Should a Christian allow "other" religions into their homes? (doctrine, women)
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Preface: No disrepect is meant to anyone, I'm just being honest here.
I sincerely say the same.
Quote:
Christians "bug" others, I Love Jazz, because to ask Jesus into your life is to allow God's plan for your life to truly begin. They want to share the joy and peace that comes from their faith. We feel compelled and are in fact commanded to share this belief as best we can in the hope of leading others to making this decision, which is life changing, and not only affects your life here on earth, but affects the afterlife as well.
Would you feel just as accepting if a person constantly told you that worshipping anyone or anything other than G-d Himself is pure adolatry?
I promise I am not trying to get into a religious philosophical discussion at all. It's the disrespect for not allowing others to follow their own religions that is simply wrong. The religious freedom seems to stop at, "Let me tell you all about my religion. Oh, but yours is wrong, and I don't want to hear about it at all."
Standing around arguing about which religion is THE ONE seems to be the opposite of promoting peace and harmony.
I back you 100%! The problem seems to lie in being allowed religious freedom for ourselves at the same time respecting the religious freedom of others.
The problem occurs when a person of any religion says to a person of another religion, "My religion in the ONLY way, the ONLY truth...."
Believing and following a religion is one thing; telling others that their religions are wrong seems to me to border on not allowing others the same religious freedom we expect for ourselves.
People can respect religious freedom without personally endorsing other religions.
I understand, Ilovejazz, but I have an issue with this.
If someone is Muslim, they think they are right and that they have the truth.
If someone is Jewish, they (probably) think they are right and that they have the truth.
If someone is Christian, they think they are right and that they have The Truth.
All three of those folks can be wrong.
But they can not all be right.
If any of them are right, only one of them is right.
So, as I said earlier, if I really believe what I say I believe, then those others are wrong.
Now, before you break out the cat claws, understand this, there's a right way and a wrong way to convey that Truth. I do not endorse taking anyone's religious freedoms away, everyone should be able to practice what they want to practice.
But if someone says "If you tell a Muslim that without Jesus, they can not enter Heaven, then you are being intolerant", that's just not right. That's taking away MY religious freedom to practice MY religion and, if I really believe what I say I believe, there's more damage done to the Muslim than to the Christian. Especially if what I believe is True, and I believe it is.
It's pretty deep stuff really and you have to kinda step into someone else's shoes to get your mind around it.
I believe in God.
I believe in Jesus.
I believe in Heaven.
I believe in Hell.
I believe that if someone presented with the Truth, rejects the Truth and never comes to accept the Truth, then there is eternal consequences. As such, I'll always try and speak the Truth, but always in love, not from a condemning and confrontational aspect.
People can respect religious freedom without personally endorsing other religions.
Christians are commanded to preach the gospel. Does this endorse their religion? At least indirectly?? Does this indirectly say that other religions are wrong? If so, I don't see anyway around it.
I understand, Ilovejazz, but I have an issue with this.
If someone is Muslim, they think they are right and that they have the truth.
If someone is Jewish, they (probably) think they are right and that they have the truth.
If someone is Christian, they think they are right and that they have The Truth.
All three of those folks can be wrong.
But they can not all be right.
If any of them are right, only one of them is right.
So, as I said earlier, if I really believe what I say I believe, then those others are wrong.
Now, before you break out the cat claws, understand this, there's a right way and a wrong way to convey that Truth. I do not endorse taking anyone's religious freedoms away, everyone should be able to practice what they want to practice.
But if someone says "If you tell a Muslim that without Jesus, they can not enter Heaven, then you are being intolerant", that's just not right. That's taking away MY religious freedom to practice MY religion and, if I really believe what I say I believe, there's more damage done to the Muslim than to the Christian. Especially if what I believe is True, and I believe it is.
It's pretty deep stuff really and you have to kinda step into someone else's shoes to get your mind around it.
I believe in God.
I believe in Jesus.
I believe in Heaven.
I believe in Hell.
I believe that if someone presented with the Truth, rejects the Truth and never comes to accept the Truth, then there is eternal consequences. As such, I'll always try and speak the Truth, but always in love, not from a condemning and confrontational aspect.
Thanks for the friendly discourse.
Wow Alpha. I know you don't care what my opinion is but I felt compelled to say that this is one of the most well-written, thought-provoking and "right-on" posts from you or anyone for that matter. (With my usual "hell" objection).
Our homes are sacred and personal spaces, places where we are allowed to feel secure and comforted. Our home is our haven, why would we want to allow something we do not believe in to come into it and potentially spoil or sully it.
But, do you believe that children should be taught (not to follow, but simply to learn) the tenets of other religions?
I think it would be very cruel for a child to grow up uneducated about other religions. Again, I want to reiterate that the child isn't taught that the other religions are choices, but is taught other religions simply to learn about the world around him.
We'd all love to think that everyone else in the world thinks exactly like we do! But, that's where a huge misunderstanding forms. We all have to realize that others in the world don't always look at life the way we do. And, as long as those other viewpoints do not infringe upon our own rights, those viewpoints have as much right to exist as our own. And even the "I am right; you are wrong" viewpoints are allowed, although they definitely close many more doors than they open.
To illustrate: one time a person told me that Blacks were mostly thieves and were immoral people. The first inclination of most of us is probably to tell the person he's a complete bigoted idiot! Yet, I knew that would immediately make him more resolve in his ignorant views. So I simply said, "I think a lot of us base our opinions on our experiences in life. My experiences with Blacks has been different." The discussion ended up with the person saying, "Hmm, well maybe you're right. I don't know."
Perhaps I didn't change his view, but I did make him think. And I didn't do it by telling him that he was wrong.
Wow Alpha. I know you don't care what my opinion is but I felt compelled to say that this is one of the most well-written, thought-provoking and "right-on" posts from you or anyone for that matter. (With my usual "hell" objection).
.
Now, before you break out the cat claws, understand this, there's a right way and a wrong way to convey that Truth. I do not endorse taking anyone's religious freedoms away, everyone should be able to practice what they want to practice.
But if someone says "If you tell a Muslim that without Jesus, they can not enter Heaven, then you are being intolerant", that's just not right. That's I believe that if someone presented with the Truth, rejects the Truth and never comes to accept the Truth, then there is eternal consequences. As such, I'll always try and speak the Truth, but always in love, not from a condemning and confrontational aspect.
Thanks for the friendly discourse.
Excellent post, Alpha! This really does give a good explanation as to why Christians do try to get others to consider their viewpoint. I think the key is what I bolded that you said about a" right and wrong way" to convey our beliefs. IMO most people can accept a lot of things being said if they are truly convinced that you really do care about them.
Wow Alpha. I know you don't care what my opinion is but I felt compelled to say that this is one of the most well-written, thought-provoking and "right-on" posts from you or anyone for that matter. (With my usual "hell" objection).
Jeff, you do not 'know' that I don't care about your opinion, because I do care about your opinion. You only 'think' I don't care about your opinion.
Could it be that that's not the only thing you 'know' that may not be true?!
But, do you believe that children should be taught (not to follow, but simply to learn) the tenets of other religions?
I think it would be very cruel for a child to grow up uneducated about other religions. Again, I want to reiterate that the child isn't taught that the other religions are choices, but is taught other religions simply to learn about the world around him.
We'd all love to think that everyone else in the world thinks exactly like we do! But, that's where a huge misunderstanding forms. We all have to realize that others in the world don't always look at life the way we do. And, as long as those other viewpoints do not infringe upon our own rights, those viewpoints have as much right to exist as our own. And even the "I am right; you are wrong" viewpoints are allowed, although they definitely close many more doors than they open.
To illustrate: one time a person told me that Blacks were mostly thieves and were immoral people. The first inclination of most of us is probably to tell the person he's a complete bigoted idiot! Yet, I knew that would immediately make him more resolve in his ignorant views. So I simply said, "I think a lot of us base our opinions on our experiences in life. My experiences with Blacks has been different." The discussion ended up with the person saying, "Hmm, well maybe you're right. I don't know."
Perhaps I didn't change his view, but I did make him think. And I didn't do it by telling him that he was wrong.
I totally see what you are saying here. I can only speak for myself, but my children will learn that there are many different religions and cultures in the world. They will learn my beliefs, and that includes the fact that Jesus is Lord of my life and saviour of the world. But the will not be sheltered from everything outside of my personal beliefs.
But, do you believe that children should be taught (not to follow, but simply to learn) the tenets of other religions?
I think it would be very cruel for a child to grow up uneducated about other religions. Again, I want to reiterate that the child isn't taught that the other religions are choices, but is taught other religions simply to learn about the world around him.
Jazz...Most of us don't really know enough about other religions to teach our children the differences. And even if we know something, we're still inherently going to teach our own beliefs to our children.
I don't think it's cruel at all. My family didn't teach me about other religions -- with the exception of my dad saying stuff relating to what he saw during his Army tour about how cows roamed the streets of Calcutta while the people starved.
A child usually ends up believing what he was taught early in life and I simply don't think a parent has an obligation to teach his/her child other religions. There's time later on if, as adults, they want to study other religions. It's then their choice.
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Christians are commanded to preach the gospel. Does this endorse their religion? At least indirectly?? Does this indirectly say that other religions are wrong? If so, I don't see anyway around it.
