advance if anyone's offended.
Seeing all the questions about "Why do Christians want to convert others" and answers along the lines of "well they want as many people to go to heaven as possible"... It occurred to me,
Is it because they are afraid to face God on their own and want a lot of people with them when it happens?
Now, seriously, I know that's not what it is, but it begs the question: Are YOU afraid to face God on your own?
I mean, I imagine it would be rather intimidating, like I said, random thought!
2006-07-09 15:50:41 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
jaantoo- Gosh, hope you weren't addressing me personally there... I'm pretty darn tolerant and polite when it comes to religion.
2006-07-09 15:59:32 · update #1
Well, before I knew the Lord God, yes, I would be terrified to meet him face to face as a breaker of His holy law (10 commandments) Because I would be judged by the commandments and been found GUILTY. Then I would need to pay the price of my sin (breaking of the law)
But then I heard that God came as Jesus Christ and died to wash my sin away. So when I die, I will stand in front of God and Jesus will intercede on my behalf stating that my sins are forgiven because I believed on Jesus Christ (Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Romans 10:13) and Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:)
So when I die, it will be awesome to meet God face to face!!!
The reason I want to convert people is NOT so they will stand with me, but that they will stand in heaven! The reason so many Christians witness is because they KNOW the consequence of rejecting the Lord's payment for their sin.
2006-07-09 16:01:37 · answer #1 · answered by musingaloud 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋
When I was a Christian the denomination I was a part of made it clear that as a Christian we were given the order by Jesus himself to go and spread the message and make disciples of the world and that if we didn't then we'd have to answer to Jesus himself as to why we didn't "save" someone when we had the chance. The metaphor that was often told to me was that "it's like if you saw a person drowning in a river. would you just let them drown or would you swim out to rescue them?" And of course as a Christian we were supposed to go out and rescue them (or else Jesus was going to remember and say something about it when we got to heaven and may not want to be close to us....etc, etc, etc). That was the message my denomination sent. "Save others or else be denied Jesus" sort of thing. It was only after I started thinking a lot about so much of what I was being told and the fact that a lot of my questions were never being answered (by any denomination) that I really started to look at what I truly believd. The more I looked deeply into myself the more I realized that I was a heretic Christian. Thankfully I found a religion that already believed what I believed and matched my experiences and understandings of God and even provided answers (and told me to always question and never to just accept answers) and that's the religion I am today, Hinduism.
Great question. Thanks for asking.
Peace be with you.
2006-07-10 00:44:57 · answer #2 · answered by gabriel_zachary 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe in God (any) or the concept of Heaven and Hell.
There is no proof that any events written in the bible ever occured and just like I can't convince believers, believers can not convince me.
I accept that there are people with faith and faith is not even a bad thing. Faith is believing in something that a normal rational person would not otherwise believe in. Faith actually is very helpful in getting people through life and giving them purpose. Is it healthy? Not always... especially for the ones that take it too far, like most answering now.
Both my parents and in-laws are religious people, so it's not like I grew up in an athiest family that I have these views. I don't believe in doing something good to eventually be rewarded at the end. I don't believe that a physical being is able to tell me how I should live in order to be allowed into Heaven. A book does not have all the answers.
A person should live a good, loving, moral, and rich (heart and mind) life because it's within them to live this life. It has to be a part of them and what they really believe. Do I believe that we only live 80 years and this is all? No, I believe there is purpose to our lives, that there is another realm that we will go to upon our completion here, but that life is not what any book right now tells us it will be. I am not a religious person, I am a spiritual person because I CHOOSE to be...
If your God (this statement covering all religions) is so righteous and all knowing, then why all the hate and animosity for the other religions? Why does almost every religion state that you will go to "Hell" for not believing their God? If your way is the right way, then isn't it inate in all of us to be able to live that life? Why do we have to fear to believe? Why do we have to bring negativity to others to prove your point?
If your religion is so just, then it should be able to be accepted based on it's own merits...
Like I said, I believe their is more to our lives than the now, but I will live this life to the best of my abilities and be the best person I can because that is me... and that is how I choose to live life. I'm not claiming to be a God loving person to ascend to Heaven upon death, but while I'm living, cheat, steal, kill, and claim to be loving...
I live my life the way I want to and you live yours the way you want to. If God helps you through your life, then great and more power to your faith. Don't sell me your religion and I won't sell you my views. In the end, one way or another, both of us will know what is next for us...
Final thought, if there were a Hell, I would imagine it's quite crowded about now with more sinners than Heaven bound people...
2006-07-09 23:03:30 · answer #3 · answered by DarthFangNutts 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is our father, Our Daddy, We are his kids. Why in the world would we be afraid of our Daddy? Oh and by the way. We all face him alone. ALL ALONE!!!!!
Do you not get, that the reason they try to tell you, is really because they care?? They think (know/are convinced) you are gonna suffer a horrible fate for all eternity and it hurts their hearts..
You need to lighten up on Christians. Contrary to popular belief being Christian does NOT, I repeat NOT, make us perfect. We are far from Perfect. We are animal human and do animal human things. Wrong and right.. Just like every other animal human.. Only Jesus was perfect.. There are no, and never will be any perfect humans..
We are taught to love everyone, We really do try, It is really hard to love some folks....... {:-).... Why is it so hard for you to just accept the love and wish them equally well, but no thanks?
It is not wrong to be polite to your fellowman or woman.. You should at least extend them the common courtesy you extend to any other living being. It is OK to disagree...
God bless & Hugs from Texas. {:-)
<><
Mollygog,
Hon, I wasn`t meaning you personally. I apologize.. {:-)
2006-07-09 22:56:28 · answer #4 · answered by jaantoo1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, sure, I'm afraid to stand in God's awesome presence, even with Jesus standing beside me. Still, it's something I look forward to with joyful anticipation, because He's my origin and my rightful, righteous home. I was created to be with Him and sing His praises forever.
There's no hiding in a crowd in God's presence. He can pay full attention to each and every person He ever created, all at the same "time". It's the absolute ultimate intimacy for a human being.
2006-07-09 23:28:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I look forward to facing God on my own. My idea of heaven is going home...where i can climb up in His lap, be told of the times i let him down, and the times i made him proud, and find out what "time out" i have to be in before i'm allowed to go play. I don't need a group of people who "believe like me" to coach me. Not one of us knows the "right" answer. I will say that there are MANY folks that will be in a wee bit of trouble if/when then find out that God is.......a woman, or a muslim, or a black man, or Buddha....whatever the "truth" that is revealed, the time-out chair will ALWAYS be kept warm.
2006-07-09 22:57:28 · answer #6 · answered by Stormy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I'm not afraid. Why would believers who have a continual personal relationship with God fear him when we get to heaven? God does not give us a spirit of fear. Everyone that doesn't believe are not intimidated by God but only his rules!
2006-07-09 23:19:06 · answer #7 · answered by Pashur 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. I am not afraid to meet God. Because I have already taken the time to know him here on earth. I read the word of God, the Bible. This book tells you every thing you need to know ,to know God and have a happy life on earth. I look forward to the day when I hope I hear God say to me " Welcome home my good and faithful servant." Then go on to live eternity in the love and light of Christ.
2006-07-09 22:59:58 · answer #8 · answered by blue butter fly 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not really, I prefer to be alone a lot of the time, and prefer one on one conversations to small or large groups. While moral support is always nice, I'm almost sure that most christians, aren't afraid to face god alone, that thought never even crossed my mine.
2006-07-09 22:55:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not afraid to face God alone. I do every time I pray. I imagine I am sitting with Him and talking to Him like a daughter would to her Father, and He enjoys my company as much as I enjoy His.
Since I feel this way, I do not worry about the day I meet Him. I look forward to it!
2006-07-09 23:07:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋