www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Please help with an apologetic question.

Hello sisters and brothers in Christ,

I am very new to this forum and I am considering embracing the Byzantine Catholic faith. Some of you have already read my story. Briefly I was raised Roman Catholic but never practiced until I was challenged by my protestant brother. I started learning more and more thanks to apologetics. Now he�s also considering becoming a Catholic but a Byzantine Catholic. I am Hispanic, born in Texas and raised in Mexico, believe it or not, English is my second language. I know several Jehovah Witnesses and I have been learning more and more about their twisted belief. They are taking Catholic souls by the 1000�s, unfortunately the ones that are following the sect are Hispanics in the USA and in Latin America and 90% are Catholics. I found out not too long ago that the way they first get persuaded is by attacking our veneration to the Saints and the Virgin Mary, as you know Our Lady of Guadalupe is not only a belief but is also part of the Mexican culture. They make them conscious of our indigenous ancestry and that way they can accuse us of having mixed paganism with Christianity. They say that the apostles did not celebrate the birth of Jesus at all (which is one of the reasons for not celebrating birthdays) and that we as Catholic Christians have become commercialized and forgotten the meaning of Christmas. See; in Mexico and other parts of Latin America people have festivities before and after Christmas, singing, pi�atas, pilgrimage, and other traditions that can easily be compared to pagan practices. I know that we all can be distracted by the presents, lights and decorations of the holiday, but this is only individual. How can this people attack Hispanic Catholics for practicing this way? If any one knows how the early church practiced the birth of Jesus Christ or any book that I can read, please let me know. I need to educate my people and make them aware of the differences. I feel that my call of evangelization is to prepare and educate other Catholics like me that know nothing of our faith. I participate in a Catholic Forum in Spanish and the attacks of the Jehovah Witnesses are unreal. Thank you for your time and God Bless.

These might be a place to start on this forum:

https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000133#000003
https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000092#000000
https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000080#000006
https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000900#000000

Author Topic: Evangelization Guide for Byzantine Catholics is now online!
Dragani
Member
Member # 880


Please check out my new Evangelization Guide for Byzantine Catholic Parishes. You can find it online at the following link:

http://www.east2west.org/discus/messages/43/44.html?1009653901

https://www.byzcath.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000235#000003

I am sure that you will get excellent answers from the more advanced experts on this forum. It always amazes me of the knowledge that is present with God's people. God really uses us as a body to figure things out.

Anytime you are in a hurry and can't wait, just go to the search engine for the forum. I have found it an invaluable resource.

JW's tick me off more than anyone, because they have the most ridiculous and foolish beliefs on the planet. Whenever a JW opens his mouth looking for converts, ask him to read John 1 and then come back. Politely, of course. :rolleyes:

Dear Friend,

First of all, you might wish to consult with our friend here, Dave Brown, who was a former JW and he would have knowledge of good Catholic resources for you - probably in Spanish too.

The Jehovah's Witnesses are a sect that arose in the 19th century only, almost two thousand years after Christ and His Apostles.

They say they are descendants of the Egyptian heretic Arius who said that Christ was more than man but less than God.

In fact, if this is so, then why don't they worship Christ? The Arians did!

They do not accept the Holy Trinity or that the Divine Son of God came down to earth and became Man in Jesus Christ through the action of the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother.

They reject all this and the Catholic Church of Christ that He founded through and upon His Apostles.

Therefore, because they reject that God became Man, they reject that people may become sanctified in Christ by the Holy Spirit.

In that case, they cannot see why we venerate the Blessed Mother of God and the Saints - absolutely!

If I didn't believe that God the Son became Man in Christ Jesus, I wouldn't either!

As for "pagan" practices, pagans gathered for meetings, just like the Jehovah's Witnesses do. Are the JW's pagans too? Do they imitate pagan practices?

When did the pagans ever worship a God Who became Man? For this, the pagan Romans persecuted the early Christians whom they called "Man-Worshippers!"

As for festivals and parties, did not Christ Himself attend a wedding? Did He not Himself participate in the worship and festivals of the Jewish people? When did our Lord ever condemn these? He criticized hypocrisy, but He did not condemn festivities. He even forbade His disciples to fast while He was with them - they would fast when the Bridegroom would be taken away.

And also, what kind of "bible" do they use? Why is it that only JW's use their bible? And where in it is a list of the people who translated it or worked on it? Or their qualifications to do so? Do we even know if they knew Greek?

Why is their bible totally at variance with all other Bibles?

On what basis do they claim to have the "best" translation?

Why do they think there are 27 books of the New Testament? Who said so before they came along? Do they even ask themselves that question?

And who is fit to interpret the bible? Why only their elders?

Yes, they attack the Catholic Church. I think the best counter to this is to ask them deep questions about their own faith and its basis.

Alex

Dave Brown also managed to convert his wife to Catholicism a number of years after he converted! (Dave is the godfather to all three of my children.)

Dave! Dave Brown!

We need you over here!!

God bless you, Tammy, your children and their wonderful Godfather, a great Witness to Christ!

Alex

He doesn't come on the board all that frequently. I'll e-mail him and let him know he's needed!

Dear Tammy,

Since Dave is so good converting people, perhaps he would be willing to work on my first Godson?

He's not a Jehovah's Witness.

He's just a pain in the cludius maximus.

Alex

People of Christ, you are awesome. Thank you so much. I am checking those web pages. I need to get informed and I need to post my knowledge and information in this other forum that has the JW all over the place trying to convert Catholics. THANK YOU.

Iliana Lara

Alex,

I can't speak for Dave! But certainly YOU are knowledgeable enough to answer your Godson's arguments! Or do you just "butt" heads with him?

Tammy

Yep! Dave Brown is cool!

Go Dave!

OH Alex,

How wonderful your indignation can get!

Thanks for the questions to pose to a JW

Rose

Christ is in our midst!

There's no one I'd rather have with me in battle against heresy such as this than Alex!


You are the best brother,

Thanks for the tips!


Michael

I think it is important in dealing with JWs to not get sidetracked on peripheral issues. I always get to the point: did God become man or not? If he didn't, if he sent an angel to die [as they say] then I for one am not impressed. When they object that Christ is not God but only the son of God I point out that my sons have the same nature as I do, so God's son must have the same nature as He does. That usually confounds them a bit. Read and then pray and the Holy Spirit will guide your words.

Dear Daniel,

Actually, they DON'T believe God sent an angel to die, but that before coming to earth, Jesus was St Michael.

But He wasn't St Michael when He was on earth.

Alex