Why are Jehovas Witnesses, and some fundamentalists Christians so adament about converting other Christiians?

Question

I've had Jehova's Witness Friends, Mormon, Oneness Pentecostal Friends and fundamentalist Baptist friends claim that their denomination was the only right one and if I didn't believe what they believed in then I wasn't going to be saved?

I always wondered why these people weren't more concerned about witnessing to those who aren't Christians at all, rather than trying to convert Christians of other denominations to their own. We read the same Bible. Why all the different beliefs from the same book?

Example:
Jehovas Witnesses aren't allowed to celebrate certain christian Holidays.
Mormons don't believe Jesus is God, therefore Jesus should not be worshipped as God and it is a sin to worship God.
Oneness Pentecostals say you aren't saved if you aren't baptised in Jesus name, and/or don't speak in tongues.
Fundamentalist Baptists only accept the KJV Bible.

Answer 1

A common misconception is that Jehovah's Witnesses go from door-to-door because they feel it is their duty to get a householder to "convert". In fact, Jehovah's Witnesses would go from door-to-door even if there were no hope that anyone would change their religion, or even if no one would listen to them!

That is because Jesus Christ specifically assigned the house-to-house ministry to the Christian congregation, with no regard for specific results.

(Luke 10:1,2) After these things the Lord designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come. 2 Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

Jehovah's Witnesses are trained to direct attention to the bible, and move on when their message is unwanted. Since each congregation in the United States tries to call at every home in its territory at least twice each year, there is strong motivation for them to move on where little interest is shown. Also, the Scriptures help the Witnesses to expect little interest from most:

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching ...and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/
http://jw-media.org/people/ministry.htm

Answer 2

Use a mainstream bible (NIV, KJV, NKJV, NLT, etc) and use that as your guide toward truth. (I'm an Assembly of God minister, that's my bias.)

Each of the groups listed have significant errors, although I don't believe all Fundamentalist baptists are KJV-only.

Some quick comments -

Jehovah Witnesses - rewrote the Bible, deny Jesus is God - key error. (Forget the Christmas thing, they are generally right on that, but that's not an essential point. We could delete Christmas and would be fine with it - it's nice but not commanded in the Bible)

Mormon - Radically Different - Heavenly father is "only god of this planet", not of the universe, polytheistic, "as god is, man can become." etc They do need to hear the Truth and be taught that the Bible is trustworthy and accurate.

Oneness Pentecostals - deny Trinity because they believe that there is but one God, which is great, but that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the same person (not separate). Key difference, but maybe not a salvation issue - I honestly don't know on that. But if a group teachings that speaking in tongues is required for salvation - that is clear error. (I speak in tongues, but I'm saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. That's it.)

Fundamentalist Baptist - Love the Bible, are Christians, but the King James Only belief is in error. The original texts of the books of the bible are the inspired word of God, not any particular translation. KJV is great, but so his NIV, NLT etc. Each version has it's own strengths and weaknesses. Go back to the original language and be honest and unbaised in translation.

Let's stick to Scripture Alone and discuss all doctrine from that point - having a thorough understanding of what all of Scripture says on a topic and then ask the Holy Spriit to guide us in understanding. This will keep us in Truth and help defend against error.

To reiterate, my church is NOT the one true church, and neither is yours. But the LORD has followers in many Christian groupings and He has called them his Children. Some of these children are in churches with small to huge errors. May God be merciful to us all.

Again, Mormonism, Jehovah witnesses are not Christian in core doctrine and should not be grouped as such. True Christian groups trust in the Bible, believe it to be true and don't rewrite it (JW's have their own unique version and the Mormon founder, Joseph Smith tried to rewrite it too, before his death). Mormon's believe the Bible to be full of errors and only through their church, can you gain understanding and find the errors. (In practice, Mormon's focus on their other 3 books a lot more than the KJV of the Bible they offer to you for free.) I love these people - but they can't accurately be called "Christians".

God bless -jn

Answer 3

Christians should except the Spirit of God into there life's. and be a vehicle for the Spirit. and ONLY when the Spirit guides them to talk to someone about God or his Spirit. or witness to them in some way.is when they should.they should ask of the Spirit for guidance in all there ways. and listen for the answer which will come in a very quiet voice within them and then try to do Gods will. as Jesus said. all that call on the name of the lord will NOT be saved only those that do my fathers will . will make it to heaven. to do Gods will. you must know his will. and to know his will. you must ask and listen and then do it.as best you can . Dogma in religions may lead a person astray.it takes your mind and soul off what is truly important. and that is a real relationship with the holy Spirit of God.Peace. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas

Answer 4

Jehovah's witnesses believe they are the one "true" religion. In the bible is tells them to preach the "good news" through out the earth. They are not trying to convert you. You make decisions for yourself. This is what god jehovah has asked them to do. They believe that the system (world) we live in will eventually come to an end. only the righteous ones will inherit the earth. The earth will become a paradise. I was bought up in a witness home.

Answer 5

Correction - Mormons do not think it's a sin to worship God, we just pray to God the Father in Jesus' name.

Okay, that being said, we testify to everyone, Christians, non-Christians, ourselves - we see it as a message for the world - I'm assuming the other denominations you mentioned probably feel the same too.

Answer 6

Where in Sam Hill do you get the idea that Mormons believe that Jesus isn't God? You've been misled once more, amigo.

Jesus Christ is the God of this earth, our Savior, Redeemer, and the Son of God the Father. He is the second Holy Entity of the Godhead.

We worship and pray to the Father through His Son and revere the Son because of His holiness and mission performed for all of us. He is the great Jehovah of the Old Testament.

If that is called not worshipping Jesus Christ then peanut butter doesn't taste good with jelly.

Answer 7

We do not convert, we follow the command of Christ, Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU-...

It is because " Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance..." (2 Peter 3:9)

“This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3)

By helping people understand the purpose of God's kingdom, we execute the command of Jesus,who had himself preached about the Kingdom of God and has shown what will the kingdom of God bring to mankind....healing of the sick, letting the lame walk, making the blind see, feeding the hungry and bringing the dead back to life.

in answer to Why all the different beliefs from the same book?

1 timothy 3:4 However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons, 2 by the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, marked in their conscience as with a branding iron; 3 forbidding to marry, commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth.

Please read 2 Timothy 3:1-7 "...always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth."

2 Peter 2:1

Answer 8

Since there is only one God, one Jesus, and one way to salvation. 1 Cor 8:6

What Jehovah requires from one person, he requires from all persons.

If Jehovah says that we are His temple, and that we should not touch anything unclean,
2 Cor 6:14-18

Then we shouldn't.

If Jesus said we should do the will of his Father,

Then we should.

If Paul says faith without love is valueless,

Then we should have and show our love.

Answer 9

we as Jehovah Witnesses are not trying to change any ones religion. that is between you and God. we are doing what Jesus Christ commanded us to do at Matthew 28 verses 19 and 20. we have free bible studies but you have to DECided for yourself. see what we are all about at www.watchtower.org. we are not a cult or brainwashed. a cult worships man we worship Jehovah and Jesus Christ. we live in 235 lands and in our own homes. we are sinful just like you and have problems like anyone else. the holidays are pagan holidays. Jesus was not born on dec 25. in the bible it tells us to celebrate his death once a year since he died on the passover or last supper. Nisan 14. he never said to celebrate his birth. he did more for us when he died then when he was born. Jesus was not praying to himself, he was praying to his Father Jehovah in the Heaven. you can not pray to yourself. even the 12 knew that Jesus was the son of God Jehovah. not God himself

Answer 10

properly there's a basic distinction between them. A fundamentalist might attempt to tug somebody to salvation. Jehovah's Witnesses understand from the Bible that no you could "keep" yet another. that's between the guy and Jehovah God. So on the same time as the fundamentalist tries to placed on a tutor, JWs in basic terms grant to enable them to verify what the Bible rather says. If one desires to appreciate greater, ask. If not, we pass directly to human beings. we haven't any "blood guilt" with them. what's "bloodguilt"? basically in historical days, there have been watchmen in towers. Their interest became into to sound a caution if the undesirable adult males have been coming. in the event that they did not accomplish that or have been slackers, the blood of those killed became into on them and that they have got been responsible for it. They have been additionally killed. for this reason in conversing approximately his ministry, Paul mentioned, "for this reason I call YOU to witness this very day that i'm clean from the blood of all adult males, 27 for I even have not held back from telling YOU all the tips of God. " (Acts 20:26-27) So on the same time as that's uncertain if a fundamentalist even knows approximately this concept, Jehovah's all of us is rather conscious. So we attempt to attain all of us obtainable.