What is your general feeling toward Christians who try to prove you wrong?

Question

I am a 20 year old Youth Ministry major at a Bible College. And to be honest, sometimes I get embarassed on behalf of Christianity at the way some of the "Christian Fundamentalists" act on here towards athiests, agnostics, and any non-Christian. Now, some of the people in the athiests, agnostics, and non-Christian group do say some pretty nasty things, also, but overall, whenever a Christian makes some type of question where they think they've solved all of your problems, how does that make you respsond? I have been educated in apologetics and I realize most of the answers Christians give to your questions are general and easily refuted, so hopefully the Christians on here can look at this question and realize what type of steps to take in order to just befriend those who don't believe.

Much love in Christ.

By the way, my email is [e-mail]

If anyone is into just having fun little talks about these issues, I am totally up for it, and I will NEVER claim you're a terrible person, instead I will present my point and completely listen to yours.

God Bless!

Answer 1

Thanks for this question!
To be honest, I get tired of people who try to force their truth upon others. I find it, many times, arrogant and pushing. You don't get anywhere with that.
I try to be flexible myself, because I don't think anybody, including me, knows 'the truth'. I think we can have ideas, and it can be very interesting to compare those ideas, but everything is so complex that we humans will never be able to understand it. That, to me, is no problem at all. I 'find different views interesting.
I have to admit though, that sometimes I get so tired from people forcing there ideas on others, that it makes me closing myself off to there opinions as well. I don't like that. I want to respect other people's views and believes.
What I dislike the most is when people 'feel sorry' for me and say they wil pray for my soul. I think that is so incredibly arrogant, and the thing is, they don't mean wrong by it, but they place themselves above others. Off course I am referring to some people, not all religious people.
Also people who tell me that I will go to hell because I have different ideas. Wow, that is so judgemental! A lot of religious people say that they respect other people, but in reality they have so many prejudgements that I wonder how they can be happy themselves.

Take care.

Answer 2

I usually think that that person is not even aware of his own sources. They ignore biblical contradictions (i.e. The "all-forgiving" God that specifically stated he would never forgive a blasphemer in Exodus 20) or write them off with some form of rhetoric (like the biblical passage that tells believers to stone non-believers to death in Dueterotomy), but claim strict interpretation of other passages, and expect an objective person to take them seriously. They spout concepts that are not even in the bible, such as the rapture and purgatory (neither are in the bible), and claim them as God's words, and wonder why an objective person views them more as car salesmen than teachers. Any given human event can be equally interpreted by them as God's will or Devils work, depending on the "sell" they're trying to give. (For example, Normally the killing of an infant is considered to be evil, so did God commit evil when he drowned the innocent infants in Noah's flood?)

Most evangelical Christians do not "know their craft", they simply know lines and interpretations provided to them. And since they deny themselves the truth that the bible has conflicts and flaws, they can only fall back on the "you must have faith" defense, which I believe serves only as a self-defense, not as sound reasoning for their listener.

Answer 3

I've reached a point where I really feel sorry for people who can't just be secure in their own faith and respect others. I think what really hurts Christianity or any other religion for that matter is when some people take the "my God's better than your God" or "my God's better than your science" attitude. Also some that are bound and determined to convert the world to their view. I personally don't care what people want to believe in or worship, do what fits best for you and leave everybody else alone!!

Answer 4

I think a large problem is...It is hard for people to explain their religion without trying to make it seem like they are converting you. Then other religions, athiests, and agnostics get upset because they hate, just as Christians hate, when people say they are wrong or to repent to Jesus..Repent to my God. (General statement, not just christianity) I am a Buddhist, and I do feel insulted when someone says to me, "You need to find your Lord Jesus Christ." Though, I know they mean it out of kindness to their heart. If I wanted to find the Lord, Jesus Christ. I would have found him. But I am Buddhist. Those are my beliefs. I respect religious debates with people. And I love philosophy. But I hate being told what I need to do with my beliefs.

Answer 5

It is bothersome when they are insistent to the point of obnoxiousness. I enjoy good intelligent conversation anytime and with anyone, as long as there is a mutual respect and tolerance for different viewpoints. And a desire to explore the truth fully realizing its elusiveness.

A discussion about the existence or not of a god often takes a sofist turn, when reason and logic become the spearheads in the conversion crusade. I try hard not to laugh at some of the 'irrefutable' arguments that are delivered with complete and straight-faced conviction. All things spiritual defy reason, they are beyond logic and can thus not be explained in terms of reason and logic. That is an absolutely futile discussion in which I have long stopped participating. It takes a leap of faith to believe, whatever that belief is. Logic cannot bridge the gap between reason and spirituality. All we can do is talk about what and why we feel and believe.

The greatest disrespect I find in the fundamentalists who claim a monopoly on morality and spirituality for their religion (and thus implicitely for themselves). I am happy for all who have found a framework for their lives, a path that gives them a sense of safety and purpose. I have my own framework and path that does not involve a god, and I consciously and purposefully resign on a sense of safety and purpose because it is my belief that such is but a desperate illusion. I don't have a god who watches over me. I don't have a second chance after I die. That does not by defenition make me immoral, nor does it deprive me of spirituality.

I don't need you to share my beliefs to like you. I don't need you to agree with me to listen to you. While we sit down and talk, I can enjoy your intelligence, your wit, your kindness, and rejoice in the realization that I can learn as much from you as you can learn from me.

And to those kind souls who believe it their duty, for love of me or mankind, to save me from eternal burning in hell, I hereby relieve you of such nobly assumed responsibility and make it my own, as it should be and always has been. I commend and thank you for your unselfish kindness, I am however in the age that legally entitles me to take care of myself.

Answer 6

Belief is not based on proof, so nothing anyone says to me about their religion means very much. If someone is living a good life and not hurting anyone else, they are just as entitled to "salvation" as the most devout Christian thinks he is. I've seen an awful lot of unChristian behavior from people who claim that they are "chosen" or "reborn".

For George W. and others with power: It's pretty hypocritical to claim you love your fellow man, and then consign him to hell or drop bombs on him when you can't convert him to what you believe!

Answer 7

I am a saved Christian but I can't stand it when the fanaticals try to tell me how to live my life based on THEIR ideals about what a good person should be. Well, of course, they usually quote ambiguous verses and try to pervert them to fit the meaning that is convenient for them, but really those are the kind of people whom Jesus scolded the most in the bible.

Answer 8

My goodness, you've come faraway from having a gay affair with an elder's son to now condemning others selections after purely one learn with the Witnesses. What a fabulous turn round! How are Witnesses doing interior the "do not stick with adult men" element? Are they allowed to question the options made by way of their human rulers yet? As for me, I not stick with people who set themselves up as spokesmen for God. Jesus warned that there might want to be blind classes stumbling round deceptive his people. Given the failed predictions of the Witness rulers, i am going to't imagine any crew more beneficial ignorant of the reality than them.

Answer 9

I am yet to come across a Christian who could give any logical or sensible answer to any of my questions. If there were one (I have spoken to priests, vicars, christian philosiphers etc), I would think long and hard about my lack of belief, but I come away from all these arguments feeling more and more right.

Answer 10

I really like "Just David's" quote about who is the greater friend. I guess it's kind of like saying you are going to tolerate your friend right into Hell.

I think that if a person is really seeking answers and not asking them to provoke people then there is no reason for offense. The offense is because people know that what they are doing is wrong and the Holy Spirit is trying to convict them.