Beginning Apologetics 2: How to Answer Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons [Paperback]

Frank Chacon (Author), Jim Burnham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 1996

This user-friendly handbook examines the major beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons and shows you how to refute them using Scripture, history, and common sense.

Editorial Reviews

Review

[Beginning Apologetics ] is one of the best tools I've ever encountered for dealing with Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses....

Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are the two most aggressive door-to-door religion peddlers out there. They know their arguments well. They're persistent and dedicated. They're well-trained in how to convert Catholics. They've got a zillion difficult questions to throw at Catholics. They're ready to argue when they knock at your door.

But Mormons and JWs are not ready for a Catholic who knows how to answer their questions and arguments. They're not ready for a Catholic who knows Scripture and Church history. They're not ready for a Catholic who turns the table and asks them tough questions. In short, they're not ready for a Catholic who has studied this book. --Patrick Madrid (from the Foreword)

From the Publisher

Written in a clear, accessible style, this deceptively simple handbook targets the major beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons--two of most aggressive AND successful door-to-door evangelist, especially when it comes to Catholics. It shows you how to charitably refute their claims and shows how their fundamental beliefs are contrary to Scripture, history, and common sense.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: San Juan Catholic Seminar; 2007 Revised edition (April 17, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930084013
• ISBN-13: 978-1930084018
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #226,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Comparative Religion
  • #38 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > Apologetics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informed Outline of Jehovah Witness and Mormon Beliefs, June 7, 2005

By 

Glutton for books (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beginning Apologetics 2: How to Answer Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons (Paperback)

Once again I am amazed that Amazon allowed people who obviously did not read a book post negative reviews on it. If they had read the book, they would have realized that "Beginning Apologetics 2: How to Answer Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons," is not an attack on people of this faith, but rather an outline of the doctrinal ideas that these religions have that contradict basic teachings of Christianity, and how their understanding of history.

As Christians, we are exhorted to demonstrate hospitality to strangers, because we never know when they might be angels in disguise. This does not only mean hospitality in the traditional sense of opening our houses for overnight guests, but sharing our lives and our time generously with other who may have need for it. I have lived in many cities, and even when living in locations where I never saw a worship center for Jehovah witnesses, I have had them knock on my door, trying to proselytize me. So the advise recommended by one reviewer that "if you don't want to talk to them, then tell them not to come" aside from being uncharitable, is not very practical advice, if you have no idea from where they come.

Most people are hesitant to enter into dialogues about faith, because they take a lot of issues of their religious practice on faith, which is admirable, but we are exhorted in the Bible to offer guidance to the misinformed. Engaging in a dialogue with an Adventist group, such as the Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, or the Church of Latter Days Saints, can be daunting, because many of the claims they make are so antithetical to basic Christian beliefs, and they uses such and unusual translation of the Bible, that it shocks the average Christian who has not heard these ideas. For instance, they believe Jesus was entirely a God and not man, which contradicts the idea inherent in all Abrahamic faiths that we are commanded to worship only one God, and represents an extension of the Arian heresy. And they believe that only 144,000 people will be in heave, and that all those people were chosen before 1935 and it does not include any person from the Old Testament; implying that the founders of these religions that started in the 1800s (although they believe that they were some part of an underground movement that has ties from the beginning of Christianity; the book outlines this argument too) are holier than prophets like Abraham and Moses.

Adventists gained followings in the 1800s, because charismatic leaders who claimed to have received personal revelations thought that the world was about to end. All the projected dates for the world's ending have long since passed, but people still find credence in these faiths. This book provides excerpts from the religious texts that the Adventists use and teaches readers how to refute their allegations in apologetic discussions by using their own texts, which are very different interpretations than what is readable in mainstream Bibles. Yes, the allegations could easily be refuted using main stream Bibles, but then that might be more difficult to argue the validation for your edition over theirs. It also provides a detailed history of Adventist movements. Although the book is written by a Catholic, its arguments are helpful to any Christian, because in the major differences between Adventist beliefs and mainstream Christian apologetics, represent a huge deviation between basic Christian doctrine that Catholics and non-Catholics hold as true, on the one hand, and what the Adventist believes on the other hand. I recommend that every mainstream Christian buy this incredible affordable book, read it, and the next time an Adventist knocks on your door, offer them Christian hospitality and a charitable dialogue.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When the dorbell rings, do your part!, April 10, 2002

By 

N. Kawalec "Mr K (NBCT)" (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beginning Apologetics 2: How to Answer Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons (Paperback)

This is a great way for Catholics to be able to discuss with their Jehovah Witness brothers and sisters the teachings that we believe and hold true. If we are to live our faith, we must be able to share our faith and answer challenges to our faith. This is a great tool to help us on the way.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Be Prepared, March 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Beginning Apologetics 2: How to Answer Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons (Paperback)

Jehovah's Witnesses may go away if you ask them to, but is that really what you want? The answer for many of is 'yes', but for those of us that would like to share out faith with others, this is an great guide. This text will show you how to defend the one true church established by Jesus Christ. If we truly believe in the life everlasting, we must try to spread the word to all of other brothers and sisters.