When They Come To Your Door
===========================

    Jesus warned his disciples not to speculate about the time of 
his return (Acts 1:7) nor to believe in another gospel (Gal. 1:6-
7), for such a different gospel would lead away from God.  ÿTo be 
blessed ÿone had to believe in and witness to the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ (Acts 1:8, Rom. 10:8-15). 
    In spite of these clear statements, ÿCharles T. ÿRussell ÿset 
out ÿin ÿ1876 ÿto preach another gospel.  ÿWith it he ÿspeculated 
about ÿthe ÿfuture and set 1914 ÿas the date for the end ÿof ÿthe 
word.  ÿHe developed new doctrinal  statements:  ÿno Trinity; ÿno 
deity ÿof Christ; ÿand, ÿin the place of hope, ÿArmageddon ÿdoom.  
Three ÿtimes in 90 ÿyears, ÿJehovah's Witnesses (as his followers 
are now called) ÿhave had to change their gospel.  ÿThey preach a 
tale of woe! 
    Going from door to door, ÿthey will be coming to see you very 
soon.  ÿÿÿThis ÿis ÿtheir ÿway ÿof ÿworship--selling ÿbooks ÿÿand 
perpetuating a protection notion.  ÿIn their endeavor to sell you 
their books they are sincere--but I must add, "sincerely wrong." 
    Whey you see the Jehovah's Witnesses, ÿChristian, ÿremember a 
few ÿvery ÿimportant ÿDON'Ts.  ÿDo not argue ÿreligion ÿwith ÿthe 
Witness, ÿfor his doctrines are built upon a misuse of the Bible.  
Texts ÿand passages torn out of the Bible are used like ÿbuilding 
blocks to back up false conclusions. 
    Another ÿDON'T ÿis ÿnot ÿto engage in ÿa ÿconversation ÿabout 
present events with the Jehovah's Witness.  ÿDON'T buy literature 
or accept anything free from him. 
    With ÿthese DON'Ts clearly etched into your ÿmind, ÿÿrejoice!  
You have never had it so easy.  ÿHere is a whole missionary field 
walking right up to your door.  Make the most of it! 
    Be ÿcourteous ÿto the JW--let him continue ÿhis ÿpresentation 
without interruption on your part.  But also, as the Witness from 
time ÿto ÿtime asks you leading questions, ÿDO NOT ÿanswer ÿthem.  
These ÿprobes by the JW are to discover whether you are a ÿperson 
who has fear about the troubles in the world; ÿor whether you are 
a ÿperson ÿwho is lonely; ÿor whether you are a ÿperson ÿwho ÿhas 
gripes against the establishment.  ÿIf you so much as give a hint 
of ÿsuch ÿattitudes, ÿÿyou ÿare immediately ÿcatagorized ÿby ÿthe 
Jehovah's Witness, and he will latch onto you and you will not be 
able to do him any good. 
    Wait ÿthe ÿWitness out, ÿtherefore, ÿwithout allowing him ÿto 
categorize ÿor ÿclassify ÿyou.  ÿFinally, ÿwhen ÿhe ÿis ÿthrough.  
Promptly ÿforget what he has said.  ÿBegin something of your own.  
Tell ÿhim ÿwhat ÿthe ÿLord Jesus means to you:  ÿÿgive ÿhim ÿyour 
testimony.  Make it short and sweet, but say it with enthusiasm. 
    Then ask the JW to give you his testimony.  This will nonplus 
him--he cannot speak of the grace of God in Christ Jesus.  ÿPress 
on, ÿsaying, "Surely you must have experienced common grace, ÿfor 
God does let his sun shine over the just and the unjust." 
    Should ÿyou ÿsucceed ÿin getting the Witness to ÿgive ÿyou ÿa 
testimony, ÿyou have gotten him off his track--things are looking 
up.  ÿÿWalk ÿinto this opportunity by sitting down with ÿhim ÿand 
reading two chapters of the Gospel according to John.  If you are 
able to do this, invite him back for further readings. 
    However, ÿÿmost JW's will not give you a testimony ÿand ÿwill 
leave.  ÿÿDo not be dismayed, ÿbut as the door closes pray to the 
Holy Spirit asking him to take over. 
    Your ÿprayer may bring the Witness back.  ÿThis time he ÿwill 
want ÿto recite for you a whole list of Bible passages.  ÿDo ÿnot 
let him do that!  Ask for him to wait as you get your Bible. 
    With ÿyour ÿBible ÿin your hand ask, ÿ"Can I have ÿthe ÿfirst 
passage?"  Reluctantly he will give it to you.  Look it up, ÿread 
it, ÿÿbut also read the contest--the verses surrounding it.  ÿHow 
that ÿchanges ÿthe ÿmeaning of the passage!  ÿAsk for ÿa ÿsecond, 
third, ÿand perhaps fourth passage and treat them in like manner.  
That is about all you will get.  ÿBut this way you have used ÿthe 
Word of God as it is. 
    You see, ÿour two most effective weapons are the testimony of 
Jesus ÿand the Word of God.  ÿUse them in this way and you cannot 
lose. 

    The ÿabove ÿtext was from an old xerox copy I had ÿthat ÿcame 
from ÿa ÿbook ÿwritten by an ex-JW.  ÿI ÿdon't ÿknow ÿeither ÿthe 
author's ÿor the book's name.  ÿIt may be helpful to some one who 
might want to know what to say to a JW. Or in developing a future 
text file concerning JW's.  Please bear in mind that it is from a 
copyrighted ÿ(c) ÿÿbook, ÿÿand I am only submitting ÿit ÿto ÿhelp 
develope future public domain files. 

Stephen Bresnahan, Crossroads BBS, Safety Harbor, FL, (813) ÿ725-
4452