Is This Good Advice?
“IS IT wrong to refuse to argue with Jehovah’s witnesses?” That is the question answered in the Catholic magazine Messenger of the Sacred Heart, February, 1956. The questioner explained: “Once all the members of my family were Catholics, but now some of them have become Jehovah’s witnesses, and they are causing all of us great trouble with their persistent arguments on points that we don’t know enough about to discuss intelligently.”
The magazine advised the Catholic to refuse to discuss these Bible questions with Jehovah’s witnesses, and added: “It is a mistake for a Catholic to search in book after book for precise answers to every question they can think of.” Further concerning the witness it advised: “If merely listening to his questions is deeply disturbing, and if he persists in forcing his questions on his victim, then it would be justifiable to refuse to see such a person.”
But in case you do talk with one of Jehovah’s witnesses, here is the advice offered: “Listen to the question with an assumed air of empty-headed politeness. Do not seem to be offended, but only uninterested. Or you might say: ‘I don’t see how that argument, by itself, proves the point you are driving at. Have you any other proofs to offer on the same point?’ He may have more to say; or he may begin to have a feeling of inadequacy and frustration. If he has more to say, you can reply, ‘I still don’t see how that . . . ’ and so on. You will be right in what you say, and you will be making him carry the whole burden until he is exhausted. Then you can offer him a cup of tea and a piece of cake.”
Is this good advice? Is it Christian advice? Will the Bible confirm it or condemn it?
No surprise is caused by a religious split in a family. Jesus said this would happen: “For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law. Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household. He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.”—Matt. 10:35-37, NW.
But when this split occurs because of conflict between Jesus’ true teachings and false religion, who would you think could discuss the matter intelligently and who would you think could not do so because of lack of knowledge? Is it not reasonable to expect Jesus’ true followers to be able to answer, and those in false religion to confess inadequate knowledge? And would true Christians be advised not to search for precise answers to the questions raised?
WHAT THE BIBLE ADVISES
To the contrary, the apostle Peter himself advised Christians to be “always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you.” The Bible advises a very diligent search be made to acquire knowledge: “If thou cry after discernment, and lift up thy voice for understanding; if thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures: then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, and equity, yea, every good path. Discretion shall watch over thee; understanding shall keep thee: to deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men that speak perverse things.”—1 Pet. 3:15, NW; Prov. 2:3-5, 9, 11, 12, AS.
“The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,” says the Bible. And if this pondering mind has searched out the answers and has the knowledge of God it will not be confounded by men who speak perverse things. Listening to questions will not be so “deeply disturbing” to it that its possessor will have to refuse to talk to the questioner. Jesus is the model for Christians, and he did not fear to discuss religion nor was he deeply disturbed by such discussions. He had the truth; his opponents did not. So they were the ones deeply disturbed and refusing to talk further: “And nobody was able to say a word in reply to him, nor did anyone dare from that day on to question him any further.”—Prov. 15:28, RS; Matt. 22:46, NW.
Does the Bible advise “an assumed air of empty-headed politeness” when reasoning with others? It does not advise assuming airs of any kind, for that is hypocritical. And it specifically condemned the empty-headed reasonings of some who claimed to know God but who used images in worship: “Although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their unintelligent heart became darkened. Although asserting they were wise, they became foolish and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed creatures and creeping things.”—Rom. 1:21-23, NW.
Well, surely there can be no objection to the advice to offer the witness “a cup of tea and a piece of cake,” can there? Ordinarily that would be a commendable thing, a response to a generous impulse from the heart. But is that the spirit behind this advice? Is it not a planned and premeditated rebuke, a pose of saintliness toward an opposer, a part of the assumed air of empty politeness? There is a Bible objection to such sham hospitality: “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties: for as he thinketh within himself, so is he: eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up.”—Prov. 23:6-8, AS.
APPEAL TO FAIRNESS
When met by empty-headed politeness and a parroted request for more proof, the witness of Jehovah could give additional proof, read from the Catholic’s own Bible, and a spark of interest might be kindled. But if no such spark is struck the experienced witness will soon sense the insincerity in the requests for more proof and will do well to meet the problem with a frank appeal. The witness of Jehovah might say:
“Yes, I do have more proof, but I have a feeling you don’t really want it. You listen, but your mind seems closed. Many times persons have closed their minds to us, and usually it is because of what a friend or relative or clergyman has said about us. Sometimes they will tell what has been said, sometimes they just shut up. I don’t know whether that is the case here or not, but if it is, just let me say this. Be fair and let me hear the charges. The Bible says you should. God’s law said that if one man was accused by another they should be brought face to face and both sides heard by judges. It is at Deuteronomy 19:17, 18 (NW): ‘The two men who have the dispute must stand before Jehovah, before the priests and the judges who will be acting in those days. And the judges must search thoroughly.’ You must decide in this case, but before you do, search thoroughly. Hear my side. The Bible says it’s a shame if you don’t: ‘If one gives answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.’—Prov. 18:13, RS.
“It’s only fair. But more than that, it’s only Christian to do so. If I am wrong and you are right, as a Christian you should show me my error. The Bible says at Proverbs 3:27 (RS): ‘Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.’ If you have the truth, please don’t withhold it from me. If God has comforted you with the truth, it is so you can comfort others with it: ‘The God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those in any kind of tribulation through the comfort with which we ourselves are being comforted by God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3, 4, NW) If you have God’s truth and I don’t, comfort me with it. Isaiah 1:18 (AS) says: ‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.’ If my sins are as scarlet, reason with me and show me my errors so I can clean up and become like snow in God’s sight.
“The Bible says to do unto others as you would have others do unto you. If you didn’t have the truth and others did, you’d want them to tell it to you. If you do have it and I don’t, please tell me. Do unto me as you would be done by. I think I have the truth; I came here to tell it to you. If I don’t have it, I want it. Peter changed his religion to become a Christian. I’ll change mine to become one, if need be. Now I’ve been frank with you. Will you please, in a spirit of fairness and Christian love, be frank with me and tell me your objections so I can either answer them or be helped?”
It is believed that such a Scriptural appeal will reach the heart of sheeplike persons and will dissolve any ill-advised, hypocritically assumed airs of empty-headed politeness.