Friday, April 30, 2010

The OAJWL Returns!

Yes, the One-Armed Jehovah's Witness Lady came back today! We recall that her friend had come in her stead on Saturday to discuss the Jesus booklet with me, and Paul had asked her to ask the OAJWL not to return.

But today she returned, with another friend who was obviously not in training but a very persuasive Witness. They hinted that they knew which way the wind was blowing but came anyhow, probably wanting to reach out to this poor abused woman whose big harsh husband tries to isolate her from outside influences.

One-Arm reached in her purse for her trusty little booklet and started in on her gentle hypnotic spiel, but I, mentally strapping on my sword and shield, interrupted her. I'm afraid we need to part ways, I said. I don't mean to be unkind or to disparage them, but the booklet about Jesus was very troubling. It made it sound like Jesus wasn't much more than a nice guy, and I am not going to participate in anything that minimizes who he was. Someday every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord.

Doesn't that sound brave and articulate?

Well. She gently opened the spigot and flowed forth with lots of things about Jesus that we agree on, that he was the Son of God, that God spoke audibly and said This is my beloved Son when he was baptized.

But, I said, he was not Michael the archangel in human form. Jesus accepted worship, and the angels never did.

More gentle flowing words that I couldn't rebut.

When it comes down to it, who of us can explain how God can have a son who is not a created being, why Jesus always submitted to the Father's will and yet was Deity, how things actually work in heavenly realms? I am terrible at arguing theology as we all know, but I told her that I had a bad feeling in my spirit about the booklet, [and you can't argue about a bad feeling], and Jesus is the rock we split on.

So we parted on friendly but firm terms and she said they wouldn't be back, and after they were gone I realized I had completely forgotten to ask her what happened to her arm.

You know, in spite of our differences, I would have been her friend if she would have let me.

Quote of the Day:
As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
--Romans 9:33 (NIV)

4 comments:

  1. I have a non-Christian friend who has said to me, "I wish I had your faith." That has made me think a lot lately about where faith comes from.

    She has plenty of "faith". I mean, if Al Gore says he invented the interent, then by golly, he did. isn't that faith?

    I think "faith" starts out as an itty bitty choice that we make to believe something when there is no "proof"--for example, that Jesus died so our sins could be wiped away and our names written in the book of life. And then we are faced in life with bigger choices, to believe or not to believe, and our choices are confirmed by the outcomes, or they are not, and then we again have to decide what to believe. (For example, I lost my baby. God could have healed him, but He didn't. Does God REALLY love me?)

    I think our "faith" is built little by little, brick by brick, by our everyday decisions about what we believe. It's important we choose carefully what to believe.

    Hebrews 1
    In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

    5For to which of the angels did God ever say,
    "You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father[a]"[b]? Or again,
    "I will be his Father,
    and he will be my Son"[c]? 6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
    "Let all God's angels worship him."[d] 7In speaking of the angels he says,
    "He makes his angels winds,
    his servants flames of fire."[e] 8But about the Son he says,
    "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
    and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.
    9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
    by anointing you with the oil of joy."[f] 10He also says,
    "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
    11They will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
    12You will roll them up like a robe;
    like a garment they will be changed.
    But you remain the same,
    and your years will never end."[g] 13To which of the angels did God ever say,
    "Sit at my right hand
    until I make your enemies
    a footstool for your feet"[h]? 14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

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  2. And you know what, You might still be able to be her friend. We have several friends/customers, that are JW's and we asked them why they have never pushed their material on us. And their reply was "that is something we only do when we go witnessing. Once we have done our time each month of going door to door, then we can get back to normal life."

    They actually like us and admire our faith and families. So the door may open up for you to touch her heart someday, but it won't be when she knocks on her door, it more likely will be when you bump into her on her turf.

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  3. I wonder what would happen if my church was as zealous as the JW's...We would probably need a bigger church house!!!

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  4. A couple months ago while Emz was here we had a visit by some JW's - she listened to the heated discussion with great interest. She did her reading after on ideas and difference - ask her about it all!

    My experience is: #1 - stay in the Bible. Don't go for any pamphlets and outside books. Just muddies everything. Offer to look at the Bible alone. They have just never heard a good biblical study on Jesus and his Attirbutes, and require great patience to teach and show.

    Best material I have read on Jesus and who He is is the book "Putting Jesus in his Place: the case for the deity of Christ." Available on Amazon. I'd buy one for every JW I met (if they would only take it and read it...)

    But, pick one point, and deal with it the next time they come by.

    Be ready to give an answer to every man that asks...

    B.I.L Rod

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