PART ONE: Scriptural Support for Disrespecting the WTS
My detailed arguments for the scriptural justification for active confrontation with Jehovah’s Witnesses come from several examples in the Bible.
The first I could think of was the well-known example of Elijah insulting and confronting the worshippers of Baal way back when. The account is found in the Bible at 1 Kings chapter 18, and two verses are quoted here for quick reference from the Revised Standard Bible:
And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Ba'al from morning until noon, saying, "O Ba'al, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped about the altar which they had made.
And at noon Eli'jah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." (it showed be noted that Elijah is saying Baal has gone out to take a bowel movement here, thus showing his level of disrespect for the worshippers of Baal.)
John the Baptizer called the Pharisees and Sadducees "offspring of vipers." (Mt 3:7; Lu 3:7) And Jesus Christ called the scribes and Pharisees "offspring of vipers" because of their wickedness and the deadly spiritual harm they could inflict upon unsuspecting persons.—Mt 12:34; 23:33. It should be noted that Jesus and John did not mince words here. Snakes were probably the equivalent of “mother fuckers” back in those days and it was likely that this was a real insult.
Here are a few more scriptures you might find interesting to read:
*** Rbi8 Matthew 3:7-8 ***
7 When he caught sight of many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the baptism, he said to them: "YOU offspring of vipers, who has intimated to YOU to flee from the coming wrath? 8 So then produce fruit that befits repentance;
*** Rbi8 Matthew 12:33-37 ***
33 "Either YOU people make the tree fine and its fruit fine or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten; for by its fruit the tree is known. 34 Offspring of vipers, how can YOU speak good things, when YOU are wicked? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man out of his good treasure sends out good things, whereas the wicked man out of his wicked treasure sends out wicked things. 36 I tell YOU that every unprofitable saying that men speak, they will render an account concerning it on Judgment Day; 37 for by your words you will be declared righteous, and by your words you will be condemned."
*** Rbi8 Luke 3:7-9 ***
7 Therefore he began to say to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: "YOU offspring of vipers, who has intimated to YOU to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruits that befit repentance. And do not start saying within yourselves, ‘As a father we have Abraham.’ For I say to YOU that God has power to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 Indeed, the ax is already in position at the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, not producing fine fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire."
Does it look like respect was being shown here for “the bad guys?” Was the confrontation indirect, subtle and gentle?
I would also like to submit one last scriptural reference here from a surprise witness, Clash City Rockers who posted in this thread:
The question is by what standard are we and how we are to be respectful. 1 Peter 3:16 tells us to do our apoligetics with respect and meekness but 2 Cor 10:4,5 gives us a commission to be dillagent in our polemics to intellectually distroy any argument against the Lordship of Christ.
By the Witnesses failure to have any resemblance to anything close to a true religion, these very words encourage us to mock and pity them.
Prosecution rests on this point and runs off to make popcorn.
Skipper
