How do you deal with people of different faiths?

[Believer1997]

It's not arrogant - it is the mission of our faith - you don't think other faiths are not doing the same

Sure, all other faiths do it too, thats the problem. To preach the gospel to someone of a different faith is like talking to a brick wall with fists. Eventually, it ends badly. Its because of arrogance and this silly notion that one book (with the written word of man) is better than another book. They're books. With paper. Paper that can be easily burned and wiped out from existance. That makes it man-made and ridiculous to fight over.

Oh Matrix... I don't know quite how to put this.... hmmm.... BULL COOKIES.

Oh, well I'm glad you have a good argument. You've converted me now

The point is this "Holy War" is just killing more people than its saving. And over books that can be easily destroyed.

You are right - a book can be easily destroyed. Faith, Hope, Love and Salvation - cannot. As Christians we have devoted our lives to following Christ and spreading the Word of God. You can take every single Bible away - and there will still be Christians - preaching and spreading the Love of our Lord. You do not believe and erroneously think that the foundation of our faith is a book with pages and print....

[Believer1997]

It's not arrogant - it is the mission of our faith - you don't think other faiths are not doing the same

Sure, all other faiths do it too, thats the problem. To preach the gospel to someone of a different faith is like talking to a brick wall with fists. Eventually, it ends badly. Its because of arrogance and this silly notion that one book (with the written word of man) is better than another book. They're books. With paper. Paper that can be easily burned and wiped out from existance. That makes it man-made and ridiculous to fight over.

Oh Matrix... I don't know quite how to put this.... hmmm.... BULL COOKIES.

Oh, well I'm glad you have a good argument. You've converted me now

The point is this "Holy War" is just killing more people than its saving. And over books that can be easily destroyed.

You are right - a book can be easily destroyed. Faith, Hope, Love and Salvation - cannot. As Christians we have devoted our lives to following Christ and spreading the Word of God. You can take every single Bible away - and there will still be Christians - preaching and spreading the Love of our Lord. You do not believe and erroneously think that the foundation of our faith is a book with pages and print....

Well, given that everything you believe comes from said book, I'd say that is the foundation. Without the book, you have no direction. Without the book, you have no cause to preach. Without the book, the religions of the world would start conflicts within themselves in deciding who could remember the book better and what it preached.

It is the word of God - removing it - will not destroy Christianity...

Matthew 19:11

Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.

Proverbs 3:3

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 7:3

Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

[MorningGlory]

It's not arrogant - it is the mission of our faith - you don't think other faiths are not doing the same

Sure, all other faiths do it too, thats the problem. To preach the gospel to someone of a different faith is like talking to a brick wall with fists. Eventually, it ends badly. Its because of arrogance and this silly notion that one book (with the written word of man) is better than another book. They're books. With paper. Paper that can be easily burned and wiped out from existance. That makes it man-made and ridiculous to fight over.

Oh Matrix... I don't know quite how to put this.... hmmm.... BULL COOKIES.

Oh, well I'm glad you have a good argument. You've converted me now

The point is this "Holy War" is just killing more people than its saving. And over books that can be easily destroyed.

The Qu'ran can, and will be, destroyed. The Bible will endure until God decides otherwise.

[MorningGlory]

It's not arrogant - it is the mission of our faith - you don't think other faiths are not doing the same

Sure, all other faiths do it too, thats the problem. To preach the gospel to someone of a different faith is like talking to a brick wall with fists. Eventually, it ends badly. Its because of arrogance and this silly notion that one book (with the written word of man) is better than another book. They're books. With paper. Paper that can be easily burned and wiped out from existance. That makes it man-made and ridiculous to fight over.

Oh Matrix... I don't know quite how to put this.... hmmm.... BULL COOKIES.

Oh, well I'm glad you have a good argument. You've converted me now

The point is this "Holy War" is just killing more people than its saving. And over books that can be easily destroyed.

The fight is for the souls of man...not books. In the end it's going to kill most of those living on earth. Educate yourself, Matrix.

[~candice~]

I would refrain from doing anything like that. Two people who have a difference in faith (and their conviction is strong) should not attempt to convert or even pray for the other. I don't see that leading anywhere else but someone getting badly hurt. Its not noble, its stupid.

How is praying for someone unnoble, or even stupid? What a bunch of hogswash....

Not praying, but preaching the gospel. That's arrogant. And its stupid to do that to a Muslim (especially one with a lot of conviction). Its thoughts like this that have governments invading countries and killing citizens for ideologies that not everyone shares.

So which is it? Or have you changed your mind? Of course we will pray, and should pray. How does prayer cause governments to invade countries and kill citizens? Pfft.

I pray for you. Come get me!!!!

[Tony Smith]

I had a most ugly argument with a muslim. It got ugly. I just was never faced with a muslim telling me that Jesus is not the son of God and I got mad. I mean I have handled atheists better but this was ugly. Anyway, my question is, what did Jesus say we were supposed to do with people of differering faiths? How was I supposed to have handled that?

How were you supposed to handle that? The same way our Saviour would have handled it. If this Mohammedan had told the King of Kings that he was not the son of God to his face I would imagine that he would have smiled, told them that he is sorry he feels that way and that he loves him as a brother none the less.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Tony Smith

[~candice~]

I would refrain from doing anything like that. Two people who have a difference in faith (and their conviction is strong) should not attempt to convert or even pray for the other. I don't see that leading anywhere else but someone getting badly hurt. Its not noble, its stupid.

How is praying for someone unnoble, or even stupid? What a bunch of hogswash....

Not praying, but preaching the gospel. That's arrogant. And its stupid to do that to a Muslim (especially one with a lot of conviction). Its thoughts like this that have governments invading countries and killing citizens for ideologies that not everyone shares.

So which is it? Or have you changed your mind? Of course we will pray, and should pray. How does prayer cause governments to invade countries and kill citizens? Pfft.

I pray for you. Come get me!!!!

Praying at least you can do in the comfort of your own home and not in the face of those who would kill you because of it. Preaching, however, will get you in trouble. George W. had many hidden agendas going into the Iraq war and one of them was trying to create a Holy War of Christians vs. Muslims. Look where everyone is now because of that.

Glad to hear you have changed your tune about prayer. Preaching will get us into trouble, persecution, and in some cases death. But this is the great commission. Do you really expect christians to stop spreading the word because you object?

Whatever GWB did, has no bearing on this argument at all.

[~candice~]

Glad to hear you have changed your tune about prayer. Preaching will get us into trouble, persecution, and in some cases death. But this is the great commission. Do you really expect christians to stop spreading the word because you object?

Whatever GWB did, has no bearing on this argument at all.

Sure it does because you're justifying the same thing. Its not noble to preach to people about something they don't believe in just because you think its right. We're never going to reach a common ground here because its too etched in your brain that you are doing people a favor by telling them they'll go to hell unless they accept Jesus Christ but the truth of the matter is, you're not. You're being arrogant.

People think that it is arrogant that we believe Jesus is the only way to be saved. Let them think that. It is true. It would not be noble of us, to believe what we do, and yet not preach the gospel.

[~candice~]

Glad to hear you have changed your tune about prayer. Preaching will get us into trouble, persecution, and in some cases death. But this is the great commission. Do you really expect christians to stop spreading the word because you object?

Whatever GWB did, has no bearing on this argument at all.

Sure it does because you're justifying the same thing. Its not noble to preach to people about something they don't believe in just because you think its right. We're never going to reach a common ground here because its too etched in your brain that you are doing people a favor by telling them they'll go to hell unless they accept Jesus Christ but the truth of the matter is, you're not. You're being arrogant.

People think that it is arrogant that we believe Jesus is the only way to be saved. Let them think that. It is true. It would not be noble of us, to believe what we do, and yet not preach the gospel.

To some and not to others. Maybe the Christians who don't preach realize that letting people live is the best way we can co-exist peacefully. But, unfortunately, since its such an exciting topic to talk about the rapture and the end of the world, a lot of religious people don't care about peace on earth because they are too concerned with scaring, manipulating and beating other people to believe in their God/god.

Some christians have failed in their duty to share the gospel. I know I have.

It's not really about peace on earth, because eternal destiny is far more important than peace on earth. You use words like scaring, manipulating, beating... I think that it is true love to share the truth with someone. When I finally heard the gospel, my reaction was not "ahh im being beaten or manipulated" it was "wow, why didn't you tell me earlier?".

[~candice~]

Glad to hear you have changed your tune about prayer. Preaching will get us into trouble, persecution, and in some cases death. But this is the great commission. Do you really expect christians to stop spreading the word because you object?

Whatever GWB did, has no bearing on this argument at all.

Sure it does because you're justifying the same thing. Its not noble to preach to people about something they don't believe in just because you think its right. We're never going to reach a common ground here because its too etched in your brain that you are doing people a favor by telling them they'll go to hell unless they accept Jesus Christ but the truth of the matter is, you're not. You're being arrogant.

People think that it is arrogant that we believe Jesus is the only way to be saved. Let them think that. It is true. It would not be noble of us, to believe what we do, and yet not preach the gospel.

To some and not to others. Maybe the Christians who don't preach realize that letting people live is the best way we can co-exist peacefully. But, unfortunately, since its such an exciting topic to talk about the rapture and the end of the world, a lot of religious people don't care about peace on earth because they are too concerned with scaring, manipulating and beating other people to believe in their God/god.

Some christians have failed in their duty to share the gospel. I know I have.

It's not really about peace on earth, because eternal destiny is far more important than peace on earth. You use words like scaring, manipulating, beating... I think that it is true love to share the truth with someone. When I finally heard the gospel, my reaction was not "ahh im being beaten or manipulated" it was "wow, why didn't you tell me earlier?".

That is you. My reaction when people tell me about the gospel is "Not again" or if I'm in a really bad mood, "Please shut up I'm trying to read the paper." And a lot of other people share that reaction. If someone wants to hear the gospel or wants to find something in their life to cling to, more power to them. But for those that have heard the gospel and don't care, or are from a different religion, or are anti-theists, telling them about the gospel is a lost cause and should be treated as such.

That is YOUR opinion. For what it's worth, I was not seeking God nor wanting to hear the gospel when it was first told to me. So your argument doesn't work. The gospel has amazing power, even to speak to those who do not appear to be interested.

When I finally converted, I looked back over my life to all the people who had planted the seeds... I remembered people who had shared with me about God back when I was a child, and realised that they planted the seeds, but never got to see the fruit. Sometimes we don't see the fruit of sharing the gospel immediately, it might be decades later that the fruit is borne. Even if we were sharing with someone who never ends up repenting, we are still being obedient to God in doing what He tells us to do in His Word.

You will not be able to convince christians to be quiet.