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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/18/2007 9:55:04 AM | You may be suprised to learn that that IS the teaching (live and let live). The idea is to meet people where they are at, be kind, friendly and helpful. That is 90% of the mission work right there. Now, that doesnt mean that teaching and preaching are obsolete. They are a large part of christian doctrine as well. Christ's teachings create controversy and stir up trouble...that is the very essence of the message. People do not want to hear that their life needs to change because they already know that and it stirs up feelings of doubt, shame and fear. The message itself is responsible, not the messengers.
For the most part however, ;ife for the christian is much like the unbelievers. We put our pants on one leg at a time, we work, play with the kids and mow the yard. We are expected to mind our own business and not be a part of undue controversy. When it comes to peoples questions in a discussion, a planned evangelistic event or questions brought up in the course of serving others, we are not expected to water down the message so it doesnt challenge or offend anyone. The truth will always be controversial. The question is ...why fight it? Look into it for yourself...that is all anyone is asking you to do anyway. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/18/2007 10:06:51 AM |
Once Christians get deep enough into their faith - a lot of them will lead by example, not force. The thing is - it's a choice to choose God. It's not up to anyone to TELL you to have faith
Tell that to the Jews, Muslims and Pagans who were forced to give up their faith by the Inquisition.
My blood family (back in the day) was forced from their homes and to move to Mexico because they were X-Jews who were forced to love christ. On the other side the Pagans were forced to give up their faith during the burning times. speaking of torture it wasnt until the 1950's the church disallowed the use of torture as a means of conversion. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/18/2007 9:44:25 PM | stony ground has heard it before, and is stony because they're not interested and you're annoying them is a reason to stop.
CharlesEdm; this must be a first, but i actually agree with you there. However I have no problem if people express themselfs. Its when they try to convert me to their brand of religion, is when I get pissed. This goes for christian and humanistic belief systems alike.
On the other hand, overly sensitive people who get offended from any religious statement piss me off
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/18/2007 10:28:05 PM |
CharlesEdm; this must be a first, but i actually agree with you there. However I have no problem if people express themselfs. Its when they try to convert me to their brand of religion, is when I get pissed. This goes for christian and humanistic belief systems alike.
I have no problem with expression in the context of where it's escapable. Free speech is only free if it's avoidable, otherwise the cost is born by the listener.
Basically what I'm saying is that nobody should be forced to listen to a religious sermon if they want to go to school. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/22/2007 7:25:14 AM | ( Islam has historically been doing it since it's inception,usually by force.)
an example would be great for inscantce..............
on the other hand christainty was forced on african slaves, south americans, south east asian indians. remeber the spain in 1400 ad , all muslims & jews were forced to be christians. christans massacre in jersulem killed 72000 musslims in a week just to prove christianty was better religion.
& what you were saying oh yeh islam forced people to be musslim .
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/28/2007 2:42:18 PM | i'm sorry that you feel that way...and let me say sometimes it kinda bothers me when some believers are like that...for who are they to judge?in my case i'm a saved sinner, so on the other hand they are only sticking up for what is right...gay marriage is not right, nor is abortion but thats all i can say on that only God has the right to judge and repremand. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/28/2007 3:31:44 PM | It has only been a very few, therefore rare, occasions when others attempted to force me to accept their religious views for myself.
I don't consider debate or discussion a forceful encounter.
There is, however, one area in which religious beliefs are constantly being forced upon society as a whole. The area I refer to is with regards to the law, and basic human rights, by which a society as a whole are subjects to be adhered to.
Religion and however one determines to utilize it within their personal lives, is a very subjective thing. It is personal, based on personal interpretation, personal adherence, and personal belief.
When a person is no longer able to determine the difference between; the 'personally' accepted religious doctrine that guide their individual course of actions, and the laws that uphold the freedoms and rights of a whole society to do so, then that person is forcing their personal religious doctrine on the whole of society.
This, then, is the forceful view that is referred in many topics such at this one.
It is because our basic human rights and individual freedoms are so far reaching that everyone is entitled to act in accordance with those morals derived through personal beliefs. If your beliefs dictate that you can not have an abortion, you don't have to get one, likewise; if homosexuality through the eyes of your doctrine is wrong, don't practice it, if murder is wrong and your doctrine tells you to turn the other cheek, than why go to war and kill people? Clearly doing so is against your values, yet you give them up, ignore them because you want to save a country in which you are free to decide what doctrine you choose to subscribe too.
So its ok, to murder if it allows you to maintain the freedom to believe that murder is wrong, yet you do not extend the same opportunity of such choices under equal treatment and disbursement of those same laws to others.
The scenario that many Christians are attempting to create is the same scenario that the Jews fought to have under the Roman Empire. When the Hebrews could convict Jesus of any crime, they turned to the government, to Caesar, to force a judgment. When one could not be passed, as no crime was committed in the eyes of the law, the Hebrews, created crimes by which the Empire could effectively deal with in Jesus case.
In other words, those Christians who desire to adjust the laws of a country to be exactly the same as their doctrine are asking the legal system to judge others based on conditions that offer no freedom of choice.
YOU don't like what another is doing, because it offends your doctrine; therefore, deny the rights of that person to have a different doctrine by creating laws that substantiate your own.
Anyone who denies this to be anything other than manipulative actions designed to 'force' others into adherence with your own personal beliefs, obviously has no ability to differentiate between their religion doctrine and the laws that govern a free and equal society. It's also obvious that these people uphold and live by such codes that allow for bigotry, hate, double standards and manipulation.
These are the forces that the rational factions of societies must attempt to deal with. It's difficult to fight the forces of prejudice and hate and bigotry, when those who are the recipients of such treatment are fearful of retribution and others simply don't care, as long as they never encounter the inequity. That does not meant the inequity does not exist, it means that inequity that is allowed to flourish, will eventually strike even those who showed no concern for the laws of a free and equal society. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/28/2007 4:43:06 PM | | I, for one, never try to impress my beliefs upon Anyone! It is your right by your own freewill that you are to believe what ever it is that you choose to believe. I only discuss such matters as here in these Forums, and mainly to express my views on the subject because a question was posed. However, I do post to also find out the truth, which I believe that the answer lies within...All of Us!!! | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/30/2007 7:38:21 PM |
Spreading the Good News often falls on stony ground, but that's not a reason to stop doing it
Because it's difficult is indeed not a reason to stop doing it. The reason to stop doing it is because you are being disrespectful of other's religions and beliefs.
I, for example, am Jewish. Like Jesus. Yet I'm reasonably familiar with Christianity, and choose to remain Jewish. Paul understood. In Romans 11, he said
I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew And then in 11:26 He says
And so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
The Deliverer will come from Zion
Yet much of my life Christians like you, who do not understand what Jesus and Paul said, feel they need to convert me. God has given His Word to the Jewish people.
What part of that don't Christians understand? Jesus himself said in John 14:28
You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 9/30/2007 9:14:07 PM | Hmmmm... well, I'm only going to address the OP's question here....
I was born and raised Catholic. I did lots of reading on various philosophical and Christian subjects and came to the conclusion that I was really an athiest. Even since then, I get told I'm immoral because I don't believe in a God, when I still uphold all the same values. Also, I don't believe I got the values I have from the church, because I just saw way too much immoral behavior going on all around me, and on my own I decided it was a bad thing and turned away. Anyway, I just don't like the pressure, and the lack of acceptance some have for others.
Of the "big 3" religions in the world, if I really had to choose one, I'd probably choose Judaism. As far as I understand, they don't preach or try to pressure people to be like them. They also are the most progressive I think when it comes to women.
Anyway, I think some of it is that some believe that they are actually doing a good thing and "God's will" by trying to force everyone to the same belief system, but that actually goes against the idea of America being a melting pot of various cultures. I don't think all Christians do that though. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it was very few.
Edit: Actually, now that I think of it, the part that bothers me the most is that some want their values and religion written into law. Again, that goes against the American ideology of accpeting all. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free... " | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/1/2007 2:19:07 PM |
What part of that don't Christians understand? Jesus himself said in John 14:28
You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
This verse is often quoted to try and make a claim that Jesus was admitting he was inferior to the Father. but that is not the context of the passage's meaning. Right before this comment was made Jesus also stated...
John 14
9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Why would Jesus say that his Father is greater than He is?
------------------------------------------------
Because Jesus is talking about His lowly position in the incarnation, not about His nature or essential being.
to paraphrase a quote regarding this passage....
In becoming incarnate and tabernacling among men Christ had greatly humiliated Himself, by choosing to descend into shame and suffering in their acutest forms....In view of this, Christ was now contrasting His situation with that of the Father in the heavenly sanctuary. The Father was seated upon the throne of highest majesty; the brightness of His glory was uneclipsed; He was surrounded by hosts of holy beings, who worshiped Him in uninterrupted praise. Far different was it with His incarnate Son-despised and rejected of men, surrounded by enemies, soon to be nailed to a criminals cross.
We need to understand the greek words used in this passage as well
greater=(meizon)
better=(kreitton)
Jesus did not say that The Father was Better than Him but greater and the word is used to point to His greater position in heaven.
This is made clear in Hebrews1:4 where better is used to describe Jesus´ superiority over the angels...The word better in this verse indicates that Jesus is not just higher than the angels positionaly. But is higher than the angels in His very nature..
Jesus is better in kind and in nature from the angels.
Jesus never once used the word better regarding His relationship with the Father, for He is not inferior or lower in nature with the Father. Jesus used the word ´greater´ that points to the Father being higher in position only....During the incarnation, Jesus functioned in the world of humans, and this necessitated Jesus being lower than the Father positionaly.
Look at Phillipians 2:6-9 Paul talks of the incarnation and says of Jesus....
"being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness"
Paul confirms that Christ was in the very nature God,meaning Christ in His essential being is and always has been eternal God.
The word ´being´ in this passage (being in the very nature God) is a present tense term and carries the idea of continued existence with God...
Philippians 2:6-9 indicates that Jesus Christ, in eternity past, continually and forever existed in the form of God. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/1/2007 2:38:42 PM | This arguement is stupid
The early church was neither fundamental or Catholic. It was an offshoot of Judaism. It was Apostolic. It did not become "Catholic" until Emperor Constantine made christianity the State religion and set up the Church as an entity.
Here's the facts...
The term Early Christianity here refers to Christianity of the period after the Death of Jesus in the early 30s and before the First Council of Nicaea in 325. The term is sometimes used in a narrower sense of just the very first followers (disciples) of Jesus of Nazareth and the faith as preached and practiced by the Twelve Apostles, their contemporaries, and their immediate successors, also called the Apostolic Age.
Early Christians split off definitively from Rabbinic Judaism, wrote the books that would become the New Testament, developed the first Christian Biblical canons, defended Christian beliefs against criticism by other Roman religions, survived various persecutions, denounced Christian heresies, and developed church hierarchy. What started as a religious movement within Second Temple Judaism became, by the end of this period, the favored religion of the Roman Empire under Constantine the Great (leading later to the rise of a Christendom), as well as a significant new religion outside of the empire. The First Council of Nicaea marks the end of this era and the beginning of the period of the first Seven Ecumenical Councils (325 - 787).
Origin of Christianity as a distinct religion
Main article: Origins of Christianity
The followers of Jesus composed an apocalyptic Jewish sect during the late Second Temple period of the 1st century. Some groups (collectively called Jewish Christians) that followed Jesus were strictly Jewish, or those strongly attracted to Jewish practice, including the church leaders in Jerusalem. Traditionally the Roman Centurion Cornelius is considered the first Gentile (non-Jewish) convert[1]. Paul of Tarsus, after his conversion, had success in proselytizing among the Gentiles, and persuaded the leaders of the Jerusalem Church to allow Gentile converts exemption from full Jewish law against the position of the Judaizers. Jews who did not convert to Christianity and the growing Christian community gradually became more hostile toward each other. After the Destruction of the Second Temple in 70, Jerusalem ceased to be the center of Jewish religious life, and probably Christian religious life as well. Rabbinic Judaism developed as mainstream Jewish practice, first in Yavne, where the Great Sanhedrin was first reconstituted.[2] Christianity established itself as a predominantly Gentile religion that spanned the Roman Empire and beyond.
Early Christian beliefs were based on the apostolic preaching (kerygma), considered to be preserved in tradition and, according as was produced, in New Testament scripture.[3]
It's not that hard to look up. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/2/2007 9:30:36 AM |
God does not judge.We are the ones that judge.
While we do judge, this isn't correct. God is the law, the judge, and the jury. We are not ones to judge.
Anyhoo,
I didn't read all 74 pages of this, because it's the same ol' tired thing that I've heard over and over again. But, I just wanted to respond to the OP:
"Why do Christians push their religion?"
If one is a bible believing Christian, he/she will realize that the bible states to us to compel others to come to Christ. It doesn't tell us to keep our faith a secret and become cameleons. Rather, to come out amongst the world and be a separated people. Are there ways of compelling others in a way that would be less annoying to them? Sure there is. After all, if one feels forced to come to church, then how could they truly worship God sincerely?
We can compel people to come to Christianity by showing love, compassion, and patience in addition to word of mouth. We can plant the seed of truth, but it is up to that person to accept it or reject it. I realize that there are many different religions (or lack of) on this board. I will not debate the validity, or lack of, with the many different beliefs on this board. Do I feel my beliefs are the truth and the only way to Heaven? Yes, but that is no different from everybody else who feels their beliefs are correct and everybody else is misinformed. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/2/2007 9:36:58 AM | I promise my intentions are not to be rude...but maybe your feeling convicted.
Wrong again.
I wonder if Christians who condemn Jews as non-believers, rather than as fellow believers in the ONE God will fare well when it comes time to be judged.
Why in the world would you make such a disrespectful statement if you don't intend to be rude? Don't you realize that this is wrong??? | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/2/2007 6:47:58 PM | 1 Tim. 4:1-5 (NIV)
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. [2] Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. [3] They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. [4] For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, [5] because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/2/2007 8:04:42 PM | Quote:
"Yes, but that is no different from everybody else who feels their beliefs are correct and everybody else is misinformed."
I disagree with this point, I do not feel nor think that anyone else is misinformed, or wrong. This is the vital difference between some believers and others. My beliefs are correct, for me. Yours are correct, for you. I will grow and change within my spirituality..I always have, haven't you? Ten years from now we both might have very different views than we have at the moment...why? Because life experience has a tendency to put things in perspective...and for those who are dedicated to spiritual growth, any growth really, they will change in their understanding of things over time. We may both remain with our core beliefs, yet they will NOT be the same in some ways.
I have spent a fair bit of time on these religious forums. I like it. It makes me think. It helps me to see and understand, and with understanding comes compassion. Yet I see the same silly arguments that go round and round...and I've noticed that the one thing some christians can not understand is that the rest of us just do not think like you do...we do not think we are right and you are wrong. We think you might be a little too sure of yourselves and your faith and that THAT has made you blind to some other marvelous things... I speak for a lot of people here, and I apologize for that. Those that disagree with my take on this I would love to hear it. The people I have seen on here who are not "christian" seem to be pretty well-educated and thoughtful on why we believe or disbelieve as we do... It's not because we don't know about the Judeo-christian god or the Bible, it's not because we are immoral, it's because we are on a journey also, and we are taking the path that has been laid out for us, or we have chosn to tread. We think that maybe we are right...for us, and we would like the same courtesy we try to give to you...to follow your convictions, to be true to yourself and your faith.
I totally agree with the idea that you feel called to witness, and I understand the scripture behind it... that's great, but honey works better than vinegar, and I have never been more impressed by a christian than I am by 3 or 4 christian posters on POF. I'm not going to name names. I don't have to because their attitude, actions and willingness to debate respectfully has already earned the respect of myself, some of the athiests here and I'm sure more than one other pagan. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. I think higher of chrisianity when I see someone like Mother Teresa... What she did was also witnessing, going about her daily life, not preaching to anyone, just reaching out the the destitute, in love, than I ever have by being browbeaten and threatened with ETERNAL DAMNATION. It's not a good pitch guys...really. Learn something about marketing. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/3/2007 9:30:24 AM | Funny thing about people: no matter how much they like to pretend they're different, they really aren't. We all have much more in common then we do apart. Same thing with Fatihs... and, sadly enough, in the arguments used to proselytize them.
Seriously, every argument used to try to sway people to Jesus I've heard countless times. So much so, that I have seen a pattern by which these aggressive missionaries operate.
Quite simply, they are insecure.
Broadcasting your faith, then, and bashing people over the head in an effort to prove your own correctness, only proves the opposite. Why would you need to "preach the Good News" at all? God is infinite and omnipotent: if He wants people to worship Jesus, He certainly doesn't need some pitiful little mortal sinner to do it for Him. So what's the point?
When you get right down to it: the most vocal and vitriolic supporters are the most insecure. They are shouting- not to convince others- but to convince themselves. To give an example: the Ayatollahs and sheiks have been shouting for decades about how bad Western society is, and how wonderful it is to die for Allah through glorious suicide. But how many of those sheiks have actually done it? None. They shout and spit and steam, but leave the actual dying to someone else. They're too spineless to go through with it.... but they don't think it'll actually work. They say "killing yourself will get you into Heaven", but they don't really believe it... because if they did, they would have done it by now.
So keep shouting, all you agressive proselytizers and missionaries. But that won't make God appear before your eyes. The loudest among you have more in common with atheists and agnostics than you'd like to admit. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/9/2007 12:44:05 AM | | The essence of Christianity to to obey the command to go forth and tell the nations of the world. However, when one rejects the message, Christians are to leave them, and shake the dust from their feet as they go. Ghandi was a wife & child beater...so who do you beat? Buddha spent much of his life sitting under a tree, day dreaming, and doing nothing for himself, or anyone else. That seems stupid, and selfish, as well as lazy, to me...but if that is your ideal of spirituality, more power to you. | |
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| Why do Christians feel the need to press their religous belief's on people?
Posted: 10/9/2007 1:03:54 AM |
The essence of Christianity to to obey the command to go forth and tell the nations of the world. However, when one rejects the message, Christians are to leave them, and shake the dust from their feet as they go.
Or if necessary force the infidel to convert by fire and sword...failing that a slower method of slow cultural genocide can be preferable in the long run 
Ghandi was a wife & child beater...so who do you beat?
Followed by the classic, "Have you stopped beating your wife" fallacy of the loaded question... what's the matter, couldn't find a particularly good slur against Hinduism so just decided to take a swing at Ghandhi? Do you hate your mother and father? Have you brought anyone before the Lord for execution lately? Oh right, those were just metaphors 
Buddha spent much of his life sitting under a tree, day dreaming, and doing nothing for himself, or anyone else.
You've obviously never actually meditated before, unlike many of the greatest mystics of the Christian church...it's hard work otherwise you wouldn't have just dropped this silly slur on someone who's teachings predate and parallel many of those of Jesus.
That seems stupid, and selfish, as well as lazy, to me...but if that is your ideal of spirituality, more power to you.
So does dropping into a forum to make a bunch of witless, drive-by slurs of other religious faiths just for the heck of it in a vainglorious attempt to show how superior you think your own is... but rather than just reporting it to the mods as a clear violation of the forum rules on preaching and exclusivity of truth, I thought it might be simpler to point it out to you directly this time...got the point yet? | |
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