I'm a christian, a follower of Jesus, and I need some tips on trying to persuade her that her bible isnt the same as the Holy Bible! Its like they are programmed to have a rebuttal or to cite a verse out of the New World Translation to twist a christian in a knot.
2006-12-20 18:30:23 · 24 answers · asked by sqadup661 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jehovah's Witnesses don't claim to be Christians! Its a cult that was made up, about 50-60 years ago!
2006-12-20 18:35:22 · update #1
FOR BILL DOWN AT THE BOTTOM: I AM A FOLLOWER OF JESUS. EVERY CHRISTIAN DOESN'T HAVE A TEACHER, I DON'T, JESUS IS MY TEACHER! I READ & STUDY THE "HOLY BIBLE" AND BY DOING SO, HE HAVE TAUGHT ME ALOT. TRY READING IT, YOU MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING, ALSO!
2006-12-20 19:23:37 · update #2
I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness. They are programmed (brainwashed if you will) to have an answer for everything. They even have a little book with answers to questions that may come up. You could ask her about Beth-sarim the mansion that the society had built in San Diego for Abraham, Isaac, and others who they thought would get resurrected. I bet she doesn't even know about it. They keep those kinds of things hush-hush. They eventually sold it. Mum's the word. You could also ask her about Charles Taze Russel basing his calculation of the world ending in 1914 on measurements of the Egyptian pyramids. He was so into those pyramids that there is a big pyramid on his grave. Why do they flip-flop so often on doctrines? Another one is they don't believe that Jesus died on a cross they believed he died on a stake. But at John 20:25 it talks about the print of the nails on his hand. Emphasis on the s.
Go to this link for a good book on Reasoning From the Scriptures With the Jehovah's Witnesses. You will certainly find things in there that may plant seeds of doubt but remember they are trained to have an answer for everything. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565071069/ref=pd_cpt_gw_3/104-5754655-9868716
You can see that they are programmed because they all told you the same things. They also talk about free will but as soon as you attempt to use it are "marked".
2006-12-21 14:17:50 · answer #1 · answered by Mom of Three 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Here's a good point.
Share with them these quotes:
Old Testament:
In fact, the New World Translation is a scholarly work. In 1989, Professor Benjamin Kedar of Israel said:
"In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translation, I often refer to the English edition as what is known as the New World Translation. In doing so, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this kind of work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible. Giving evidence of a broad command of the original language, it renders the original words into a second language understandably without deviating unnecessarily from the specific structure of the Hebrew....Every statement of language allows for a certain latitude in interpreting or translating. So the linguistic solution in any given case may be open to debate. But I have never discovered in the New World Translation any biased intent to read something into the text that it does not contain."
New Testament:
While critical of some of its translation choices, BeDuhn called the New World Translation a “remarkably good” translation, “better by far” and “consistently better” than some of the others considered. Overall, concluded BeDuhn, the New World Translation “is one of the most accurate English translations of the New Testament currently available” and “the most accurate of the translations compared.”—Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament.
“Here at last is a comprehensive comparison of nine major translations of the Bible:
King James Version,
New American Standard Bible,
New International Version,
New Revised Standard Version,
New American Bible,
Amplified Bible,
Today's English Version (Good News Bible),
Living Bible,
and the New World Translation.
The book provides a general introduction to the history and methods of Bible translation, and gives background on each of these versions. Then it compares them on key passages of the New Testament to determine their accuracy and identify their bias. Passages looked at include:
John 1:1; John 8:58; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1
Jason BeDuhn
Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Chair
Department of Humanities, Arts, and Religion
Northern Arizona University
.
2006-12-21 10:40:28 · answer #2 · answered by TeeM 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
You should actually listen to her. Many thought Jesus was incorrect.
His own people rejected him and called for his death. We follow Jesus' example and tell all people about God's Kingdom--the same thing Jesus preached about. No other faith does this. We are carrying out this important work in 235 lands. We are fulfilling the Bible prophecy found at Matthew 24:14. What a wonderful priviledge we have as Jehovah's messengers in these last days before Armegeddon. She cares enough about you to share the good news of God's Kingdom with you, so it would benefit you to listen. We have an important life-saving work to do, and nothing will stop us from doing it. We will continue doing it until the Great Tribulation begins.
And we are Christians and are baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy spirit.
2006-12-21 17:18:56 · answer #3 · answered by Micah 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
We're not a cult. We worship only Jehovah God.
We always have an answer to what people ask us because we know the truth. If people get stuck it's because they don't have logical arguments.
Our Bible it's like any other Bible.
What is special about it is that it contains the name of the one true God, Jehovah.
The JW from my country received the New World Translation this year. In all this time we used Bibles translated by people who aren't JW and still we knew to give the right answers. JW can use any kind of Bible. But it's better to use NWT cause it contains God's name which in other Bibles was replaced with the word 'Lord'.
2006-12-21 13:42:35 · answer #4 · answered by Alex 5 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I have been a Witness for 48 years, and most certainly am not programed like some of your answers state, and nor are any other Witness. We have a Body that overlooks the 97,000 congregations world wide. If you say we are a "cult" then you are also, because you all have someone in your Religion that teaches all of you, and that you look to as a leader. Our leader is Jesus Christ because the scriptures tell us that he is the Head of the Congregation. I most certainty do not have a man as my leader, nor do any other Witness.
When you speak about the Bible as our Bible, it is true we use a modern translation, but what the people do not tell you is, we will use any translation of the Bible, if someone wishes to have a Bible Study, in fact, I always have a King James Bible with me when out in the Ministry. You can get the Truth from any Bible, if the person is sincere and wants to know what the Truth is.
And it is true Jehovah's Witnesses can handle the Bible right, it is because at our meetings, anyone in the congregation can participate, including small children, we have children that know more about God's Word than most adults that we talk to at homes.
If you do not like the New World Translation, ask her to use the King James Bible, and by the way Sir Isaac Newton, mainly known for Science. An analysis of all that Newton wrote reveals that out of some 3,600,000 words only 1,000,000 were devoted to the sciences, whereas some 1,400,000 were on religious topics.
In his writings, Newton gave much attention to the doctrine of the Trinity. Using early Church writers, the Greek and Latin manuscripts and the testimony of the first versions of the Bible, Newton proved that the words “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,” in support of the Trinity doctrine, did not appear in the original inspired Greek Scriptures. He then traced the way in which the spurious reading crept into the Latin versions, first as a marginal note, and later into the text itself.
Newton showed how, by a small alteration in the Greek text, the word “God” was inserted to make the phrase read “God was manifest in the flesh.” He demonstrated that early Church writers in referring to the verse knew nothing of such an alteration. Newton’s principal reason for rejecting the Trinity was that when he sought to verify the statements of the creeds and the councils he found no support in Scripture for the doctrine.
So on the basis of Scripture, reason and the authentic teaching of early Christianity, Newton found that he could not accept the doctrine of the Trinity. He believed strongly in the supreme sovereignty of Jehovah God, and the proper position of Jesus Christ, neither derogating him as the Son of God nor elevating him to the position occupied by his Father.
The New World Translation corrects these Scriptures and is accepted World Wide by Bible Scholars as one of the best translations of the Bible. Many of your answers are disfellowshipped Witnesses for some of these reasons: "fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation." So all you will get from these people are "negative" answers.
Last year 2005, we "brainwashed" as they like to say, 247,631, that became Jehovah's Witnesses and everyone of these had to change their minds pertaining to the false teachings that they had been taught, these were people that used their own Bible, King James, etc., 28,384 were from the United States.
During the service year, 2,340 Kingdom Halls were completed around the world. This represents an average of 195 halls per month, or just over 6 per day! Since November 1999 when the construction program in lands with limited resources began, 11,700 Kingdom Halls have been built. As of right now, 40 Kingdom Halls are being build each week of the year. In many areas, once a hall is finished, meeting attendance soars and halls are soon filled to capacity.
Ask these other Religions how many new buildings are in construction and how many are being baptized.
2006-12-21 03:04:56 · answer #5 · answered by BJ 7 · 6⤊ 2⤋
They believe in only one god, BUT in the Holy Bible it clearly says that God is God, His Son, and Holy Spirit, and all those three are God
They believe that Jesus was just a man, not God in flesh, the Bible says that God sent HIS SON Jesus into our world, thats how Jesus's mother Mary became pregnant, through Holy Spirit, not by a man.
They believe that there will be no hell, where unsaved will be punished, but the Bible says that all those that didnt seek Him will be thrown into a lake of fire-hell, and it will be for eternity.
They believe that only 144,000 will be saved. (where did that come from?)
They believe that each of the 6 creative days of God in Genesis 1, was 7000 years long.
Therefore, Man was created toward the end of 42,000 years of earth's preparation.- The Bible does say that for God 1 day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like 1 day, but where did the seven thousand come from???
2006-12-23 01:53:54 · answer #6 · answered by Ellanora 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Instead of having someone else provide you with the answers, why don't you read the NWT yourself and try to find the errors. When you do, you might first pick up a copy of an Interlinear Greek Translation of the New Testament at any Bible Book Store. You can check things like John 1 for yourself, instead of listening to others. Note that the word god is not spelled the same in reference to The Word and to God, but it is spelled the same when used in reference to The Word, Satan, and men who see themselves as "a god." Or is Satan and men also God?
There are several Bible, including the early versions of the KJV that renders The Word as a god, rather than God. There were five revisions of the KJV, during a 150 time period, until it fully agreed with the Church of England and became the Authorized Version. The question to ask yourself is why weren't the earlier ones Authorized.
The fact is that your church didn't teach you the Bible, as a whole, and JWs are taught it as a whole, regardless of what you may think of it. So what you need to know is why didn't your church teach you the Bible as a whole? Did they think you were not capable or intelligent enough to understand it?
2006-12-21 04:18:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 4⤋
You can never win over a JW without first being their friend, then you might have a chance of breaking through their false religious spirit. You might need to research deprogramming techniques.
Besides false prophesies, the WTS has misled its members through countless changes in doctrine and practice:
"To worship Christ in any form cannot be wrong ... " (WT, 3-1880, 83). "It is unscriptural for worshippers of the living and true God to render worship to the Son of God, Jesus Christ" (WT, 11-1-1964, 671).
The men of Sodom will be resurrected (WT, 7-1879, 7-8). The men of Sodom will not be resurrected (WT, 6-1-1952, 338). The men of Sodom will be resurrected (WT 8-1-1965, 479). The men of Sodom will not be resurrected (WT 6-1-1988, 31). The men of Sodom will be resurrected (Live Forever, early ed., 179). The men of Sodom will not be resurrected (Live Forever, later ed., 179). The men of Sodom will be resurrected (Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, 985). The men of Sodom will not be resurrected (Revelation: Its Grand Climax at Hand! 273).
"There could be nothing against our consciences in going into the army" (WT, 4-15-1903, 120). Due to conscience, Jehovah’s Witnesses must refuse military service (WT, 2-1-1951, 73).
"We may as well join in with the civilized world in celebrating the grand event [Christmas] . . . " (WT Reprints, 12-1-1904, 3468). "Christmas and its music are not from Jehovah . . . What is their source? . . . Satan the devil" (WT, 12-15-1983, 7).
"Everyone in America should take pleasure in displaying the American flag" (WT Reprints, 5-15-1917, 6068). The flag is "an idolatrous symbol" (Awake!, 9-8-71, 14).
A much longer list of such contradictions and doctrinal twists by the WTS could be formed, but this suffices to remove any reason one might have to believe that "It is through the columns of The Watchtower that Jehovah provides direction and constant scriptural counsel to his people . . . " (WT, 5-1-1964, 277).
If that is the case, who is to say what will be taught tomorrow?
http://www.catholic.com/library/Stumpers_for_Jehovah_Witnesse.asp
2006-12-21 02:45:00 · answer #8 · answered by Br. Dymphna S.F.O 4 · 1⤊ 4⤋
How to open the eyes of a JW. The JW cult members are a cult indeed. They denounce the cross of Jesus Christ stating he was hung on a tree or a pole. So this is the place to start debunking the teaching of the JWs. Get a picture of a catholic priest and you will find upside down crosses they do this because of Peter dieing upside down on a cross. These scripture all speak of the cross. Matt 10:38 Matt 27:40 1 Cor 1:17
Gal 6:14 Heb 12:2 Do not use there bible period, get a New king james or a king james. So ask her why the JWs have changed the bible takeing out the cross of Jesus Christ. Tell her of the story of peter refusing to die as jesus did and refer her to the picture of the catholic priest. And note the upside down cross.
Then ask her if she has heard Jesus speak to her in a voice. The scripture of reference is "My sheep hear my voice" you get the idea. When she answers you yes or no you have a in. If she states no then you can say then Your jesus is not the Jesus that died for the sins of the world because Jesus does not lie. And he said that. If she said she does hear his voice. Then ask her how she test his words. You know the bible has a test for demon spirits. Show her the test. Then ask her are your people not taught to test every spirit by the word of God.
Ask her this question why have the JWs changed the names of God in the bible to Jehovah. She will give you excuses. Then ask her did you know there is a curse for changing even one letter of Gods word. Take her to revelation 22:18 and show her the curse. Ask her to read it to you. It is better if they read it themselfs. Now she is going to be getting unconfortable. You are showing her the errors of her faith and she is in a cult. You need to get her in a location with other people who are christians and make it hard for her to get out of there. Do not force her to stay. but make it in public with a few friends or at lunch with her boxed in a booth. Make a lunch date with her to study the bible. You get it.
Now the Jehovah Witness have these tracks and magizens that the baptist and other have been keeping up with for years and they contain the prodictions of the false prophets of the jehovah witnesses. Few people know about these so go to a baptist church or better yeat a seventh day advest church and get a copy of the false prodictions of like 1923 stating jesus is coming in 1924.
Get the history of the jehovah Witness and there denouncing the blacks as less then human and not from mankind. This is a real war againt all she has been brainwashed into thinking. You have to box them in and then hit them hard but be gentle. Find every part of there thinking and actually disprove it point by point building on each pryer part. What you are doing is called deprogramming.
Good luck. You have to prepare and also plan on a 2 hour session. Also Get a guy and a girl to go with you when you do this. The best way would be keep your mouth shut for a time then tell her you have been thinking and ask her if she had some time to show you the stuff she was talking about. She will of course have some time. Then move it around so you and her can meet at a dinner or a coffee shop so you can study it or a libary. Then call your friends and have them come over as well. And then as they pass buy say hey man how has it been going have nto seen you two in a while. Set down and have a cup on me. They move in a box her in.
JWs like to run, As you can tell i have been doing this for a while.
2006-12-21 04:39:30 · answer #9 · answered by Thomas A 2 · 2⤊ 5⤋
Why would the name God gave to His people not be "Christians" since Acts 11:26 says, "The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch"? Why is the name "Jehovah's Witness" found nowhere in the New Testament, if that is God's divine name for His people under the new covenant? Why would God wait almost 2000 years to suddenly start using the name "Jehovah's Witness". Does this mean that first century Christians were not known as Jehovah's Witnesses"?
But there are many many more here...
http://www.bible.ca/jw-questions.htm
2006-12-21 02:55:20 · answer #10 · answered by Pilgrim 4 · 3⤊ 4⤋