A few months back a pair of Jehovah Witnesses came to my door. I invited them in and we had a very pleasant conversation. I was enjoying the points they brought up because it made me research and study my faith on a deeper level. They came a second time and again, had a great conversation. It was interesting seeing how a simple scripture can be interpreted in a completely different way. I am so thankful for the restoration and how it has cleared so many things up! However, they came a third time and I almost felt attacked.
I could handle the little comments about how they "only study the word of God, not the Book of Mormon that Joseph Smith wrote" (which I totally corrected on the spot), but this time they crossed the line when they actually printed out discrepancies between the Book of Mormon and the Bible which therefore voids the validity of the Book of Mormon. Discrepancies that don't even make sense! The problem is, I don't know the scriptures well enough to compete with the knowledge they have of the Bible. They know everything about the Bible. I am envious. This has really motivated me to get to know the scriptures more, but is it healthy to keep having them come here? I'm afraid that I will keep looking like an idiot and giving the church a bad name. For example, they don't believe in pre-mortal existence or a spirit world after death. We do. So, they bring up bible scriptures like Ecclesiastes 9:5 and Psalm 146:4 that I have no clue how to explain except with the Book of Mormon which they don't believe in. Now I look like an idiot and they think they have caught me in a religious discrepancy. I know there has to be an explanation here, but I don't know what it is.
Obviously, we can't even get to common ground...so this is going nowhere. Now what? If I tell them to stop coming then I look like they I'm asking them to stop coming because I don't want to be proven wrong anymore. I've bore my testimony over and over, but that's all mumbo jumbo to them I think. Where do I go from here?
Bria Playing Dress Up
1 year ago
5 comments:
I have had a similar experience, which my husband thought I was crazy. I had jehovah's witnesses come to my house a couple times. I was very polite and listened to what they had to say and put my two cents in here and there. I did not mention I was LDS. Todd got tired of me talking to them because I wasn't going to change what they believe and visa versa. So the third time they came over i told them that I have a strong testimony in my church, the LDS church, and that I appreciate them sharing their beliefs with me but it is not what I believe and that I am happy with the LDS religion. They have not stopped by again.
It might be different around here. If you mention your are LDS they will leave you alone faster then you can blink. We even stopped getting their anti-mormon newspaper on our front doorstep every now and then.
The way I feel is that they are nice people but I did get an uneasy feeling every time I talked to them and I didn't want that around anymore.
I don't think you look like an idiot at all. But I understand how you feel because I would feel the same way. It seems like they study the scriptures so they can prove people wrong instead of trying to prove what they believe is right.
You have bore your testimony and I think that is all you can do.
Good luck!
In a very small degree I can understand your situation. I had this girl from a baptism church stop by our door several times. I never invited her in because I was the only one home and I just don't like to do that with people I don't know. She also appeared to know the bible very well. There was a few scriptures she quoted and we would talk about it but she also would take the meaning somewhere else. I would try to point out another scripture in the bible that corrected what she said and she would get mad and say that those kinds of scripture references didn't count. So pretty much there was no way that she was even willing to listen to my side. I think with your situation you have done the correct thing in bearing your testimony. I also think that since they are not willing to listen and try to understand your believe that you need to send them on there way. Now, don't think that you don't know the scriptures because you do! The people that go door to door are taught/instructed to say certain ones (reason why they quote them so well). I'm sure you also have a few favorite scriptues that you know well in The Book of Mormon too. Just be strong and I'll pray that everything works out well for you.
I went with the missionaries once to help teach this guy, but he didn't want to be taught. He just wanted to Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith bash. There is no teaching this people. All you can do is bear your testimony and give them a Book of Mormon and hope that someday their hearts will be softened. I wouldn't invite them back. You've done all you should and could! I know what you mean though about wanting to know more about the scriptures. When I was teaching that guy, I wished I had the entire BOM memorized!! Don't feel like an idiot...you did good! :)
Don't feel stupid. I think you did more than I would ever do. I have a friend in Fl who LOVED talking to the JW's. She is a member of the LDS church and served a mission so she has that experience behind her but she talks to them all the time and she goes to their church and really keeps in contact with them. She is braver then me and so are you! I agree with the others, you have shared your testimony of what you believe and that is all you need to do. don't get discouraged cause that is what satan wants you to feel..
It's hard to teach someone if they are not in a learning frame of mind. I'm the same way and it's frustrating to not be able to immediately reference the scriptures you need. Two recommendations: read "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder." It was one of the main books missionaries had to read for their mission. AND... schedule a time when your LDS missionaries can be there at the same time as your JW folks. Then you'll most likely end up agreeing to disagree and going separate ways.
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