive thought” about when that peace on earth might happen.

So my question is, I know that JWs don’ t believe in heaven the way that Catholics or even non-Catholics do and that they believe in a paradise on earth, so I guess is what is the best way to answer them since I think that what we each believe about peace on earth is very different. Peace on earth for Catholics, I hazard, isn’t so much a temporal matter but spiritual, that we don’t believe that the world will stop having sin and evil ocuring in during our lifetime but rather that when Jesus comes at the Second Coming that we will either go to heaven or hell and that we will live there rejoicing and praising God. Peace isn’t a physical thing that will happen but rather the state of our soul currently because of Jesus in our lives and eternally because we will be with Jesus in heaven.

Well, I’m not sure I articulated that as well as I wanted but the simple run down is: What should I say about peace on earth and goodwill towards men (goodwill on whom his favor rests) in the Catholic sense? And yes, I know that I cannot convert them but it’s more about knowing the answer and being able to relay that answer than anything else.
 
Pacbox said:
So my question is, I know that JWs don’ t believe in heaven the way that Catholics or even non-Catholics do and that they believe in a paradise on earth, so I guess is what is the best way to answer them since I think that what we each believe about peace on earth is very different. Peace on earth for Catholics, I hazard, isn’t so much a temporal matter but spiritual, that we don’t believe that the world will stop having sin and evil ocuring in during our lifetime but rather that when Jesus comes at the Second Coming that we will either go to heaven or hell and that we will live there rejoicing and praising God. Peace isn’t a physical thing that will happen but rather the state of our soul currently because of Jesus in our lives and eternally because we will be with Jesus in heaven.

Well, I’m not sure I articulated that as well as I wanted but the simple run down is: What should I say about peace on earth and goodwill towards men (goodwill on whom his favor rests) in the Catholic sense? And yes, I know that I cannot convert them but it’s more about knowing the answer and being able to relay that answer than anything else.
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OP, I’m not understanding the question - do you know the title or issue of the tract that they brought. They do believe in an inner spiritual peace that comes when they become members of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They don’t believe that there will be peace on Earth until Jehovah destroys us all at Armageddon. At that time, they expect to live forever on planet earth (unless they are one of the anointed ones with a heavenly destination).

I guess contrasting that with Catholic point of view, we don’t think there will be true peace on earth until the 2nd Advent but that doesn’t stop us from trying.
 
Okay, my question was clear as mud. Sorry about that. They asked me if I believe peace on earth was possible. I said yes. When they came back, they asked me to think about WHEN that would happen (which I believe is in reference to their belief in 144,000 that go to heaven and the rest that end up in earthly paradise after the judgement). So I was wondering in how to answer that questions in a better way than what I had answered plus what the Catholic view was. Now I understand that it’s a gimmick to get them in my door and an attempt to convert me but I was asked a leading question and made too much out of it. Sorry. Does that clear it up or is it still clear as mud?
 
jschwehm said:
check out our website at www.catholicxjw.com and see if the articles there help.

Jeff S.
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Thanks. I’ll look around and read when I’m not supposed to be writing a paper for class due the next day instead. I have a feeling that the question itself is a bit unanswerable but that they want to talk about their idea of paradise earth and heaven.

I still think that my OP was about as clear as mud.
 
Pacbox said:
Thanks. I’ll look around and read when I’m not supposed to be writing a paper for class due the next day instead. I have a feeling that the question itself is a bit unanswerable but that they want to talk about their idea of paradise earth and heaven.

I still think that my OP was about as clear as mud.
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Dont spread yourself so thin when you are studying. Tell them to come back at a more convienient time on your terms if you must talk to them, and I dont advise it at this juncture.

I know this sounds negative, but you are going to find out that they will not stick to one topic, and you wont have time to post a thread when they are in your home versing you with bible out of context.

If you dont understand their comments, its hardly your fault. No wonder your post was unclear. They are not very clear to begin with IMHO.

May I suggest you print Jeff’s stuff, and when and if they come ask them if they will talk to you about it.

You must not hold your breath, but having hope is a good thing.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I really didn’t have much left to write for my paper and it was really a matter of not having access to a computer to type up my paper and having internet access during the break from school. So I spent a bit more time catching up on sites and email that I normally visit but couldn’t do so during break. Plus, I’m pretty decent at writing a paper on a deadline. Actually, I prefer deadlines because I write much better papers that way.

What I’ve decided to do when the two ladies come back is to be upfront with them and tell them that I’m Catholic and that they only reason I continued talking to them was to engage in apologetics. I also intend to tell them that I refuse to leave Jesus for so little and will remain forever Catholic because I have the fullness of truth, the sacraments, and Jesus. Jesus is my life and I can’t leave Him. I wil tell them thanks for stopping by but I don’t intend to continue conversations with them unless they want to talk about Catholicism and what great joy it is to have the fullness of truth in Jesus through the sacraments. Thankfully, I have the wonderful opportunity to pray for them. Prayer is always useful and never wasted.

Like I said or tried to say before, this is about me knowing the answers. I know that any conversation with them is a failure from the get go. I just want to know the answers. I can’t convert tea in a bucket. I want to educate myself and be able to answer truthfully and honestly about my faith rather than having say I don’t know and then looking it up. I want to be able to reasonably answer on the spot or least be able to say I know the answer but give me a moment to be able to give a clear answer.
 
Some things to teach them:

The Trinity
the soul is eternal
there is a Hell
Archangel Michael is not JESUS CHRIST!!!
Blood transfusions are Okay
ABC is not okay
144,000 is not literal
Christ did not invisibly come in 1914

Once you are done with that tall order I can give you more silly stuff they dont understand.
 
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