Jehova's Witness Friend

Dear Friend,

Hello. This is for my friends who are Jehovah's Witnesses. I’ve met a number of them in America and in Britain and in other countries, and they’ve come to my door several times. And we spent time together, sometimes hours.

In my youth I had a friend named Buster Rothman. He was a Jewish man with a fascination with the Bible, an incredibly interesting person. And Buster had a radio program in the heyday of radio before there was television; he was a remarkable man. But he was the first person who introduced me to Jehovah's Witness. He used to go to their meetings although he never became one. He brought me along to their meetings and so I went and I listened. I listened with an open mind because I was seeking religious truth. I was seeking meaning, so I went with my friend Buster in New Jersey but this rightly in New York City. And today not far from there there’s a movie theater taken over in Jersey City, New Jersey by the Jehovah's Witnesses and they have tours of the theater. I used to go to the movies in that theater at Journal Square as a kid. This is, of course, right across the river from New York City – Manhattan.

I had a lot of exposure to Jehovah's Witnesses in those days, and I began reading the Watchtower, and I read Awake magazine, and I went back and read their earlier publications like Millennial Dawn and studies in Scripture by Pastor Russell. In fact I’ve even been to Pastor Russell’s grave in Pittsburgh, not that that means anything, but that's where the Jehovah's Witnesses began as the Dawn Bible Society back in the late 1800’s. I was really interested in this organization because they claimed to be the one organization in the world that is only based on the Bible, and therefore they are Jehovah’s organization, the only one based only on the Bible, the others were all corrupt. That's what the Jehovah's Witnesses believed, that's what they told me that they believed, and so I began to go with my friend Buster Rothman and I began to listen. And we would talk about it and I'd read Watchtowers, I’d read Awake magazine, I’d spend time talking to them, and over the years I had various other encounters.

I have certain questions that I have to ask before I could join any group. Before I could become part ofanyreligion I’d have to be sure I was doing the right thing. Before I committed myself to any organization as the way of salvation, as the way to God, I really would want to make sure that they were right. And so I began to study the Scriptures in light of what the Jehovah's Witnesses had told me. And I came up with a few questions that I would really appreciate it if somebody could answer.

Now I’ve studied your claims, I've read your literature, and I've read the Scriptures. I have something of an advantage: Although my background was science, I did learn how to read Greek and Hebrew. In fact, my family is Israeli – I can speak Hebrew.

And so I look at the Scriptures in the original languages. That is one of my questions. Having read The New World Translation and the diaglot, I had problems with what the original Greek manuscript said and the way certain things were translated.

But let me begin with my first question.

I’m reading from the epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 1. Beginning in verse 5...

For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”? And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Him.” And of the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministers a flame of fire.” But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.” And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; They will perish, but You remain; And they all will become old like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” But to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies A footstool for Your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

I agree with the Jehovah's Witnesses that there are angels. But the Jehovah's Witnesses told me something that I researched: They said that Jesus was an angel. They identified Him with the angel Michael the Archangel. The idea that Jesus was an angel was something that began with someone called Arius of Alexandria in the early centuries of Christendom. And the Jehovah's Witnesses had this view that He was an angel, not God. They will say He is “a god”.

Now there's a problem. “En arche kai ho logos”. “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. (Jn 1:1) My Jehovah's Witness friends told me that in The New World Translation it says “a god”; the Word was “a god”. But there is no indefinite article in the Greek language.

In the book of Isaiah Jehovah says, “I am God and there is no God other than Me”. (Is. 45:5) If there’s no God other than Jehovah, and there is no indefinite article – “a god” – in the Greek language (and in that text it’s not there), how can Jesus only be “a god” if there’s only one God? That is the question. I’ve never been able to find somebody who could answer.

When I simply ask the question they say the word “trinity” is not in the Bible. But you know, my Jehovah's Witness friends would use words like “theocratic rule” and “millennial kingdom”. Now I believe in a millennial kingdom, but the word “millennial kingdom” and “millennium” are not in the Bible. The doctrine of the millennium is in the Bible but the word isn’t. I don't understand why it is acceptable to use words not in the Bible for some things but not for others. Do I reject the millennial reign of Christ or a millennial rule because there's no word “millennium”? No, I don't. The question is not, “Is the word ‘millennium’ in there?”, the question is, “Is the doctrine, the teaching in there?” Well, it is. I agree with the Jehovah's Witnesses, there is a millennium.

Now I have an advantage a lot of people don’t have. The name of God they call “Jehovah”, and they insist that is His personal name. But speaking Hebrew I was kind of startled how few Jehovah's Witnesses knew what it meant. In Hebrew it does not say “Jehovah”, it says “Yehowah”. Some people pronounce it “Yahweh”. “Jehovah” is another word based on “Yehowah”, but they didn’t know where it came from. So I told them where it came from.

There was a hymn written by someone who was not a Jehovah’s Witness, Guide Me Now, O Great Jehovah. But the term came from Diaspora Jews in Europe. Jews considered the name of Yahweh ineffable – inutterable, for fear of taking it in vain. So they either referred to God as “the Name” – “Hashem” or they referred to God as “the Lord”. When an Orthodox Jew reads the Old Testament, when it says “Yahweh” he says “Lord” – “Adonai”. So what they did was they took the accents and syllables of “Adonai” – “Lord”, and combined it with the word “Yehowah”. “Yehowah Adonai Yehowah” – “Jehovah”. That’s how they got it.

I met many Jehovah's Witnesses who would insist on believing these things – some of them true things – but they didn't know where they came from or what they meant. Well, I have no problem saying “Jehovah”, but His name is “Yahweh”. “Jehovah” is a made-up word combining “Yahweh” with “Adonai”. However, to say that Jesus was only “a god” when there’s only one God, this brings a question. I was told He was an angel. 

My question is this: In verse 8 of Hebrews 1 it says...

... “Your throne, O God, is forever... 

...and it quotes from Psalm 45:6-7...

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows.

The Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the word here for “God” is “God” – “Elohim”. But the Lord has “anointed” somebody. That word “anointed” is where we get the word “Messiah” – “Mashiach” in Hebrew, translated to Greek, “Christo” – “Christ”. And so the epistle of the Hebrews tells us that Psalm 45 is talking about the Anointed One, the Messiah – Christ. And I agree with it. It’s a good translation into Greek from Hebrew. And I just read you a good translation from Greek into English. This is my question: if Christ it's called God and there is only one God, and if Hebrews 1 makes it clear He was not just an angel but if Hebrews 1 by comparison says, “To which one of the angels did God ever say ‘Your throne, O God, is forever’”, how can you say Jesus is simply an angel?

Hebrews 1 says, “Let the angels of God worship Jesus” in verse 6. Why would they worship Him if he was not God? The Greek word is “proskynesatosan”, from the word “proskuto” – “worship”. It’s not “obeisance”, it is translated from the Hebrew “hishtachvaya” and there’s an accusative particle: They worship Him. Please answer me that question. How can He be an angel when Hebrews 1 says He's not and the angels worship Him? How can He only be “a god” when there's only one God? “I’m the Lord, your God, you’ll have no gods before Me”. (Dt. 5:6-7)

Questions are always asked of me. I don't mind when people answer my questions with a question as long as they eventually give me the answer. But so far I haven't gotten one from a Jehovah's Witness and maybe you'll be the one who is able to give me the answer, Some of the questions they ask me is this: “Well, how could Jesus say His Father is greater than Him if He's God?” Now I’m happy to answer that question as long as you can answer mine.

In Philippians 2:8-11 we read about something that theologians would call “kinosis”. In Philippians 2 we read how it can happen.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation...

...not “work for”...

... work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

God becomes a man in the person of Jesus and therefore as a man He is less than His Father.

For instance, there’s an electrical company called “Robert Jones and Son”. The father is a master electrician, his son began as his apprentice. They were both called “Robert Jones” – Robert Jones, Sr. and Robert Jones, Jr. They were both human beings. They were both males. They were both one in nature, but the senior was greater in position than the junior. They were co-equal in nature, they were both humans, they were both electricians, they were both men, but one was greater than the other in position. Based on Jesus becoming a man, being equal with God, but not saying it’s something we couldn't grasp, I have no problem saying His Father was greater than Him.

That is my answer to your question, the question that Jehovah's Witnesses always ask me. But please tell me your answer to my question: How can He be an angel if the angels worshipped Him? How can He be “a god” if there’s only one God and when the text “Your throne, O God, is forever” says He’s not an angel? Well, when I continue to ask for an answer, I’m usually told, “Well then who was Jesus praying to if He was God?” I’ll answer that question providing you and can answer my question.

In Hebrew the confession of faith is what Jesus said when they asked Him the greatest commandment. He said, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is oneness”. (Mk. 12:29) “Sh’ma Yisra’el Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad”. (Dt. 6:4) There is no Hebrew word for “water”, only “waters” – “mayim”; there is no Hebrew word for “sky”, only “skies” – “shamayim”; there is no Hebrew word for “God”, only “Gods” – “Elohim”, it is plural. You have an abbreviated form called “El”, but it is simply a conjunctive or something used in in place of “Elohim” where it’s used in connection with other words. “Elohim” is plural. “Sh’ma Yisra’el Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad”. “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our GODS is oneness”. That's what it says. Does this say there is more than one God? No, He is “oneness” but the word is “echad”, it’s a plural oneness. It is the same oneness when Adam and Eve become one flesh. (Gen. 2:24), you shall become “echad”; the two become one. And a third person is procreated, there is one in three, there is three in one. We are made in His image and likeness. Yes, there is one God but there is more than one person.

You're confused? When Stephen was martyred he saw Jesus at the right of the Father. (I don't pretend to be able to understand this any more than the Bible reveals it, but I understand it well enough to know it is true because that's what it says.) His Father is God and He is God. They are two different people yet one God. What makes me with my finite mind think I can understand God’s own nature this side of eternity? The Scripture says one day we will know as we are fully known (1 Cor. 13:12), but right now I know well enough to know I have enough in the Bible to tell me that it is true. Who was He praying to? He was praying to His Father. His Father was God, yes, and how could He be God? Because He was. How could Robert Jones, Sr. and Robert Jones Jr. both be Robert Jones? One is greater in nature, greater in position? No, greater in position but not in nature. They’re co-equal in nature, different in position.

When I’m looking at a pregnant lady, an expectant mother, am I Iooking at one person or two people? They are metabolically integrated. I’m looking at both one person and two people. When a marriage is being consummated God says they become one flesh. In God's eyes am I looking at one person or two people? Well, biblically I’m looking at two people but I’m also looking at one person. The Bible says your wife's body is your own and so forth, (1 Cor. 7:4) and the husband’s body is the wife’s. We’re made in His image and likeness – it teaches something about Him; we’ll understand it when we see Him face to face, right now we see through a glass dimly (1 Cor. 13:12) but we know it is true.

That is my answer to your question, now I would like to hear your answer to my question. If the angel's worship Him and if it says, “To which of the angels did He say, ‘Let the others worship Him’, if it says, “Your throne, O God is forever” and there’s only one God, if there’s no indefinite article in the Greek – the word was “a god” is not in any Greek manuscript and would make no sense in the Greek language – can you please explain to me how Jesus is not God and only an angel?

The Trinity, things like this, I'll be happy to talk to you about further – I'll be happy to answer your questions, but please answer mine. That’s my first question for my Jehovah's Witness friends. Please answer this question and we’ll talk further.

But I have a second question.

When I talk to my Jehovah's Witness acquaintances who come to my door and who I’ve met over the years, that question is about the Holy Spirit. My Jehovah's Witness friends tell me that the Holy Spirit is only a force or a power – it’s God’s guiding force or power.

Now in some way by analogy I can understand some of what they say.

The Bible attributes some things to the Holy Spirit which in biblical times can only have to do with personality. He sees, He feels, He hears. We can have a parabolic microphone that in some sense – it's inanimate, it’s not a person – but it can hear. We can have sensory detectors. Although they’re creatures and have no personality, they can in some sense feel, picking up pulsations. And a camera, although it has no personality and it is not a person can in some sense see. And, I am told by my Jehovah's Witness friends, that must be something like that; I expect that's what they think. My question is this: Can you blaspheme a camera? Can you grieve a sensory detector? How can a machine, how can an inanimate force or power, how can something that is not a person with no personality, how can a non-person be blasphemed or grieved?

A sensory detector can detect pulsations, motion. You have ones that can detect heat using infrared technology, even subtle changes in heat. You have ones that can detect motion, you have ones that can detect changes in light patterns, changes in light refraction, you have machines that can do all those things. There are forces that can do things and pick things up. When you're driving on the motorway they send out a microwave beam. Go through the speed trap, there’s a change in frequency. Yeah, it can pick things up; it’s a force that has the power to detect and communicate something. Now, a speeding motorist might curse at the speed trap, he might curse at a speed camera, he might denounce it, but the camera is not going to get offended. How can someone who can get offended, that can be grieved, that can be cursed against and blasphemed not be a person? And how can a person who can be blasphemed be anyone other than God?

The Greek word is “blasphemeo”; there’s other words for “curse”, but “blasphemeo”? Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the one sin somebody can’t be forgiven of Jesus said. (Mt. 12:31) They’re telling me that it's okay to commit murder and be forgiven, you can commit adultery and be forgiven, you can commit unspeakable things and be forgiven, but if you blaspheme a force or power that is not even a force or a person, which can't be blasphemed anyway because it’s not a person, you can’t be forgiven. How can you blaspheme and grieve a non-person to the point you can’t even be forgiven for it? Can you please answer me that? You can only blaspheme God. If the Holy Spirit is not a person and He’s not God, how can you blaspheme Him?

I think it is a reasonable and a fair question. I'm only looking for a reasonable and a fair answer. Please tell me the answer. I’m not trying to attack you or mock you or belittle you, I'm trying to find the truth. Please explain to me how you can blaspheme somebody who’s other than God, how you can grieve someone who’s not a person or something that’s not a person. That is my second question.

My third question concerns prophecy.

I’d like to read something from the book of Deuteronomy 18:20...

‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods,that prophet shall die.’ You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

(Actually, “you shall not pay attention to him”.) People who claim to speak for Jehovah and predict things in His name that don’t happen are false prophets.

I have a number of issues, back issues, going back to the 1950’s from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in Brooklyn, New York not 5 miles from where I was born, their headquarters Bethel. Published right there, I’ve passed that building many times with the big clock on it on the other side of the Manhattan Bridge. And I read in these back issues of Awake magazine and Watchtowers and it said all kinds of things: “The politicians who said World War I would bring in worldwide peace – it would be the war to end all wars – were false prophets, they shall die.” Now of course those politicians didn’t claim to be speaking for Jehovah directly, but The Watchtower says that they are still false prophets because they predicted things that didn’t happen. If politicians who predict things that didn't happen are false prophets even though they didn’t represent themselves as speaking for Jehovah, how much more is somebody who claims to be speaking for Him a false prophet.

And so the Awake magazines and the Watchtower magazines say that various people in other religions, many of them calling themselves Christian, have done the same thing, predicted things that didn’t happen and those who follow them are following false prophets and are in rebellion against Jehovah. So The Watchtower Society says if somebody predicts something that doesn’t happen, get away from them or you’re in rebellion against Jehovah; especially if they claim to be Christian or speaking in His name. And they have a whole list of incidents where it’s happened.

I agree with them. They are absolutely right. People who predict things in the name of Jehovah that don’t happen are false prophets. Jehovah commands and demands that we get away from and don't come anywhere near them and if we don't get away from such people we are in rebellion against Jehovah. That is what The Watchtower Society teaches, that is what the book of Deuteronomy 18 commands, and they are right.

This is my question: I have a copy right in my hand at the moment of something called The Millennial Dawn published by the Watchtowerpublishing company originally in 1889 but re-published since. It’s Volume 2, The Time Is At Hand. It goes back to Charles Taze Russell. It says the following – I’m reading from page 101 in the chapter called Times of the Gentiles.

“Be not surprised then when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the kingdom of God has already begun. And that is pointed out in the prophecy as due to begin, the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the battle of the great day of God Almighty, Revelation 16:14, which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of the present rulership, is already commenced.”

On the previous page 100...

“So in this day of Jehovah, the day of trouble, our Lord takes His great power hitherto dormant and reigns, and this is what will cause trouble throughout the world and will not so recognize it for the time being. But by the end of 1914 they will recognize it. The present government of the world is going to be overthrown completely, and the kingdom established, the battle of the great day of the Lord. It will end in 1914, the battle of Armageddon.”

Today Jehovah's Witnesses will tell you, “Oh, well Christ turned His attention to the world in 1914”. But in 1889 they said He turned His attention to the world in 1878. I have it in your own literature. What you are now saying happened in 1914, your founder Mr. Russell said happened in 1878 – that’s when God turned His attention. And he prophesied, speaking in the name of Jehovah, claiming to be Jehovah’s spokesman, claiming that organization – your organization – is Jehovah’s organization, and said directly that the battle of Armageddon would end by the end of 1914 and the kingdom of this world would be overthrown and the millennium would have come.

Well, World War I was ugly and brutal, but it was not the battle of Armageddon. It didn't even take place in the Middle East and World War II was much worse. And some of that did take place in the Middle East. My question is if Jehovah forbids us to follow people who predict things in His name that don’t happen, if The Watchtower forbids us based on the command of Jehovah to follow people who predict things in His name that don't happen, if Awake magazine forbids us to follow people who predict things in the name of Jehovah that don’t happen, why are you doing it? It’s a fair question. If Jehovah says don’t do it, if your own organization says don't do it, if you’ve printed multiple issues of Watchtower and Awake magazine that I have that say don’t do it, why are you doing it?

I can prove Charles Taze Russell, Judge Rutherford, Nathan Knorr, one of your leaders after another did the very thing others are condemned for, that they have made you trust and believe in things that have not happened, they themselves saying you shouldn't pay attention to people who do such things. Well, they’d have to include themselves. “An unjust balance as an abomination to the Lord” it says in Proverbs. (Pr. 11:1) Please explain to me why you’re not in rebellion against Jehovah by doing something you admit Jehovah says don’t do?

I’ve had some Jehovah's Witnesses try to tell me, “Well, we have more light now”. Neither Deuteronomy 18 nor Awake magazine nor The Watchtower made allowances for mistakes. The other false prophets and other religions could say the same thing! “We made a mistake, we have more light now.” But if they had the light of Jehovah to begin with they wouldn't have made a mistake.

Please tell me why you want me to rebel against Jehovah by joining your organization and follow people that your organization says should not be followed. That's a fair question. Please answer it, then we’ll talk further about other things.

If you want this copy of what they published – of what you published, I’ll happily send it to you. I’ll show you things that your organization predicted for 1968, for 1974, 1975, for 1937.

There’s a house near the beach in San Diego, CA, a big, beautiful salubrious mansion called “Beth Sarim” in Hebrew – “house of the princes”. It was built by Judge Rutherford for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to live in when they would be resurrected. The Jehovah's Witnesses said, “We have to have a house for them to live in”, so they built them one in San Diego under Judge Rutherford. Beautiful house. For many, many years the Jehovah's Witness organization still owned it. It was built in the 1920’s ahead of the 1930’s when He was supposed to come by a specified date. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob should have been living in it. But of course, when Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not show up, Judge Rutherford moved into it himself and lived in it the rest of his life.

Something is wrong here, dear friends. That’s the “Beth Sarim”? I thought that was built for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They said they were going to be resurrected, they were going to live in it. When they didn't, Rutherford moved in himself? How can you justify this? Why are you following people who do something your own religion teaches against, your own organization denounces? Please explain it to me. I think it's a fair question.

I really want to know the truth. If your organization is the truth, I want to know it, I want to join it, I want to be committed to it. If it’s really the one with the truth, I want to be committed to it. But explain to me why I should join an organization founded and led by people who predict things that don't happen when Jehovah says to get away from them and when your own organization says don’t follow them. Please answer that question. Why should I join it and follow such people? And while you’re at it, why have you joined it and why are you following them when Jehovah said don’t do it, when they themselves said don’t follow people who do what we do? I’ll prove it to you in your own literature. All you’ve got to do is write me.

But I have another question.

I’m told by the Jehovah's Witnesses that there is no immaterial component of man as such.

The Greek word “pneuma” and the Greek word “psuchei” are virtually synonymous, they simply mean “breath”. Now I know what those words mean. “Psuchei” means “consciousness” – from which we get the word “psychology”, and “pneuma” does come from the word for “breath” or “breathes”. But when you die you are asleep. The dead know nothing, there is no spiritual component of man as such; no spirit. There is none. That’s what I am told by my friends who are Jehovah's Witnesses, by my acquaintances who I've met over the years who were Jehovah's Witnesses, who’ve come to my door. That's what they’ve told me.

I have a question: In Genesis 1:26 we’re made in God’s image and He breathed into them and put a spirit into them. When Jesus died on the cross He said, “Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit”.(Lk. 23:46) In the book of Acts when Stephen was martyred he said, “Lord I commend my spirit”. (Acts 7:59) Why would Jesus say, “I commend My spirit to You” if it’s only breath? If it is not some kind of eternal consciousness that goes beyond biological life, why commend it? How can you commend your breath? “God take my breath; I’m going to die.” That does not exactly make too much sense. How can it only be breath? It must be consciousness. “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.” If there is not a spiritual component of men and women made in God’s image and likeness that go beyond this that is conscious, why did Jesus commend it? Why did Stephen commend it?

But that leads me to my final question.

I am told by my Jehovah's Witness friends that the resurrection of Jesus was not literally physical.

They said when He appeared and took a physical form it is because He had other bodies after the resurrection which He appeared in because people couldn’t recognize Him at first like Thomas didn’t recognize Him, or didn’t believe it was Him. The resurrection was not literal.

Well first of all, if it was only spiritual and the spirit of the pnuma – the psuchei, call it what you will – is only “breath”, how could Jesus have risen? His breath rose? Now I'm confused. How could “breath” appear as a person? The tomb was empty. We’re told in John the tomb was empty. (Jn. 20:1-10) there was no corpse found in it. In John 2:21 Jesus said his body would rise. The Greek word “soma” – His bodywould rise.

Let’s look at John 21:12. I’d like to read it to you.

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.

“Come eat breakfast”. When Jesus raised a little girl from the dead He said, “Talitah t’kumi”, and His first instruction was, “Give her something to eat”. (Mk. 5:40-43) When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead the next thing we see them doing is eating in John 12. Whenever somebody raises from the dead in the Gospels you always seem them eating. “Come eat breakfast”. On the road to Emmaus He goes to the house and they recognize Him in the breaking of bread. (Lk. 24:30-31) Why is He eating? Any time in the Bible when someone rose from the dead they ate to prove it was a literal, physical resurrection. It was only a ghost? No, it could not have been. Let me explain why.

Let's look to the story of Jesus calming the raging sea. It says they thought He was a ghost. (Mt. 14:26; Mk. 6:49) He said no it’s not a ghost; a ghost does not have flesh and bones. He appeared physically. So if He was only some kind of a ghost, a phantom, how could He have appeared physically when He said ghosts don’t do that? I'm told He had multiple bodies and this only happened because when Thomas didn’t recognize Him or on the road to Emmaus when they didn't recognize Him. But we are rather told in Luke 24:16 they were kept from recognizing Him. The reason they didn't recognize him was not because He had other bodies, because they were kept from recognizing Him; in other places they knew it was Him such as in John 21:12, it says they knew He was Him.

At His resurrection of John 20:17, Jesus says, “Stop clinging tor Me”. You can’t cling to a ghost. The tomb was empty. Why would bribes have been paid to say His disciple stole the body if it was only a spiritual resurrection? It just doesn't make any sense. It makes no sense whatsoever. First I am told that psuchei, that pnuma is only “breath” and that I’m told His “breath” rose? His body had to rise – “Stop clinging to Me”. The tomb was empty, He ate physically, He said directly that His body would raise up from the dead in John chapter 2:21. If Jesus said His body, His physical body – He used the word “soma”, He didn’t use the word “psuchei”, the text does not use the word “pnuma” – but “soma”, “body”. He says His body would raise from the dead. If the tomb was empty, He said “Stop clinging to Me”, if He repeatedly did things like eat and so forth, how can you say it was not a literal, physical resurrection, it was only spiritual? How? How could it be anything other than an actual literal, physical resurrection? How?

How can you blaspheme an “it”? How can He only be an angel when the angels are called to worship Him and we’re told both in Psalm 45 and in Hebrews 1 He is God and there’s only one God. Please tell me how.

How can I be expected to follow people who in the name of Jehovah predict things that have not happened when Jehovah commanded me and you to get away from them, and when your own organization says we shouldn’t follow people that do that? These questions are sincere and they are fair.

If what you believe is right, if your organization is really Jehovah’s organization, if it’s really the truth, I want to know it and I want to be part of it. But it’s false, do you want to be part of it? If what you say is right, I want to be part of it. If it’s false, do you want to be part of it anyway?

I know that if anyone left your organization that they’d be losing their family, their marriage, even their children, but Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me”. (Mt. 10:37) Believe me, Muslims, Orthodox Jews, many people who’ve come to believe in Jesus have had to deal with that.

Now I'm convinced that Jesus was God who became a man, that He went to the cross in my place and paid for my sins on that cross, and that He literally rose from the dead to give me eternal life. I’m convinced that’s true. And I’m convinced what He did for me He wants to do for you, but if I’m wrong I want to be proven wrong.

(Reprinted)