CONVERSATION WITH A CULTIST AT THE DOOR

CONVERSATION WITH A CULTIST AT THE DOOR
As I stepped out of the house I saw that two ladies were coming toward the door. I looked quickly to see what they were carrying (to confirm my suspicion). Sure enough, they carried a "Bible" and some paper booklets.

Me) "hello."

#1) "Looks like you are heading out."

Me) "Yes I am... out, up. Can i help you?"

#2) "We are visiting and offering Bible material."

Me) "Who are you with?" (so there would be no mistake).

#1) "We are Jehovah's Witnesses."

Me) "Oh, you are those people who believe the Bible?"

#1) "Yes we are" (with a big smile).

Me) "So, you believe everything the Bible says?"

#1 and #2) "Yes we do."

Me) "So, if the Bible says that Jesus raised Himself from the dead physically, you will believe it."

#1) "If the Bible says it, we believe it" (quickly adding) "but no, we don't believe that Jesus raised himself from the dead."

Me) "So you won't believe it if the Bible says it?" (musing on why she did not deny the physical resurrection of Jesus, Hmmm?)

#1) "Yes we believe it, but the Bible does not say that. He did not raise himself."

Me) "But if the Bible does say it, if I can show you that the Bible says it, you will believe it, right?"

#1) (more hemming and hawing). Finally agreeing.

Me) "May I use your Bible." (she handed me her "New World Translation.") I ask, "So do you believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus?" (While I am turning to John 2, she informs me...)

#1) "Yes, but he did not raise himself."

Me), (strange indeed, since JW's do not believe in the physical resurrection of Christ.) I then read, as she read along with me...
"John 2:18-19
(18) Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
(19) Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

Me again) "Right here is says that Jesus would raise this temple in three days." I then ask, "What temple was he talking about?"

#1) She stumbled for an answer and finally said the temple in Jerusalem.

Me) I told them "No, the temple He would raise in three days was His body. The Jews thought He was talking about the temple in Jerusalem, but He was talking about the temple of His body" so I read some more.
John 2:20
(20) Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

#1) (very emphatically) "See, it was the temple building in Jerusalem!"

Me) "No, that is what the Jews said, but..." (interrupted in mid thought)

#1) "No, the Bible says it was the temple building in Jerusalem."

Me) "Just look at the rest of the passage."
John 2:21-22
(21) But he spake of the temple of his body.
(22) When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Me again) "See, it was not the temple building in Jerusalem, it was His own physical body that He was talking about."

#1), (more stumbling around) "God raised him."

Me) "Yes He did, but Jesus said He would raise Himself. This is because Jesus is God."

#1) (More arguing that it was God, while I continued to bring her back to the passage. I also had to explain that the JW position is that the physical body of Jesus was not raised, but rather, the JWs believe Jesus manifested a body, looking like resurrection.) She asked, "if it was not a physical resurrection, then what kind was it?" (I quickly and emphatically agreed with her, and then I told her that she was not being taught JW beliefs concerning the resurrection).

Me) "You believe there is only one God, right?"

#1) "Yes."

Me) "So do I, but I believe that there is One God, Who is three different persons."

#1) (All kinds of sputtering at this point.)

Me) "Look in your Bible."
John 1:1
(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God. (this should read... and the Word was God.")

#1) (She spoke up and said that Jesus is the word.)

Me again) "Your Bible says "... and the word (Jesus) was A god. Therefore your Bible teaches that there is more than one God. However, in the original, it is not "a god" but God. In other words, ... and the Word was God."

#1) "But even the devil is called a god."

Me) So you believe that Jesus is the same kind of god that the devil is?"

#1) "No, but Jesus is not God, he is the son of God."

Me) "There are passages in the Old Testament which refer to Jehovah God, and then those same verses in the New Testament are applied to Jesus, because Jesus is God. This is why Jesus said He would raise Himself from the dead physically, because He is God. Now tell me, who did Jesus say would raise Him from the dead?"

#1) "God."

Me) "But what does the Bible say?" (she haltingly agreed, Jesus). (I point out that I am glad she believes in the physical resurrection of Jesus, but that is not what the JWs teach, and she boldly announces that they do.) I said, "No, they don't. someone has not told you the truth about JW teaching." (I then challenged her to ask one of her leaders, but she informed me that they do not have leaders.) I said, "sure you do." (she persisted. I could see that she was about to make an exit, so I spoke quickly.) "Ask the Non Leaders of your Kingdom Hall if Jesus was raised from the dead physically, and if they tell you NO, then I want you to come back and tell me."

#1) (snidely she asked,) "What it they tell me he was raised from the dead physically, do you want me to come back and tell you then?"

Me) "Absolutely. Come back and tell me. But remember, Jesus raised Himself from the dead and He rose again physically."

I tried to get her to realize that the JWs teach against Christ raising Himself, though the Bible says otherwise, and I tried to get her to realize that JWs deny the physical resurrection of Jesus.