Is spreading your religion correct?

[danny vee]

Hmm. My experience has been different.


Hopefully not, but I think there can be problems.

For instance, I know several ex-Christians who took quite a long time to get over the fear that they'd end up in Hell for following their heart and judgement by leaving their church. And imagine what it would be like to realize as a teenager that you were gay, after having been told for most of your life that homosexuality was an offense before God? In these sorts of cases - as well as many others - I don't think that religion can be seen as a net benefit to the child.

I think that bringing up a child in a religion does to a large extent tie the child to that religion. Whether this upbringing will become the anchor for the faith of the adult the child becomes or the ball and chain that stops that adult from following the path they truly want is certainly not clear while the child is young, IMO.


Unless you shelter your child from the world completely, it's going to come up sooner or later. What are you going to say when your child points at a synagogue and says "Daddy, why are those people going to church? It's Saturday!" or points at a Sikh man and asks "Daddy, why is he dressed different?"

Generally, I think that hiding kids from the truth is a bad strategy.

I didn't mean hiding kids from the truth. I meant telling them what you believe, if they ask questions, then tell them the answers! Obviously I wouldn't lie to my child about something like that. You must agree though, that a child does not give religious matters much thought until adolescence. And I believe in telling my child what I believe to be true, not of course shutting them off from the world around them, in that sense you are correct, if my child asked a question like the ones you posed at the end of your post, then I would answer truthfully. However, I believe in everyone telling their child what they believe, without any force, just telling them, and making it clear that they can choose to believe that or not. You talked about someone being told that homosexuality was bad and then finding out they were gay. THis does not apply to all people. I don't think it's evil, and I would not want to put pressure on my child, by telling them of possible punishments etc. I think everyone should just tell their child what they believe, and let the kid make his/her own decisions.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I didn't mean hiding kids from the truth. I meant telling them what you believe, if they ask questions, then tell them the answers! Obviously I wouldn't lie to my child about something like that.

But I really don't see how this works with the points you made before. You said that it can be harmful (or at least upsetting to the child's happiness) for a child to learn about multiple religions. If you're honestly answering the questions the child has, then I don't see how it's possible to ensure that the child won't learn about them.

You must agree though, that a child does not give religious matters much thought until adolescence.

No, I don't agree. Some children, sure, but I've personally known a few who were very concerned with religious matters from a young age. And most children are naturally curious and will want to know things like why one of his schoolfriends can't eat pork, or why he's taken past the church that's close to home in order to go to some other one. If he's really unlucky, he'll come home crying and wanting to know why another kid told him that he wasn't a "real Christian" when he told everyone he goes to a Catholic church... or something like that.

And I believe in telling my child what I believe to be true, not of course shutting them off from the world around them, in that sense you are correct, if my child asked a question like the ones you posed at the end of your post, then I would answer truthfully. However, I believe in everyone telling their child what they believe, without any force, just telling them, and making it clear that they can choose to believe that or not. You talked about someone being told that homosexuality was bad and then finding out they were gay. THis does not apply to all people. I don't think it's evil, and I would not want to put pressure on my child, by telling them of possible punishments etc. I think everyone should just tell their child what they believe, and let the kid make his/her own decisions.

I don't know what you specifically would teach your child about homosexuality, but if we're talking in the general sense, then we have to consider the spectrum of what kids are exposed to. I've personally seen the message that some churches put out about homosexuality, and I think it would likely make things much more unpleasant for a teenager coming to terms with his orientation if he's been saddled with that in childhood.

 

[tomspug]

Is converting non-believers into believers of your religion OK? Let's say you were 100% sure of your religion, would you think it morally correct to go and convert a bunch of African tribes to your religion? The fact that some people are 100% sure about their religion is the real problem with this. If you were 100% sure wouldn't you go and tell others of the truth, so they could be sure too?

I don't really understand what you mean. A CONVERSION is a choice that an individual makes... people like to take credit for "converting" people, but they don't deserve it. Every individual is responsible for themselves, in my opinion.

I imagine that you are implying that "African tribes" would be more naive than "cultured tribes", which is slightly offensive. I've never heard from anyone that spreading the gospel was easier some places rather than others. I think you may be confused as to what missionaries actually DO. They don't go out and try to trick people into believing what they believe for their own gain. Typically, missionaries simply SERVE others by going to countries where people are in need. They only "preach" to those that will listen... it's entirely optional, and is not supposed to be forced on people in any way. Does that make sense?

 

[Charity]

Spreading one's religious belief could be acceptable if done with tact, it's when you start to rub it in that it becomes irritating to most people.
Some people can do nothing in moderation and become religious extremists.

 

[J Bryson]

Interesting take, so one should convert if they're handed a dollar for food, regardless of the belief in question? This reminds me of the old practice of buying votes by handing out fifths of whiskey to potential voters.

I may have not been clear in my statement. Allow me to clarify: I am personally more impressed with those who act with compassion and love in the name of Christ than I am with those who act with judgment and attempts to use the political process to limit the rights of others and control their behavior based upon a limited interpretation of Scripture. If I ever were to convert (A rather large "if"), then it would be based upon the example that they set, and not upon any specific material gain on my part.

 

[Storm]

It depends entirely on how it's done. I babble on about my theology to anyone who'll listen, but I don't do it to convert. If someday, someone were to decide I was right and had faith in my vision of God, that would be cool, I guess. But I'm not going to go around telling people that their vision is wrong.

I just realized that I only answered from the perspective of my theology. Whoops.

In diametric opposition to that, I do believe that the 7 Principles are a superior philosophy for the world. That means I spread them whenever I can. I hasten to point out, however, that I focus my efforts on leading by example.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

In diametric opposition to that, I do believe that the 7 Principles are a superior philosophy for the world. That means I spread them whenever I can. I hasten to point out, however, that I focus my efforts on leading by example.

Does this constitute "spreading religion", though? I don't think a person has to be a UU to abide by the seven UU principles.

 

[Storm]

Does this constitute "spreading religion", though? I don't think a person has to be a UU to abide by the seven UU principles.

Good point!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Good point!

Though it's got me to thinking: I don't personally view things like demonstrating love for others would constitute spreading religion, but a Christian, say, who looks at the world through a "they will know we are Christians by our love" viewpoint, might. Hmm.

 

[Storm]

Yeah, I don't care so much about spreading the religion as the faith, if that makes sense.

 

[Magic Man]

Some people can do nothing in moderation and become religious extremists.

To be fair, some people also become irreligious extremists.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

You've told me that God will favour Christians over followers of other religions, but you have not told me why? If you are saying that God will reward and punish us based on our faiths, then you are saying that God will punish and reward us based on sheer luck - because whether or not a belief that is based on faith is true, is NOTHING but sheer luck.

So, to clarify, do you believe that all God believers are going to heaven or only Christians? If its the latter, then see my above comment, you've got some explaining to do.

God so loved the world the he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

God so loved the world the he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Except that doesn't say anything about what happens to non-believers. Also, I remember a bit in the Epistles about the error in musing about who is going to Heaven or Hell, as it dishonours Christ.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Except that doesn't say anything about what happens to non-believers. Also, I remember a bit in the Epistles about the error in musing about who is going to Heaven or Hell, as it dishonours Christ.

Sure He does. Everyone stops at John 3:16. It goes on to say that those who believe are not condemned but those who believe not are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 

[Katzpur]

Sure He does. Everyone stops at John 3:16. It goes on to say that those who believe are not condemned but those who believe not are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

But even that doesn't say what happens to those who don't believe because they have not heard.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

But even that doesn't say what happens to those who don't believe because they have not heard.

I believe that Romans 1 covers this when it states that everything created knows it's creator.

 

[Magic Man]

I believe that Romans 1 covers this when it states that everything created knows it's creator.

OK, so what if we're not created?

Again, we know that some people don't know the Chrisitan God or Jesus. That's a fact. It's not because they choose not to, they simply don't know them.

 

[HoldemDB9]

God so loved the world the he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Sure He does. Everyone stops at John 3:16. It goes on to say that those who believe are not condemned but those who believe not are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Ok then, you do believe that God will favour Christians because of there beliefs, so you have got some explaining to do, 4 points:

1) What about someone who tried harder to find truth than a Christian, but was not a Christian (such people obviously exist)? Are you saying that God would favour the Christian who tried LESS, JUST because they HAPPENED to be right?

2) What about the fact that whether or not a belief that is based on faith is true, is nothing but pure luck? You are saying that God punishes/rewards based on religious beleifs, therefore you are saying that God punishes/rewards based on nothing but sheer luck. Someone who has an equal amount of faith in Islam as you do in Christianity, in God eyes, is NO different to you. You did not try harder or anything like that, you just merely happened to be right.

3) For God to reward followers of Christianity over followers of other religions, the followers of Christianity have to have done something that is worthy of a reward. What are ALL Christians doing that ALL non-Christians are not doing that is worthy of a GREAT reward? And please don't come back telling me that the Christians have "accepted Christ" or "they were right". These are not reasons. I've already explained how whether or not a belief that is based on faith is true, is nothing but sheer luck.

4) If you can come up with an answer to 3 (which I'm am virtually 100% sure that you wont) than please tell me - Why is it that almost everyone who is born in Saudi Arabia, is not doing what all the Christians are doing (that is causing God to favour them)? Coincidence?

Please answer. I've brought this up PLENTY of time with many Christians and only 1 of 4 things has ever happened. They either say that ALL God believers will go to heaven, they don't know, Christians have tried harder to find truth than non-Christians or they stop replying .
I've came across many Christians and not one has EVER did even a decent job at explaining how a God can be just, loving, righteous, etc and at the same time punish/reward based on our beliefs. Please try and explain, it is not right that God will or will not reward us based ONLY our beleifs, REGARDLESS of how we came to have those beliefs.

 

[Katzpur]

I believe that Romans 1 covers this when it states that everything created knows it's creator.

I see. So given the fact that Jews and Muslims believe in the Abrahamic God, just as Christians do, are you saying that they don't need to believe in Jesus Christ specifically? And what about people of various other of the world's religions who may believe in a higher power but not necessarily in the Abrahamic God? They may even acknowledge this higher power as their creator. Does that mean they're covered? Are you really saying that everyone who has ever lived has an inborn knowledge of the God you personally worship?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I see. So given the fact that Jews and Muslims believe in the Abrahamic God, just as Christians do, are you saying that they don't need to believe in Jesus Christ specifically? And what about people of various other of the world's religions who may believe in a higher power but not necessarily in the Abrahamic God? They may even acknowledge this higher power as their creator. Does that mean they're covered? Are you really saying that everyone who has ever lived has an inborn knowledge of the God you personally worship?

Jesus Christ, specifically, is the creator all things according to the book of John.