Should JW's be trying to convert others to their faith?

by Rod P 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  Rod P

  If you think about it, what happens if one of the persons in a marriage gets converted to the JW religion, while the other one chooses not to believe? Or the husband is at work, and the wife gets to meet the JW at the door, has bible studies with them, gets converted, and then the husband wakes up one day and finds he is living with a JW mate. What happens if a JW couple is out in the field service, and one gets converted to another religion, precisely as a result of doing the kingdom field service work.

  In all of these instances, it results in a religiously divided home. Isn't that right? Shouldn't the JW's be leaving well enough alone? (And the Mormons for that matter? And all those other missionaries from all those other churches who go off to Africa and the Orient to preach and convert?)

  What do you think?

  Rod P.
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  carla

  I know they should have left my marriage alone! I wonder just how many marriages have been destroyed or at the minimum seriously compromised because of this cult. Everyday I find more people in the same boat as myself. Just heartbreaking. carla
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  Sith

  No offense, dude. Where have you been? have you read anything here? That's what 99% of these posts are about
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  darkuncle29

  I don't see why ANY group--religious, political, academic, scientific--should go out and activly recruit new followers. IF the ideas and beliefs of the group were valid and of benefit, people would naturally be drawn to them. Then there is "organizing"; why can't people just be of like mind and leave it at that.

  DU--Not interested in any beliefs that are FOR SALE.
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  luna2

  Most religions think they are teaching truth...or at least they start out that way....and are interested in gaining converts. I don't know if there are rules in any of them about refusing to let someone join because it might cause friction in their marriage.

  All well-meaning dubs truly feel they are saving lives. What's a little marital disord when lives are at stake? Hey, maybe the newly converted one will be able to bring his/her whole family in, thereby saving them all! They think they are performing a service, doncha know.
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  Rod P

  Sith,

  With respect, that is NOT what 99% of these posts are about. They are about broken marriages and doctrinal issues and behavioral and treatment problems, but that does not necessarily address the question of whether or not they should even have gone out preaching in the first place.

  The reason the JW's go door to door, and I know you know this, and so does pretty well everyone else on this forum, is about the New Testament injunction to go forth amongst all nations, kindred, tongues and peoples and preach the good news about the gospel. Therefore, they absolutely believe they are doing the right thing in obeying the Bible.

  My question is, that notwithstanding what it says in the Bible, should they be trying to preach and convert in the first place, because of what it leads to- all the heartaches we read about in so many of these posts.

  To say they should not be doing this, is like saying the Bible is wrong, and they should stop. To say that they should is to continue generating and perpetuating so much misery and heartache. So the answer to the question is not as obvious as you might think!

  I met a Protestant minister once who told me it was wrong to preach to the converted- those who already believe in Jesus Christ. It implies that you look upon them as Not Christian, and so you feel the need to convert them to JC. To them, that is an insult. But it's OK to preach to the Heathen, and those who have never heard of the Gospel. That's different.

  How many JW's have been influential in bringing people into their fold from other religions professing belief in J.C.? I would venture to say, probably the majority.

  Rod P.
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  Preston

  Unfortunately, the approach that they employ is all wrong.

  It takes some balls to call the entire cannon of one's own religious beliefs "the truth" thus preventing any hint of any sort of open dialogue about the Bible with anyone. If they were open to the idea that....oh...I don't know ... that maybe a select and "special" group of elevated people might not be capitalizing on going to heaven..then maybe that will get them somewhere...but as it stands they want to change you...or else...

  - Preston
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  nicholas

  Well,

  As far as proselytizing goes, it's true that the word of G-d through Y'shua had been said we are to spread His words throughout the world; but I have not yet recalled a time when He commanded the disciples/apostles/saints to create a specific grouping of people and have them abide under the rule of elders, etc. He did give His disciples authority over demons, to do healings, and even made mention of princes of the Gentiles to execute authority(Matthew 20:25-28)... authority under a specified creed however:

  26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

  27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

  28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

  Didn't he try to get people to avoid the tradition of the elders?

  Even when Y'shua had made mention of the "church" being built... Matthew 16: 18-19 "18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
  19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.", the reference is put into context of Heaven against hell... knowing that he must die and be resurrected, so that the world might be saved through Him.

  The prophet Isaiah had wrote in chapter 66, verse 1-2 "1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
  2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.", the almost exact quoting was written in Acts 7: 47-51

  "47 But Solomon built him an house.
  48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
  49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
  50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
  51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did , so do ye."

  Resisting the Holy Ghost!? What does the Holy Ghost have to do with it all... John 14:26 & Likewise Hebrews 10:15-18. All of which, under the circumstances, require our obedience to the same commandments Y'shua had given us to hang all the law and prophets on...

  Matthew 22:37-40

  John 14:26 "26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

  Hebrews 10:15-18 "15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
  16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
  17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
  18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin."

  *Note: Please, if you really wanted to understand the completeness of that covenant... read through the rest of that Chapter in Hebrews.
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  Amazing1914

  Preaching to gain converts is a main feature of the JW belief system. So, those JWs who truly believe the religion should be preaching. This would equally apply to any group. Thier preaching is not the problem, rather it is "what they preach" that causes serious difficulty. - Jim W.
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  Honesty

  I met a Protestant minister once who told me it was wrong to preach to the converted- those who already believe in Jesus Christ. It implies that you look upon them as Not Christian, and so you feel the need to convert them to JC. To them, that is an insult. But it's OK to preach to the Heathen, and those who have never heard of the Gospel. That's different. How many JW's have been influential in bringing people into their fold from other religions professing belief in J.C.? I would venture to say, probably the majority. Rod P.

  The JW's don't believe in Jesus. They claim to put faith in Him but the reality is they put faith in a religious organisation. The WTBTS will disfellowship a JW who publicly admits that he/she puts faith in Jesus and Jesus alone. The JW's are not a Christian religion no matter how many claims they make or how spic-n-span they look with those pasted on smiles. All you active JW's out there need to take a hard look at the WTBTS's teachings. Don't believe the WTBTS will DF you for putting faith in Jesus instead of their organisation? An examination of the March 1, 1979 WT will confirm where you are required to put your faith. An objective study of their literature shows that your hopes and dreams and faith and unquestioning loyalty should be in the WTBTS as represented by the Governing Body of JW's. If you disagree they will say, "Where else can you go?". JW's, you don't have to go anywhere. It is whom you go to for salvation thet is going to determine your eternal destiny. Put your faith in the WTBTS and die spiritually. Put your faith in Jesus and receive the Free Gift of everlasting life.