One + One = Seven

Recently, I stopped at my local Wal-Mart and noticed two JW's had set up a small blue canopy and a magazine rack to offer free WT publications.  (See my blog on the WT/Wal-Mart connection here.) As I approached, ready to talk about the WT doctrine concerning Jesus, I noticed all of the publications were in Spanish. I don't speak Spanish! Well, how much English do the JW's know? They knew way more English than I did Spanish but I felt I would not be able to adequately convey the doctrine that Jesus is God. So I decided to go with something I thought I would be able to explain despite the language barrier. Something that would hit at the trustworthiness of the WTBTS. As an aside:

There are two schools of thought as to the best approach when witnessing to JW’s. (1) Use scripture to point out the errors of the WT or (2) quote past WT publications and compare them with current publications to show the WT is constantly changing their doctrine. Also, you can show the outrageous ideas the WT believed and taught.

I noticed that they had on display (in Spanish) the WT publication, "WHAT DOES THE BIBLE Really TEACH?" (I have a copy at home). I took one and turned to page 52. On that page is this picture of Jesus on the Torture Stake. I asked JW #1 to read John 20:25. JW speak is in BLUE.

JW #1: "So the other disciples were telling him: "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them: "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will never believe it."

ME: Note that verse 25 states that Thomas needed to SEE and FEEL the print of the NAILS in his HANDS. Nails is plural. How many nails does the WT picture show? 

JW #1: One.

ME: Is the WT picture of Jesus on the Torture Stake consistent with John 20:25?

JW #1: No. I have never seen this before.

JW #2: You have to admit, it is a minor point.

ME: It is a minor point but it creates a major concern. Verse 25 is clear: NAILS and Thomas says it twice. Yet the WT picture shows just ONE nail. For the picture to be correct it should show two nails. The WT has used this picture or a similar one beginning in 1936.

(The Torture Stake doctrine was formalized in 1936 in a book Riches page 27 and in the Golden Age, November 4, 1936 page 72.)

ME: A 3rd grader can read verse 25 and compare it with the Torture Stake picture and see that they are not compatible. Yet the WT has got it wrong. This would be like a person looking for a CPA to do their taxes and sees a well dressed, well groomed, well spoken person but then asks a basic question. "What is 1 + 1 ?" The CPA answers, "7!" Would you trust your complex taxes to someone who cannot add something as simple as 1 + 1? Of course not! Yet you are going to trust your eternal destination to an organization that cannot draw a correct picture based on John 20:25 when a 3rd grader could get it right. You are going to trust the WT to correctly teach about the doctrines on SALVATION, END TIMES and who JESUS IS when they add 1 + 1 and get 7.

JW #2: We don't want to argue but I can take your address and phone number and get back to you about this.

I gave them my phone number. As of 10-20-2019, still waiting for a JW to call or visit.