two JWs at my door today.

[IrishJoe]

Ignoring above tiff:

surely the Christian thing to do is to invite them in and say I’m not interested in converting but would you like a cup of tea ?

 

[musiclady]

I would like to joine the discussion , However I have found this site to be difficult to navigate. I do have some experience in forums but this one manages to throw me. Any advice? We did have a JW lady @ our door yesterday for the first time in some time. My husband accepted a book from her and told her he was busy ( which was true). she has promised to come back. I am not unfamiliar with the Bible, but am not sure I would be able to answer her slanted and handpicked questions. I also have a Pevtecostal son-in- law who likes to engage me in discussion. The problem is, it is always at an inopportune time-- I am rushed or busy with guests or whatever. Am interested to see what answers you get.

 

[Seabee4681]

Why are you insulting me . My thanks was sincere. Many people on this forum don’t have the time to go through 600 posts to find what you believe, so please answer the questions.

Maybe I can answer it for him?

There are three types of people in this world. The Sheep, the Wolves and the Sheepdog.
Sheep prefer to go on grazing and looking dumbly over the pasture.They prefer not to go near the sheepdog. They don’t even know its the sheepdog who protects them from the wolves.

The sheep don’t like the sheepdog. The sheepdog to a sheep looks too much like a wolf. They don’t trust anything with fangs. They don’t realize the sheepdog is prepared to use those fangs in THEIR defense. They would rather the sheepdog be another sheep , but then… who would defend the flock’s territory?

It’s the same story here. BibleSteve, you should visit the Vietnam War Memorial. Or go to Pearl Harbor sometime. Or ask any vet why they fight. Its to defend the rights of people like you! I will not apologize for the fact that I have taken up arms and I am prepared to fight and die in war too. And as for all that, THAT is between me and God.

Have fun going doorbell punching. By the way… YOU’RE WELCOME.

A Seabee Vet

 

[ElizabethPH]

I would like to joine the discussion , However I have found this site to be difficult to navigate. I do have some experience in forums but this one manages to throw me. Any advice? We did have a JW lady @ our door yesterday for the first time in some time. My husband accepted a book from her and told her he was busy ( which was true). she has promised to come back. I am not unfamiliar with the Bible, but am not sure I would be able to answer her slanted and handpicked questions. I also have a Pevtecostal son-in- law who likes to engage me in discussion. The problem is, it is always at an inopportune time-- I am rushed or busy with guests or whatever. Am interested to see what answers you get.

I think reading the rules and such will help you. Also on the Catholic Answers main page you will find articles that will help you understand J.W.

 

[revelations]

I spend plenty of time answering questions and defending my faith. In fact, I have over 600 posts here.

However, I don’t spend my time jumping to answer questions from those who throw out insults as they are posting their questions.

I’m just following the apostle Paul’s advice in this.

Hi Steve,

I couldn’t resist answering this one. You come in here, a catholic forum, and when posed serious questions about the background of your faith you shun them off. It is easy to see why you have over 600 posts here, most of them are spent wiggling around issues.

We did not come to you to ask the question, and attack your beliefs and faith. You came to us. JW’s come to MY door, and ring MY doorbell, usually on Sunday when i come home from church. I have been told that i am evil, severly mistaken, and condemned. I have politely responded to many misinformed questions about the Catholic faith.I should have followed Paul’s advice, but i cared about the souls of the people standing on my doorstep.

Now, if you cannot answer some basic tenets about the background of your faith, perhaps it will shine some light onto your situation. Why not? I know next time JW’s are at the door i will not be so welcoming…

-revelations

 

[Dannyc]

Thread #13 refers to a site refuting JW’s. Be careful as the site is very anti-Catholic.
Read ‘the comparison of JW’s and Catholics’
Not flatering at all

 

[Dannyc]

Sorry,
It was thread #12 that referred to the site that had info on JW’s and comparing them to Catholics.

 

[revelations]

Hi DannyC, good point digging that up. I first came across that site during my re-awakening period and it was a rough stumbling block until i found this part:

bible.ca/ntx-organization-historical-development-papal-patriarchal-systems-mouse-rollover.htm

It talks about the slow apostasy of the early church away from pure bible church, saying their new testament church is the revival. This gives it away:

Bible: 33-100AD All elders equal. Bible only for doctrine (elder/bishop one office)
%between%

I dont have the heart to let him know the bible didnt exist for almost another 200 years from then… I think this invalidates link 12 as a sourch of anti-JW questions, cause they’re just so crazy!

-revelatiosn

 

[Dannyc]

In answer to the thread by Revelations.

I just want to say that until we can get out of the “who’s right and who’s wrong” mode of thinking, we will never make any progress with ecumenism.
Many former Catholics have left to become JW’s, Mormons or Evangelicals and, as a part of the RCIA team, I can confirm that many from those faiths are coming to the Catholic Church.

People leave their church mostly because they have been hurt or do not feel welcome. Not everyone is so steeped in theology that they can figure everything out and determine which church is right or wrong. It is a matter of feeling a part of the community.

The Jehovah Witnesses and The Mormons both have been fine examples of what a community is all about. They build their worship centers with their own members and they take care of their own. We Catholics can learn a lot from them.

I believe the best way to greet anyone who comes to your door is as if Jesus was coming to your door.
We should be welcoming and neighborly. Not hostile and apprehensive.

We all share this earth and we all believe in a hereafter.
We should discuss our common beliefs first, and then, once we get to know each other, we can delve into the differences with charity.

I promise to respect your religion and I pray that you will respect mine,

Faithfully in Christ,

Danny C

 

[Kay_Cee]

A question that I have, Why are you not willing to answer any of these questions in the Open?

At least one or two of them

Is there something that concerns you? Like someone might come forward and correct you on the spot?

Here just answer two of them for everyone here.

• In the sermon on the mount, when Jesus was addressing the “great crowd” (Lk 6:17), why did he tell them in Lk 6:22-23, “…your reward is great in heaven …”?
• The Bible says that ONLY God is our savior (Hos 13:4, Isa 43:11,45:21, etc.). How can it be then, that the Bible repeatedly says that Jesus Christ is our savior (Lk 2:11, Phil 3:20, Tit 2:13, 3:6, 2Pet 1:1, 2:20, 3:18, etc.)?
  These two will due fine, these ones interest me a little more than the rest.

I’ve been following this thread, and I too would like to see answers to these questions.

Anybody else here who would like to chime in and ask for answers to these questions?

 

[neuro_nurse]

I used to work with a JW who, despite our disagreements on matters of faith, I considered a friend. My parents lived in Ogden, Utah for a couple of years and, in general, Mormons seemed to me to be about the nicest folks you could ever meet.

My response to the JWs at my door is to allow them to say what’s on their mind, allow them to read scripture to me, and bid them a good day.

Sometimes, just out of curiosity, I’ll take their literature to see what they’re up to. (If I leave it lying around my wife will very quickly consign it to the recycle bin)

If Christ himself dined with tax collectors and prostitutes, then we, as imitators of Christ, certainly owe JWs basic courtesy.

If my Baptist wife can’t pry me out of my Catholicism (not that she’d try), then I don’t feel threatened by a couple of strangers who just want me to hear what they have to say.

I suspect most JW expect to be met with rejection of their beliefs, perhaps even hostility.

They sure look and awful lot like my neighbors, though.

Peace!

 

[geraldffff]

These sites are filled with disinformation about JW’s in an attempt to prevent you from listening…

Here’s the real source of accurate information:

www.watchtower.org

This is a great site to get flavor of the month doctrine. The problem with any “accurate” JW information is it is subject to change at the whim of the Watchtower. Homosexuals call themselves Gay because they cannot bear to face up to the truth of what being homosexual means and they do not want others to know what they are actually about. . By the same token JW’s manipulate word meanings to hide what they are about and actually believe. My brother Steve has been peddling this publication for the last 30 years and i have witnessed these changing doctrines. It is a pity that this irrational way of looking at the scripture is evidenced by his growing confusion. How will he ever know to confess the name of Jesus and bend his knee at the sound of Jesus’s name when the construct Jehovah is the only name he knows? I always take their tracts so I can get a look at the flavor of the month doctrine or their current underhanded attack on the Beautiful Catholic Church and the thing they call Christendom. They haven’t been to my door since I showed them the Crucifix I reflect on when I pray.

 

[SeanTom]

Justinthemartyr,

You stated: "After they made their fishing statements and threw the line out for me to bite, I went directly to the fact that scripture alone is not the authority of God on this earth, and they said “really”.

You could have also quoted them 1 Cor: 11-2 “I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you.” Also, 2 Thes: 2-15: “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.” And then John 21:25: “But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”.

The above are good references to use when someone tells you that they only believe in that which is written in scripture. If they really mean it, then they should believe in the above references where it is said that there were many other events in Jesus life that are not written in Scripture. These were given to us by the Apostles as Traditions.

 

[angelsallaround]

I have to add something to this post. I am new here by the way. From Michigan, married to a Cathoic, 3 kids, homeschooler…converted to Catholicism in 2003. My name is Angela. So Hi everyone.

okay so now for my response…

After converting a few years later a JW knocked on my door. Noramlly I would not have answered but since I had become Catholic I was hearing all kinds of horrible things about my new religion and I was curious what the JW’s had to say.
Nice enough people, I invited them in offered them food, drink and hospitaility. We began to “study” scripture and the watchtower tracks every week. They would come back and we would “study”.
All the while I was keeping it a secret from my husband and family.
Now before I began “studying” I was pretty innocent to my failth. I believed God took care of all and felt His presence when I would pray. Little miracles would happen with money when things were tight and I knew HE was there.
Sometime during studying a blackness came over me. I was having nightmares, my husband and I were fighting, I couldn’t sleep. I was even having daymares of horrible things I can’t even speak of. Then the worst thing of all happened, God left me. He just left. I have heard people describe hell as exsisting without God. When I would pray I didn’t feel HIM. I felt alone in room full of people for the first time in my life. We fell on hard times, lost our home…no miracles, nothing.
I kept studying though. Not sure why. Morbid curiosity I guess. I was convinced all other religions were evil. I was ready to divorce my husband if he didn’t comply, which by the way is encouraged by these JW’s. I was ready to burn down my Christmas tree because it was pagan, stop associating with people, move if I had to. After all, if it was “God’s will” as the JW’s put it, then I had no choice. Accept it or simply cease to exsist. My children would be damned if I didn’t lead the way to salvation.

Well through it all in the end one wonderful thing came of all of it. I learned scripture inside and out. Because I was reading my bible constantly. And in the end I realized the God was letting me feel His absence on purpose so I would know I was falling from Him. However in the end HE did save me.
During our last "study "meeting they were going over how Jesus is not God. Well I was looking through scripture for my answer and feeling frusterated that I couldn’t find anything. Later that night as if God Himself turned the page for me I opened up scripture after scripture confirming Jesus IS God!!! and that only spirits who confess this are from Him. The JW’s were not sent from Him. The next visit was short because I told them Jesus is God and of everything they had to say they would never get me to say otherwise! They were very upset, but they left and never came back.
The whole thing was quite an ordeal for me and now it’s nearly 2008 and I’m still not completly recovered. I still struggle with questions about my faith. I feel God there again, but still a wall. I feel as though I hurt Him and have to regain His faith in me. I could be wrong but the wounds are still there and I guess they just haven’t healed yet.
My advise to others…curiosity killed the cat…if they come to your door DO NOT LET THEM IN!!! DO NOT LISTEN TO A WORD THEY SAY!!! If you are struggling with your faith pray and pray hard. People will let you down…even in your own church. People fail but God does not fail. “LET ALL MEN BE A LIAR AND GOD BE TRUE”
God Bless,
Angie

 

[ElizabethPH]

I have to add something to this post. I am new here by the way. From Michigan, married to a Cathoic, 3 kids, homeschooler…converted to Catholicism in 2003. My name is Angela. So Hi everyone.

okay so now for my response…

After converting a few years later a JW knocked on my door. Noramlly I would not have answered but since I had become Catholic I was hearing all kinds of horrible things about my new religion and I was curious what the JW’s had to say.
Nice enough people, I invited them in offered them food, drink and hospitaility. We began to “study” scripture and the watchtower tracks every week. They would come back and we would “study”.
All the while I was keeping it a secret from my husband and family.
Now before I began “studying” I was pretty innocent to my failth. I believed God took care of all and felt His presence when I would pray. Little miracles would happen with money when things were tight and I knew HE was there.
Sometime during studying a blackness came over me. I was having nightmares, my husband and I were fighting, I couldn’t sleep. I was even having daymares of horrible things I can’t even speak of. Then the worst thing of all happened, God left me. He just left. I have heard people describe hell as exsisting without God. When I would pray I didn’t feel HIM. I felt alone in room full of people for the first time in my life. We fell on hard times, lost our home…no miracles, nothing.
I kept studying though. Not sure why. Morbid curiosity I guess. I was convinced all other religions were evil. I was ready to divorce my husband if he didn’t comply, which by the way is encouraged by these JW’s. I was ready to burn down my Christmas tree because it was pagan, stop associating with people, move if I had to. After all, if it was “God’s will” as the JW’s put it, then I had no choice. Accept it or simply cease to exsist. My children would be damned if I didn’t lead the way to salvation.

Well through it all in the end one wonderful thing came of all of it. I learned scripture inside and out. Because I was reading my bible constantly. And in the end I realized the God was letting me feel His absence on purpose so I would know I was falling from Him. However in the end HE did save me.
During our last "study "meeting they were going over how Jesus is not God. Well I was looking through scripture for my answer and feeling frusterated that I couldn’t find anything. Later that night as if God Himself turned the page for me I opened up scripture after scripture confirming Jesus IS God!!! and that only spirits who confess this are from Him. The JW’s were not sent from Him. The next visit was short because I told them Jesus is God and of everything they had to say they would never get me to say otherwise! They were very upset, but they left and never came back.
The whole thing was quite an ordeal for me and now it’s nearly 2008 and I’m still not completly recovered. I still struggle with questions about my faith. I feel God there again, but still a wall. I feel as though I hurt Him and have to regain His faith in me. I could be wrong but the wounds are still there and I guess they just haven’t healed yet.
My advise to others…curiosity killed the cat…if they come to your door DO NOT LET THEM IN!!! DO NOT LISTEN TO A WORD THEY SAY!!! If you are struggling with your faith pray and pray hard. People will let you down…even in your own church. People fail but God does not fail. “LET ALL MEN BE A LIAR AND GOD BE TRUE”
God Bless,
Angie

Welcome~!

I think this is the very reason we are warned to not debate these people unless we are firm in our faith. These sorts of folks have an insidious way of getting your attention by making their beliefs sound, well sound…and then usually after several visits they start pulling out their weird beliefs…I’m glad you recognize them and I’m glad you made it back. And may I suggest Perpetual Adoration and perhaps go to confession and daily Mass as much as possible. Bless you and your family.

 

[angelsallaround]

thanks…well before I became Catholic I was raised Methodist and eventually baptists(long story).

In any event I still have questions concerning the Catholic faith…Although I converted,it was durning a time when I didn’t think of such issues as whether or not it’s okay to pray to Mary, have a pope, the history of Christmas and such…

But at least,praise God I didn’t get sucked into the JW’s!!! They almost had me. I’m still studying and learning and I hope there will come a day when I can truely feel the catholic church is home. Thank you for the welcome and the comments.
Angie

 

[Greg_Dent]

The best way I found to get rid of Jw’s at the door is to have a book ready to give them when they come. A pamphlet about the Catholic faith is sufficient. When they hand you the Watch Tower hand them your book…They won’t take it, and when they don’t hand their propaganda back to them and say, "Hey I’m all for a fair exchange of ideas and beliefs, but if you are unwilling to consider mine, why should I consider yours?. They won’t like it, and they won’t come back for a long time.
Keep the Faith, Greg

 

[crisleem]

I am a devout Catholic in UTAH!!

On a constant basis I get missionaries from both churches. The week we moved in someone came to our door to get our ‘information’ about our faith. So we’re now on the ‘list’ in the Mormon Church. If you ask them to stop coming they will do their very best to take you off the list. I haven’t had a Mormon for a year now.

I understood nothing of the LDS (Mormon) church at that time. But while so much of their belief is utterly wrong in the eyes of all other Christian faiths, they are good people in general.

Those in Utah don’t even understand one bit how anyone could not believe the way they do because just about everyone here does.

While I don’t invite them in because my husband is nearly always gone, and they aren’t allowed by church rules to come in without a man present, I feel for them. They do care deeply for God even if their faith is teaching them very wrong things. Including the silliness about Apostacy taking the priesthood from the Catholic Church. The idea of the ‘godhood’ for LDS men. And several others. They don’t see the utter contradictions in their belief system and true scripture.

Just be at least kind to them. They do love you as a Christian (well those that even will see you as a Christian, the others love you as a human) and are taught that only they can give you salvation through their church. They want very much to ‘save’ you from your current faith. They are usually really really good and devoted kids whom sacrifice a lot to go evangelize so far from home for two years. They are taught this is the only way they can go to the top level of heaven. I know, sounds crazy, but they are taught this from birth.

Pray for them. And the JW. The JW are actually much nicer in Utah than anywhere, they are not treated very well here. As with us “Mary worshiping” Catholics…lol!!

 

[geraldffff]

Pete,

You’re fooling yourself and you apparently love it.

I spend plenty of time answering questions and defending my faith. In fact, I have over 600 posts here.

However, I don’t spend my time jumping to answer questions from those who throw out insults as they are posting their questions.

I’m just following the apostle Paul’s advice in this.

Steve it is deceptive not to list your religious affiliation on your public profile. If your that ashamed of your religion how can anyone take at face value what you are saying. Is it that you are ashamed of calling Jesus your lord and savior but wish to have a name Jehovah instead…

 

[the_phoenix]

Steve it is deceptive not to list your religious affiliation on your public profile. If your that ashamed of your religion how can anyone take at face value what you are saying. Is it that you are ashamed of calling Jesus your lord and savior but wish to have a name Jehovah instead…

For a period of 13 years, I had a friend who described herself as an “ex-Catholic Bible Christian.” We exchanged pen pal letters since we were both Star Trek fans, and then when her health got too bad for her to write, we spoke long distance by telephone instead. On the phone, she always insisted on reading Bible verses to me. I thought her strange Biblical interpretations and talk about a “paradise earth” were merely the products of the overactive imagination of an enthusiastic science fiction fan who was also dealing with the baggage of illness and being a fallen away Catholic. For my part, I told my friend upfront, openly and honestly, that I was a strong practicing Catholic … and I let her know the Catholic position on various subjects over the years.

Come to find out that this alleged “close friend” who called me “more than a friend, a family member and sister in Christ” … was actually being dishonest about her religion.

After 13 years, it finally emerged that she was a Jehovah’s Witness who had been deceiving me by neglecting to tell me the truth about her identity when it came to her beliefs.

When the secret was at last revealed to me and I told her that I’d still be quite willing to be friends as long as each one of us respected the other’s religion … the JW dropped me. Suddenly, the whole “friend, family, sister in Christ” relationship which had allegedly been so meaningful to her for all those years just up and vanished.

I later heard that a JW who is bedridden due to ill health, as she was, could count as “missionary time” any time spent on the telephone or writing letters with the intent to convert, instead of going door to door. (Can anyone confirm this?) So I suppose it wasn’t a real friendship after all … apparently she was just using me so that she could write down in a notebook somewhere the number of hours she spent talking with me on the phone, so that she could report this to her Elders?

~~ the phoenix