Well, thought I would check in and provide a brief update regarding some truly good news.
First of all, I can say that we are up to five people who have experienced an awakening and are coming to grips with the fact that the truth is a sham.
Secondly, my secretive campaign to help as many dear and innocent people as I can to awaken from the WT induced brain-washed slumber, is kicking in to high gear.
After spending some time compiling email lists, we have begun to send out anonymous emails to as many kind and decent JW's as we can.
The purpose of the email is to get them to think, and to plant some seeds of doubt. It is disguised as an addendum to the Reasoning Book - suggestions for overcoming some of the tougher objections we face in the ministry. It is quite toungue in cheek, and the recipients will quickly discover that these are not genuine suggestions , however open minded and curious people will hopefully continue reading. It exposes several major false teachings or policies, any one of which may cause someone to leave "the truth" or at least begin a journey of investigation that will lead to that eventual destiny.
Here is what I have been sending. Please take a look and provide any feedback. I am hoping to improve it for phase II and send it out again, so I am eager to get some quality advice from anyone here in the forum. Perhaps I should include a few more "objections", or maybe I should shorten it? I basically want to reach as a wide an audience as possible and give each type of reader something to chew on that will spark in them a desire to learn the real truth. Oh, and please feel free to pass it on to anyone you feel may benefit.
ps: i continue to serve as an elder, but am finding it increasingly difficult. I still see an advantage to continuing to serve so I will keep it up as long as I can.
Here it is....my apologies for the length!
Hello friends,
I don't normally pass this kind of message along, but these
suggestions for overcoming some of the tougher objections we have
been facing lately in the ministry are excellent. I have printed
these out and keep them with my Reasoning Book. You may want to do
the same.
1) OBJECTION: Since it is now a conscience matter when deciding
whether or not to take several blood fractions, including
hemoglobin (the major component in red blood cells, without the
membrane, that carries oxygen), and since it takes a great deal of
voluntary blood donations to extract these fractions (you can only
get hemoglobin from blood donations), why don't Jehovah's Witnesses
at least donate blood that may be used for collecting blood
fractions like hemoglobin and the many other blood fractions that
Jehovah's Witnesses can now be transfused with?
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
On the surface this seems like a tough one, however we could try
this:
"Jehovah's Witnesses value life a great deal. We pride ourselves on
not going to war and remaining neutral in the political affairs of
this old world. God's word is clear when it says abstain from
blood. It doesn't say, avoid blood sometimes, it says abstain from
blood. How would you like to enjoy life in a setting like
this? (show them a picture of the paradise). Can you imagine
yourself there?"
2) OBJECTION: I read in the New York Times newspaper that Jehovah's
Witnesses actually joined the United Nations a few years back on
some level to get a membership card and access to their UN library,
and then kept it a secret for several years. Of course entering in
to this kind of shocking relationship with the wild beast of
Revelation would no doubt cause many witnesses to leave the
organization immediately. Is it true that you people were a part of
the UN until it was reported in the newspaper and then you quickly
withdrew your membership?
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
This is also a bit of a toughy, given our strong stance on not
having anything to do with this old world, especially the UN which
is actually set up in opposition to God's Kingdom, however many
pioneers have found success using this approach:
"It's interesting that you bring this up. Jehovah's Witnesses
although separate from the world, must still live in this world.
However, joining the UN as a religious organization for research
purposes is obviously a blatant violation of our stand regarding
the wild beast and image of the wild beast. You can't believe
everything you read in the newspapers. Did you know that the
newspapers are actually under the control of Satan the Devil? Do
you think the Devil would be happy if you thought this were true,
and because of it, decided not to listen to Jehovah's Witnesses
when they came to your door? Of course Satan would be happy. Do
you want to make Satan happy?"
3)OBJECTION:
I heard that when Jehovah's Witnesses were pointing to the year
1914 as the end of the world and the end of the Gentile Times that
Pastor Russell was convinced of the prophecy because of the
measurements of certain passage ways in the Great Pyramid. I find
this really weird. Is this true?
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
Well, this of course, is true, and is outlined in great detail in
Watchtower publications in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
However, it is nothing to be ashamed of, and it could be very
effective to say something like this:
"Well the Great Pyramids were certainly an ancient marvel and many
people today cannot figure out how they could have been built with
the technology of the time. It is quite likely that God himself
had a hand in assisting in the construction of these great marvels
of engineering and if so, then wouldn't it be fitting that he hide
within the pyramid's internal measurements some clues as to the end
of the world in 1914?"
4)OBJECTION:
I was doing some research about Jehovah's Witnesses and I came
across some newspaper articles from San Diego that covered in great
detail an account about a house called Beth Sarin. In the newspaper
article, Judge Rutherford, the President of the Watchtower Society
at the time, and of course part of the faithful and discreet slave,
was quoted several times talking about how King David, and others
like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were going to be resurrected
sometime in the 1930's and would take up residence at Beth Sarin.
They even deeded the house to King David, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
A copy of the deed is a matter of public record. It was interesting
news in San Diego, and JWs living in the US at the time were well
acquainted with this important teaching. At any rate, the place
needed to be first class so that David, Abraham and the others
would be comfortable. Judge Rutherford would live there until they
claimed it. He would also drive two very expensive cars (16
cylinder Cadillacs) during the depression. Is this true?
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
Well, again this is a very tough one. We have taught a very
different and very vague version of these events in the Proclaimers
book, so you won't find the real story there. Anyone who takes the
time to look up the public records of the day will indeed discover
that this was true, and was in fact a very embarrassing chapter in
our history in and around the time we adopted the name Jehovah's
Witnesses in 1931.
However, you could try something like this:
"Just because WE THOUGHT the Ancient Worthies would appear in San
Diego after the Resurrection doesn't make us wrong. At the time we
were right. Jehovah only allows us to see the light as we need to
see it. He gives us the food at the proper time. At that time,
the required food involved feeding people this story about David
and Abraham showing up in San Diego. It may sound ridiculous now,
and of course the light has now gotten brighter, but think of all
the intelligent people that were drawn in to the truth because of
the excitement of that hopeful proclamation? Why some of them were
actually the grandparents of many fine JWs today! The same holds
true for many other teachings. Take for example organ transplants.
5)OBJECTION:
I heard that your leaders wouldn't allow the poor JWs in Malawi to
pay a couple dollars for a political party card (there was only one
party in Malawi), and that thousands of them were killed and
tortured because of it. And then at the same time, you allowed the
brothers in Mexico to bribe government officials (or as some claim -
"pay for") to give them a military card that stated that they had
fulfilled their military service obligations. A letter from the
Faithful and Discreet Slave class to the Mexican brothers told them
that this behaviour would be a conscience matter. How could such
hypocrisy, not only be tolerated, but actually promoted by your
faithful and discreet slave class?
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
Well, this is certainly a difficult objection to overcome as well.
It is hard to argue with the logic. It would appear that we had a
double standard, and that we valued the life of the brothers in
Mexico more than the brothers and sisters in Malawi. This of
course would be absurd. We can overcome this objection by saying
something like this:
"Jehovah is not partial. He values all human life. The party card
that needed to be paid for in Malawi would have been investing in
Satan's government. Paying government officials to give you a card
that lied about you having fulfilled military service could be
considered as smart theocratic warfare. Remember, David feigned
insanity on one occasion to deceive his enemies. We too need to be
shrewd, and cautious like serpents when the occasion calls for it.
Quite simply the occasion did not call for it in Malawi, but it did
in Mexico. Is not Jehovah a loving and wise God? He gives us all
we need, especially the spiritual food at the just the right time."
6) OBJECTION: I don't believe in the flood. There is scientific
evidence to prove that it could not have happened. But, besides
that, here is a logic question no one has been able to answer for
me. Why did all the animals indigenous to Australia end up in
Australia after the flood. It was definitely an island continent
way out in the ocean on its own at the time of the flood. Did all
the Kangaroos and Koala Bears make a beeline for the coast and jump
on a raft and sail over there before they had any offspring? If you
say, well Jehovah can do anything, after all he made the sun stand
still, surely he could get all those Kangaroos and Koala Bears over
to Australia using miraculous intervention; I'd then like to ask -
WHY? I don't think getting those animals over there in miraculous
fashion has anything to do with the outworking of his purpose.
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
7) OBJECTION: I read on newsday.com that the WT Bible and Tract
Society was one of the 40 most profitable corporation in New York
with an annually reported revenue of 955,000,000 (955 Million
Dollars).
If it is one of the richest corporations in the U.S.A why do you
need my donation? In fact why do you have trouble paying for
kingdom halls? Shouldn't your headquarters give that money back to
the congregations around the world, instead of storing it up year
after year? I know that they recently had to pay a huge lawsuit to
child molestation victims but surely there is some left over to
forgive kingdom hall loans in poor countries! I also read you just
paid out millions of dollars to victims of child molestors for
damages and to protect the identities of the JW men who were the
abusers. I don't know if I want my donation to go towards paying to
protect child abusers!
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
This one is easy. Turn to Matt 24:45-47 where it mentions the
Faithful and Discreet Slave Class. After reading it, you simply say
"Who are we to question the Faithful and Discreet Slave Class that
Jehovah and Jesus have appointed over their belongings? (It's good
if you look a bit frightened and uneasy that someone is even daring
to question them.) If they want to amass worldly wealth, then
surely there is a good reason for it! If they choose not to take
advantage of the free communication that the Internet provides to
spread the good news of the kingdom, and not to use free
downloaded-able pdf files of their literature - so that the public
can gain access to their printed message with the click of a
button, then who are we to argue? Is not an army of door to door
sales people collecting actual donations a far better way to do it?
We are merely foolish dust when compared to the spokesperson of
God, the faithful and discreet slave class. Don't you see? Wisdom
of the world is foolishness with God! Don't you read your bibles
daily? What you need is a free home bible study! This approach may
just work, so do not hesitate to try it.
8) Objection: You Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jerusalem was
destroyed in 607 BCE and yet modern education clearly teaches that
Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.
607 BCE was when they thought it was destroyed many years ago, but
archaeologists and historians over the last hundred years have all
come to conclude based on the evidence uncovered that Jerusalem was
destroyed in 586 or 587 BCE
I have wondered why Jehovah's Witnesses haven't kept up with recent
historical and archaeological information when it comes to 607 BCE,
but they have accepted and in fact published a lot of information
on historical and archaeological discoveries that pertain to other
matters. Someone told me that it is because JWs use 607 B.C.E. as
a starting point to count out 2,520 years of a prophecy concerning
the end of the gentile times, and that if they changed the starting
point to the correct date of 586 BCE it would render all their
claims about 1914 as meaningless. Is this true?
Overcoming the Objection:
Well, again we have to say that this is a tough objection to
overcome, but we are a very resourceful people and there is always
a way to answer and put a spin on even the most convincing of
evidence. We have had a lot of practise doing this over the years,
and with Jehovah's spirit we can continue to overcome similar
objections! Here is what you can say about this one...
"Just because the encyclopedias and the school systems teach
something does not always make it true. At one point science taught
that blood letting (the practise of bleeding out some of your
blood) improved your health! Also, at one time educators taught the
world was flat! The fact is, you cannot trust the educational
journals of this evil world. (At this point you may want to mention
some other things that are recorded in encyclopedias, and that are
taught in schools, that are obviously wrong). The researchers at
the Watchtower take every precaution to ensure that their research
is accurate and complete before they claim something historical in
connection with any dates, so please be rest assured that the date
607 BCE is indeed the date that Babylon overthrew Jerusalem and
destroyed the city.
9) OBJECTION: Suppose someone asked you this while you were out in
the ministry:
"Do you honestly think a loving God would kill over 6 billion
people, and spare only 6 or 7 million, because they wouldn't serve
him?
Would your conscience allow YOU to do that, if you were the all
powerful creator? If you wouldn't have the heart to kill all those
people, old men and women, babies and young children, do you
honestly think a loving God would? Don't think of people as
worthless trash that can be exterminated in a moment. Think of
your kind neighbour. Think of that helpful kind old man or woman
you see in the park every once in a while feeding the pigeons, or
those cute little innocent boys and girls that play in that nearby
school-yard.
Would you put your hands around their necks and squeeze the life
out them because they (or their parents) wouldn't recognize
you as the supreme being? Because they didn't follow the teachings
of the Watchtower? And would you also make sure that they knew your
name, and why you were killing them just before they took their
last breath, even the young children? If you wouldn't do THAT, do
you really think a loving God would? Honestly."
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION (answering their question):
Someone used this very line of reasoning with me while I was out in
the ministry a while back. When you first consider it, it is a very
sobering thought and quite a thought provoking question. After all,
how could little old me have higher standards or better morals than
the Creator? It just doesn't make sense. But then after a few
minutes, after you give your head a shake and start remembering all
the different WT articles and talks we have heard, your brain
slowly comes back to normal and you begin to realize that such a
mass murderous spree on the part of Jehovah, Jesus and the heavenly
forces is perfectly fine and justified, and in fact it is really
the only way to solve all our problems. Isn't it?
So once you fight through this clever attempt to damage your faith
and hope in the Great Battle of Armageddon, you simply say
something like this;
"First of all let me commend on your question. It shows that you
are a thinking person who cares about people, and those are the
kinds of people we are talking to today. Although on the surface it
seems like a severe step to take, especially when you consider all
the young ones and the people who don't even believe in God, but
when you consider the sacredness of God's name, how holy it is, and
how deserving he is of our worship, then you begin to realize how
justified Jehovah-God will be in carrying out this great massive
execution of mankind. (Show them a picture from one of the
publications depicting Armageddon, with people screaming and cars
being overturned etc etc, and shake your head and look sad) Never
before in man's history will there be anything to compare to
Armageddon. If you took all the deaths in all the world wars, and
in fact every war in man's history you would only b reaching a
fraction of the carnage that will occur on this magnificent day.
Turn to Zephaniah 2:3 and read {seek Jehovah, all YOU meek ones of
the earth, who have practised His own judicial decision. Seek
righteousness, seek meekness. Probably YOU may be concealed in the
day of Jehovah's anger.} This should do the trick.
Be sure and offer a free home bible study or to help out with any
chores around the house to show you really care.
10) I just heard on the news that Jehovah's Witnesses settled 16
different lawsuits against them for protecting child molesters.
They paid out millions of dollars to the victims and paid extra for
a gag order to protect the identities of the elders and ministerial
servants who turned out to be child abusers. They are selling some
of their buildings to help pay for these lawsuits. If this is true,
it doesn't look very good on the JWs. I heard that the Catholic
Church promised two years ago that it would never make a gag order
a condition of any lawsuits, thereby recognizing that it would be
immoral to pay out money in order reduce bad publicity and prevent
the victims for talking about who molested them and revealing any
other important details that may protect other children in the
future. Why would the Catholic Church take the high road and the
JWs be so protective of child molesters, while silencing the
victims to avoid bad publicity?
I find this very offensive, and quite simply morally wrong. As a
JW, what do you say about this?
OVERCOMING THE OBJECTION:
With this one it is probably best to apologize and say that not all
Jehovah's Witnesses agree with WT policy on how they handle Child
Molestation cases, or how they insist on enforcing the bible rule
of needing to have two eye witnesses to prove child molestation
took place. You could say, "many JWs as individuals are very good
people, and that just because the WT has policies that hurt people,
like the ones on blood transfusions, shunning and
disfellowshipping, and creating a safe haven for child molesters,
that they should not automatically assume that all JWs are bad
people. You could mention many of the good things like not being
racially prejudice, at least not lately, and having a worldwide
brotherhood.
We get a lot of other objections in the ministry too, but there is
always something that can be said to encourage honest hearted ones
to rethink their positions. If you would like more tips on how to
be more effective in the service please let me know, and I will
send you more suggestions on how to overcome the real tough
objections. But please remember, these suggestions are not from
the Reasoning Book or from the Kingdom Ministry, so if you are
unsure about how to use any of them in the field, be sure to review
the tip you are wondering about with your Congregation Book Study
Overseer for further advice, or with another publisher whom you
consider to be intelligent and open minded.
Take care friends!