so, Jehovah's Witnesses came to my door....

[ArmyMatt]

and we actually had a good discussion that lasted almost 3 hours. they will be coming back next Monday-ish for round two over some tea, and I was wondering if any of you had any success in witnessing to them.

thanks! and may they come home to the true Church!

 

[Tigger45]

Man, wish you could of got a video of the encounter. I'd love to see the look on the JW's face of the responses from an Orthodox perspective. I'd assume they don't have much training and/or experience dealing with that.

 

[truefiction1]

They don't come round here, so I never get a chance to talk with any of them. I wouldn't mind at all.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I can't help with any advice, but you have my prayers. I would love to hear those conversations!

 

[E.C.]

Begin any conversations with and offer of leading them in prayer and do so with the Trisagion and Our Father. Always a good ice-breaker.

I know of a priest's mother who began her talks with Mormons, JWs and others that way. The talks would last for hours and usually the clearly-lesser-experienced one would become genuinely interested until the more experienced counterpart would say "We gotta go!"

 

[ZaidaBoBaida]

When the JWs come to my door, I always say, "Jesus is God," and slam the door in their face. I have no patience for them.

 

[GregConstantine]

They are in a cult and have been brainwashed and manipulated. You'll have a very difficult time convicing them to see any other position but their own.

In my conversations with them in the past, I focus on tearing apart Sola Scriptura. the last convo I had with a Jehovhah witness, I told the guy to stop quoting Scriptures to me. He was shocked I told him to do that. I explained to him why. I told him, "a Southern Baptist minister would read those very same verses and tell me something the complete opposite of what you are telling me. so please tell me why you are right and he is wrong?"

He didn't know what to say to me.

I then told him, well I can tell you why I say these verses mean these things, because I belong to the Church that Christ established, of which He is the Head, and which has never left the earth or disappeared. I then told him that he can be a part of the Church as well.

That stopped him from coming back to my house again, lol

 

[Wryetui]

They come often to my door, trying to persuade my grandmother to join them, so one day I opened the door to them and the two ladies asked me: Do you have a moment to talk about Jesus Christ? and I replied: Only if you have a moment to talk about the Virgin Mary.

They left

 

[~Anastasia~]

Begin any conversations with and offer of leading them in prayer and do so with the Trisagion and Our Father. Always a good ice-breaker.

I know of a priest's mother who began her talks with Mormons, JWs and others that way. The talks would last for hours and usually the clearly-lesser-experienced one would become genuinely interested until the more experienced counterpart would say "We gotta go!"

Maybe that's actually why they are always in pairs?

 

[xenia]

It depends....

If they come early-ish on a Saturday morning and I am still in my robe, jammies and slippers and there they stand, nicely dressed and out and about, I am embarrassed and might say something abrupt. If I myself have my clothes and shoes on, I might engage them. I am somewhat abashed by their preparedness and my lack of preparedness.

I have spent a few hours debating with JWs. Their Bible knowledge seems mostly geared towards arguing with Trinitarians but what they know, they know well, even if they are connecting the dots all wrong. You have to let them talk a bit but you can't let them dominate the conversation. Reflective listening. They say something and then you repeat back what they say and then comment on it from a Christian POV.

 

[wifikitten]

They used to come to my house every week for about 2 months a year. It was the same pair each time and we were always very nice to them and we would talk for hours. When my parents began to talk further in depth about Jesus with them, they stopped coming and haven't been back in over 2 years now.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Welcome to CF, and to TAW, Wifikitten! We are glad to have you, and hope you enjoy posting!

They used to come to my house every week for about 2 months a year. It was the same pair each time and we were always very nice to them and we would talk for hours. When my parents began to talk further in depth about Jesus with them, they stopped coming and haven't been back in over 2 years now.

Edit: oops, mentioned wrong forum. I thought I was in a different thread.

 

[ArmyMatt]

well, these two were not interested in debating, and seemed more open then those I remember talking to in the past. they actually started asking questions concerning Orthodoxy before the conversation was finished. I snagged them on Mal 1:11 when they said that worship must be Biblical, because I know it is something that they do not do. we'll see what there response is on Monday I hope.

 

[truefiction1]

I merely wonder how many really Love the Lord Jesus.

 

[gzt]

I merely wonder how many really Love the Lord Jesus.

Yes, for Orthodox as well.

 

[SkyWriting]

and we actually had a good discussion that lasted almost 3 hours. they will be coming back next Monday-ish for round two over some tea, and I was wondering if any of you had any success in witnessing to them.
thanks! and may they come home to the true Church!

Use the time to be a good witness in behavior and to learn their perspective.
Most of their teaching is intended to thwart any ideas from other perspectives
so pray to God continually to work on their hearts.....because you don't really
have a chance of doing that. Be SO kind and gracious that they want to
learn more about how you became such a good host. But don't try to change them.

 

[All4Christ]

I merely wonder how many really Love the Lord Jesus.

The saddest part is that many of them are trying hard to follow what they are supposed to do - and many are truly good people. I should learn dedication from their example.

If they learned about Orthodoxy and became Orthodox, I imagine they would become extremely dedicated to Orthodoxy and Christ as well.

AM, I'm glad you can talk to them about this and that they seem open to discussion!

 

[ArmyMatt]

oh yeah, I let them dictate the conversation, and I merely answered questions (as best I could) when they asked. hopefully we can delve a little deeper over some tea on Monday. thanks for all the tips guys and gals.

 

[Tigger45]

Don't let them throw you a curve ball by quoting from their New World Translation.

 

[ArmyMatt]

they can try, but we already established that proper understanding is key. so they can quote from their Bible all they want, I already have the answer for them that they must answer first.

bwah ha ha ha ha