I asked about the man this morning that was in danger of electrocution, but I did not say that I went to advise him. I debated a while before going, but I was so afraid that I would see a big spark and he would be dead. I walked over there, (30 yards) and tried to talk to him. They were putting another wire in a 110 wired box to make it into 220 and they were pulling the wire with a piece of coathanger past the meter which is all connected and live.
I tried to talk to him and he ignored me, I stayed a little while but they both just ignored me, so I finally went back and just watched at a distance. They managed to get it done, but it was very dangerous, but they did not want to hear.
The question is should Christians tell atheists about hell and eternal salvation even if they don't want to hear. People condemned me when they thought that I didn't say anything. I felt obligated to advise them even if they didn't want to hear..
Should Christians tell?? or just be quiet??
2006-06-30 06:57:42 · 21 answers · asked by † PRAY † 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This a true story, I did not make it up and it happened just about 3 hours ago..
2006-06-30 06:58:27 · update #1
I would just tell them about Jesus. That is what I am finally doing now on the internet after sitting around for months just absorbing info from church, The Bible and other people. I felt so good yesterday just spreading The Word, that Jesus loves you. I didnt care it they hated me or not. It made for a wonderful day, and I thanked the Lord for it. Sorry for babbling. May God Bless you.
2006-06-30 07:32:50 · answer #1 · answered by cindy j 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
No. There are several key differences between your foolish electrician and an atheist.
Firstly the electrician is in quantifiable actual danger. If he shorts the box by poking around in it with a *!wire hanger!* he could be killed in an instant. Atheists (like myself) are not actually in danger. There is no such thing as a soul. There is no such thing as salvation. There is no such thing as heaven or hell.
Contemporary religions are no different from ancient ones except for the fact that people currently believe in them. Your trying to "save" us is as pointless to us as if someone approached you and told you that you would never get into Valhalla unless you started sacrificing goats and ravens to Odin.
Christianity is no different from any of the religions that have preceded it. It will eventually be replaced by the worship of some new god or gods. We know that this is a fact. History has a pretty good handle on this sort of thing. Your faith, if it helps you, is a good thing (as long as you don't step on anyone else's toes with it.) However, attempts to convert are wasted on us. If it helps you sleep better at night, fine. Just know that we are quite convinced that we are right, so save your breath. We are in no danger.
2006-07-03 11:17:17 · answer #2 · answered by wrathpuppet 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I never hesitate to warn someone of a possible danger. If it's an adult all I can give is my advise. It's there choice to do what they want with it. If it's a child and I know harm will come to them, I'll do what I need to do to protect them.
A person has to live with themselves first and foremost. You were right, as a Christian and as a human being, to warn them of the possibility of harm. And had something happened to them, atheist or not, they would have thanked God that you were watching them and gotten them the help that they would have needed.
Be true to yourself, we have far too many people around us turning away from helping others.
2006-06-30 14:11:48 · answer #3 · answered by vmmhg 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok so I answered your question the other time and I will answer it again.
First let me say I did not condemn you before either...
BUT there is a difference here. You offered your help. You attempted to advise him but you did not push it on him. You spoke they chose to ignore.
Too often Christians feel the need to not only speak but try and force atheists into their beliefs.
I am a Christian-those are my beliefs. But they are not everyones beliefs and I have to respect that.
I can try and help them but they have to make the choice to change.
With these guys messing with the electricity you did not yell, scream, demand them to stop and change. You told them your opinion in a proper way and then let them make the choice. You did what you could without being forceful.
That is the difference.
2006-06-30 14:04:28 · answer #4 · answered by foolnomore2games 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While your trying to use good logic, it's not a good analogy.
Your analogy would be like me saying:
There's a soldier right now in Iraq driving down a road where there's a firefight. While there's no gun actually pointed at him, there's still bullets flying around. There's a good chance he's going to be killed. Should we go tell him, "Hey, you better get your *** out there now. You might get killed" ? No, that's a part of the gig in which he's employed. Do I personally agree with what he's doing? probably not, but that's not my call. He works for someone who tells him what to do. I can only assume he's talked to his boss about the possible occupational dangers of being a soldier.
2006-07-02 14:57:33 · answer #5 · answered by Jack Meoff 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think its very easy to get discouraged from helping others. Especially when you offer to help them and they cuss you or tell you to leave them alone. I can remember about 2 years ago, I saw a horrible accident where an SUV van, rolled over into a ditch. I stopped my truck and asked the woman standing along side the road if she needed any help. She started to cuss and yell at me and told me to get the hell out of here. I quit stopping to help people for a long time after that. Later on I realized that lady was just overreacting to the situation she was in. Maybe the electrician in your story was just too proud to admit he was wrong and needed help.
The point I'm trying to make is, just because someone rejects your advice or refuses help from you, doesn't mean that everyone is that way. Its very easy in this"self-focused" day in age to let your heart grow cold. Take my grandfather for instance, he doesn't even leave the house or visit any relatives because hes scared of what other people will think of him or do to him.
I say keep trying to help others, even if they don't want to listen to it or accept it.
2006-06-30 14:30:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The situation with the electrical problem isn't a religious one, more like common sense.
People question things not just because they are in the Bible.
You say you feel obligated to advise people.
No
You're not obligated to advise people, but you are compelled to do so.
If doing these things bring sadness why even make an effort? It's because you are compelled not because you have obligation.
If it makes you happy to try. I don't see why you should stay quiet.
2006-07-01 09:23:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
From a personal standpoint, I would have kept my mouth shut. But then again, I'm not the kind of person that intrudes on someone else's life. Their relgious preferences are supposed to be personal and private, and it's not nice to question someone about it, and degrade them or guilt them into submission. If more Christians would stay out of it, and only give their opinion when asked for it, people might be better off. It's a courtesy thing. It's not courteous to butt in when you aren't asked to.
2006-07-01 16:09:15 · answer #8 · answered by Becca 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. You did the right thing. Good analogy, by the way. We can only share the truth with people and it is their choice to accept or not. Christians are called by the great commission to go out and share the truth of Jesus with the world. We are not called to force anyone, it has to be a free choice to accept Christ or not.
When the truth is shared our responsibility is fulfilled, what happens after is between God and the individual.
2006-06-30 14:20:48 · answer #9 · answered by shepherd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Will, that is the stupidest thing I have ever seen on this list... This man wasn't wrong. If you see a child playing on a busy street and they don't get killed you think that's OK too? One of these days these men will being doing the same thing the same way and one will end up dead. Your answer is ridiculous.
2006-06-30 14:08:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus went about living his life, and while he did that, he talked about the Kingdom of God, he healed people, he sought out the outcasts and the "unclean." Why can't Christians go about living their lives, showing the "good news." Jesus never told anyone to believe in him or they were going to hell. Maybe we are most called to live our lives in such a way that people see God's love in us. So that with our words and actions we are healers rather than judges.
2006-06-30 14:22:15 · answer #11 · answered by keri gee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋