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Is it a sin to respect other religions?

Is it a sin to respect other religions and defend their followers when they are being verbally or physically attacked by extremists or by nonebelievers? For example, is it a sin for a Christian to be against the islamophobia that has been spreading throughout the world lately?
 

Rival

Diex Aie
Staff member
Premium Member
Without respect there can be no peace.

Edit: But Jihadis who go about killing innocents, no, no respect.
 

Kemosloby

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
It is if you cause others to stumble and believe in Islam. If you can respect other religions without believing it or showing belief or giving it your stamp of approval, seems fine. Like I would never praise Muhammed since he was not a prophet and does not teach Christ as Lord.
 
You're not required to persuade anyone to believe in Christianity. You'd probably be wise not to try unless you were good at it or believed you could have some success at it. Even the Apostles were instructed to move on if people didn't believe, even they had quite a time persuading people.
The apostles were instructed to leave the towns where people refused to listen to the Gospel. That's completely different to not trying to convert people. That's basically what the apostles' mission was: to preach the Gospel of Jesus and convince the people who were willing to listen to them to believe it. All throughout the world. That meant that they obviously encountered people who had other beliefs and had to preach the Gospel of Jesus to those people.
 

The Holy Bottom Burp

Active Member
To answer the OP, of course Christians should respect other faiths, can you imagine Jesus spitting on a Muslim or a Buddhist?
I do think this topic would be better in the debates section though as Rival and Muslim-UK have suggested.
 
To answer the OP, of course Christians should respect other faiths, can you imagine Jesus spitting on a Muslim or a Buddhist?
Well, He did call the pharisees "snakes" and "vipers" and He did use a whip to chase away the merchants and the animals from the temple after he overturned the tables...

That would seem disrespectful, to say the least, in today's society...
 

Kemosloby

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
The apostles were instructed to leave the towns where people refused to listen to the Gospel. That's completely different to not trying to convert people. That's basically what the apostles' mission was: to preach the Gospel of Jesus and convince the people who were willing to listen to them to believe it. All throughout the world. That meant that they obviously encountered people who had other beliefs and had to preach the Gospel of Jesus to those people.

They were Apostles though. Not everyone is required to be preachers. Here is an interesting line that it seems just as good to convince people by good behavior as by preaching the word.

Wives and Husbands
Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.…

1 Peter 3:1 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,
 

Shiranui117

Pronounced Shee-ra-noo-ee
Premium Member
***MOD POST***

Everyone, please keep in mind that this thread is in the Christianity DIR, and as such is subject to Rule 10. Here is the rule below:

10. Debating in Non-debate Forums or Posting in DIR/ONLY Forums
Religious forums is structured to provide spaces for many different kinds of conversations. Different kinds of conversations belong in different areas of the forum:

1) Debates should be kept to the debate areas of the forums, including Religious Debates, General Debates, and Political Debates. Debating anywhere other than these forums may result in moderation. Same Faith Debates is governed by special rules described here. Only members of the specified groups(s) can participate in these threads.

2) All DIR (Discuss Individual Religions) forums are for the use of members who identify with those groups or practices. Debating is not permitted in DIRs; debates between members of specified groups should be posted in Same Faith Debates. Members who do not identify with a DIR group may only post respectful questions; we recommend creating a thread in the Religions Q&A instead where there is more freedom to comment. DIR forums are not to be used as a cover to bash others outside of the DIR group.

3) The Political World forum has several "only" subforums that are for the use of members who identify with those political leanings. Members who do not identify with those political leanings are not allowed to post there.
The staff more strictly moderate Rule 10 violations where there is some other rule violation involved, such as preaching in a DIR or trolling a political forum a member doesn't belong to. More benign violations may be subject to informal reminders or moving threads to the appropriate location.

tl;dr, if you're not a Christian, don't post in this DIR unless you have a respectful question.
 

Sclavus

Member
As a Christian, I show respect to other religions under the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That means I leave people to practice their religion in peace, but will rise to the defense of those being oppressed by religion. Respecting Muslims doesn't require me to agree with their religion, or to condone the actions of extremists who call themselves Muslims.

I believe Christians can and should seek peace whenever possible, without sacrificing the truth to do so. I don't and won't condone undue harm to people in any name, including that of religion, but I also respect the rights of others to assemble peaceably for their religion. You can believe what you want, and I may disagree, but you probably won't know I disagree unless you ask or do something to put somebody in harm's way.
 

DavidFirth

Well-Known Member
Is it a sin to respect other religions and defend their followers when they are being verbally or physically attacked by extremists or by nonebelievers? For example, is it a sin for a Christian to be against the islamophobia that has been spreading throughout the world lately?

No, it isn't a sin unless the Christian faith is violated. It's not wrong to be against Islamophobia but it is wrong to support their belief that Christ isn't the Son of God.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Here for the ride
Premium Member
No. We should respect each other as brothers and sisters regardless of religion or lack thereof. We're all God's children. That doesn't mean we need to agree, just have basic respect and civility, at least. We should love everyone.
 

BilliardsBall

Veteran Member
Is it a sin to respect other religions and defend their followers when they are being verbally or physically attacked by extremists or by nonebelievers? For example, is it a sin for a Christian to be against the islamophobia that has been spreading throughout the world lately?

Respect and human dignity are a big part of Christianity. Love and intercession are, too.

Islamophobia is an issue, another larger issue is Islam and other religions prevalent where the gospel should be preached.
 
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