Pillar of Fire Brochures & JW's

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beckycmarie

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Had an idea after having Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on my door two weeks in a row. They always have literature on hand, but I open the door empty handed and politely turn them away.

Since the JW’s are in my neighborhood on a regular basis, I figured I’d be ready for them next time. I bought several “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth” brochures from Catholic Answers, and if another one comes to my door, I’ll tell them “I’ll take your literature if you take mine.” I figure it’s better than having an argument on the doorstep, and at least I’ve made an effort to evangelize rather than just turning them away with a “no thanks.”
 
I like it for some groups but JWs aren’t allowed to read contrary lit. I want to make a large placard for my door that would say something like:
Door-to-door evangelists
I appreciate your dedication and hard work. Your concern for my soul is sweet. You’re busy and have things you’d far rather be doing. You risk your safety every night trying to share what you believe to be the truth.
I have come to my beliefs through years of study and searching, prayed and made up my mind. I also believe in sharing. I am secure in my beliefs. I will hear what you have to say if you will hear all that I have to say first.
 
strngrnrth said:
I like it for some groups but JWs aren’t allowed to read contrary lit.
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Oh well. Guess I could try anyway and see if they take it.

That sign is not a bad idea. 😃 Seriously, I don’t get why they keep coming over and over when I never take their lit and tell them no every time. It’s really annoying.
 
We have a no solicitation policy in my neighborhood so we don’t get JW’s. I have been approached by customers at my work and also in parking lots. I do take the literature, later I tear it up and dispose of it. I figure that may prevent one less person who may be more vulnerable from receiving their materials.

I also snatch up any Jack Chick tracts if I come across them and dispose of them.
 
beckycmarie said:
I have never seen one of those, but I hear about them on CAF often.
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I found one at an atm, one on a park bench and one in a bathroom stall sitting on the sanitary napkin disposal (that last location was a bit humorous actually.)
 
beckycmarie said:
Had an idea after having Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on my door two weeks in a row. They always have literature on hand, but I open the door empty handed and politely turn them away.

Since the JW’s are in my neighborhood on a regular basis, I figured I’d be ready for them next time. I bought several “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth” brochures from Catholic Answers, and if another one comes to my door, I’ll tell them “I’ll take your literature if you take mine.” I figure it’s better than having an argument on the doorstep, and at least I’ve made an effort to evangelize rather than just turning them away with a “no thanks.”
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I have tried it, but they will not take it. But, because I had a very good civil discussion explaining my beliefs, not being critical with them for theirs, they now pass up my house. They are in my neighborhood every two to three weeks.

The poor elderly lady I tried to give the pamphlet to acted as if it was a document from the devil.🤷

Really I enjoy the encounters, having talks with them, and persons of other faith, shows them we, that is Catholics, are people of faith… it makes them think, I hope.
 
That sign won’t discourage them, I have a large statue of Our lady of Fatima beside my steps and they still come.

I have heard from both LDS and JWs that they have many ex-Catholics in their numbers. They seem to regard it as a challenge to convince Catholics they are wrong.

I explain that the end of my journey to Catholicism came by reading the writings of the Early Church Fathers and discovering that what the disciples of the apostles taught was still being taught today in the Catholic Church.

I then remark how much easier it is today when all those writings can be found online and may mention a couple of names. That way I have planted a seed. They won’t take and read literature but who knows what they will go online and read when they are on their own.

Maybe mention that if they ever want to know more about the CC they are welcome to come back and discuss the teachings of the Church…although that might get you on their ‘banned’ list.
 
Eileen_T said:
Maybe mention that if they ever want to know more about the CC they are welcome to come back and discuss the teachings of the Church…although that might get you on their ‘banned’ list.
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Getting on the ‘banned’ list won’t be such a bad thing. . .😃
 
strngrnrth said:
I like it for some groups but JWs aren’t allowed to read contrary lit.
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I met a young JW girl at a rest stop in North Carolina last week. She smiled and engaged in a little conversation about the weather, and then offered me a little reading material. I agreed to take her’s, providing she would take something I had, which was a mailer I had in my wallet. I send this mailer out with my bills. It contains listings of websites – with brief descriptions – about common misconceptions about Catholicism, such as worshipping Mary, etc. I told her that I was sure she had access to the internet and that there would be interesting things for her at the sites. I doubt she kept it, much less followed up on it, but it was worth a try. Oh, by the way, I guess I should read the tract she gave me to keep my end of the bargain. Uh, maybe later. . . 😃

God bless,
Dan
 
beckycmarie said:
Oh well. Guess I could try anyway and see if they take it.

That sign is not a bad idea. 😃 Seriously, I don’t get why they keep coming over and over when I never take their lit and tell them no every time. It’s really annoying.
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Maybe you should firmly tell them that you’re not interested and then politely ask them to not return.
 
beckycmarie said:
Had an idea after having Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on my door two weeks in a row. They always have literature on hand, but I open the door empty handed and politely turn them away.

Since the JW’s are in my neighborhood on a regular basis, I figured I’d be ready for them next time. I bought several “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth” brochures from Catholic Answers, and if another one comes to my door, I’ll tell them “I’ll take your literature if you take mine.” I figure it’s better than having an argument on the doorstep, and at least I’ve made an effort to evangelize rather than just turning them away with a “no thanks.”
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We normally used to get JW’s at our house. When they rang the doorbell and started reading some bible verses, they would be told “we’re Catholic… sorrry but we are not interested” but they would still continue to come back.

One day though My father and I tried a different approach… rather than having some debate or discussing apologetics we just invited them into our house and had them sit more confortably (luckily it was very hot outside, because they normally refuse to enter the houses they come to). We offered them water (not surprisingly they refused, but it still does not matter). They began to evangelize as if we knew nothing about Christ and even started complaining about the sin in the world and other things related to that. And get this! rather than arguing, we simply talked about the points they were correct in with charity! Not only did we take their Watchtower magazine, (of course we disposed of it afterwards), we even invited them to come back again to talk more! Throughout the talk they had the most bewildered looks on their faces as if they had never encountered such a reaction before.😃 😃

The result?

We have not seen any JW’s come back since…😛 😛 😛
Why? because these people are used to conflict and arguments. They are required to do door to door preaching by their leaders to the point of being brainwashed, and it looks anything but enjoyable. In other words, they are not very happy people (as see when they talked about the world in general negatively). They are prepared for debate and conflict; that is what they are trained for after all, but when a person welcomes them in and treats them as a true Christian should, they begin to get confused. When they see a Catholic family is truly at peace they think, “how is it that if these people are condemned to hell they are happy and at peace and we are not?” (remember that they believe only 144,000 will be in heaven… that must be quite discouraging to a JW when there are millions of them)

We cannot evangelize them with apologetics alone; that will close them even more… but we must show them through our example that we have the one true faith and it brings true peace. We may not see the results, but through our actions we are in fact planting seeds in their hearts that might later grow entering the Catholic Church.

Or maybe they just thought that we were really convinced by what they had to say and thought their work was done… but I tend to look at the more positive side of things 😃
 
beckycmarie said:
I have never seen one of those, but I hear about them on CAF often.
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There is a Special Report right on this site about Chick tracts:

catholic.com/library/sr_chick_tracts_p1.asp

Jack Chick is a fundamentalist cartoonist who does a number of mini-comic books trying to get people to become “saved” Christians (as well as some full-size comics). Some of these are actually humorous and he has Catholic fans who enjoy his work.

A number of his tracts target Catholics and try to “explain” why the Church is “wrong” according to the Bible. Some of his publications go way beyond this and say things about the Church and its history that are truly ludicrous.

You or I could see a Chick tract and simply laugh, but to someone not educated in their faith, it could be very persuasive.
 
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