how to save your loved ones_4witness.org

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO RESCUE YOUR LOVED ONE FROM JEHOVAHS WITNESSESHow to Open the Closed Mind of a Jehovahs Witness Friend or Relative

f you have a close friend or relative involved in the Jehovahs Witness religion, you know from experiencthat the beliefs and practices of the Watchtower organization not only affect the individuals involved, bunearly every other non-Jehovahs Witness relationship surrounding them. In some form or another, spouse

children, parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors, and co-workers are all affected a

conflicts arise over:

I Family, school and employer activities involving birthday and holiday celebrations and extra curricular

activities in conflict with Watchtower standards.

Bible translations and religious beliefs (especially the Trinity, Hell, Cross and Heaven)

Blood transfusions and blood related treatments

Patriotic symbols, military service, flag saluting and voting

Spiritual leadership in the home if one spouse is not a Jehovahs Witness

What religion the children will be raised under if one spouse is not a Jehovahs Witness

Time spent away from family activities in preparation for and attendance at Kingdom Hall meetings,

door-to-door preaching, District Conventions and Assemblies, etc. The Jehovahs Witness practice of shunning those who leave the organization

An inactive members attendance at the annual Jehovahs Witness Memorial of Jesus death

Jehovahs Witness children being forced to sit quietly through hours of boring adult meetings andcomplying with all of the Watchtower study requirements in addition to school homework.

The Watchtowers policy of disallowing close association with non-Jehovahs Witness friends andrelatives, except to proselytize into the religion

The Watchtowers distain for higher education that often leaves Witnesses in lower paying jobs that cancause financial stress

All these potential conflicts place strain upon the relationships on both sides of the equation. Fractured familie

as a result of these religious conflicts are a common consequence, accounting for perhaps 50% of the childcustody battles involving religion.

1The unequally yoked marriages that are left intact are often divided with

arguments over religion, nagging and abusive pressure being applied to the inactive or non-Jehovahs Witnesspouse to force compliance with Watchtower requirements and emotional barriers being erected against thinfluence of each others beliefs.

In addition to the stress that conflicts of faith add to family relationships, the constant pressures to perform tothe expectation of respected leaders within the organization have led many Jehovahs Witnesses to burnout andepression. Many are on Prozac or need to be for mental stability. The rate of suicidal tendencies anschizophrenia are statistically higher among Jehovahs Witnesses than the general population as a whole.

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These are just some of the many reasons a concerned friend or relative may seek to reach out in love with th

hope of converting a Jehovahs Witness out of this religion and into a healthier spiritual environment.

It is important to remember that in any spiritual battle, the enemy is not the person who is deceived by the falsereligion, but rather, the demonic forces of the spiritual realm who hold the person captive to do the will of Sata

WITNESSES FOR JESUS, INC. PO BOX 50911 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80949 USAwww.4witness.org

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1 Jeff Atkinson who is the former chairman of the American Bar Associations Child Custody Case Committee is quoted athttp://www.jehovahswitnessesexperts.comas saying: Jehovahs Witnesses are probably responsible for half of the contested custodycases involving religious issues.2 See chapter 2 ofJehovahs Witnesses and the Problem of Mental Illness, by Jerry R. Bergman, Ph.D.


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(2 Timothy 2:24-26; Ephesians 6:12). Thus, the Bible proclaims at Ephesians 6:11-20 that Christians must takup the spiritual armor of God and lay a foundation of prayer before engaging in any battle for the hearts anminds of loved ones. Due to the high level of mind-control exercised by the Watchtower religion, a persoshould also learn how to engage a Jehovahs Witness in conversation without triggering their programme

responses. The following guidelines will demonstrate how:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO REACH YOUR LOVED ONE

1. JEHOVAHS WITNESSES ARE WARNED THAT SATAN WILL USE THEIR NON-JEHOVAHSWITNESS LOVED ONES TO TRY TO GET THEM TO LEAVE THE WATCHTOWER.

One of the most effective ways the Watchtower organization establishes its authority over the lives of JehovahWitnesses is by alienating them from their friends and family members outside this religion. Unlike other cultthat build physical walls and compounds to keep their members separated from the outside world, JehovahWitnesses do so mentally by instilling fear of the influence that those outside their religion might have ovethem. Thus, in addition to being told to avoid religious literature presented from outside sources, they arwarned that Satan will use their close friends and relatives to try to convince them to leave the WatchtowerOne of the ways they do this is by implanting into the minds of potential converts an expectation oopposition from their non-Jehovahs Witness relatives. As you will see from the following quotes of thWatchtower literature that Jehovahs Witnesses use to indoctrinate potential converts, this expectation oopposition is given within the first few weeks of their initial study with the Witnesses:

Satan may usepersecutionoroppositionto get you to leave Jehovah. Some of your loved onesmay become very angry because you are studying the Bible. Others may make fun of you.But to whom do you owe your life? Satan wants to frighten you so that you will stop learningabout Jehovah. Do not let Satan win! By resisting the Devil, you can make Jehovah happy

and show that you uphold His sovereignty. What Does God Require of Us?, 1996, Lesson 4:Who is the Devil?, p. 9

The Bible also teaches that humans can become Jehovahs friends As you learn more fromthe Bible, you may find that some well-meaning people will urge you to stop such studies .They may worry that you will change your beliefs. But do not let anyone stop you from formingthe best friendship you can ever have. What Does The Bible Really Teach?, 2005, Chapter 1:What is the Truth About God?, p. 17

As you can see from the above quotes, the potential convert is told to view these concerns of well-meaningloved ones as a tactic of Satan to get them to stop learning about Jehovah. Thus, almost immediately when

a friend or relative attempts to approach the potential convert with warnings about the problems in thJehovahs Witness religion, the Watchtower Society gains credibility in the converts mind because thSocietys warnings about those who would oppose their religion proved true. This mind-control method oftecauses many converts to cut-off contact with the friends or relatives who express any type of opposition to theinew religion. Prayer is needed to break through these mental barriers, but in addition to prayer, a friendly, nonconfrontational demeanor and an attitude that expresses a caring interest in the person involved can go a lonway in reaching these loved ones.


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WITNESSING TIP: BUILD RAPPORT BEFORE EXPRESSING CRITICISM

Realizing that Jehovahs Witnesses are programmed to expect opposition from their non-Jehovahs Witnesfriends and relatives, extreme caution is needed when you share concerns over what they believe. One way t

overcome this suspicion is to play the role of a student who is interested in hearing the reasons why theyconverted to the Jehovahs Witnesses or why they feel this religion is the truth.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR LOVED ONE IS STUDYING TO BECOME A JEHOVAHS WITNESS

If your loved one has recently taken an interest in the Jehovahs Witness religion, time is of the essenceConsidering the Watchtowers warnings about opposition or persecution coming from concerned friendand relatives, sensitivity is needed to determine the openness of your love one to reading literature critical of thWatchtowers history and beliefs before you attempt to present this information. You can use the followinhypothetical questions to aid in opening the mind of your loved one to consider what others have to say abouthe Jehovahs Witness religion:

Would you purchase a used car from a salesman who says to you: Dont listen to what theother dealer across the road tells you about our vehicles. He left our dealership and startedhis own business because he doesnt like our policies. All he does now is steal ourcustomers by lying about the quality of our vehicles and services? If a car salesman told youthis, wouldnt this put a red flag in your mind that something isnt right about this dealership?Wouldnt you want to talk to the other dealership across the road to hear his side of whathappened between him and this dealer before you make the commitment to purchase a vehiclefrom him?

Most people will likely agree with you that if they heard these kinds of statements from a car salesman, it woul

cause them to investigate the claims of the other dealership before purchasing a vehicle. So, once they agrewith you about this, ask:

Just as you would evaluate a car salesman by considering the claims of his competitors andformer employees, dont you think it would be a good idea to listen to what Ex-JehovahsWitnesses have to say about the Jehovahs Witness religion before getting too involved withit?

If your loved one has not yet been programmed to avoid literature from apostates (those who left thWatchtower), you may be able to get him to read the testimonies of Ex-Jehovahs Witnesses on ouwww.4jehovah.org website. However, if he seems hesitant to do this, there is a good chance he has alread

been warned against reading critical literature or talking to former Jehovahs Witnesses. In this case, it woulbe appropriate to follow-up with these next questions:

What would you do if Jehovahs Witnesses told you: Dont listen to what Ex-JehovahsWitnesses have to say about our religion because they are bitter about their experiencesand all they do is lie about us? Wouldnt you wonder what they are hiding from you andwhy they would not want you to hear the experiences of former Jehovahs Witnesses? After all,if these people are lying about the Jehovahs Witness religion, wouldnt that be obvious to see?
http://www.4jehovah.org/http://www.4jehovah.org/


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How is this situation any different from the car dealership who would try to get you not to listento his former employee by claiming that he lies about his vehicles?

These questions are a non-threatening way to convince your loved one to look at literature that is critical abou

the Jehovahs Witness religion. You might also remind him that Proverbs 18:17 in the Bible also encourages uto hear the other side of a controversy before making a decision. Then, you can present the following resourcefrom our website as these will go a long way in helping him see the dangers of the Jehovahs Witness religion:

I'M STUDYING WITH JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES. WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW BEFORE IGET BAPTIZED?http://www.4jehovah.org/help-jw-become.php

TESTIMONIES OF FORMER JEHOVAH'S WITNESSEShttp://www.4jehovah.org/ex-jehovahs-witness.php

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR LOVED ONE IS A CONVERT TO THE JEHOVAHS WITNESSES

Once a person has given his heart to a religion, he has given his mind. Until his heart is won, his mind is closedTherefore, your initial goal in reaching out to a converted relative is to build a relationship that will open thdoors for honest conversations about religious beliefs in a non-threatening way that wins his heart. Becausyour loved one is a convert to the Jehovahs Witness religion, you can appeal to him on the basis of his previoubeliefs or way of life. Ask him what made him interested in changing his beliefs, what beliefs he still holdonto from his previous religion, and what he has rejected and why. Since you will be asking questions about thbeliefs he enjoys talking about, this is a good way to build a relationship of understanding and connection wityour loved one.

During this process, listen to what he says without expressing disagreements over the reasons he gives for hibeliefs. This will give you insight into what led him into this religion and what beliefs will be the mosimportant for you to discuss with him later when it comes time for you to help him leave this religion.

As you ask him questions about his beliefs, he will likely share the Scriptures that he feels support his beliefsLet him share what he wants to with you, but in this initial conversation with him, be careful not to say anythinnegative about his interpretations of the Bible or try to rebuttal his verses with your verses. If there isomething you can agree to, let him know that, but dont express disagreement with anything in this firsconversation because you need to build a rapport with him before he will be ready to listen and consider youcriticism.

Keep in mind there are two types of converts: Those who joined this religion because it met an emotional neeand those who converted because it gave them answers to the questions they were facing in life. While thsecond group is easier to reach through logical reasoning about doctrinal inconsistencies, the first group is thmost difficult to reach because the emotional support system that drew that person into the Jehovahs Witneslifestyle is not something that may be easily duplicated outside this religion. As long as this first groupemotional needs are being met, doctrinal arguments and logical reasoning rarely have an effect upon them.


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However, your loving support and interest in them as individuals can go a long way in releasing the emotionabonds they feel toward this religion. Over time, as the love bombing and special attention that a new convereceives begins to wears off, he will feel the weight of the Watchtowers performance standards. It is then thayour loving support as a caring friend outside this religion may be the one thing that will enable an emotionall

starved Jehovahs Witness to leave this controlling religious system for a healthier belief system and lifestyle.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR LOVED ONE WAS RAISED AS A JEHOVAHS WITNESS

A person who was raised as a Jehovahs Witness doesnt know any other way of thinking. Unlike a convert twhom you can appeal to a prior belief system, he has no point of reference to identify with any other lifestyle obelief system. Thus, in your attempt to build rapport, you will need to ask him questions about what he feeproves that the Watchtower religion is the most correct religion on earth. It is here that you will discover whaholds him captive to this belief system in spite of the hypocrisy that he as undoubtedly seen and/or experiencewithin this organization. Just as is the case when talking to a convert, this knowledge about the most importanWatchtower doctrines embraced by your friend or relative will give you insight into the specific thinking tha

needs to be overcome before your loved one will leave this religion. To this end, you will find the Karen anCindy dialogues in the following resource helpful in both understanding and debunking the faulty thinkinwithin the fundamental teachings of Jehovahs Witnesses:

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE?Biblical Answers To Questions Jehovah's Witnesses Askhttp://www.4jehovah.org/wdgr_contents.php

Remember that your goal in your first conversation with your friend or relative is to help him feel comfortablin talking with you about his beliefs so that you can overcome any guarded feelings he may have againshearing criticism of his religion. Therefore, you must not use this initial conversation as a catalyst to argue odebate his beliefs. This is simply a time for you to listen and build understanding and rapport. If he asks you t

agree with a viewpoint that you cant agree to, pause for a moment and with a serious, contemplative look oyour face simply reply with something like this:

Thats an interesting way of viewing this verse (or thats an interesting viewpoint). Ill need tothink about this before I decide.

This response will help you avoid the temptation to argue, and it will help him feel that you are genuinelyinterested in understanding him and his religion.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR LOVED ONE WANTS TO STUDY WITH YOU OR INVITE HISFRIENDS FROM THE KINGDOM HALL TO JOIN YOUR DISCUSSIONS

As your loved one begins to feel comfortable with you, he may ask if you would be interested in a Biblestudy with him and his friends from the Kingdom Hall. We do not recommend that you agree to aformal study with him or his friends because these studies are designed to force agreement with their basibeliefs before you will be allowed to progress to discussions on deeper points of doctrine. So, if you agree ta study but refuse to accept their fundamental beliefs (such as living on paradise on earth after death insteaof going to heaven and rejecting the Trinity doctrine), they will abandon their religious discussions with yobefore you would be allowed to discuss deeper and more controversial aspects of their faith.


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Furthermore, the more Jehovahs Witnesses you allow into the discussions between you and your loved one, thmore likely it will be that his friends from the Kingdom Hall will warn him against your influence becausyou would be refusing to allow them to pressure you into accepting their belief system. So, if he offers to brin

his friends into your discussions, simply say:

Right now I am comfortable in my belief system so Im not ready for something like this. Butthe reason Im asking you these questions is because I want to better understand you as yourfriend [or relative]. Would it be ok with you if we just talk about our beliefs amongourselves without involving anyone else into our discussions at this point?

Usually, if you are low-key enough in expressing concerns or criticism, your Jehovahs Witness loved one wiagree to continue to talk to you without involving his friends. However, later as you continue talking with himthere may be an occasion when he may invite his Jehovahs Witness friends to accompany him without lettinyou know ahead of time what is going on. This is particularly common when you begin to ask difficu

questions to which he feels unprepared to answer. If this happens, be as congenial and non-confrontational apossible. Do your best to avoid asking difficult or critical questions as long as his friends are with him, anunless your loved one brings up for discussion one of the difficult questions you may have asked him in previous session, do your best to avoid these types questions during this time.

Keep in mind that the main reason a Jehovahs Witness would call his friends into his discussions with yowould be to have them evaluate your motives and what kind of a threat your influence may be to him. If hfriends sense that you know too much about their religion and are discussing the type of information they thinwould threaten his commitment to the Watchtower organization, you can be sure that your loved one wilreceive advice and pressure from his friends to cut off all communication with you. So, do your best to keep thconversation light-hearted, even discussing non-religious topics such and family and work experiences whe

they are in your presence. Then, the next time you and your loved one are alone together, express to him thyou felt uncomfortable around his friends and ask if he can just keep future religious discussions privatbetween you and him. Of course, if your loved one is surrounded by Jehovahs Witness family members whlive within his home (such as a spouse, children or siblings), you do not need to be as concerned over theipresence during your discussions as you would a leader from the Kingdom Hall.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR LOVED ONE WILL NOT SPEAK TO YOU

In an effort to control the information that an active Jehovahs Witness is exposed to, the Watchtower Societyhas implemented a strict shunning policy against baptized Jehovahs Witnesses who formally leave the religion either by sending a letter of disassociation to the elders of the congregation or by breaking th

Watchtowers rules and being officially disfellowshipped (expelled).3 As a result, all friends and relatives inthe Jehovahs Witnesses are required to avoid all unnecessary communication with their loved ones who havbecome Ex-Jehovahs Witnesses. While some families may attempt to bend the Watchtower rules bmaintaining some contact with their loved one who left the religion, many strictly follow these rules even to th

3 For more information on the Jehovahs Witness shunning policy, see the article entitled: DO JEHOVAHS WITNESSES SHUNFAMILY MEMBERS WHO LEAVE? Does the Bible Support the Jehovahs Witness practice of shunning? -http://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/jw-shunning.php,The Watchtowerof April 15, 1988, pp. 26-28 andThe WatchtowerofSeptember 15, 1981, pp. 20-31.


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point where a simple hello to the former Jehovahs Witness is not even given and personal letters written bthe Ex-Jehovahs Witness have been returned unopened. For the former Jehovahs Witness, this shunninpolicy makes outreach to friends and family very difficult, but we offer a few suggestions to help:

1. Pray consistently for your Jehovahs Witness loved ones. Ask God to open the doors of their hearts tothe Gospel (Colossians 4:2-3; Acts 16:14). Pray that the Holy Spirit will reach them where humancannot by convicting their minds with the truth of Gods Word to see the deception in the WatchtoweSocietys doctrines (2 Corinthians 3:14-16; 4:3-6) and the lack of love in the Jehovahs Witness religio(John 13:34-35).

2. Reach out in love even if they do not respond. Send flowers and other small gifts and postcards thaare harder to return unopened. You might also include short notes about how you are thinking of themand praying for them. So when they have doubts, you will become a safe person that they can confidin.

3. Ask them for their thoughts about the Watchtower Societys Awake! article of July 2009 entitledIs it Wrong to Change Your Religion? Although this article is written to convince a potentiaconvert from another religion that the Bibles Viewpoint encourages them to examine the evidence foand against their beliefs even if this means changing our religion, it goes on to make the bolstatement that: No one should be forced to choose between his beliefs and his family. You can usthis article as a catalyst to open a discussion about the Watchtowers shunning policy against familmembers who have left the Jehovahs Witness religion over differences in spiritual beliefs. Thpertinent portions of this Watchtower article that you will want to discuss are as follows:

THE BIBLES VIEWPOINT Is It Wrong to Change Your Religion? Since ourCreator wants us to search for truth, it cannot be wrong to act on the evidence that we

findeven if this means changing our religion. Thus, at times, loyalty to God mayresult in your making a decision that is unpopular with some family members. Althoughthe Bible makes a clear distinction between true and false teachings, God allows eachperson the freedom to choose how he or she will respond. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20)Noone should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made tochoose between his beliefs and his family. Does study of the Bible lead to familybreakup? No. Awake! July 2009, pp. 28-29

2. JEHOVAHS WITNESSES ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR MOTIVES IN TALKINGTO THEM THAN THEY ARE ABOUT THE FACTS YOU PRESENT.

When a person presents an argument that is designed to get a Jehovahs Witness to question the credibility othe Watchtowers doctrines or policies, he is trained to examine the motives of the person asking thquestions before deciding whether to engage that person in conversation on the issues raised. This is a stothinking technique used by cults to control the information that a person under the cults influence is exposeto. Thus, if a Jehovahs Witness determines that your motive in asking your questions is not sincere, burather an attempt to undermine his religion, he would feel justified in refusing to answer your questions. Here ihow the Watchtower Society explains this technique:


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But suppose we are preaching the good news andpeople raise questions or objections similarto those raised by opposers? Of course, if a person is not sincere and merely wishes toargue, usually it is best to excuse ourselves and go to the next door. But if someone sincerelyasks about certain claims of apostates, what can be done? First, we can askwhat, exactly has

caused the concern. It may be only one or two points. Then we can stick to these and answerfrom the Scriptures, from the Societys publications, and from what we truthfully know about thesubject. What is often the motive of those who criticize the Society or those taking the lead?It is not often that some application of Scripture affects them personally? Rather than conform tosound doctrine and direction, they want the organization to change. Some opposers claimthat Jehovahs Witnesses are false prophets. Again we ask, What is the motive of thesecritics? Are they encouraging wakefulness on the part of Gods people, or are they, rather, tryingto justify themselves for falling back into sleepy inactivity? More importantly, what will youdo if you hear such criticism? The Watchtower, March 15, 1986, p. 13, 18-19

WITNESSING TIP: PRESENT YOUR MOTIVES AND GET A COMMITMENT UP FRONT

You can see from the above Watchtower quote how a Jehovahs Witness friend or relative who perceives youmotives as argumentative would not be interested in listening to anything you have to say about his religionThus, in order to be effective in reaching out to your Jehovahs Witness loved one, you must tactfully presenyour concerns in a way that demonstrates a sincere interest in truth and a willingness to listen to his ideawithout misleading him into thinking you want to convert to his religion. This is a difficult balance to maintainbut it can be done by prefacing your first conversation with a few words about your motives. We suggest thayou start by asking your loved one if he would be willing to help you with some of your Bible questionsand be willing to teach you about his beliefs even if you arent interested in becoming a Jehovahs WitnessYou can say something like this:

I admire the conviction you have in believing you have found the ultimate, true religion. I toobelieve that truth exists, and I, as a truth lover, am always interested in why people in differentreligions believe what they do. I would like to know more about your beliefs even though atthis point in my life I am not interested in joining your faith . Would you be willing to teachme more about your religion, even if I just have questions about your beliefs and am notinterested in converting?

If you present your motives in this way, most of the time your Jehovahs Witness loved one will agree to talkwith you. Your hope is that in the process of trying to answer your questions, he will discover problems twhich he will not be able to find answers, and as he researches the Societys publications and the Bible, thHoly Spirit will be able to use this evidence to help him discover the truth that he isnt being told about hi

religion. Thus, you will be instrumental in helping him question his faith without causing him to doubt thsincerity of your motives.

3. JEHOVAHS WITNESSES BELIEVE THAT THEY ALONE HAVE THE TRUTH AND THATEVERYONE OUTSIDE THEIR RELIGION IS DECEIVED BY SATAN.

Jehovahs Witnesses use verses such as 1 John 5:19, John 14:30 and 2 Corinthians 4:4 that speak of Satans ruover this world as evidence that everything outside the Watchtower religion is controlled and influenced b


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Satan. Claiming to be the only true religion,4

Jehovahs Witnesses believe that all other religions compristhe system of Babylon the Great that Jehovah God will destroy at the end of the world.

5Thus, Witnesses are

specifically warned against the influence of other religious beliefsespecially those of Christianity that theyrefer to in a derogatory term called Christendom.

Since they believe that all religions, including the many denominations of Christianity, are under Satandemonic inspiration, Jehovahs Witnesses are told to avoid religious radio, TV, music and literature that is noproduced or authorized by the Watchtower organization.

6Believing that they alone have the truth, Jehovah

Witnesses are even warned against taking information that is offered to them by the religious peoplethey meeat the door for fear of exposing themselves to false religious beliefs that are designed to deceive.7 Thus, inorder to effectively reach out to your loved one, you must understand that he is not interested in hearing abouyour beliefs or the arguments that support your religion.

WITNESSING TIP: BUILD CURIOSITY

Knowing that Jehovahs Witnesses do not think you have any spiritual insights to offer them, your goal italking to them is to encourage them to teach you about their beliefs while making them curious about youfaith so that they will want to learn more and ask you questions. Only when they start asking you about youbeliefs should you attempt to give them any idea about what you believe. But even then,do not reply to theirinitial questions with arguments for your belief system. Instead, continue to build curiosity about youbeliefs by answering their questions in a way that doesnt fit their preconceived ideas so that you create doubt itheir minds.

This can be done by replying to their questions with short simple statements and follow-up questions to makthem think about the logical implications about what they are sharing with you. For example, when thediscuss a certain Watchtower belief, you can use the questions given in our business card tracts to stimulat

thinking, but dont allow them to see the cards as they will immediately run from this type of printed materiaJust memorize the questions on the cards or write them down on pieces of paper in your own handwriting sthat these become your questions, not some type of anti-Jehovahs Witness questions from another source:

QUESTION CARD TRACTS FOR JEHOVAHS WITNESSES:http://www.4jehovah.org/card-jehovahs-witness.php

A good subject to talk about is what it would be like to survive the end of the world. The question card link othis subject listed below demonstrates just how illogical it is to believe that being involved in the Watchtowereligion guarantees Jehovahs Witnesses protection during Gods wrath described in Revelation. As you gthrough the specific elements of Gods judgments, you can ask them what survival plan they plan to use t

protect themselves. Since no Jehovahs Witness has a survival plan and since the Bible states that only th144,000 are supernaturally protected during Gods wrath (Revelation 7:1-8), you can ask them why they thinthat they will be protected since the Watchtower Society teaches that most Jehovahs Witnesses of today are nopart of this 144,000 group of people who are the only ones guaranteed any type of protection during this period

4 See The Watchtower, January 15, 1976, p. 475 SeeRevelationIts Grand Climax at Hand!, 1988, pp. 244, 2706 See The Watchtower,November 1, 1987, pp. 19-20; The Watchtower, June 1, 2000, p. 27, andThe Watchtower, May 1, 1984, p. 317The Watchtower, May 1, 1984, p. 31


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WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO SURVIVE THE END?http://www.4jehovah.org/card-jwend.php

These types of questions will make them curious about your beliefs so that they will want to know if your beliesystem has better answers for these issues than their belief system. In the specific example given above abousurviving the end of the world, you can share the Christian belief that those who are in Christ will not be oearth when Armageddon occurs and you will be able to demonstrate this with the Scriptures given in thfollowing article:

WILL THE GREAT CROWD BE ON EARTH WHEN ARMAGEDDON BREAKS OUT?http://www.4jehovah.org/jehovahs-witness-great-crowd.php

As you ask and answer these questions without arguing or telling Jehovahs Witnesses that they are wrong,you will be able to lead them in a process of discovering the truth for themselves.

It is important to keep in mind that while Jehovahs Witnesses claim that they have researched other religionsoften the information presented by the Watchtower Society has been skewed and distorted. This is especiallytrue when it comes to the fundamental doctrines of the Christian religion. In addition to reinterpreting thsimple meaning of many Biblical passages, the Watchtower Society has published its own version of the Bibl(The New World Translation) where they have distorted texts that relate to the Deity of Jesus Christ and otheChristian doctrines. Thus, your goal in waiting for your Jehovahs Witness loved one to ask you about youfaith is to answer his questions with just enough information to raise curiosity and cause him to want to ask yonot just what you believe but why. This will give you the opportunity to clarify what you actually believe whihelping him see the plausibility of certain beliefs that he has been programmed to reject.

PARADISE AND GODS KINGDOM

Another topic that Jehovahs Witnesses like to talk about is their hope of living forever in a Paradise on earththat will be ruled by Gods Kingdom. Often, they will start by discussing the paradise that Adam and Eve loswhen they sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. They will tell you that Gods purpose for thearth has not changed and that He still desires to turn it back into a paradise. They believe that Jehovah Gowill do this by eventually ending worldly governments through a battle called Armageddon and bringing HKingdom rule upon the earth through Jesus Christ.

During this 1,000-year reign of Christ, Jehovahs Witnesses believe that faithful humans will work to transformthis present earth back into a Garden of Eden type paradise. Here they believe the majority of faithful human

of past ages will be resurrected back to life to enjoy this paradise forever. Thus, Jehovahs Witnesses claim thaonly 144,000 faithful humans will be resurrected to life in heaven to rule with Christ over the earth while threst of Gods people will be resurrected to life on earth.

They will tell you that one of their goals as Jehovahs Witnesses is to spread this good news of Jehovahfuture Kingdom to all the inhabitants of the earth so that everyone will have a chance to respond to Jehovahrequirements to be saved before this present worldly system comes to an end. After sharing this with you, the


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will likely ask you what your thoughts are about Gods Kingdom and living forever on earth. This is a perfecopportunity to build curiosity about your beliefs by saying something like this:

The idea of living forever on a paradise earth sounds wonderful, but Im concerned that if I

were to become a Jehovahs Witness, I would never be able to see Gods Kingdom come.

At this point, your Jehovahs Witness loved one will respond to you with a shocked and puzzled look on hiface. He will most certainly want to know why you think that if you were to become a Jehovahs Witness, yowould never be able to see Gods Kingdom. To this you can respond by asking,

Ive heard that Jehovahs Witnesses do not believe they can be born again. Is this true?

When he says, yes to this question, ask him to read John 3:3 in his Bible which states:

In answer Jesus said to him: Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born again, he cannot

see the kingdom of God. 8

He will likely agree with you that this verse says one cannot see the Kingdom without being born again buif he knows Jehovahs Witness doctrine well enough, he will present several arguments that a person will bable to enjoy the Kingdom even if he is not able to see it. He will explain that a person who is born again(Watchtower definition = has a non-physical, spirit body) will not be able to live on earth but will be required tlive in heaven so that is why that person is able to see the Kingdom as it will be in heaven while those whare not born again (do not have a spirit body because they will live on paradise earth) cannot see it but will bable to enjoy it. When he makes these claims, instead of arguing against his viewpoint, simply ask him thesquestions:

If Jesus was able to travel back and forth between heaven and earth with his resurrected body, whwont all of Gods people be able to do the same? Can you show me a verse in the Bible that saysthat ONLY 144,000 will be born again and be in Gods Kingdom of Heaven?

The thought that Jesus human followers will be able to go back and forth between heaven and earth just likJesus did in His resurrected body will be something your Jehovahs Witness loved one has never thought obefore. While he may say that he doesnt think this is possible, he will not have a good answer for why.

Likewise, most Jehovahs Witnesses have never looked for a verse in the Bible that strictly says that ONLY144,000 people are in heaven. He will be able to show you plenty of verses that speak of people living on eartand certain groups of people who will rule over other groups of people here on earth, but none of these verse

explicitly state that only 144,000 are in heaven. In fact, as you explore Revelation with him, you will be able tpoint out that not only are the 144,000 mentioned as being in heaven (Revelation 14:2-3), but the 24 elde(Revelation 4:10) and the great crowd are also mentioned as being in heaven (Revelation 19:1; 7:9, 15 c.fRevelation 11:19).

8 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are quoted from theNew World Translation Bible.


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Finally, your Jehovahs Witness loved one will ask you what you believe about the fact that all of Gods peoplwill be in heaven. He will want to know how it will be possible for all of Gods people to be able to rule ovethe earth when there will be none left on earth to govern. In response, you can remind him that the people whsurvived Gods battle of Armageddon will still be living on earth and will be having their own families durin

the 1,000-year reign of Christ. Thus, the earth will not be empty, but will have plenty of people for Godresurrected servants to rule over. Indeed, your Jehovahs Witness loved one will not leave this conversatiowithout his thoughts being challenged and seeds of truth being planted.

HOW TO BUILD CURIOSITY WITH A DIFFICULT DOCTRINE

The doctrine of the Trinitythe idea that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God can be a difficult doctrinto defend and discuss with Jehovahs Witnesses. This doctrine is one of the most hated doctrines that JehovahWitnesses like to use to scoff at Christianity, so we dont recommend that you start your conversations with thitopic, but if the Jehovahs Witness brings it up in conversation and wants to discuss it with you, there is a wayyou can handle this situation to turn the discussion around in a way that builds curiosity. Here is how.

As you begin to engage on the subject of religion, sooner or later your Jehovahs Witness loved one will want ttell you about the Watchtower belief that there is only one true God (the Father) and that Jesus (Gods Son) imerely a created little god who works under the supreme authority of the Almighty Jehovah God. At thipoint, he will ask you if you believe that Jesus is God.

An easy mistake to make when this question comes up is to respond immediately with a bunch of verses tsupport your belief in Jesus being God. Resist this temptation because in asking this initial question, youJehovahs Witness loved one is not yet interested in your arguments. Rather, he wants to belittle your beliefs bscoffing at what he thinks is a confusing doctrine of God. So, we suggest that you respond by answering hquestion this way:

Yes, I believe Jesus is God, but I DO NOT believe Jesus is the same person as the Father .

You will notice that this answer will cause curiosity in his mind because it goes against what he has been taughconcerning the Trinity. Watchtower literature is full of arguments that Jesus cannot be God because the Fatheand the Son are not the same Person. So, when you respond to his initial question by explaining that yobelieve Jesus is God without being the same Person as the Father, this will catch his attention and cause him task you how you can believe Jesus is the same God as the Father without being the same Person.

Then, instead of simply discounting and ignoring any argument you might have given in your initial responshe will be more open to hearing how you reconcile this perceived inconsistency within your belief system. I

this way, you will build curiosity to bring him to the point of wanting to know what you believe and why. Fomore information on how to lead Jehovahs Witnesses in the discovery process of accepting the Deity of JesuChrist, see the following article:

HOW TO DISCUSS THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST WITH JEHOVAHS WITNESSEShttp://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/jw_discuss_jesus_god.php


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These are just some examples of the most common topics that Jehovahs Witness bring up for discussion. Banswering with questions or short statements to build curiosity, you will be able to turn any spiritual discussiowith a closed minded Jehovahs Witness into a productive opportunity to present truth in a non-confrontationaway. In so doing, your Jehovahs Witness friend or relative will drop his guard against your religious idea

because by asking you questions, he will feel he is in control of the spiritual dialogue. Because your statemenabout your beliefs are merely given in response to the questions being asked, this will also prevent youJehovahs Witness loved one from feeling that you are trying to coerce him into accepting your beliefs.

4. JEHOVAHS WITNESSES ARE PROGRAMMED TO REJECT ANY TYPE OF CRITICALTHINKING AGAINST THEIR RELIGION.

Jehovahs Witnesses are trained to follow the dictates and teachings of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Societwithout question. By misapplying the Scripture about the faithful and discreet slave at Matthew 24:45, thWatchtower Society teaches Jehovahs Witnesses to view its organization as Jehovah Gods sole channel ocommunication to mankind in the last days. Consequently, any Jehovahs Witness who questions or criticize

any of the beliefs or policies of the Watchtower organization is seen as questioning Jehovah God Himself! His called proud and arrogantsomeone who thinks he knows better than Jehovah because he isupposedly running ahead of the guidance provided by Gods visible organization. The Society states:

Avoid Independent Thinking Satan called into question Gods way of doing things. Hepromoted independent thinking. How is such independent thinking manifested? A commonway is by questioning the counsel that is provided by Gods visible organization. FightAgainst Independent Thinking Yet there are some who point out that the organization hashad to make adjustments before, and so they argue: This shows that we have to make up ourown mind on what to believe. This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous? Suchthinking is an evidence of pride. If we get to thinking that we know better than the

organization, we should ask ourselves: Where did we learn Bible truth in the first place? Wouldwe know the way of the truth if it had not been for guidance from the organization? Really,canwe get along without the direction of Gods organization? No we cannot! TheWatchtower, January 15, 1983, pp. 22, 27

So important is it never to raise the voice in bitter criticism of the Lords organization orits appointed representatives. Those who despise Jehovahs teaching include individualswho criticize and complain about Jehovahs clean organization and its rules for maintainingpeace and good order. They would allow each one to be guided byhis own private readingand interpretation of the Bible instead of being brought into a unity of people trained tolive and act according to the lofty principles and reminders of Gods Word. The Watchtower,

May 15, 1984, pp. 17-18

To avoid criticism over doctrine, Jehovahs Witnesses are often told to follow the advice of 1 Corinthians 1:1to: all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions but that YOU may be fitly united in thesame mind and in the same line of thought.

They assert that if, after praying about and studying th

Watchtowers material, any uncertainty or doubts continue to plague ones mind on spiritual matters, onmust put these thoughts aside and wait for spiritual food at the proper time from the faithful and discreeslave Watchtower organization. It is in this way that the Watchtower Society misuses Scripture to force al


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Jehovahs Witnesses into unquestioning agreement with the unified thought and practice of the JehovahWitness religion.

Another sly tactic of the Devil is the sowing of doubts in the mind. If some tinge of doubt

about Jehovah, his Word, or his organization has begun to linger in your heart, take quicksteps to eliminate it before it festers into something that could destroy your faith. Then, donot hesitate to ask for help from loving overseers in the congregation. They will help youtrace the source of your doubts, which may be due to pride or some wrong thinking. Hasthe reading or listening to apostate ideas or worldly philosophy introduced poisonous doubts?Cut off anything that feeds such doubts.Mark 9:43 Stick closely to Jehovah and hisorganization. The Watchtower, February 1, 1996, pp. 23-24

Thus, when you witness to your Jehovahs Witness loved one, you must not expect him to express any doubtsabout the Watchtowers doctrine, nor admit that your view of a particular Bible passage makes more sense thanthe Watchtower Societys interpretation.

WITNESSING TIP: ASK THIRD PARTY QUESTIONS

Because Jehovahs Witnesses are trained not to doubt or criticize their religion, they are not allowed to agrewith any argument you present from the Bible that contradicts the official position of the Watchtower SocietyFor this reason when possible, we suggest that you phrase your questions from the standpoint of a third partyBy referencing a hypothetical third party, your Jehovahs Witness loved one could agree to the idea that a thirparty who reads a certain passage in the Bible could come to the conclusions you stated, without your loved onhaving to agree to those conclusions as applying to himself.

For example, consider a discussion where your loved one states that he does not believe in the traditiona

doctrine of hell where unbelieving human souls are tormented with fire forever. He may argue that whenthe Bible uses the words Hell or Hades, it is referring to the common grave of mankind where he believehuman souls will be unconscious after death. To rebuttal his claims, you might choose to present Jesus wordat Luke 16:22-29 that in the Jehovahs WitnessNew World Translation Bible reads as follows:

22 Now in course of time the beggar died and he was carried off by the angels to the bosom[position] of Abraham. Also, the rich man died and was buried. 23 Andin Hades he lifted uphis eyes, he existing in torments, and he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in the bosom[position] with him. 24 So he called and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and sendLazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water andcool my tongue, because I am in anguish inthis blazing fire. 25 But Abraham said, Child, remember that you received in full your good

things in your lifetime, but Lazarus correspondingly the injurious things. Now, however, he ishaving comfort here but you are in anguish. 26 And besides all these things, a great chasm hasbeen fixed between us andYOU people, so that those wanting to go over from here toYOU peoplecannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.27 Then he said, In that event I ask you,father, to send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, in order that he maygive them a thorough witness, that they also should not get into this place of torment. 29 ButAbraham said, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these. 30 Then he said,No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them they will repent.31 But


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he said to him, If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded ifsomeone rises from the dead.

Since Jehovahs Witnesses are taught to excuse away the literal meaning of these verses by claiming that thlanguage used in this passage is symbolic of a spiritual torment rather than physical pain, your loved one winot be allowed to agree with you that Jesus spoke of hell as a literal place of torment. So, in response to hiarguments, you can use a third party question to help your Jehovahs Witness loved agree to the simple meaninof this passage. Ask him:

By reading this Scripture, could a person who has not read Watchtower literature come tothe conclusion that hell is a fiery place of torment?

If he is honest with you, he will have to admit that a person could reach this conclusion by reading this passageeven though he will not be allowed to accept a literal interpretation of this Scripture for himself. For mor

information on the subject of Hell and the immortality of the human soul, see the following articles:

WILL GOD PUNISH PEOPLE IN HELL FOREVER?http://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/hell.php

IS THE HUMAN SOUL AND SPIRIT IMMORTAL?http://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/soul.php

Never underestimate the effect that third party questions can have on your loved one. When your questionbegin to break through, it is not uncommon to hear a Jehovahs Witness say:

Everything youve shown me just confirms my beliefs and proves that Im in the truth.

When you hear this, be encouraged because he wouldnt have to make this type of a statement if he was notruly being convicted by the things you have been sharing with him. So, despite his attempt to discount thsimple truths of Scripture and present an a faade of impenetrable conviction, you can rest assured that thseeds of Gods Word will not return void without accomplishing the purpose for which God sends them (Isaia55:11; Hebrews 4:12).

5. JEHOVAHS WITNESSES DO NOT TRUST YOUR INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE ORTHEIR OWN ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET THE BIBLE FOR THEMSELVES.

Just as Jehovahs Witnesses are warned against being influenced by anyone who would disagree with thereligion, they are taught to distrust their own ability to understand and interpret the Bible for themselves. ThWatchtower Society teaches that the Scripture in Matthew 24:45 that speaks of a faithful and discreet slavewhom Jesus would appoint over all his belongings in the last days to dispense spiritual food at the proper timeis a reference to the Governing Body (ruling entity) of Watchtower Society. In this way, the WatchtoweSociety gains authority over the thinking of Jehovahs Witnesses by claiming that it alone has been given thauthority by God to interpret the Bible. Thus, any Jehovahs Witness who espouses a different interpretation o


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the Bible than what is officially sanctioned by the Watchtower organization, is viewed as an apostate from thJehovahs Witness religion. They are told:

We all need help to understand the Bible, andwe cannot find the Scriptural guidance we

need outside the faithful and discreet slave organization.The Watchtower, February 15,1981, p. 19

Thus, the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as anorganization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they caninterpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood withoutJehovahs visible organization in mind.The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, p. 587

So, to be effective in witnessing to Jehovahs Witnesses, you must understand that they do not trust youinterpretation of the Bible or their own ability to interpret the meaning of a particular Bible passage that yomay seek to discuss with them. Through questions about what a Jehovahs Witness is allowed to believe, yo

will reveal their true spiritual authority and help them overcome the Watchtower Societys control over theilives.

WITNESSING TIP: ADDRESS THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETYS CONTROL

While Jehovahs Witnesses have been programmed to accept the Watchtower Societys interpretation of thBible over their own personal viewpoints, most have never considered the implications of this policy until theyhave been forced to try to reconcile a difficult Biblical passage with one of their false beliefs. You can set themup to experience this in a non-threatening way by asking your loved one the following question:

If a person were tobecome a Jehovahs Witness and he were to come across a verse in the Bible

that teaches something different than what the Watchtower Society teaches, would that personbe required to believe and teach the Watchtowers teachings over the Bible?

Most Jehovahs Witnesses will adamantly respond by saying that they believe the Bible over the Watchtowerbut when pressed with a verse that contracts a Watchtower teaching, they will rationalize away thirreconcilability by claiming that with prayer, study and waiting upon Jehovah, the truth will be made clear anthat if the Watchtower organization is wrong, Jehovah will send new light to clarify any incorrect teaching inHis due time.9 In conversations on this subject, we have even had some Jehovahs Witnesses honestly admit:

I cannot go against my faith. If the Watchtower is wrong, I will be wrong with it .

Thus, if your Jehovahs Witness loved one is honest with you and has come to realize this requirement of thWatchtower Society, he will tell you that a baptized Jehovahs Witness would not be allowed to believanything that is contrary to what the Watchtower Society teaches and that Jehovah will judge that person base

9 See The Watchtower, November 15, 1992, p. 20: But what if it is hard for us to accept or fully appreciate some Scriptural poinpresented by the faithful slave? Then let us humbly acknowledge where we learned the truth and pray for wisdom to deal with thistrial until it comes to an end with some published clarification of matters.


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upon his loyalty to Gods channel ofcommunication, rather than allowing himself to be stumbled at anyincorrect doctrine he perceives within it.

10

While this would be an honest statement to make, many Jehovahs Witnesses (especially recent converts) ar

not consciously aware of this policy and may need help to recognize this before you can discuss the authoritthe Watchtower organization has over them. At this point, a few examples of clear contradictions between thBible and the Watchtower may be helpful to present. Again, when you ask these questions, keep the focus upoa third party so that your loved one will not feel pressured to accept for himself the doctrinal position presented

At John 2:18-22, what body did Jesus promise to resurrect from the dead? (Have yourloved one read it from hisNew World Translation Bible that states as follows:)

18 Therefore, in answer, the Jews said to him: What sign have you to show us,since you are doing these things? 19 In answer Jesus said to them: Break downthis temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Therefore the Jews said: This

temple was built in forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?21 Buthe was talking about the temple of his body. 22 When, though, he was raised upfrom the dead, his disciples called to mind that he used to say this; and theybelieved the Scripture and the saying that Jesus said.

Did the Jews destroy the physical, human body of Jesus or the spirit body of Michael theArchangel?

Your Jehovahs Witness loved one will likely attempt to argue that Jesus could not have been talking about Hphysical, human body because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven (1 Corinthian15:50). He may also try to argue with other verses to prove that Jesus rose in a spirit body. When he bring

these arguments up, do not let him distract you from your main point by diverting you from your discussion othese verses at John 2:18-22. Instead, keep to your main point by simply saying something like this:

I would be happy to discuss these other verses you are talking about at a another time as I havea way of viewing them that does not contradict this passage of Scripture, but right now, I justwant to know your answer to my question: If a person were to become a Jehovahs Witness,would he be allowed to believe Jesus clear promise to raise the same physical, human bodythat the Jews destroyed? Or would he be required to believe the Watchtowers interpretation ofthese verses over what the Bible plainly says?

By forcing your Jehovahs Witness loved one to address your question, rather than allowing him to divert to

discussion of other Scriptures, you will avoid a game of Bible ping-pong and get to the root of the issue whichis the fact that a person who is a Jehovahs Witness is not allowed to believe the Bible over the WatchtowerOnce he admits this, you can ask him the questions under the Remove the Watchtower Foundation section

10 See The Watchtower, February 1, 1952, p. 80: We should meekly go along with the Lords theocratic organization and wait forfurther clarification, rather than balk at the first mention of a thought unpalatable to us and proceed to quibble and mouth ourcriticisms and opinions as though they were worth more than the slaves provision of spiritual food. Theocratic ones will appreciatethe Lords visible organization and not be so foolish as to pit against Jehovahs channel their own human reasoning and sentiment andpersonal feelings.


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of the following article on our website. These questions will help him overcome the Watchtowers authorityover his spiritual life.

HOW TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY TO JEHOVAHS WITNESSES Breaking theWatchtower Barrier Step-by-Stephttp://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/jw_witness.php

As a follow-up, once he has come to realize that he should trust the Bible over the Watchtower, you can use thanswers given in the following article on our website to discuss each of the verses he tried to bring up tdisprove the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although this doctrinal topic may not seem aimportant to you, it is extremely important for a Jehovahs Witness because many of their false doctrines (suchas the idea of that Jesus is Michael the Archangel and that Jesus returned to earth in an invisible presence in1914) hinge upon this false teaching concerning the physical, bodily resurrection of Christ.

DID JESUS RESURRECT FROM THE DEAD IN AN INVISIBLE SPIRIT-BODY? Insight into

the Watchtower View of Resurrectionhttp://www.4jehovah.org/jehovahs-witness-resurrection.php

6. JEHOVAHS WITNESSES ARE PROGRAMMED TO PROTECT THE WATCHTOWERSREPUTATION AT ALL TIMES.

Every Jehovahs Witness who has been in the Watchtower organization any length of time has seen his share ohypocritical behavior within the congregations and has likely encountered inconsistencies within doctrine. Yewhen it comes to abuses and inconsistencies, Witnesses have been taught to ignore these problems and excusthem away as human imperfections or immature misunderstandings of spiritual matters that Jehovah wilcorrect in His own due time. This is why someone who has been inactive from the Jehovahs Witness religio

for several years is still able to defend the Watchtower organization as the truth and refuses to listen tocriticism of the organizations beliefs in spite of all that he has experienced.

In essence, Jehovahs Witnesses have been programmed to protect the organizations reputation and hidpersonal feelings of doubt and unresolved hurts and abuses that they have witnessed or experienced within thcongregations so as not to bring reproach upon Jehovah or His organization by speaking of these problems tthe outside public. Thus, until your Jehovahs Witness friend or relative is ready to reevaluate his loyalty to thorganization, expect him to excuse away or rationalize any of the hurts or abuses he has seen in an effort tuphold the concept that the Jehovahs Witness religion is the truth.

WITNESSING TIP: PRESENT PHOTOCOPIED DOCUMENTATION FROM A THIRD PARTY

As discussed in the previous section, the Watchtowers authority over the spiritual life of a Jehovahs Witnesmust be removed before he will be free to reconsider his beliefs on the basis of the pure, simple reading of thBible. This can be done by destroying the fundamental authority concept that the Governing Body of thWatchtower Society of Jehovahs Witnesses constitutes Jehovah Gods faithful and discreet slave channel ocommunication to mankind and proving that these authority claims are impossible to reconcile with thdocumented evidence found in the history of the organization. Questions to use to dispel this myth can bfound in the following article that was also referenced in the previous section:


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HOW TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY TO JEHOVAHS WITNESSES Breaking theWatchtower Barrier Step-by-Stephttp://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/jw_witness.php

Due to the mental programming that Jehovahs Witnesses have against viewing literature that is critical of theireligion, it is also helpful to present photocopies of Watchtower literature that document the many falsprophecies and historical lies and cover-ups within the organizations history. You can download these PDphotocopies at the following website link:

QUESTIONS FOR JEHOVAH'S WITNESSEShttp://www.4witness.org/jwquestions/jw_questions.php

Since you will be presenting nothing but photocopies of his own literature, he cannot call your informatioapostate. However, unless you are careful in the way that you present this photocopied documentation, yo

risk coming across as a threat to your loved ones spiritual condition by being an avid expert who opposes hreligion. Thus, we suggest that you use the third party approach by saying something like this:

As I was reading some literature about Jehovahs Witnesses on the Internet, I ran across a fewPDFs that the website claims are photocopies of official Watchtower literature. I know that notall information on the Internet is accurate, so I am wondering if you can help me verifywhether these photocopies are legitimate because I dont want to believe lies about yourreligion. Do you have access to a library of Watchtower books that we can use to compare thesecopies to the original publications?

Jehovahs Witnesses are constantly told to avoid the Internet for fear of exposing themselves to apostate

information. Yet, since you honestly explained that you ran across these PDFs from this third party sourc(i.e., the Internet) and that you felt that these photocopies looked like they were taken from official Watchtoweliterature, you will not appear to be an expert on his religion. Rather, you will present yourself as an interesteperson who simply desires to verify the accuracy of the information you are researching by comparing thesphotocopies to the original publications.

Since your loved one will be helping you in your research, he will be able to verify these photocopies for yoat any Kingdom Hall library or the personal home library collection of a lifelong Jehovahs Witness familmember he may know. In so doing, he will discover the documented evidence that disproves the Watchtowerclaims. When he sees that this organization cannot be Jehovah Gods true religion, your Jehovahs Witnesloved one will have two choices. Either he will deny and ignore this evidence by continuing to blindly follo

the Watchtower Society or he will abandon his trust in the organization altogether and reevaluate his spirituacondition. When this situation arises and you sense that your loved one is wrestling with these issues, bprepared for him to ask you what your religion has to offer. This would be a perfect opportunity to present thtrue Gospel of grace and the assurance of eternal life that the forgiveness of Christ guarantees. The followinarticles on our website will help you present these concepts to him:


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LEADING JEHOVAHS WITNESSES TO JESUS EIGHT QUESTIONS ON HOW TO HAVETHE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIONhttp://www.4witness.org/jwquestions/qjw-eternal-assurance.php

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR JEHOVAHS WITNESSES THAT PRESENT THE GOSPELhttp://www.4witness.org/jwquestions/jw_qto_jesus.php

FIVE SIMPLE QUESTIONS FOR JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ON FAITH AND WORKShttp://www.4witness.org/jwquestions/jw_q5faithworks.php

However, if your loved one refuses to consider the implications of the evidence you have presented and chooseto blindly following the organization, it may be appropriate to leave him with this thought:

Jehovah God is the God of truth. Truth does not fear examination. If an organization cannotstand up under examination, it is not the truth but rather a counterfeit andloyalty to acounterfeit is disloyalty to Jehovah God.

SUMMARY OF THE DOS AND DONTS IN WITNESSING

We have studied the spiritual control that the Watchtower organization exercises over the hearts and minds oJehovahs Witnesses. In summation, the following is a simple list of dos and donts to keep in mind whewitnessing to Jehovahs Witnesses:

DONT:

Dont engage in spiritual battle without putting on the spiritual armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17)

DO:

Pray for God to open the closed mind and heart of your Jehovahs Witness loved one (Eph. 6:18).

DONT:

Dont give your Jehovahs Witness friend or relative literature that criticizes the beliefs, history orpolicies of the Watchtower organization untilyou know he is ready to critically examine his faith.

DO:

Build rapport by approaching the Jehovahs Witness from the standpoint of a student interestedin hearing his reasons for following this religion.

DONT:

Dont come across as an insincere opposer who merely wishes to argue and criticize the beliefs ofJehovahs Witnesses.

DO:

Express your motives for talking with your Jehovahs Witness loved one and get a commitment upfront. Present yourself in a way that will help them feel you are genuinely interested in him.


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WITNESSES FOR JESUS, INC. PO BOX 50911 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80949 USA21

DONT:

Dont come across like you are trying to teach a Jehovahs Witness anything. Dont tell himwhat you believe and why until he is asking you questions about your beliefs.

DO:

In response to his questions, make him curious about what you believe by keeping your statementsabout your beliefs as short and simple as possible, with a few teaser questions thrown in.

DONT:

Dont expect a Jehovahs Witness to express any sign of doubt about his religion.

DO:

Ask third party questions that allow a Jehovahs Witness to agree with your point of view withoutapplying it to himself.

DONT:

Dont expect a Jehovahs Witness to agree with your interpretation of the Bible.

DO:

Address the Watchtower Societys control by helping the Jehovahs Witness admit that he cannotgo against his faith. Then present questions to break the Watchtowers authority over his mind.

DONT:

Dont expect a Jehovahs Witness to admit to the abuses he has seen in the Watchtower

organization until he is ready to leave.

DO:

Present photocopied documentation of official Watchtower literature from a third party sourcethat demonstrates the fallacy of the Watchtower Societys claims. Be prepared to lead a JehovahsWitness to Jesus if he asks you what you have to offer him.

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE:

HOW TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY TO JEHOVAHS WITNESSES Breaking theWatchtower Barrier Step-by-Step

http://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/jw_witness.php

QUESTIONS TO ASK JEHOVAHS WITNESSES WHEN THEY KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR -A Step-by-Step Guide for Christians Witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesseshttp://www.4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/jw-witness-door.php

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE?Biblical Answers To Questions Jehovah's Witnesses Askhttp://www.4jehovah.org/wdgr_contents.php

how to save your loved ones_4witness.org

Documents