Strangers at Your Door: How to Respond to Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, Televangelists, Cults and More (Paperback)

~ (Author) "THEY COME to your doorstep, usually in pairs but sometimes alone, neat, well-dressed, and polite..." (more)
Key Phrases: Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, United States (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (September 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879734965
• ISBN-13: 978-0879734961
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,128,932 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of topics, not many pages, September 5, 2001

By	Charles Wesolowski (Madison, AL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If anything can be said about this work, it is that it tries to cover too much for a book of its size. The unfortunate result is that so many of the topics get a mere glossing, consequently, it doesn't always deliver on the "How to respond" part implied in the title.

The opening chapters briefly discuss ecumenism, fundamental Catholic beliefs (the creed, etc.), and key scriptural texts that support critical dogmas. Finally, there is discussion on approaching apologetics with a spirit of charity before moving on to the meat of the book, what to do with "Strangers at your Door."

The meat begins with the Jehovah's Witnesses. In about 20 pages, there is a brief history of the sect, an outline of its key beliefs, and common arguments that the Witnesses use to persuade potential converts to their point of view. Nevins does an adequate job of providing orthodox rebuttals to these propositions.

Next come the Mormons, about the same number of pages are devoted to history and doctrines. Nevins discusses the extra challenge of "reasoning from Scripture" presented by these missionaries, since they consider the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God, while the same can be of the Bible only insofar as it is "correctly translated."

Nevins points out that terms like salvation, baptism, and even God have radically different meanings to both these groups than may be expected by orthodox Christians. This demonstrates that individuals must have their terms correctly understood to avoid "talking past each other."

The rest of the book is rather disappointing from the perspective of "apologetics," though somewhat useful from an informational perspective. There are very brief discussions of The Way, Baha'i, Hare Krishna, and Moonies.

This reviewer found it odd that the Church of Christ, and some of the more common Televangelists are included in the book -- again more from an informational perspective rather than apologetical -- since he apparently is trying to focus on those sects far removed from orthodoxy. In his conclusion Nevins acknowledges this point, and mentions that it is not his "purpose to make them all equal, only to stress that they are out to capture you in one way or another."
In the final analysis, the reader is left wishing that the author would have been a tad more focussed on fewer topics, because while the information provided is certainly good, this reviewer left the table hungry for more.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pefect guide to answer the clueless and Gullible., April 25, 2009

By	Jose Lopez "Jose Lopez" (Miami,Florida USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Great little book, I wish there would have been more, but I can't complain the book shed light on some things I did not Know. Perfect to answer the gullible and Clueless out there and the most outrageous heretics, Sad that people like to "pick and Choose" to their liking what being a Christian means to them, and Accuse the Church of being pagans. Ignorance is sad. Perfect for the Catholic already sure of his religion or for the open minded not for the weak.

4 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Knock, Knock", October 25, 2002

By	Karl Hamm (Alcatraz, CA USA) - See all my reviews

You have seen these guys on your doorstep, so instead of calling the cops, call AMAZON.COM and buy this book. YOu can match wits, if you are equal to the task. And boy, they will get it.

It covers all the topics in about as many pages. YOu will buy this book, by the time I amdone, so you can talk and speak with these guys. Share your mind, as I tell you!