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The following is from Approaching Jehovah's Witnesses in Love by Wilbur Lingle, ppg 33, 34. I highly recommend it to all who are serious about learning how to witness to the Witnesses in a meaningful way so as to bring them into the Kingdom of God. It is published by CLC; Christian Literature Crusade in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania 19034. Mr. Lingle can be reached by phone @ (732)350-0735 in case you cannot find the book in your local Christian bookstore.
1. CULTS REJECT ALL PARADOXES OF SCRIPTURE.
Whenever a cultist encounters concepts in Scripture that seem to contradict each other, he accepts only one concept and rejects the other. Examples of such concepts are: Jesus as both God and man, divine election and human free will, the mercy and wrath of God, and God's ability to be localized though omnipresent.
2. CULTS REJECT ANYTHING THEY CANNOT EXPLAIN.
For example, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, hell, and the immortality of the soul.
3. CULTS USE THE BIBLE--PLUS!
Cults give other books equal authority with the Bible. These writings become the true basis for their beliefs. Jehovah's Witnesses use the Watchtower magazine and other Watchtower publications. They say that the only way the Bible can be understood is through their leaders' interpretation.
4. CULTS RECOGNIZE A MAN OR GROUP AS HAVING ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY.
If a cultist fails to acknowledge the complete authority of his leaders, he is thrown out of the group. The leaders do not want anyone to question what they have to say.
5. CULTS DENY SALVATION BY FAITH ALONE.
Cultists do not believe that a person can be saved by simple faith in Christ. They substitute a system of works which involves total subjection to the rules and regulations of the organization.
6. CULT LEADERS DO NOT WANT THEIR FOLLOWERS TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES.
The leaders realize that if their followers read sound biblical literature or converse with outsiders who know the facts about their organization, the followers will begin to question what they have been taught. Therefore, the followers are forbidden to read such "apostate" literature or to talk to knowledgeable people.
7. CULTISTS MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO LEAVE THE ORGANIZATION.
Many members remain in a cult out of fear, having been told that the devil will take control of them if they stray. If a member will not submit to the organization or desires to leave, for whatever reason, he is disfellowshipped. Disfellowshipping cuts the person off from all contact with anyone still in the organization--even family members. Because a cultist rarely develops deep friendships outside the organization, disfellowshipping results in social and spiritual isolation.
The Jehovah's witnesses consider disfellowshipping to be God's severest punishment. To a Jehovah's Witness, begin disfellowshipped means that he will be annihilated at the time of death--will cease to have conscious existence--and will not be resurrected in the future with the rest of mankind.
Witnessing to a Jehovah's Witness is never easy, but we need to remember that he or she has an eternal soul and is lost without Christ.
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Earnestly contending for the Faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
