Curiosity: Non believers would you be more offended by a person preaching the Gospel?

Question

Or a person earnestly living that Gospel and teaching those who seek it?

Mostly nonbelievers of God but it could be any nonbeliever.

Answer 1

I have no problem with preaching, but I am offended when others (of any religion) force theirs on me. I am more than glad to learn more about any religion, but I will make my own choice, regardless of whether someone thinks I will go to hell for it.

Answer 2

I am not offended by people preaching the gospel, but if I dont want to hear it, I have that choice not too, the same can be said the other way around.

What I find offensive are those that use their religion to perpetuate the belief that they are higher and mightier than anyone else and in doing so disrespect the basic human right of choice.

I have no problem with any religious person, regardless of denomination choosing to believe in what is right for them. Saying that, the disintegration of common decency is prevalent, on here it is the absurd notion that the lack of respect and insulting arrogance perpetrated in the name of the Christian faith that is offensive.

Answer 3

Debra M, you seem like a very sweet and kind person, so I will give you an honest answer. I am an atheist, but I am not offended by anyone's beliefs, their way of worship, etc. Live and let live, so to speak.

What offends me are the people who come onto my property uninvited, and when I tell them I don't share their beliefs, they shoot me a look of hatred, and then make it their mission to convert me.

I find this highly offensive, as I'm sure a lot of people do. If devoutly religious people would just quit with the constant preaching, and be willing to teach those who seek them out, then maybe there wouldn't be so many people (like myself) bashing the religious.

Answer 4

I am (not would be) already offended by those who preach the gospel, especially preach according to a conventional theology.

Look at Jesus in the context of the society in which he existed: Judaism 2,000 years ago. Were his teachings conventional?

No!

So, why rely on a modern, 15th to 20th century, conventional theology when all of Jesus' teachings STILL run counter to convention?

Answer 5

I'm not offended by any of it. I always like to see a person 'living the gospel' if by that you mean treating others as they like to be treated. I do that, think it's a right fine idea. I teach my children that idea. I just don't teach them they have to believe a 2000 years dead guy is the key to getting out of death.

Answer 6

While I'm not particularly offended by either, I certainly warm up more readily to a person who lives what they believe and who teaches those seeking answers. I understand that anyone who cares enough to preach or to teach or to come around and knock on my door is putting out an extraordinary amount of effort based on their belief that my soul is in peril and I appreciate that effort. I respect it. I'm not always in the mood for it, but I try to live my beliefs by demonstrating my appreciation for their efforts. In any event, if I understand correctly, Jesus himself sought to live his message and to teach those who would hear him. I can’t say that I disagree with much that he is said to have said!

Answer 7

Well, if you shove your preachings down my throat, then I'll shove something else down yours. :) Turn about is fair play after all.

Fact of the matter is, I believe in God. I don't believe in religion because it creates nutball fanatics that are better off in a padded room.

Besides don't you have better things to do? Shouldn't you be too busy trying to be subserviant to some husband, or brother, or someone else as most religions teach that a good woman SHOULD do?

Answer 8

I am offended by stupidity, willful ignorance and self delusion... which pretty much sums up the Abrahamic death cults of desert monotheism (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). It offends me to know that three-quarters of the population of the USA have been infected with some sort of insidious mental virus that leads them to the insane certainty that the myths, superstitions, fairy tales and fantastical delusions of a bunch of ignorant Bronze Age fishermen and wandering goat herders represent some kind of cosmic 'TRUTH' about fundamental aspects of existence and reality. I am offended that so many people inhabit a delusional reality consisting of an imaginary magical universe which contains a 6,000 year-old earth and heaven, a solid 'firmament' structure (the sky) separating the earth from heaven (terrarium earth), talking snakes (with legs) and donkeys, a shepherd staff that turns into an asp, demons chased out of people and into pigs, friendly spirits, evil spirits, walking on water, multiplying loaves and fishes, food falling from the sky, conception by a ghost, people raised from the dead, the sun stopping in its tracks, parting seas, people being bodily sucked up into heaven (which, by the way, lies on the 'other side' of the sky), world-wide flood that drowned the earth to a depth of 40 feet above the tallest mountain, creating people from a dust bunny and a rib, a magical tree of knowledge, god speaking from a burning bush... and ritual cannibalism, by eating god in the form of a cracker.

In a sane world, anybody running around spouting ANY of that crap, would be locked up in the State Farm for the Funny. Apparently, though, mass insanity seems to convey some sort of free pass for the loony.

The entire meaningful content of the bible can be reduced to one sentence: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The rest is just irrelevant commentary. If all Christians would just do that, and dispense with the rest, they would become tolerable.

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"When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion." ~ Robert M. Pirsig

Answer 9

I would you be more offended by a person preaching the Gospel

Answer 10

More offended by the 'preachers'...at least by those that don't respect that you don't want to hear them out.

I think living what you believe and teaching those that seek it out is a more dignified life and respectable way to live with and treat humankind.