So I hooked into meeting via phone this week to listen in and was shocked at the absurdities mentioned in the study article (2016 May Watchtower: "Go,..and Make Disciples of People of All the Nations"). The article's purpose was to prove the JW religion true via their preaching work. Here are a few of the points the article made, followed by my counter-arguments:
Parr 1
..Is it presumptuous on our part to think that we are the ones who are doing this work?
-Yes, yes it is.
Parr 2
Many religious groups feel that they are preaching the Gospel, or good news. However, their efforts are often limited to personal testimonies, church services, or programs broadcast through the media—whether by means of television or on the Internet.
-"personal testimonies, church services, or programs broadcast". Umm, aren't those exactly the same methods JWs also use to preach?
Parr 3
Were Jesus’ disciples to be passive, waiting for people to come to them? Definitely not! After his resurrection, Jesus addressed hundreds of his disciples and told them: “Go, therefore, and make disciples
-Here they are insinuating the "Christendom" is sitting idle waiting for people to come to them. However, this very statement is contradicted by their earlier statement from paragraph 2 (cited above) in which they admit that most Christians do "preach" by means of personal testimony, church services and media broadcasting.
-Results speak for themselves. If "Christendom" has not preached actively throughout its history, how did it acquire the billions of members that profess to belong to it? Conversely, JWs only make up a tiny insignificant fraction of a fraction of the total of those that call themselves Christians, even after 100+ years of supposed 'real preaching'.
Parr 6
Jesus preached “the good news of the Kingdom,” and he expects his disciples to do the same. What group of people are preaching that message in “all the nations”? The answer is obvious—only Jehovah’s Witnesses. Even some opposers acknowledge this fact. For example, a missionary priest once told a Witness that he had lived in many different countries and that he had asked the Witnesses in each country what message they were preaching. What answer was he given? The priest said: “They were all so stupid that they gave the same answer: ‘The good news of the Kingdom.’” Far from being “stupid,” however, those Witnesses were speaking in unity, as true Christians should.
-"The answer is obvious .." No, it is not. Again, their own statement from paragraph 2 demonstrates that even JWs admit other Christians preach as well.
-"Even some opposers acknowledge this fact[...] For example, a missionary priest once [...] asked the Witnesses in each country what message they were preaching. What answer was he given? The priest said: “They were all so stupid that they gave the same answer: ‘The good news of the Kingdom."
.... Classic Red Herring here. The answer the missionary priest gave in no way proves that JWs are the only ones "preaching the good news".
Parr 7
The clergy of Christendom are not preaching God’s Kingdom. If they do speak about the Kingdom, many refer to it as a feeling or a condition in the heart of a Christian.
-So the "clergy of Christendom are not preaching god's kingdom", but, oh, wait, they do "speak about the Kingdom". Is there a difference?
-The great majority of Christendom preaches (or "talks" according to the WT) that the kingdom of heaven is a place where we go to when we die, not a symbolic condition of the heart.
Parr 7
Rather, they prefer to remember Jesus at Christmas and Easter.
..that's more times than JWs remember Jesus every year.
Parr 8
Despite this clear direction, most churches are sidetracked by collecting money or by making efforts to survive financially. They have to support a paid clergy, as well as a multitude of other employees. In many cases, the leaders of Christendom have amassed great wealth
-"..most churches are sidetracked by[...] making efforts to survive financially." Its funny they should mention this when JWs have recently dedicated monthly broadcasting episodes entirely to begging for increased contributions.
-Also, do not JWs also have to support a "clergy, as well as multitude of other employees"? How does the Governing body members, the thousands of bethelite workers, as well as the thousands of traveling overseers support themselves? Is it not through the "support"and monies provided by the rank and file members?
-"..Christendom have amassed great wealth". Umm, JW's are in the currently in the process of selling assets worth billions of USD.
Parr 10
What methods did Jesus and his disciples use to preach the good news? [...]The preaching work included searching for deserving ones from house to house
Perhaps. Though there is no evidence that this was their main method of preaching. Nor is there any evidence that they visited the same homes over and over and over again.
Parr 11
But rather than being “fishers of men,” Christendom’s clergy seem more concerned with merely keeping the “fish” they already have
-Funny they should mention this given this year's regional convention theme designed with the sole purpose of desperately "keeping the fish they already have".
Parr 12
The book Pillars of Faith—American Congregations and Their Partners states: “For Jehovah’s Witnesses, the missionary focus overwhelms all other concerns.” Referring to statements made by a Witness, the author continues: “When they encounter hunger, loneliness, and ill health, they try to help, . . . but they never forget that their primary task is delivering a spiritual message about the coming end of the world and the necessity for salvation.”
The WT here quotes a book that is quoting comments made by WT representatives. Wow.