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I see and understand exactly what you're saying, Troop. And if I were an atheist, quite honestly, it would probably annoy me too. But I think Spike has made a good point. The point is this: you may not agree with them, but Christians DO believe your soul is in danger. Therefore, please try to at the very least, understand where they are coming from when maybe they overstep the bounds of good judgment/etiquette or whatever in trying to get you to have a change of heart.
I understand what you are saying, but wouldn't you find it quite annoying if someone kept coming to your door to tell you that your house was on fire because you had a candle lit? I suppose the first time I might just thank them for their concern, but leaving pamphlets on my door about the dangers of fire, persistently telling me about fires and the dangers of it, and repeatedly knocking on my door to inform me that my house is on fire would eventually lead me to think that this person is an absolute nutcase.
Furthermore, I continue to doubt the real meaning behind their actions. As I said, are they doing it because it makes them good Christians? Or are they doing it because it makes them feel good as a person? There's a fine line between someone doing it out of the kindness of their own heart and the person doing it to get brownie points with God. Believing that spreading the word is their duty as a Christian seems like believing that by not doing so they may go to hell. So what is the REAL meaning behind it? To be a good Christian (which implies selfish actions) or because they REALLY care about me? I think there's a mixture of the two. Brownie points because they care. I don't buy it and I don't want any part of it.
I wouldn't read too much into this. Some people send $10,000 checks to strangers in Nigeria.
LOL! Maybe so!
Quote:
Originally Posted by GCSTroop
I understand what you are saying, but wouldn't you find it quite annoying if someone kept coming to your door to tell you that your house was on fire because you had a candle lit? I suppose the first time I might just thank them for their concern, but leaving pamphlets on my door about the dangers of fire, persistently telling me about fires and the dangers of it, and repeatedly knocking on my door to inform me that my house is on fire would eventually lead me to think that this person is an absolute nutcase.
Furthermore, I continue to doubt the real meaning behind their actions. As I said, are they doing it because it makes them good Christians? Or are they doing it because it makes them feel good as a person? There's a fine line between someone doing it out of the kindness of their own heart and the person doing it to get brownie points with God. Believing that spreading the word is their duty as a Christian seems like believing that by not doing so they may go to hell. So what is the REAL meaning behind it? To be a good Christian (which implies selfish actions) or because they REALLY care about me? I think there's a mixture of the two. Brownie points because they care. I don't buy it and I don't want any part of it.
Well, yeah, I've already told you I would probably find it annoying. But again... you've got someone else who really believes you're in danger. Are their motives totally pure? Dunno. I know sometimes I do things because they're "right." (not just spreading the gospel, I mean.) I don't wait till I 've worked up an appropriate feeling about them.
I don't know that I have anything else to add here. But just for the sake of argument, let's extrapolate out into the future and say that you're wrong, that God does exist and you learn this too late and you're headed to hell. And never in your life did any Christian try to tell you it didn't have to end that way? Wouldn't you be just a little mad at us?
"But again, we get back to Spike's post. If you really believe that someones's soul is in danger"
"We believe that it is not your house that is in danger, but your soul."
Just because YOUR belief system tells you this, does not make it so. There are a 1000 belief systems out there, that does not mean it should be tolerated that they ALL inject themselves into our lives. You are being very tunnel vision if you can continue to hang on to the idea that people actually want this kind of attention or that you are going good.
Christians have a bad name because of this kind of behavior, even among other religious people. These people who go about thinking they are saving the world are being presumptious to think WE ALL NEED saving. Personally I think anyone that self absorbed needs a little counseling.
"But again, we get back to Spike's post. If you really believe that someones's soul is in danger"
"We believe that it is not your house that is in danger, but your soul."
Just because YOUR belief system tells you this, does not make it so. There are a 1000 belief systems out there, that does not mean it should be tolerated that they ALL inject themselves into our lives. You are being very tunnel vision if you can continue to hang on to the idea that people actually want this kind of attention or that you are going good.
Christians have a bad name because of this kind of behavior, even among other religious people. These people who go about thinking they are saving the world are being presumptious to think WE ALL NEED saving. Personally I think anyone that self absorbed needs a little counseling.
Well, the topic of whether Christianity is too "narrow" has been debated ad nauseum here on the forum and that's really a different topic altogether than how Christianity should be appropriately presented.
Well, the topic of whether Christianity is too "narrow" has been debated ad nauseum here on the forum and that's really a different topic altogether than how Christianity should be appropriately presented.
She wasn't saying that Christianity itself is too narrow. She's saying that you yourself have tunnel vision if you continue to believe that people want you intruding on their lives. I'll add that it's very arrogant to acknowledge that such an intrusion is a breach of etiquette, yet continue to do it anyway.
She wasn't saying that Christianity itself is too narrow. She's saying that you yourself have tunnel vision if you continue to believe that people want you intruding on their lives. I'll add that it's very arrogant to acknowledge that such an intrusion is a breach of etiquette, yet continue to do it anyway.
Thank you for clarifying what I was trying to say AND your completely correct.
I wouldn't read too much into this. Some people send $10,000 checks to strangers in Nigeria.
Some people join cults based on these methods, some people open the door to home intruders using these methods, some people are so easily led they run to their deaths with these methods, that does not make the method a good thing.
It just serves to clarify that some people are easily led AND still others are more then happy to take advantage of that fact.
V14. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city—for possibly a whole town might not furnish one "worthy."
ple in any age. shake off the dust of your feet—"for a testimony against them," as Mark and Luke add (Mr 6:11; Lu 10:11). By this symbolical action they vividly shook themselves from all connection with such, and all responsibility for the guilt of rejecting them and their message. Such symbolical actions were common in ancient times, even among others than the Jews, as strikingly appears in Pilate (Mt 27:24). And even to this day it prevails in the East.
People's New Testament
10:14 Shake off the dust of your feet. This was done when there was a positive rejection of the gospel. It was a symbolical act, signifying that all responsibility for the stubborn household or city had ended. Compare Mr 6:11 Lu 9:5 Ac 13:51. Nor can the gospel be forced upon an unwilling people
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But I think Spike has made a good point. The point is this: you may not agree with them, but Christians DO believe your soul is in danger. Therefore, please try to at the very least, understand where they are coming from when maybe they overstep the bounds of good judgment/etiquette or whatever in trying to get you to have a change of heart.
