Doesn't it just break your heart that all these non-believers are arguing against the truth? They all have their arguments about how God is not real, and how we are stupid for believing stupid stories. Wouldn't you just love to let them know that they can have a REAL relationship with the Lord? A real, TANGIBLE, life altering relationship that is not based on fiction. When they ask us why we believe... wouldn't you love to convince them it is because we converse with our Lord on a daily basis just like He's our best friend? Telling them that what we have is not imaginary....it's as real as reaching out and touching another human being. Don't you wish we could make them realize that this is not make-believe but is as true as sun does shine? Wish that we could teach them that their arguments do not stand up against relationship? Just whisper into their heart with a few words that would introduce them to the Savior so that they can live? *whispering* Lord, let it be...
2006-08-22 07:17:42 · 49 answers · asked by Cre8ed2worship 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
AMEN! That's the best question I've seen posted all day!!! *whispering along with you*
2006-08-22 07:23:45 · answer #1 · answered by Samantha 2 · 4⤊ 12⤋
It is impossible to make another person experience your own mystical experience unless that person be touched on his or her own. To push is to invite a false conversion and swell the ranks of God's followers with those who do not believe but only mouth assent and have deceitful hearts. Wouldn't you rather they were true hearts? If they're meant to convert, they'll do it when they see and understand good examples of true Christians (or, this could also apply to any religion that has adherents-I'm not being exclusionary). Walk the path, and there will be those who follow. Cheers!
2006-08-22 09:03:06 · answer #2 · answered by Black Dog 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
look, there's no way anyone can be completely sure of which faith is real until they die basically. everyone can believe what they want, or be an agnostic or atheist. no one knows if it's muslim, buddhism, catholicism (sorry about spelling i cannot spell out of school) or anything else that's what you call "real". everyone should be able to choose whatever they like and there's no reason you should find it heartbreaking that people believe (or don't belive) what they want. i personally find it good that people can make up their minds on their own without having to depend on other people's points of view. i'm glad there's more than one religion, it shows that the world isn't single minded, and that people are able to choose for themselves.
and i, as an agnostic, am not against hope, or faith, and i am getting very offended by some of the claims about atheists and agnostics on this question. i also don't like to sin. so stop being awful and classifying people on the basis of religion, like some of you have on this question. i honestly am quite annoyed and pleased with this question all at once. it's nice to see other's opinions--when they are accusatory or calling people names because of a specific religion.
2006-08-22 07:38:03 · answer #3 · answered by eplaty_flura 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I share your concern and all we can do is what you are doing. God will bless your efforts. The pastor that led me to the Lord is Dr. Jerry Vines, he is in Jacksonville Florida. In an attempt to lead an atheist to the Lord one night as we visited in this mans home, Dr. Vines drew a large circle on a piece of paper and told the man that for the sake of argument, lets assume that everything known to man is in that circle. Then he asked the man to draw a circle within the larger one that would contain alll that he knew. The man then drew a very small circle, about as small a circle you could draw with a pencil. Dr. Vines then asked him, that since there was so much that he didn't know about, wasn't it possible that Jesus did exist and that He was the Son of God and that he died on the cross as payment for the sins of mankind? The man answered, yes, but i just don't believe it. We did not lead that man to the Lord that night, but who knows what later happened in his life. As we left that house, Dr. Vines said something I will never forget. He said you have to respect a mans right to go to hell,if he wants to. God Bless You.
2006-08-22 07:59:03 · answer #4 · answered by loufedalis 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Nope, Faith is a matter of personal choice. And everyone should have the right to choose not to believe as much as everyone can believe. If you dictate what people believe then where is the line between having freedoms and being a totalitarian world with everyone being little puppets.
There is no ONE religion for all but there is A religion for everyONE. It is for the individual to choose what they believe even if it is to not believe.
2006-08-22 07:26:46 · answer #5 · answered by Stephen 6 · 5⤊ 3⤋
To be honest: No.
What breaks my heart is good people being burdened with misfortune while the apparently carnal receive blessing after blessing. What an atheist - who, by definition, knows nothing about God because he has never seen Him - says about God doesn't effect me in the least.
The Psalmist said, "Why do the heathen prosper?". THAT is the eternal heartbreaker, and that's why its in there.
.
2006-08-22 07:26:19 · answer #6 · answered by robabard 5 · 4⤊ 3⤋
I believe in God, but I am not a believer in organized religion... so I don't worry about what someone thinks one way or the other. I follow my beliefs, but I respect other peoples beliefs also. If someone doesn't believe there is a God or Gods, I can handle it.
2006-08-22 07:26:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Yes
2006-08-22 08:07:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
What breaks our hearts is that you are speaking to an imaginary friend that you can't see, hear, touch, taste or smell, and you think that's TANGIBLE. What breaks our hearts is that instead of engaging with real human beings and solving real issues, you are trying to meet your needs for community and relationship by making up a pretend friend and then pretending they are listening, and then changing your behaviors and actions to please your imaginary friend.
Talking to imaginary friends is life-altering, but I believe it primarily alters your life by making you more content with isolation, less in touch with reality, and less motivated to reach out to real people and make a difference in the world beyond people who share and reinforce your illusion/delusion, converting more people to talking to make believe friends, and looking down on those who don't.
If you called your make beleive friend Napoleon instead of Jesus we'd lock you up as a lunatic, but just because our culture is accustomed to making an exception for this particular religious delusion does not make it less delusionaland we rationally believe that being connected to reality is more likely to produce success in life than commiting yourself to fanciful mythology.
2006-08-22 07:31:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 4⤋
Yes, it really does. I pray with all my heart and soul that these people will someday know the Lord, that they won't keep arguing forever. It hurts to see all of these lost souls that may never know Heaven. It actually brings tears to my eyes.
2006-08-22 07:48:53 · answer #10 · answered by lil_lemon_honey 3 · 2⤊ 4⤋
This is just irritating to agnostics and aethiests. If you want to reach out to people, get to know them then talk to them about it dont jsut start out with it. People get really defensive about this, and if you cant change someones mind, life will go on.
2006-08-22 07:25:22 · answer #11 · answered by Kristen S 3 · 8⤊ 2⤋