Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
I started meeting again with the Jehovah’s Witness that I had been meeting with a year or so back. I’m not thinking I’m going to convert him, but it is a way for me to learn. What I’m looking for is not to debate the fine details, such as the shape of the wood that … Read More “Conversation’s With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Interpreting the Bible” »
I have been interested in the Jehovah’s Witnesses for a long time. They have a lot of unique beliefs. But as I argue in my book, The Watchtower and the Word, we should focus our discussions on the most important doctrines. It doesn’t get anymore important than Jesus. Not surprisingly, they have some unorthodox beliefs … Read More “4 Things That the Jehovah’s Witnesses Get Wrong About Jesus” »
I have been doing a series on Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses. But it is a fair question to ask why I would bother. Growing up, my dad would make us pretend that we weren’t home when we saw Jehovah’s Witnesses on our street. Why would I voluntarily let them in my house to talk? I … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Why Bother?” »
I had another conversation with some Jehovah’s Witnesses, once again concerning the kingdom of God. I do consider the kingdom of God to be an essential topic (unlike attitudes toward birthdays or the shape of the cross). We had agreed to disagree about whether the kingdom began to appear during Jesus’ ministry. I know of … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Six” »
I once more had a conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness (and a new partner) focused largely (but not completely) on the kingdom of God. After numerous conversations on the kingdom of God, it is clear that we just don’t agree. I believe the kingdom has always been in heaven, began to appear on earth during … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Five” »
It has been quite a few weeks, but I finally had another opportunity to visit with a pair of Jehovah’s witnesses again. Once again, our conversation revolved around the nature of the kingdom of God. It is clear that we have a fundamentally different understanding of the kingdom. For example, they brought me to Daniel … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Four” »
This morning I had my third meeting with some Jehovah’s Witnesses. It has been the same lead person each of the three visits, but a different helper each time. I had mentioned last time that I was interested in how they got 1914 as the year of the establishment of the kingdom of God in … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Three” »
The first part of our conversation was about the Tetragrammaton in the New Testament. While there is some rhetorical effect here, it is not an essential goal for my conversation with Jehovah’s Witnesses. That is why we switched directions to the kingdom of God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses wanted to focus on Old Testament mentions of … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Two B” »
Today I had my second conversation with a pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses who came to my house. The one change was that the senior witness didn’t bring his assistant but instead brought his wife. At the end of our last visit, we had talked a bit about God’s name (YHWH). I mentioned that I thought … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Two A” »
Since I have written a book on the Jehovah’s Witnesses and a book on the Jesus Myth, I was quite interested when some ladies came to my door and gave me the latest issue of Awake! with the headline “Did Jesus Exist?”. Although I disagree with the Jehovah’s Witnesses on a number of issues, we … Read More “The Jehovah’s Witnesses Take on the Jesus Myth” »
Jehovah’s Witnesses are often eager to talk about religion. This means that there are plenty of opportunities to share your faith with them. However, just talking religion will not have much of an effect. You need to have some sort of strategy. Be assured that they have a strategy. I believe in the power of … Read More “6 Questions to Ask Jehovah’s Witnesses” »
You have probably have had Jehovah’s Witnesses knocking at your door at some point. But do you know what they believe? There is a lot that can be said about the Jehovah‘s Witnesses, but here are seven things that you should know. The Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) in the 1870s. … Read More “7 Things You Should Know About the Jehovah’s Witnesses” »
A few years back I wrote a book called the Watchtower and the Word. It started out as a response to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ book, What Does the Bible Really Teach? However, it grew into more than that. It really is a guide to productive conversations with Jehovah’s Witnesses, pointing the reader to the issues … Read More “What People Are Saying About the Watchtower and the Word” »
In my book on Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Watchtower and the Word, I divide the book into three sections. The first section is on what they get right. Some people don’t like that at all. It would be a lot simpler if the Jehovah’s Witnesses got everything wrong. But the truth is they get some things right … Read More “The Jehovah’s Witnesses Get Some Things Right” »
I got to know Chris Stire a few years ago when I was teaching with the Lay Pastors Training Program. At that time, he mentioned to me that he had been a Jehovah’s Witness. That intrigued me (my interest in the Jehovah’s Witnesses finally materialized in my own book, The Watchtower and the Word) and … Read More “Leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses” »
Last year I published a book called The Watchtower and the Word, both in print and Kindle. It would be fair to ask about my reasons for writing such a book. I will say that I did not write the book out of intolerance toward Jehovah’s Witnesses. I support the right of individuals to belong … Read More “Why Did I Write the Watchtower and the Word?” »
I am very happy with my new book, The Watchtower and the Word. I think you should purchase a copy (or three) and not just for me to make some money. Here are ten reasons why I think you should buy this book. 1. Jehovah’s Witnesses are people that we should love and it is … Read More “10 Reasons Why You Should Read the Watchtower and the Word” »
In the Oct. 1 2010 issue of the Watchtower there is an article entitled “What is the Holy Spirit?” One of the main purposes of this article is to demonstrate that the Spirit is not a person. Here are some responses. The article points out that in Acts 2:1-4 that people are filled with the … Read More “Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Holy Spirit” »
One of the distinctives of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is their belief that Jesus is not God but is rather the archangel Michael. They derive this from the following passage. “For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the … Read More “Is Jesus the Archangel Michael?” »
