My Long Journey to the Catholic Faith

Fig tree

"... he said to the gardener, 'For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, 'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.'"

Luke 13:7-9 (NAB)
I take this passage somewhat personally, since my birth surname was "Higuera" (Spanish for "fig tree"). Since realizing that Jehovah's Witnesses were not authentic Christianity (despite their claims), I have neglected to 'bear fruit' by bearing witness to authentic Scriptural and historical Christianity as found in the Church Christ founded, the Catholic Church. But God is merciful and has allowed me time (and 'fertilization' through education and formation) to bear fruit, which by God's grace I hope to do here.
The purpose of this website is to compare the Scriptural and historical worldview of the Catholic Church with that of Jehovah's Witnesses and that of materialistic atheism, and to show that the Catholic worldview best comports with the reality of our world and the Church Jesus Christ founded.
This website is intended for Jehovah's Witnesses, former Jehovah's Witnesses, and those who may be considering becoming Jehovah's Witnesses. The arguments presented herein for the Catholic faith will be of interest to Protestant and so-called 'non-denominational' faiths as well. The arguments for Christian theism will be of interest to those with no religious faith at all and hopefully to those dear souls among former Jehovah's Witnesses for whom the Watchtower organization effectively 'poisoned the well' with respect to the Catholic Church and Christian faith.
My observation is that many (most in the case of children who were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses) who leave the Watchtower organization drift almost immediately into agnosticism or atheism. Their 'faith' was in an organization, not in Jesus Christ and in effect they are left 'naked' as to faith. I hope to offer them the fabric of faith that will clothe them by weaving together arguments answering two questions ...
  • Which worldview better comports with reality as we encounter it: atheism or Christianity?
  • Which religion comports better with the beliefs and practices of authentic early Christianity: Jehovah's Witnesses or the Catholic Church?
I invite your engagement with me on these questions. Please bear in mind that I do not have the perfect answer for every question — my memory is sadly lacking. In some cases I may have an answer but not the best wording for the answer. And even if I don't have a particular answer, that doesn't mean that answer doesn't exist, any more than a person's refusal to accept an answer means the answer is inadequate. I offer these observations simply as the fruits of my own twenty years of investigation in the hope that it may help others journeying along this path. An honest intellect and an open mind without self-deceit can only lead to a better outcome.
You may leave comments or questions below, but be sure to read our policy on commenting before doing so.

The Watchtower vs The Catholic Church

Which one is closer to authentic first-century Christianity? Are Jehovah's Witnesses a manmade religion (as they would say Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists are) or are they the restoration of First Century apostolic Christianity? Is the Catholic Church (which historians agree is the earliest identifiable expression of organized Christianity) an apostate Church that polluted authentic Christianity by adopting innumerable pagan practices and beliefs as soon as the apostles had all died?
I believe an honest investigation leads inevitably to the conclusion that Jehovah's Witnesses are a manmade religion born of fallible human interpretation and a superficial understanding of Scriptural and historical context, a natural product of its time and human reasoning similar to other 'restorationist' sects such as Latter Day Saints ("Mormons") and Seventh Day Adventists. I intend to show in these pages that Jehovah's Witnesses can be likened to your local postal carrier. Just as a postal carrier knows the addresses and associated names along a route, but knows little about the people living at those addresses, so Jehovah's Witnesses know all the Bible verses they can 'cherry-pick' to support their beliefs (as these inevitably change), but they are ignorant of the Scriptural and historical context of those verses. The postal carrier may believe that Mrs. Jones of 1547 Main Street is a senior because she receives mail from AARP, but he knows little else: he does not know, for example, that Mrs. Jones has been a widow for five years, has three adult children living in other states, and her late husband's name was Arthur. He does not know Mrs. Jones' actual age or her interests in life. (Okay, he may know she likes quilting because she receives monthly issues of "Quilting Today" magazine.) But you get the point: he knows only superficial things about the people to whom he delivers mail. He does not know them intimately, as if he were family. This is analogous to the understanding The Watchtower and the "Governing Body" of Jehovah's Witnesses have with respect to Scriptural and historical Christianity. In other words — and as I can testify, having worked at Bethel and in contact with the Writing Department during those years — the only correct understanding Jehovah's Witnesses have of Christianity are those beliefs that align with mainstream Christian doctrines, while those beliefs that are unique to Jehovah's Witnesses are contrary to Scriptural and historical truth. The Watchtower writing staff have always used Christendom's Biblical commentaries, simply picking and choosing those findings that align with the organization's current beliefs and practices. They have little to no genuine scholarship of their own.
I will illustrate this here with a simple preliminary example. More will be presented on other pages of this site.
The New World Translation, the 'official' Watchtower Bible, translates Luke 23:42-43 (regarding the thief executed alongside Jesus) as follows:

Then he said: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your Kingdom.” And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.”

Notice where the comma is placed. In the original manuscripts, of course, there were no punctuation marks, nor any chapters and verses. These were all added centuries after the original Greek manuscripts of the Christian Greek Scriptures (New Testament) were written. Here's how the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (and all other translations that I know of) punctuate this passage:

42 And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power." 43 And he said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Again, notice where the comma is placed. Why does the New World Translation put the comma after "today" rather than before it, as do all other English translations? It is necessary in order to support their teaching that the dead do not have a soul that continues to exist beyond bodily 'death' and hence can be 'in Paradise'.
But here is where Jehovah's Witnesses are ignorant of Scriptural precedent or context. Jesus uses the expression ‘truly I tell you’ throughout his ministry and this is recorded in all four Gospels. Never does he vary it to ‘truly I tell you today,…’. Why would Jesus alter the pattern of his ‘truly [or truly truly], I tell you’ expression recorded 76 other times in the gospels one time?! Were his listeners likely to think he was making this promise tomorrow ... or yesterday? Of course not; it would have been ridiculously superfluous. What he said is, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Click Here to see all the Gospel verses where Jesus uses the expression "Truly I tell you ...":
  • Matthew 5:18
    18 For truly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
  • Matthew 5:26
    26 truly I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.
  • Matthew 6:2
    2 "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
  • Matthew 6:5
    5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
  • Matthew 6:16
    16 "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
  • Matthew 8:10
    10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.
  • Matthew 10:15
    15 Truly I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that town.
  • Matthew 10:23
    23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.
  • Matthew 10:42
    42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."
  • Matthew 11:11
    11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
  • Matthew 13:17
    17 Truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
  • Matthew 16:28
    28 Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
  • Matthew 17:20
    20 He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."
  • Matthew 18:3
    3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
  • Matthew 18:13
    13 And if he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
  • Matthew 18:18
    18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. *
  • Matthew 19:23
    23 And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
  • Matthew 19:28
    28 Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  • Matthew 21:21
    21 And Jesus answered them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and never doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will be done.
  • Matthew 21:31
    31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
  • Matthew 23:36
    36 Truly I say to you, all this will come upon this generation.
  • Matthew 24:2
    2 But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down."
  • Matthew 24:34
    34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place.
  • Matthew 24:47
    47 Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
  • Matthew 25:12
    12 But he replied, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.'
  • Matthew 25:40
    40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'
  • Matthew 25:45
    45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'
  • Matthew 26:13
    13 Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."
  • Matthew 26:21
    21 and as they were eating, he said, "Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me."
  • Matthew 26:34
    34 Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times."
  • Mark 3:28
    28 "Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;
  • Mark 8:12
    12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
  • Mark 9:1
    1 And he said to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."
  • Mark 9:41
    41 For truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.
  • Mark 10:15
    15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."
  • Mark 10:29
    29 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,
  • Mark 11:23
    23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
  • Mark 12:43
    43 And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.
  • Mark 13:30
    30 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place.
  • Mark 14:9
    9 And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."
  • Mark 14:18
    18 And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."
  • Mark 14:25
    25 Truly I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
  • Mark 14:30
    30 And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times."
  • Luke 4:24
    24 And he said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country.
  • Luke 9:27
    27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."
  • Luke 12:37
    37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; truly I say to you, he will put on his apron and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.
  • Luke 12:44
    44 Truly I tell you, he will set him over all his possessions.
  • Luke 18:17
    17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."
  • Luke 18:29
    29 And he said to them, "Truly I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
  • Luke 21:3
    3 And he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them;
  • Luke 21:32
    32 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place.
  • Luke 23:43
    43 And he said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
  • John 1:51
    51 And he said to him, "Truly, truly I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
  • John 3:3
    3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born anew,he cannot see the kingdom of God."
  • John 3:5
    5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
  • John 3:11
    11 Truly, truly I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.
  • John 5:19
    19 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise.
  • John 5:24
    24 Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
  • John 5:25
    25 "Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
  • John 6:26
    26 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
  • John 6:32
    32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
  • John 6:47
    47 Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.
  • John 6:53
    53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;
  • John 8:34
    34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin.
  • John 8:51
    51 Truly, truly I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death."
  • John 8:58
    58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."*
  • John 10:1
    1 "Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber;
  • John 10:7
    7 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
  • John 12:24
    24 Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
  • John 13:16
    16 Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
  • John 13:20
    20 Truly, truly I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."
  • John 13:21
    21 When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly I say to you, one of you will betray me."
  • John 13:38
    38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.
  • John 14:12
    12 "Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.
  • John 16:20
    20 Truly, truly I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
  • John 16:23
    23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name.
  • John 21:18
    18 Truly, truly I say to you, when you were young, you fastened your own belt and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go."
Close

Atheism vs Christianity

Which worldview better explains the world we see?

Summary

Some will immediately accuse me here of begging the question, since I have already made the assumption that God exists and created the world (not to mention the exclusive adoption of Christianity as the true and proper relationship to God). But that is what I believe can be shown from the facts.

What I cannot show from the facts — but hope and pray — is that the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses will repent of their unwarranted arrogation of the authority given by Christ only to His Church in the First Century, and release those precious souls of Jehovah's Witnesses from a manmade religion to hear and respond to the Holy Spirit and the Bride of Christ, the Catholic Church. (Rev. 22:17)