Have any overzealous Christians ever though of this?

Question

It is God's commandment for you to bring as many into the faith as possible in order to save souls. This is fundmentally correct, as Christianity is an evangelistic religion.

Now, if in your zealotry and 'eagerness' to save those souls, you start in on the notion of "Whatever, you're gonna go to Hell ..." and blah blah blah, turning the masses off to the Message, wouldn't you be doing the opposite?

Wouldn't you be going against God's will if you were turning people away with your own rhetoric? Furthermore, are you doing a disservice if you try to convert using fear (ie, revelations) versus love?

Opinions, please.

RANCE, - you missed the point. Not about those who ignore the message, I am asking about messenger using a 12-gauge to blast the message into your skull.

Just a note:

I think it is funny how several have told me I am obviously not Christian. It is funny...

I am. Oddly enough, most Christians disgust me because of their twisted USE of Christ. You want more info on that, email me. I'm sure I'm guilty too, but I try not to plague the world with it.

Answer 1

Your right in the aspect that a christian should never just turn a deaf ear to another or wish hell on them...its just not what god commanded in the great commission. However you have misidentified fear in using revelations as an example. Revelations isnt about fear its about awareness and reality, the reality that god is both love and judgement

Answer 2

I think you have hit the nail on the head. My method of evangelism - if you want to call it that - is by friendship. There is the old saying, "A person doesn't care how much you know until they know how much you care." I believe that is absolutely true. I befriend a person and pray that God will give me the opportunity to talk to them about accepting Jesus and then wait. I also really want to be the person's friend - not just convert them. Personally, I wouldn't want someone I didn't know to come up to me and start giving me advice about my personal life. I would think they were a nut-case!

There are some Christians who in their zealousness have turned people off. That is a sad, unfortunate truth. I do not think that God is pleased with that. However, most of these people do have good hearts. They genuinely want to help people and that drives them sometimes in an overemotional kind of way.

Apparently, you have been the unfortunate recipient of this kind of "evangelism". I am sorry and hope that you haven't been turned off by that person/persons.

Answer 3

Though Christians should always approach the unsaved with kindness and love, there is nothing wrong with sharing the truth of hell.

For example: If someone you love is in a burning building, and you have access to some way of getting through that fire and saving them, would you do it? Or would you let them die?

Well, for us it's the same thing. We know where lost souls are bound, and we are determined to use our might to save them.

If someone were to say, "Don't bother me with God anymore." Then, I would have to leave them alone as they wish.

But remember this, you didn't want to be saved here on earth, right? You didn't want for someone to drag you kicking and screaming to the alter of salvation, correct? Well, when you die, God will NOT drag you kicking and screaming to Heaven. You didn't want it here, so you must not want it when you die, therefore, you will get what you want in death.

Our only obligation to God, as Christians, is to plant a seed in the unsaved person's heart. That seed will either never sprout, grow some but wither and die, or grow into something beautiful. We are not obligated to bring people to salvation, only to plant the seed. We plant the seed by telling people God's truth and showing his mercy.

Answer 4

I am a Christian, and obviously, you are not. Having said that, you got it right! I keep trying to point that out, but many do not listen. If a Christian comes off so unloving and hateful, I would venture to say that they are not what they say they are. Rather, I would call them counterfeit Christians.

Jesus sat with thieves, prostitutes, all the bad people and was loving to them, not hateful. He came to save sinners, not the righteous like the Pharisees (sarcasm if you know your Bible). We are all sinners so those who want to do the will of God better read over on how to love your neighbor!

Answer 5

I am a Christain for over 36 yrs. I use to be over zealous, But I learned a lot in 36 yrs. I don't even talk to anyone about Christainity unless they ask me, If my life can not produce the true example of a Christain, Then my words won't do any good, I agreed there are YOUNG Christains that gets over zealous, But they are young in the Lord, It will be like me giving you a 2000 page book & you read 3 paragraphs, You don't know anymore of what is in that book that anyone else. The same with young Christains, We grow each day, & in 36 yrs for me, I have learned a few things that no one in this religious world can fool me, Nor can a unbeliever fool me.

Answer 6

i agree with what you are saying and we can take it one step further in asking why some christian religions think the have to tell other christian religions they are wrong. I firmly believe that if you Truly find God and you follow the ten commandments then what sect you belong to is the right sect for you. all roads of faith and purity lead to God there is no one road in getting there. that would be the same as everyone having to do the exact same job in life.
Love your neighbor as yourself = treat others as you want to be treated.
if everyone practiced this the world would be a peaceful and wonderful place

Answer 7

There are many interpretations of Christianity and many different Christian churches with different people presenting their interpretations in different ways. Some people feel a need for the fear of the lord. Others feel the need for the love of the lord. If some one believes in Christ, they can find a church and pastor that suits them. That's why we have freedom of religion.

Answer 8

God gave us the power of choice. Now did he/she do this for their amusement. I do not think so.

Just as it is great to have someone love you on their own accord (you would value that a lot more) would it not have made sense for God or Jesus to have people love them on their own without the threats of damnation and such.

In this end, I can only see that God would want this love (worship) voluntary. And yes, you would do a disservice to have people converted through fear.

Answer 9

I couldn't agree with you more. Satan uses false religon to sway the mass away from the true God.
To keep someone alive for an eternity, just to torture him. Makes God out to be a monster of the worst kind. We went to Iraq because they thought that hussian was tortureing people.
They were a false religion and pagan, but still you didn't want to see them hurt, or tortured. But it is ok to say that God tortures people. they say he causes earth quakes and herricanes and the death of infants. Isn't that man doing that to mankind?
Global warmings and wars and mans heart less motivations.
We were given free will and look how people use it?
That is not God, that is man.

Answer 10

I don't consider myself to be "overzealous", but I'll throw my 2¢ in. It's not our job or duty to convert. We are to share what we've learned. As for the fire and brimstone, I don't encounter it from many Christians on here. Are you living in some strange place where people are overly concerned with fire and brimstone? Please feel free to cut and paste examples if you're going to reply to me. I'd like to see the evidence so that I can address it with fellow Christians.

Love rules above all.