Debating with Jehovah's witnesses

[MoreCoffee]

I would have made this a Catholics only thread but I may be the only active Catholic here.

Over a period of a few days I spent a couple of hours each day discussing theology with Jehovah's witnesses on Discord. The witnesses were mainly teens. They styled themselves "apologists" and read early church Fathers (probably PDF and other online formats) and various works on the bible and interpretation. They were something of a surprise because I'd been told that Jehovah's witnesses do not read "Christendom's books" and avoid "worldly literature".

In the discussions with the witnesses there were some themes that constantly appeared.

• Is it reasonable to ...
• We believe the scriptures as long as they are correctly translated ...
• In the Hebrew scripture that is quoted in this Christian Greek scripture passage the meaning is ...
• Origin says ...

and so forth.

And underlying it all was one constant theme. The first one in the list. "Is it reasonable ..."
So I decided not to debate them in terms that they have encountered from evangelicals and other Protestants. Of course I am not a Protestant anyway so my thinking is not shaped by the same philosophical roots that shape Protestant debate with Jehovah's witnesses.

And this got me to thinking. How would faithful protestant people conduct their discussions with such young and adventurous Jehovah's witnesses?

 

[RichWh1]

One thing I learned about dealing with the Jehovah’s Witness is never discuss or deal with biblical doctrine. Always ask questions about the Watchtower organization.
I purchased a book called “Approaching Jehovah Witness in Love” ; the author is a former missionary to Japan and he found that discussion about the Bible is fruitless because they are brainwashed.
Wilbur Lingle is the author

He arrived in the states on sabbatical and asked former JW’s what it was that convinced them to leave the Watchtower. They all said questions about the Watchtower, not about the Bible

I suggest you purchase the book to get an idea


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[MoreCoffee]

Always ask questions about the Watchtower organization.

Does his book mention if the witnesses who left, left as Christians or as Atheists/Agnostics?

 

[RichWh1]

Does his book mention if the witnesses who left, left as Christians or as Atheists/Agnostics?

It mentions those who left and why All said the same thing


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[MoreCoffee]

It mentions those who left and why All said the same thing


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YouTube has many former Jehovah's witnesses who produce videos to warn prospective converts to the religion of Jehovah's witnesses and to correct perceived errors in the teachings, organisational policies, and practises of Jehovah's witnesses. And it appears that the majority of those YouTube video makers left Jehovah's witnesses as agnostics or atheists.

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

he found that discussion about the Bible is fruitless because they are brainwashed.

We all are.

 

[Lanman87]

And this got me to thinking. How would faithful protestant people conduct their discussions with such young and adventurous Jehovah's witnesses?

I wouldn't debate them.

The few times JW's tried to talk to me I simply told them that they have altered the New Testament Scriptures to fit their theology.

I point out that in John 1:1 the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Bible all say, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God".

While the JW Bible says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god" The JW added the "a" which is not found in the text and totally changes the meaning.

After I tell them this they either give up on me and go away because they know I'm a lost cause to them.

 

[1689Dave]

A JW elder stopped by and I found they are totally unprepared for a discussion on "Free Will". So I drew from Luther's book The Bondage of the Will which proved to be tremendous overkill.