I'm really confused in life. Catholics tell me one way and Jehovah's witnesses tell me another.?

Question

I grew up Catholic but now i'm confused on which is the right path. I know in the end I have to make that decision. But, I've read information online and that helped a bit. I need answers from the real people themselves and their views on things.

Answer 1

The only standard that matters is God's standard. Study God's Word the Holy Bible, and reject the traditions of men which ignore or contradict Scripture.

These facts about Jehovah's Witnesses are perhaps relevant to this question. The more one compares this Christian religion with others, the more remarkable it is shown to be.

1. Jehovah's Witnesses have no paid clergy. Yet they remain tightly organized with more than 6.5 million active Jehovah's Witness preachers (about 16 million associate themselves with the religion). Even fulltime preachers and workers at their branch offices are unpaid volunteers.

2. There is no elite class among Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the few 'anointed' among them enjoy no special privileges in their congregations on earth. An anointed person (one of those relative few with a heavenly hope) is not elevated above his fellow congregants in any way, and he may not even qualify for appointment as a simple 'deacon' or elder. There are no titles; EVERYONE is addressed as 'brother' or 'sister'.

3. No person benefits economically from the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the 8 to 20 men who serve on their Governing Body receive simply room, board, medical care, and reimbursement for certain personal expenses according to the exact same provision as every other branch volunteer.

4. About a hundred men have served on Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body committee during the past 125 years or so. The vast majority of them have spent the vast majority of their adult lives volunteering for their organization's purposes, and the vast majority have died faithfully and near-pennilessly while still under their legal 'vow of poverty'.

5. Amazingly, Jehovah's Witnesses did not splinter as a sect from some other religion. Instead, a truly tiny but sincere group of bible students studied only the Scriptures to determine the will of God. Thus their religion remains absolutely independent of and not carrying the sins of Christendom's history, yet carries the authority of Christ's teachings.

6. Despite the distortions of anti-Witnesses, throughout their modern history Jehovah's Witnesses have refused to claim divine inspiration or infallibility for their teachings. They have pointed to the bible (and not any particular translation) as the only inspired infallible means of knowing God's thoughts. For over 125 years, their teachings have been presented as merely the results of sincere bible research by imperfect but godly humans.

Answer 2

My mother was in a similar place back in 1962. She was raised in a Catholic Orphanage, but converted to Church of Christ as an adult, mostly due to what she saw and experience growing up. What we see happening now in the Catholic Church is not new. It has been a commonly known practice for at least 100 years, if not hundreds of years. She had two brothers and a sister in the orphanage with her. Since learning how to use a computer and the Internet, some five years ago, she has tracked down all still living friends from the orphanage. She was 75 when she started.

Things change as the result of three knocks on the door.

The first came from a salesman for Britannica Encyclopedia. The Second was a salesman for Children’s Bible Story Books. She bought the first for my older sisters, and the second for my brother and me.

While putting away the Encyclopedias, one of them fell open to the second on the Ark of the great flood. She noted that, unlike she was taught, the Ark was not a boat, but was simply a box, meant to float, not sail.

This got her to wondering about other things that she was taught growing up. That got her going to the library to look up other things. After that, it only took that third knock on the door. It was a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

My stepfather was very much against her studying. He was a Korean War Veteran and a Lutheran. He would throw out the books. Then one day, he read one. A year later, he was baptized. It was funny when he did because he never wore t-shirts, so when he got baptized he didn’t wear one. Mom noticed that most of the other men being baptized were wearing one and she suddenly remembered dad’s tattoo, a mostly naked hula girl. As he was about to be dipped, she yelled at him about the tattoo. He gasped just as he was going under, and came up coughing water.

All that was over 40 years ago. They are now approaching 80. Dad had a stroke two years ago, but still tried to get out in the service once a month. Due to her age and health, Mom can no longer get out and has to attend meetings by phone hookup, though she will be at the Memorial on Nasin 14. She still has all the books and magazines since she first became a witnesses, plus books and magazines that she has received from other elderly witnesses who have passed away. She has the first Watchtower. Many people say that witnesses don’t know about the early teachings of the Watchtower, but actually they do, as they don’t throw things away and pass off their collections to other when they die. Every Kingdom Hall has copies of all materials in their libraries. If so many anti-witnesses weren’t afraid to go into a Kingdom Hall, they woudl learn this.

I cannot tell you what or what not to do. That is for you to chose, according to the desires of your heart. If you heart is truly seeking truth, you will know which way to go.

Answer 3

Stick with Catholicism.

Jehovah's Witnesses love to target Catholics because they know most of them don't read their Bibles or catechism. They know the run-of-the-mill Catholics grip on theology leaves a lot to be desired, thus making them easy targets.

Knowing this, Jehovah's Witnesses are highly trained to "influence" such Catholics.

Start reading your Bible. Start studying the Catechism. Also, go to catholic.com and look up their tracts on how to talk to a Jehovah's Witness. Catholic.com is good about explaining complicated theology in terms everyone can understand.

That way, the next time you are approached by a Jehovah's Witness, you will be prepared. When this happens, remember that JWs believe their gig as much as you believe yours. They are generally nice people, and you will be standing as an ambassador. Be firm, but never rude.

Answer 4

I'd suggest reading the beliefs and doctrines of any religion you can find. Even the ones that you think are ridiculous and would never consider joining.
Think about whether what they are saying feels "right". Does it match up with reality? Do you think the things they condemn are really wrong? Do the things they say you SHOULD do make sense?
I think people are born with a sense of right and wrong and their own individual beliefs. You have a unique way of seeing the world and you should treasure that. Use the teachings of various religions to help clarify and articulate your beliefs because when it comes to finding the right path that's all religion can do. It can't tell you what you believe is right and wrong because only you know that. In time you might find a religion that matches your beliefs.

Answer 5

The correct answer is the one that follows the Bible as closely as possible. As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, of course my answer is going to be biased :)

So all I will tell you is that I am very happy as a Witness, I have looked at other religions and came to the well informed decision that Witnesses have the Truth.

No one can force you into anything, and you must make the decision that is best for you and that you can throw yourself into for the rest of your life.

Look to the Bible. It is "inspired and beneficial" and won't let you down. The qualifications for true Christians are in there. Once you read them, you will see who is true and who isn't.

Answer 6

Don't go online, go to the Bible.

A good place to start for the teaching of Christ is Matthew chapters 5 through 7.

Question each of their teachings. Look at the scripture that they reference for each point, read before and after and ask yourself, "Is this what the author really meant or is it being used out of context?"
Be sure and pray before you study and ask God to reveal the truth through the Word.

People will be biased so beware of using them to find out the truth. You need to study the New Testament to get a solid base for your beliefs so that you are not led astray every time someone comes to your door and so you can effectively share with others what you believe.

If you rely on God to show you the truth he will not let you down, "seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened", "how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?"

Answer 7

Reading stuff online can be misleading... everything is going to be biased, and it's hard to tell where the doctrines of any one faith end and the opinions of the believers begin.

I suggest you find someone knowledgeable in each religion and talk to them. Find people who are willing to just clarify and explain things to you. No conversion tactics; information only. Cuz in the end, this is a decision you have to make for yourself. Research, think, reason, pray... you'll find what works for you.

Answer 8

It's supposed to be about what Jesus said, not the Catholics, not the Jehovah's Witnesses. There are all those different denominations, but there is one God in the Bible.

As for me, I read the Bible, and depend greatly on the relationship I have with God. Once in a while I'll listen to someone preach. Let me give you a few people. I don't have to agree with everything they say, mind you. But I do listen closely when I am up to it and try to know what the Bible says about God. And then compare it to what they are saying about God. It all about you and Him. Let no one else get in the way! That's important!

This site is good when you want a certain Protestant point of view on almost any subject:
http://allaboutgod.com/

This site features Pastor Chuck Smith:
http://twft.com/?page=C2000

This site is for those who can take it:
http://www.drgenescott.org/live_internet_feed.htm

I will also offer you my advice any time you ask. Okay? ( :

Answer 9

Jehovah's Witnesses are false prophets and the information they give you needs to be verified against the Bible. Since I am neither JW nor RC, I can say objectively that the truth is closer to the RC than the JW.
Here are some sites to look at and get some perspective on the JW teaching.
macgregorministries.org
bcmmin.org

Answer 10

I'm a Jehovah's Witness.

I grew up as one, but like most of us, I went through the time when I questioned everything. I did a lot of praying and paying close attention to things around me.

I'm happy to say that I am still one of Jehovah's Witnesses to this day.

You have to pray. Ask questions you REALLY want answered. Get explanations for things. But mostly, you need faith. Faith in God and in the fact that he only wants what's best for you is a vital step in learning about his wonderful qualities and putting trust in him.

Be careful of what you read online. There are many apostates who are out to trap you and confuse you. The only official site of Jehovah's Witnesses is the one in source. None of the other ones are accurate or from the society. So beware of what you click on.

Email me if you feel like it. Ask away. I promise I'll do all I can to answer your questions to the best of my ability. If I can't, I'll find someone who can! That's a promise.