M
MrZetterlund
Guest
If anyone has been following my former threads, then you know I was invited into a Jehovah’s Witnesses lifestyle for the weekend. So here is a review of my experience:
I never realized that so much of my biological father’s side family is Jehovah’s Witnesses. My father has lived a low life for some time. He lost his faith at an early age (almost all former JWs are atheist) He had a drinking problem; lost his wife (my mom,) lost his home, and lost his family’s trust. Luckily for him, his Jehovah’s Witness uncle took him in, and he’s now trying to get right with “Jehovah” again. His uncle is an elder at their church. Knowing I’m the spiritual leader of my family, they invited me over for the weekend.
IT. WAS. HELL.
They are just so… Persistent in trying to convert you! What I did was basically state the points I disagree with. I told them I do not believe that only 144,000 are going to heaven. I tried to explain that that the Scripture they were referring to dealt with the tribes of Israel, or who are safe from the Apocalypse (I’m not really sure which one. Perhaps both?)
I even brought up when Jesus was crucified, the criminal beside Him confessed his faith, and Jesus said to him “today, you will be with Me in paradise.” They weren’t convinced by my case and tried to explain to me “the definition of paradise”
Of course, that lead to the debate about the crucifixion. I won this one rock solid.
They argued that the mixture of blood and water from Jesus’ side was from the weight of the Man’s body being forced down on Him, and that it wasn’t possible in the case of a cross being used instead. But of course, that wasn’t true. Infact, being crucified on a stake instead of a cross would remove some of that weight. I brought up the Shroud of Turin. I explained how serum is the liquid component of blood, and how the side wound on the Shroud had the highest levels of serum in it. And we know that the Man on the Shroud of Turin was crucified on a cross, because the blood from the hands, when they ran down the arms, ran to the elbows and not inward towards the biceps. They asked if I knew the latest information on the Shroud of Turin, I said “There isn’t a thing in the world you can tell me about the Shroud of Turin that I don’t already know.”
We also discussed the use of the name of the Lord. Of course, the most stressed part in the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion. They said, “The name Jehovah appears in the original texts (what was it?) 17,000 (?) times! I think it’s clear Jehovah wants you to use His name!” I explained how ironic I believe it is that the JWs stress this so much to be conservative, when the Hebrews abreviated YAHWEH YHWH to be conservative by protecting the name from being blasphemed. Their combat was “Hebrew was written without vowels.”
And at the meantion of “Yahweh” instead of “Jehovah” they chimed in again and said, “Well Yahweh is Hebrew, Jehovah is english. Just like it’s Allah in Islam. So if you say God’s name in Hebrew, you might as well say Jesus’ in Hebrew as well.” Which I actually do sometimes “Yeshua Hamashea!”
I never realized that so much of my biological father’s side family is Jehovah’s Witnesses. My father has lived a low life for some time. He lost his faith at an early age (almost all former JWs are atheist) He had a drinking problem; lost his wife (my mom,) lost his home, and lost his family’s trust. Luckily for him, his Jehovah’s Witness uncle took him in, and he’s now trying to get right with “Jehovah” again. His uncle is an elder at their church. Knowing I’m the spiritual leader of my family, they invited me over for the weekend.
IT. WAS. HELL.
They are just so… Persistent in trying to convert you! What I did was basically state the points I disagree with. I told them I do not believe that only 144,000 are going to heaven. I tried to explain that that the Scripture they were referring to dealt with the tribes of Israel, or who are safe from the Apocalypse (I’m not really sure which one. Perhaps both?)
I even brought up when Jesus was crucified, the criminal beside Him confessed his faith, and Jesus said to him “today, you will be with Me in paradise.” They weren’t convinced by my case and tried to explain to me “the definition of paradise” Of course, that lead to the debate about the crucifixion. I won this one rock solid.
They argued that the mixture of blood and water from Jesus’ side was from the weight of the Man’s body being forced down on Him, and that it wasn’t possible in the case of a cross being used instead. But of course, that wasn’t true. Infact, being crucified on a stake instead of a cross would remove some of that weight. I brought up the Shroud of Turin. I explained how serum is the liquid component of blood, and how the side wound on the Shroud had the highest levels of serum in it. And we know that the Man on the Shroud of Turin was crucified on a cross, because the blood from the hands, when they ran down the arms, ran to the elbows and not inward towards the biceps. They asked if I knew the latest information on the Shroud of Turin, I said “There isn’t a thing in the world you can tell me about the Shroud of Turin that I don’t already know.”We also discussed the use of the name of the Lord. Of course, the most stressed part in the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion. They said, “The name Jehovah appears in the original texts (what was it?) 17,000 (?) times! I think it’s clear Jehovah wants you to use His name!” I explained how ironic I believe it is that the JWs stress this so much to be conservative, when the Hebrews abreviated YAHWEH YHWH to be conservative by protecting the name from being blasphemed. Their combat was “Hebrew was written without vowels.”
And at the meantion of “Yahweh” instead of “Jehovah” they chimed in again and said, “Well Yahweh is Hebrew, Jehovah is english. Just like it’s Allah in Islam. So if you say God’s name in Hebrew, you might as well say Jesus’ in Hebrew as well.” Which I actually do sometimes “Yeshua Hamashea!”
Probably because I had just read 23 Minutes In Hell by Bill Weise (amazing book! I recommend it to anyone.) :thumbs up: and was shocked I suppose because the entire message of the book is about why hell is a literal burning place. Bill Weise even goes through the entire Bible and underlines anything that had to do with hell and his experience. And his most famous quote is “if you don’t believe my story, my hope is that you believe the Scriptures and avoid hell just the same.” My uncle said “Look, not to offend you, or this “Bill Weise” fellow, but there’s enough in the Bible to suggest that hell is metaphorical.”
Someone decided it would be a good idea to tell them that I plan on going into the ministry as a Baptist. LOL 
the old guy went so wide-eyed! Almost like, “
” He said, “Now Jared, if you want to go into the ministry, you want to make sure what you’re teaching is right, right?!” My response in my head was “Yes, that’s why I’m not a JW.” 
I think you seemed to handle it well. 
