Posted on 05/04/2016 12:46:01 PM PDT by 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.
My grandfather, coal miner & boiler operator, was famous in my town for pitching JW’s off his porch when they failed to heed his soft warning to “git”.
Don’t get me wrong.
I have no doubt about your abilities to talk to women.
There’s a certain skill set that most other guys don’t understand.
Don’t feel bad. My own sister converted to Islam about 35 or 40 years ago. I seldom speak with her.
My “Masshole” gets the best of me when anyone I don’t know has made me get up and walk to the door. I keep weird hours and sometimes I am sleeping during the day. They ring the bell, my dog goes batshit, and my bedroom is upstairs.
The UPS and Fedex guy know better.
Nothing good ever came from an unexpected know on the door.
The problem in a nut shell is they are non-Trinitarian and use a Bible the has been selectively edited to support their doctrines. So you may learn a lot of scripture, but the interpretation of it is at odds with traditional Christian doctrines and teachings.
That is not dealing with them, that is arguing with them which will not lead to change. You can be right as the day is long, but if it doesn’t move them closer to God, then nothing is gained.
JWs don’t believe in hell as a consequence, they believe that those outside their group will simply cease to exist at some point.
Get a copy of their New World translation. They believe that Eve’s sin was sexual.
“Have you been born yet, and are you alive?”
“Let’s reinvent the gods, all the myths of the ages
Celebrate symbols from deep elder forests”
............
.........
Do you know we are ruled by T.V.?
...........
“O great creator of being, grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives”
......................................
“Where are the feasts we where promised?”
Jim Morrison - An American Prayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dpuIMLugCw
Exactly true. My own sister has attempted many times to bait me into scriptural conversations by the use of directed questions intended to get me to agree with her beliefs. It’s similar to when Obama talks about American values and you scratch your head and say, “Huh?” I refuse to participate in these discussions, but instead have opted to be her friend, love her, and care for her when she needs it. It is very hard to be a JW and many in the organization spend a lot of time trying to get each other into trouble with their elders. It is worse for those who convert or have a spouse that is not JW. It can be very lonely for these people.
I must admit that the concept or reality of Satan and “free will” where the last obstacles along my journey.
Some can clearly accept God without Satan, but nobody can accept Satan without God.
Walter Martin put out a good book on it.
It is a cult. They use their own literature. Keep referring back to a KJV to show the difference
You probably will not be able to dissuade her
Just ask her about her personal relationship with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and also be willing to share yours.
That is very interesting. Almost Islamic.
“ask her how she would feel if she was the 140,00th person in heaven but you had to go to hell because you were 140,001 because you accidentally stepped on an ant when you were a kid...”
Oh, come on. JWs do NOT believe in hell as Christians do.
https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/what-is-hell/
In all seriousness, I must understand how they, JW deal with being “flawed”?
“The Fall”, so to speak.
“What am I supposed to do about it now?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKrllIT1JEs
“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.”
1) I’m going to be blunt with you: Before you do anything at all get on your knees, recommit yourself to Christ, and start praying unceasingly for yourself and your sister. Make a point of praying for her every day. Ask for guidance from God at every turn. Fast. Be willing to suffer for your sister’s rescue. Get serious about studying Christianity and the Bible. Think of it as a job, a vocation, because that’s exactly how you would want someone to take it if YOUR soul was at stake. Then:
2) Tell her how you feel, but be prepared for two sad possible outcomes: i) she might shy away from you, ii) she might argue you into a corner using her superior knowledge of the Bible (no matter how flawed her understanding of it is.
3) Ask her, respectfully, and showing your concern for her, why she believes in the Watchtower/JWs over other more mainstream religious organization. Take notes - right there in front of her - on a pad of paper. Show her your serious about learning HER POINT OF VIEW.
4) Then tell her you want to look into what she said. Ask her if she can send you any JW literature proving what she said.
5) Then take all your info - what she told you and gives you - and go absolutely hog wild on learning how to refute it. Buy the necessary books and read them. Memorize the Bible verses most essential to refuting your sister’s JW claims. Take notes. Take it as seriously as if you were preparing to defend yourself in court.
6) Then meet with her again and lovingly show her what you learned. Show your excitement about what you learned. Share your books with her if she’ll read them.
7) Do this as often as it takes - until either she leaves the JWs or you get a lot more serious about your religion and relationship with Christ.
You think this is only about your sister. It isn’t. She’s there to point out what you have been taking for granted. God works that way all the time. You may not be able to help your sister in the end, but you’ll be better off for the trying if you do what you need to do. You have nothing to lose in terms of eternity for your soul. You lose everything, and so does your sister, if you do nothing.
This old, but entirely reliable, documentary is a good primer to begin learning what you need to know (if you don’t know it already): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CFqc0skRd8
I’m not reading through all, now, 78 replies.
But “mind your own business” sounds like good advice.
If you all you can do is find negative things to say about her faith, what does that say about your own message?
You should be able to show her your own church and point to the reasons it’s God’s Church.
Because if you can’t, then in all honesty you’re no better off than she is.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.