How should I talk about Religion with my Jehovah Witness sister? Vanity.

Me | 5/04/2016 | Vanity

[Zeneta]

How should I talk about Religion with my Jehovah Witness sister?

I love my slightly older sister but I think/know she's gone nuts with her adherence to the Jehovah's Witnesses.

While I rarely talk or see her, we are deeply connected, most objective people would say we are estranged. I can't go that far. Regardless of circumstance, we have always been able to connect.

She has always been an "All or nothing" person, believing virtually anything and everything. While in school she excelled in math and computer programing but ran off to the Colorado Mountains to be a Ski Bunny and married my best friend. Had kids, got divorced and is now a Grandmother. She still spends hours on end standing on street corners handing out tracts for the Jehovah's Witnesses.

While I consider myself a Christian, I can't quote a single passage from the bible. I've read it, I understand it and I have accepted Christ as my Savior.

My Sister is coming to visit next week.

In a certain sense I want to undermine what I think is a cult.

At the same time I need to be respectful.

I have the feeling that any discussion that has me quoting passage's from the bible will be fruitless. There is no way I can win in a back and forth battle.

I don't know how I should handle this and I'm seeking advice.

[Elsie]

You can stop right now because you and I are not going to agree.

I can stop?

Because YOU are close minded?

What a concept!

[verga]

THEN you'll have even MORE JWs listening to the TRUTH!

I am doing this from memory, but the only one allowed to "teach" is the presenter and they must use the NWT. You can't present unless you are a member in good standing for several years.

[shag377]

Get a copy of Crisis of Conscience. It is by Ray Franz, a former member of the governing body.

This is the most evil book in the world to JW. They can be excommunicated for even touching this book.

[Elsie]

You can't present unless you are a member in good standing for several years.

Wanna bet! ;^)

[Elsie]

There is no need to 'touch' !!

http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/books/franz01.pdf

 

https://www.scribd.com/doc/20333975/Crisis-of-Conscience-2004-Unencrypted

 

http://www.ebook3000.com/Crisis-of-Conscience_97009.html

 

http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/books-book-reviews/crisis-of-conscience-by-raymond-franz/

 

 

 

[Elsie]

WHETHER we like it or not, moral challenge affects each of us.

 

It is one of life’s bittersweet ingredients from which there is no successful escape.

It has the power to enrich us or impoverish us, to determine the true quality of our relationships with those who know us.

It all depends on our response to that challenge.

 

The choice is ours—it is seldom an easy one.

 

We have the option, of course, of surrounding our conscience with a sort of cocoon of complacency, passively “going along,”

shielding our inner feelings from whatever might disturb them.

 

When issues arise, rather than take a stand we can in effect say, “I’ll just sit this one out; others may be affected—even hurt—but I am not.”

Some spend their whole life in a morally ‘sitting’ posture.

 

But, when all is said and done, and when life finally draws near its close, it would seem that the one who can say,

“At least I stood for something,” must feel greater satisfaction than the one who rarely stood for anything.

 

Sometimes we may wonder if people of deep conviction have become a vanishing race,

something we read about in the past but see little of in the present.

Most of us find it fairly easy to act in good conscience so long as the things at stake are minor.

The more that is involved, the higher the cost, the harder it becomes to resolve questions of conscience,

to make a moral judgment and accept its consequences.

 

When the cost is very great we find ourselves at a moral crossroads situation, facing a genuine crisis in our lives.

 

IBID

[verga]

Wanna bet! ;^)

As I said I am repeating from memory, but I don't recall that anyone is allowed to present material during their "bible study" other than the designated teacher.

They are very strict about every facet of the members lives.

[Elsie]

I’ve a half-brother and his wife caught up in this mess.

They stay quite distant.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Most effective way is thru God’s own word.

Loving them to hell won’t be effective.

[sparklite2]

I get the opposing ideas but one things for sure you can’t make someone believe or disbelieve in something unless they want to

---

There’s a truism that goes, “You can’t reason someone out of something they weren’t reasoned into.” It applies to religion in spades.

[coloradomomba]

I read with the Witnesses for months..never made the jump...I found their lack of compassion..at least in my instance, troubling. I have a brother who is an atheist, one a non-practicing Catholic and another who is Muslim. I say teach through example, be patient, gracious, kind and loving..most of all loving. When my brothers ask where my Joy and Peace come from, I tell them from my Trust and Love of Jesus. I say my prayers in front of them at meal times, and will leave the room to say my rosary and other devotions, but they know what I am doing. By living my Faith,I expose them to my joy. They know I am ALWAYS ready to help them in their spiritual journey, Trust in the Lord, His will shall be done.

[toothfairy86]

Ask her why JW’s don’t believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but just another creation.

[bootless]

it is impossible to reason someone out of a position they have not reasoned themselves into. That is a pearl. Thank you. Applicable all over the place :)

[editor-surveyor]

.
Here we go.

You simply cannot argue or reason anyone out of anything.

You have to lead them into something else.

That will be difficult if you don’t have a strong background in the scriptures.

The scriptures thoroughly demolish the basic JW doctrines, but to present them as demolishing the JW position would tend to cause her to put up false defenses.

Instead you have to establish Yeshua’s deity without regard to what she has been indoctrinated with.

There are orgs and websites for that purpose; search them out.
.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Don't.

A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.

Smile. Love her. And leave the religious argument aside.

You need to meet her where she is now.

If at some point she begins to doubt you will be where she will come.

Read your Bible and pray.

Not for her but for you because unless you know why you believe as you do your foundation is shaky.

[Rusty0604]

It is definitely a cult.

[Rusty0604]

I thought Jesus was the son of God?

[Rusty0604]

Read “crisis of conscience”.

[Rusty0604]

Read “crisis of conscience”.

[Rusty0604]

Exactly.