Saturday, January 11, 2020

Talking to Jehovah’s Witnesses? Start Here


It may come as a surprise, but some of the most popular articles on the Stand to Reason blog are on the topic of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In fact, in 2019, two of the top ten articles were on specific challenges from Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The reason for this isn’t complicated. People—like you and me—are being challenged by Jehovah’s Witnesses and, as a result, are looking for answers.

Over the last few years, I’ve responded to a number of objections from Jehovah’s Witnesses. Until now, these articles were scattered all over the STR website. I decided it would be helpful to put them all in one place. Read More
Jehovah's Witnesses are very determined in their pursuit of new converts to their beliefs. As well as The Watch Tower and other tracts, they now use handheld electronic devices like tablets and digital presentations. After I moved to western Kentucky, I was visited by one Jehovah's Witness for the better part of thirteen years. Sometimes he came alone; other times he brought a companion. My extensive library of Bible study aids did not deter him. He suggested that I get rid of the books. When I told him that I preached at a church in a nearby community, he did not blink an eye. While I have serious difficulties with his beliefs, I had to admire him for his doggedness. Jehovah's Witnesses have learned that persistence pays off.
Jehovah's Witnesses are particularly adept at targeting people who are in the midst of a crisis or major transition in their lives when they are the most vulnerable to proselytization. A high school friend of mine was a Jehovah's Witness. His father who had been a Roman Catholic became a Jehovah's Witness after the death of his wife. He raised their three sons at Jehovah's Witnesses. His efforts to convert me to the beliefs of the sect prompted me to explore for myself what the Bible really taught. I borrowed a copy of Bernard Ramm's Protestant Bible Interpretation: A Textbook of Hermeneutics from the local public library. Protestant Bible Interpretation wetted my appetite to learn more about the science and art of Bible interpretation. 

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