Preaching Against Other Religions vs. Teaching Your Own

[Fluffy]

To me, it's not the fact that someone may declare that my religion is "wrong" that bugs me. It's the fact that they misrepresent the doctrines of my religion. For example:

It's okay to say: Mormonism is wrong because it teaches that God the Father is a corporeal being.

It's not okay to say: Mormonism is wrong because it teaches that the moon is made of green cheese.

It's okay to say: Mormonism is wrong because it teaches that marriages can endure beyond the grave.

It's not okay to say: Mormonism is wrong because it teaches that only people with blue eyes and blonde hair will go to heaven.

See what I'm saying?

Yes I agree fully! Ironically anybody who would do such a thing is not really preaching against their intended target but against their own imagination.

However there could be a big overlap here between percieved misinterpretation and actual misinterpretation. For example, Christians sometimes accuse pagans for practicing rituals that are powered by Satan. They do not claim that this is what pagans believe but that they are doing so mistakenly. A pagan would obviously disagree but since they would say that because they are supposedly being led astray, this seems to be a more legitimate line of criticism. It could be claimed, for example, outside of ignorance and a lack of comprehension although admittedly it rarely is.

 

[*Paul*]

I believe in being equipped. Now i must if I have any love in me try to pull people from the fire, it doesn't matter what religion they profess if they don't want to listen then thats fine you can't push it.
If i try to present the gospel to a Jew for example he will inevitably tell me that I'm wrong because of several different reasons, i must then if he is open to discussion try to show him how the view he holds is wrong. It's pointless just to ignore his objections and not address them and reason with him.
From my point of view souls are at stake i cannot love my neighbour and at the same time watch him follow a path that i am absolutely positive will lead him to hell and not even make an attempt to reason with him.

First and foremost you must know what you believe and have reasons for it not just because it is in your churches statement of faith or whatever. At the same time it is useful to know what others believe and how it compares to the word of God so when that missionary or pioneer comes knocking on your door on Saturday morning with their methods and books and their sometimes reasonable sounding arguements you will be ready to defend the faith, try to open their eyes and reason with them from the word of God.

 

[BFD_Zayl]

I believe in being equipped. Now i must if I have any love in me try to pull people from the fire, it doesn't matter what religion they profess if they don't want to listen then thats fine you can't push it.
If i try to present the gospel to a Jew for example he will inevitably tell me that I'm wrong because of several different reasons, i must then if he is open to discussion try to show him how the view he holds is wrong. It's pointless just to ignore his objections and not address them and reason with him.
From my point of view souls are at stake i cannot love my neighbour and at the same time watch him follow a path that i am absolutely positive will lead him to hell and not even make an attempt to reason with him.

First and foremost you must know what you believe and have reasons for it not just because it is in your churches statement of faith or whatever. At the same time it is useful to know what others believe and how it compares to the word of God so when that missionary or pioneer comes knocking on your door on Saturday morning with their methods and books and their sometimes reasonable sounding arguements you will be ready to defend the faith, try to open their eyes and reason with them from the word of God.

it is very good that people hold onto their faith, and that you have a good heart for attempting to save them. take heed however that more often than not other people will have the same amount of faith in their religion (or lack thereof) as you do, and in some cases, more. if they start to get angry it is often wise to back off. for more mundane reasons than the profane, for example that baseball bat may be tempting to an angry person when you tell them that what they believe in, what they base their lives on, and what they hold to their hearts to be wrong. i'm one of the few people these days thats happy when other people are content with their religions, and make it a point not to go around raising up trouble. alas people will question other peoples faiths, and they have that right. but please do it respectfully, and those that are being question must act respectful in turn. alot of problems could be solved this way.

 

[Katzpur]

However there could be a big overlap here between percieved misinterpretation and actual misinterpretation. For example, Christians sometimes accuse pagans for practicing rituals that are powered by Satan. They do not claim that this is what pagans believe but that they are doing so mistakenly.

If I'm following your train of thought, this would be much the same thing as when people tell me that I don't worship the real Jesus, but a different Jesus than the one who can offer me salvation. Am I understanding you correctly?

I think that as soon as we try to impose our own perceptions of what people believe on what they actually claim to believe, we are on very shaky ground. All of us have beliefs based upon faith. Until such time as someone can offer absolute proof to me that my Jesus is the wrong Jesus, he had best keep his thoughts to himself. I'd say that the same goes for people who tell pagans that they are practicing rituals powered by Satan. Who do we mere mortals think we are anyway?

 

[Katzpur]

From my point of view souls are at stake i cannot love my neighbour and at the same time watch him follow a path that i am absolutely positive will lead him to hell and not even make an attempt to reason with him.

Paul, how can you be any more "absolutely positive" of what will lead someone to tell than the next guy? Like you, I believe the Bible to be the Word of God. But unless you are privy to some face-to-face conversations with your Creator, you have to realize that Muslims and Jews and people with all kinds of different beliefs are as sure that their beliefs are right as you are that yours are right. By the way, "reasoning" with someone is not the way to change his beliefs. Surely you know that.

 

[*Paul*]

Paul, how can you be any more "absolutely positive" of what will lead someone to tell than the next guy?

The bible makes it clear and plain, at least in my eyes. It gives no hope to those who are without Christ that when they die they will go to heaven.

Like you, I believe the Bible to be the Word of God.

Part of it.

But unless you are privy to some face-to-face conversations with your Creator, you have to realize that Muslims and Jews and people with all kinds of different beliefs are as sure that their beliefs are right as you are that yours are right.

I don't doubt that they are as sure as i am, being convinced of the truthfulness of something is not the proof of it's truthfulness. I am always impressed with the sincerity of peoples beliefs and admire them for it.

By the way, "reasoning" with someone is not the way to change his beliefs. Surely you know that.

It's the method the Apostle Paul used.

 

[*Paul*]

if they start to get angry it is often wise to back off. for more mundane reasons than the profane, for example that baseball bat may be tempting to an angry person when you tell them that what they believe in, what they base their lives on, and what they hold to their hearts to be wrong.

I know full well that you can't reason with an angry person , they don't hear you properly.

alas people will question other peoples faiths, and they have that right. but please do it respectfully, and those that are being question must act respectful in turn. alot of problems could be solved this way.

I completely agree. I am not easily provoked and rarely get into bad arguements. I think it only happened to me once in person when i had some Jehovahs witnesses at my house and they said I held babylonish pagan doctrine and I said they had a corrupted bible.
Of course the internet is another matter as our intentions are easily misinterpreted, as I am typing the voice in my head may be calm and reasonable but when the other person reads it they hears an angry insulting voice. At least the smileys help a bit.

 

[Katzpur]

The bible makes it clear and plain, at least in my eyes. It gives no hope to those who are without Christ that when they die they will go to heaven.

How do you know that the Bible is true, Paul? That's what I'm trying to get at.

Part of it.

You're right, but that's not the topic of this thread.

It's the method the Apostle Paul used.

How many people do you think Paul converted to Christianity on the basis of logic? Why are you a Christian? Is it because someone very articulate convinced you through reasoning to believe in Christ?

 

[Fluffy]

If I'm following your train of thought, this would be much the same thing as when people tell me that I don't worship the real Jesus, but a different Jesus than the one who can offer me salvation. Am I understanding you correctly?

Do these people claim that you believe some attribute about Jesus when you don't or do they claim that their Jesus has some attribute that makes him incompatible with yours (ie their Jesus doesn't like Mormonism)? The first might be simple error whilst the second is simply part of their faith (although it might be motivated by some worldly bigotry). You are obviously worshipping who you consider to be Jesus Christ so if they recognise a difference then that is part of their perception of him, their reality.

I think that as soon as we try to impose our own perceptions of what people believe on what they actually claim to believe, we are on very shaky ground. All of us have beliefs based upon faith. Until such time as someone can offer absolute proof to me that my Jesus is the wrong Jesus, he had best keep his thoughts to himself. I'd say that the same goes for people who tell pagans that they are practicing rituals powered by Satan. Who do we mere mortals think we are anyway?

Well that would be ideal and much more pleasant but realistically, if I believe that my Jesus is right and your Jesus is wrong then in preaching that my Jesus is right, I must be stating that yours is wrong. Furthermore, if I believe that I have a moral imperative to spread his word then I must point out exactly where everything that is not his word goes wrong. Afterall, I wouldn't want other people to confuse my actions as support for your Jesus.

These people should produce proof and argument to support why I am wrong and they are right. But their beliefs are only based on faith and so if I am going to accept that (and I do), I must accept the consequences as well. I find it very difficult to detach an assertion of truth from its falsehood and so, to me, saying X is true is just a different way of saying Y is false. Since both are based on faith, we cannot draw a distinction via their justification. Thus, unless we wish to police the beliefs people may hold or speak freely about (a very murky area) then I can't see a more acceptable solution.

 

[*Paul*]

How do you know that the Bible is true, Paul? That's what I'm trying to get at.

The Jews and prophecy. Only God can foretell the future with such exact precision, and also the internal witness I have.

How many people do you think Paul converted to Christianity on the basis of logic? Why are you a Christian? Is it because someone very articulate convinced you through reasoning to believe in Christ?

A multitude:
Acts 13v50: But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
Acts 13v51: But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
Acts 13v52: And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
Acts 14v1: And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

Acts 17v2: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Acts 17v3: Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Acts 24v25: And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

I converted to Christianity because when convinced of my sin and my defilement in Gods sight it was the only logical decision to take.

 

[astarath]

Ignorance is a powerful motivator. When people can't understand something they fear it and when the fear becomes associated with something as personal as their faith they go as far as to sin against their own tenets it order to eradicate their fear. Thus once again fear becomes a great tool of Shatan and christians remain divided. Only through love and understanding will preaching against other religions will end

 

[*Paul*]

http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/200404gc.html

http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/200404gc.html

http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/200404gc.html
http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/2004mesa.html
http://www.fairlds.org/apol/antis/streetpreachers.html

I'd just like to say that I do not endorse these kind of tactics and methods (not that my endorsement amounts to a hill of beans). It looks to me like lazy Christianity, this kind of action has no biblical precedent and I tell you now that if i knew these people I would tell them so and rebuke them to their faces. It's not a mormon is gonna read one of these placards and say "you know what, you guys are right, i am going to hell. Quick sign me up and get me on your choir"? What do they think will happen .
They probably think they are being faithfull to the truth and fighting the good fight of faith but in reality I feel that they are immediatly getting peoples backs up and hardening them against what they believe.

As i said before it is lazy, rather than get into a reasoned discussion they just make statements with no reasoning to back it up.

 

[may]

Anyone that preachs anything about the future is a prophet.

or maybe they are just being obedient to what
Jesus left them to do.
If YOU observe my commandments, YOU will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.John 15;10
Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU. And, look! I am with YOU all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." matthew 28; 19-20

(Matthew 7:24) "Therefore everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them will be likened to a discreet man, who built his house upon the rock-mass.

(John 14:23) In answer Jesus said to him: "If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our abode with him.

(1 Timothy 6:14) that you observe the commandment in a spotless and irreprehensible way until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.​

 

[may]

At the same time it is useful to know what others believe and how it compares to the word of God so when that missionary or pioneer comes knocking on your door on Saturday morning with their methods and books and their sometimes reasonable sounding arguements you will be ready to defend the faith, try to open their eyes and reason with them from the word of God.

yes it is a good thing to be open minded enough to listen to what they have got to say, and you will find that they will always have Gods word the bible ready at hand , for me as a Jehovahs witness the bible is our aurthority , and that is what we point people too, and many of the prophecies in the bible are now well along in this time that we are living in . and as the bible informs us ,the day of Jehovah is near , Zepheniah 1;14