Is spreading your religion correct?

[HoldemDB9]

Where did you come up with the concept that life was fair?

I didn't. But I believe that God would be fair.

I believe that the God of truth will lead them.

So then why isn't everyone on the planet Christian? Is God not doing a good enough job of leading them, or is it something that the non-believer is doing wrong? If the latter, then what are they doing that is A: wrong and B: worthy of punishment.

When it comes to belief in the true God, yes He does.

Ok, so you believe that God will reward and punish based on whether or not our beleifs are true. But religious beliefs are based on faith. If you only have faith that something is true, then whether or not it is actually true is completely down to chance. Do you believe that God punishes and rewards based on pure chance?

Just give me one thing that Christians do that will make God favour them over Muslims.

 

[Magic Man]

Fair, as used in the Bible describes weather and women.

Would you consider it fair to get on the wrong side of a God whom is omnipotent, omnicient, and always correct?

That's quite a dodge. With that kind of skill, I'd bet you could dodge bullets, couldn't you?

Now, back to the quesion at hand. Would it be fair for God to punish people eternally for trying to be the best people they could, but not believing in him because they had never heard of him?

 

[ayani]

danny ~

what a Christian is called to do is to share the good news. to tell others about Jesus, share His person, His words, and His uniqueness with others.

we can not convert a person. that's the work of God's Spirit. we can compel a person to go to church or recite a creed, but that's not true faith, or true discipleship. the decision to follow Christ must be personal, and between the soul and God.

if one were to preach the Gospel in a given community / village, many may believe, and many may not. to coerce Christian faith is decidedly non-Christian. Christ never forced anyone's knees to the ground. He did His Father's work, told the truth about Himself, brought healing for the sick, and gave people the choice to accept Him, or reject Him.

we are called to be apostles and evangelists, to reflect Christ and tell others about Him. to answer others' questions, give them the resources to seek and find, and pray for them. that's about all we can do. sharing and telling is our job. conversion is in God's hands.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

we are called to be apostles and evangelists, to reflect Christ and tell others about Him. to answer others' questions, give them the resources to seek and find, and pray for them. that's about all we can do. sharing and telling is our job. conversion is in God's hands.

If that's the case, then isn't your "job" rather pointless?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

That's quite a dodge. With that kind of skill, I'd bet you could dodge bullets, couldn't you?

Now, back to the quesion at hand. Would it be fair for God to punish people eternally for trying to be the best people they could, but not believing in him because they had never heard of him?

The book of Romans states that everything created knows it's creator so that they are without excuse.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If that's the case, then isn't your "job" rather pointless?

Hey, as long as it gives them something to occupy their time and keep them out of gangs, I think it's great.

 

[HoldemDB9]

The book of Romans states that everything created knows it's creator so that they are without excuse.

Without excuse with regards to believing in God? Or without excuse with regards to believing in a specific religion?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Without excuse with regards to believing in God? Or without excuse with regards to believing in a specific religion?

Believing in the creator God and the power of His godhead. Romans 1:20

 

[ayani]

If that's the case, then isn't your "job" rather pointless?

no, not at all. is it true that Christ can lead a person to understand these things on His own? yes. but what are disciples called to do?

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:12-15

if we know Him for who He is, we can't help tell others about Him when given the chance. we have been called, by Christ Himself, to tell others about Him, share our faith, and give an account. we tell, share, and explain, yet we can't get into the person's heart to rewire things. that's where the Holy Spirit comes in.

God knows our hearts, our thoughts, and our inclinations. His Spirit can search our hearts, guide them, and convict them. so the job of the Christian is not pointless, but joyful and fruitful. sow the seed, and He will send rain to water.

 

[HoldemDB9]

Believing in the creator God and the power of His godhead. Romans 1:20

I thought you said that only those who believe in Jesus will be saved? Now you are saying that all who believe in God will be saved? Please clarify.

 

[crystalonyx]

danny ~

what a Christian is called to do is to share the good news. to tell others about Jesus, share His person, His words, and His uniqueness with others.

we can not convert a person. that's the work of God's Spirit. we can compel a person to go to church or recite a creed, but that's not true faith, or true discipleship. the decision to follow Christ must be personal, and between the soul and God.

if one were to preach the Gospel in a given community / village, many may believe, and many may not. to coerce Christian faith is decidedly non-Christian. Christ never forced anyone's knees to the ground. He did His Father's work, told the truth about Himself, brought healing for the sick, and gave people the choice to accept Him, or reject Him.

we are called to be apostles and evangelists, to reflect Christ and tell others about Him. to answer others' questions, give them the resources to seek and find, and pray for them. that's about all we can do. sharing and telling is our job. conversion is in God's hands.

Except I consider what you are "spreading" to be harmful, it has destroyed many cultures over the course of history.

 

[Magic Man]

The book of Romans states that everything created knows it's creator so that they are without excuse.

And yet we know that's not the case, so back to the question. If someone hasn't heard of the Christian God, how is it fair to punish them eternally for not believing in something they've never heard of?

You could also think of it as what would be the point of proselytizing, if everyone already knew about God? If that bit in Romans, is true, then there's no need for anyone to proselytize, is there?

 

[ayani]

Except I consider what you are "spreading" to be harmful, it has destroyed many cultures over the course of history.

harmful in what sense?

what is true is that we are called to preach the Gospel to "all nations". nations includes language groups, and cultural practices, to be broad. now, if some of those cultural practices involve bowing down to carved images, ancestors, or mountains; polygamy; infanticide; shamanism or divination, these practices are in no way compatible with Christian discipleship. once the person becomes a Christian, the old ways are laid aside for new life in Christ.

what would be wrong would be to go about destroying others' places or objects of worship to make a point. what would also be wrong is forcing change on those who didn't want it, or were rejecting it. conversion isn't a matter of wiping out all other options and forcing a choice. that's not freedom, it's oppression, and certainly many Christian missionaries have done just that. it wasn't right then, and isn't now.

yet what is not wrong is sharing the Gospel, answering questions, and giving peoples the chance to learn more. also not wrong is expecting a convert to willingly lay aside what is not Christian, for what is.

 

[Starfish]

Actually, those studies say that active participation in a community as a senior citizen correlates with longer life. And there's a few things that they don't say that are key to remember:

- they don't say that religious worship or belief correlates with longer life, only that active participation in some community, any community, correlates. This doesn't necessarily have to be a church.

- they don't say which direction the causality in this correlation works. Seeing how it's very plausible that the causal relationship goes the opposite way to what you're implying, I don't see the need to take the conclusion you do. It's probably more plausible to say "if your health makes it difficult to get around (and are therefore more likely to have a condition that will kill you sooner), you're less likely to go to church" than saying that church somehow makes you healthy.

The Secret Behind Extension of Earthly Life ( If you are a regular with religious ser...)

 

[Dezzie]

Converting others should not be a goal of religion. That is my biggest problem with Christianity, and also why I don't have a problem with Buddhism or Judaism or most others. It's perfectly fine to discuss your religion with others, if they're willing to do so, but proselytizing is not something you should do.

Exactly, and also if someone wanted to learn about other religions and were curious about what is out there, they could look it up themselves. It's not that hard to go to a library to find a book (or a church for that matter). Open source research is also very helpful...

 

[crystalonyx]

harmful in what sense?

what is true is that we are called to preach the Gospel to "all nations". nations includes language groups, and cultural practices, to be broad. now, if some of those cultural practices involve bowing down to carved images, ancestors, or mountains; polygamy; infanticide; shamanism or divination, these practices are in no way compatible with Christian discipleship. once the person becomes a Christian, the old ways are laid aside for new life in Christ.

what would be wrong would be to go about destroying others' places or objects of worship to make a point. what would also be wrong is forcing change on those who didn't want it, or were rejecting it. conversion isn't a matter of wiping out all other options and forcing a choice. that's not freedom, it's oppression, and certainly many Christian missionaries have done just that. it wasn't right then, and isn't now.

yet what is not wrong is sharing the Gospel, answering questions, and giving peoples the chance to learn more. also not wrong is expecting a convert to willingly lay aside what is not Christian, for what is.

Of course, in the past Christianitty id destroy other places of worship, and killed heretics. Nowadays it is more subtle and probably more effective.

 

[danny vee]

If you don't know whether you're right or wrong, then why bother try to sway other people to your way of thinking?


Except killing (or homicide, rather) can be proven to be bad for all practical purposes.

Define bad.

 

[danny vee]

So, it doesnt matter to you if its a Muslim, a Wiccan, a Satanist, or a Christian who is doing the conversion?

Well, it matters if let's say only a Wiccan is doing the conversion, because then the subject gets a very one-sided view. However, if they all have a chance to try and convert, then the person who is subject to their attempts gets a varied view on people's opinions, and can make a decision for himself what, if anything, seems believable.

 

[danny vee]

Killing isn't evil. Killing is not, however, productive to the survival of our species, and because we need to survive, I guess you can prove that it's not a good idea to go around killing people.

GhK.

Why do we need to survive?

 

[danny vee]

I think it depends on what you mean by "convert someone". That phrase can cover a wide range of things from a friendly discussion about religion through "sure, starving person, I'll feed you... right after you come to my church" to "if you don't swear to follow my gods right now, I'll kill you where you stand".

There's a difference between convert, and force someone to think like you through blackmailing them and torturing them.