Christians: How do you rationalize your religions edict to proselytize with religious tolerance?

Question

If tolerance means "live and let live" - you can't - according to your religion - do that.

It seems the requirement to proselytize, a central notion of Christianity, is now in dispute.

Answer 1

The cristitians are the worst at forcing their religion on others. Government buildings must have their slogans on them, children must say prayers in public schools...they are always trying to force their agenda on non-cristitians.

Answer 2

Hey, you're right! I've been screaming that for years!
I am a (horror of horrors!) a FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN, and I really believe that we cannot proselytize the world and support total religious tolerance at the same time.
Of course, I don't believe that we should unquestioningly support ANYTHING. And religious tolerance is definitely an oxymoron. If one is a caring, conscientious person with strong beliefs, one cannot HELP but want to change world opinion to agree with them. After all who would see a child about to fall in front of a train and not try to stop them? It's an old argument, but a just one.

Answer 3

I won't let my little cousin drink poison just because she's thirsty and what's in a bottle is liquid and looks like it might satisfy her thirst. Just because people believe something doesn't mean it's true. Something has to be right and everything else wrong, but--I think this is what you're getting at--that doesn't mean that those who embrace what they unswervingly believe is right can just treat others any way they want.

If I am convinced that something is not just true but wonderful, I will want to tell the world. Jesus said all people would recognize His disciples by their love, even though not everyone who claims to be a Christian really is, if their actions and words to the contrary are any indication. Having said that, it would be the height of selfishness if I saw someone dying and did nothing to help show them how to find true life if I had every opportunity to do so. We are called to take the Gospel to the entire world, but if we are also called to be examples of Christ's love as we share the Gospel. If His love is apparent in our lives, then "live and let live" won't really matter because God will draw people to Him from that point as they see His love in us.


Giggles and Sudy Nim, you guys hit the nail on the head.

Answer 4

I am free to spread the Good News, and you are free to ignore me or discuss your issues with me. I do not get in anyones face. I just happen to bring up my religion in the normal course of conversation.

I am tolerant in that I know many will not believe and I leave them to their own beliefs, however, in a public space or when I am talking to someone through normal conversation, I am also free to talk about Jesus.

Answer 5

By leading by example.

If Christians live fufilled lives that attract others to Christianity that is the best way to proselytize.

As St. Francis said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words."

Answer 6

I don't ……Christ teaches Truth not Tolerance. Of course there is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, and temperance but don't mistake that for tolerance of anything but the truth of Jesus Christ.

Jhn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.


No can be saved through and other way except Jesus Christ.

Answer 7

...I know of no such edict that you talk about...Who proclaimed this edict - the New York Times? Or was it the ACLU? Christians must obey the Scriptures as Peter and John did in Acts 4:
18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
...And Acts 5:
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,
28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.
31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
...I will obey God, rather than men.

Answer 8

Romans 12:18
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Straight from the Good Book,
Yes you can!!!!
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
See!?

Answer 9

yes children my belief is bigger than your belief don't they ever tire of this level of **********. I sure do .... it's like they grew up in a game room who ever is wittiest or uses the biggest word or has the craziest lamest approach but there is no winner so much bovine fecal matter in lieu of reasonable thought hey why not quote god that will make the world better ??now u still think u win but u miss the point in accepting your bogus victory.

Answer 10

First Steps Toward Unity

As a means of promoting religious unity Bahá’u’lláh advocates the utmost charity and tolerance, and calls on His followers to “consort with the people of all religions with joy and gladness.” In His last Will and Testament He says:—120
Contention and conflict hath He strictly forbidding in His book (Kitáb-i-Aqdas); such is the command of the Lord in this all-highest Revelation—a command which He hath exempted from all annulment and arrayed with the adorning of His confirmation.

O ye people of the world! The Religion of God is for the sake of love and union; make it not the cause of enmity and conflict. … The hope is cherished, that the people of Bahá shall ever turn unto the Hallowed Word: “Lo! All things are of God.”—the All-Glorious Word that, like unto water, quencheth the fire of hate and rancor which doth smoulder in hearts and breasts. By this one Word shall the diverse sects of the world attain unto the light of real union; verily the Truth He speaketh, and to the Path He leadeth, and He is the Mighty, the Gracious, the Beauteous.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá says:—
All must abandon prejudices and must even go to each other’s churches and mosques, for, in all of these worshipping places, the Name of God is mentioned. Since all gather to worship God, what difference is there? None of them worship Satan. The Muhammadans must go to the churches of the Christians and the Synagogues of the Jews, and vice versa, the others must go to the Muhammadan Mosques. They hold aloof from one another merely because of unfounded prejudices and dogmas. In America I went to the Jewish Synagogues, which are similar to the Christian Churches, and I saw them worshipping God everywhere.

In many of these places I spoke about the original foundations of the divine religions, and I explained to them the proofs of the validity of the divine prophets and of the Holy Manifestations. I encouraged them to do away with blind imitations. All of the leaders must, likewise, go to each other’s Churches and speak of the foundation and of the fundamental principles of the divine religions. In the utmost unity and harmony they must 121 worship God, in the worshipping places of one another, and must abandon fanaticism.
Were even these first steps accomplished and a state of friendly mutual tolerance established between the various religious sects, what a wonderful change would be brought about in the world! In order that real unity may be achieved, however, something more than this is required. For the disease of sectarianism, tolerance is a valuable palliative, but it is not a radical cure. It does not remove the cause of the trouble.

Answer 11

I would rather know why tolerance only means that Christians have to tolerate everything else but no one has to tolerate real Christianity.

Can you help me understand something. You say we are intolerant?

What must we tolerate: Homosexuality and call it an alternative life
style although GOD calls it an abomination. You see my friend, the
feminist in their own words have declared:

"The simple fact is that every woman must be willing to be identified
as a lesbian to be fully feminist." (National NOW Times, Jan.1988).

Perhaps we as children of a Righteous God should tolerate living
together without marriage...commonly known as shacking up such as
some leading feminist have declared:

"Since marriage constitutes slavery for women, it is clear that the
women's movement must concentrate on attacking this institution.
Freedom for women cannot be won without the abolition of marriage."
(radial feminist leader Sheila Cronan).

Although it seems feminist scream "CHOICE" they do want to deny
choice to many women:

"Being a housewife is an illegitimate profession... The choice to
serve and be protected and plan towards being a family-maker is a
choice that shouldn't be. The heart of radical feminism is to change
that." (Vivian Gornick, feminist author, University of Illinois, "The
Daily Illini," April
25, 1981.

OH yes. I assume we are to accept the traditional feminist choice to
murder unborn babies to be tolerate. It does not matter that many
feminist do not restrict it to the unborn.

The most merciful thing a large family can do to one of its infant
members is to kill it." (Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned
Parenthood in "Women and the New Rage," p.67.

Tolerance. Perhaps it means to break up the family that GOD has
ordained to raise our children in communities. After all we do know
it takes a village do we not?

"In order to raise children with equality, we must take them away
from families and communally raise them." (Dr. Mary Jo Bane, feminist
and assistant professor of education at Wellesley College and
associate director of the school's Center for Research on Woman).

Then again, maybe we should tolerate the feminist as they attempt to
destroy the family (and believe me, they are doing a great job of it
with the Violence Against Women Act which was written by the NOW
legal department. You may want to check Shattered Men to find out
more about this. http://www.shatterdmen.com/

http://www.shatterdmen.com/VAWA%20too.htm

"Marriage has existed for the benefit of men; and has been a legally
sanctioned method of control over women... We must work to destroy
it. The end of the institution of marriage is a necessary condition
for the liberation of women. Therefore it is important for us to
encourage women to leave their husbands and not to live individually
with men... All of history must be re-written in terms of oppression
of women. We must go back to ancient female religions like
witchcraft." (from "The Declaration of Feminism," November 1971).

Then again, if I am not mistaking, God was the God of Abraham Isaac
and Jacob but they want to rewrite the Bible to say SHE was the
Goddess of Sarah, Rachel and Rebecca

"Overthrowing capitalism is too small for us. We must overthrow the
whole... patriarch!" (Gloria Steinhem, radical feminist leader,
editor of 'MS' magazine).

Although our own government tells us to observe human rights, feminist
tell us:

In response to a question concerning China's policy of compulsory
abortion after the first child, Molly Yard responded, "I consider the
Chinese government's policy among the most intelligent in the world."
(Gary Bauer, "Abetting Coercion in China," The Washington Times",
October
10, 1989). So is this wholesale murder of living infants (mostly
girls btw) suppose to be what an antifeminist is suppose to tolerate?


Ahhh NO..,... I remember what we are suppose to tolerate. The
teaching of ANY religion OTHER then JESUS CHRIST!

"Let's forget about the mythical Jesus and look for encouragement,
solace and inspiration from real women... Two thousand years of
patriarchal rule under the shadow of the cross ought to be enough to
turn women toward the feminist 'salvation' of this world." (Annie
Laurie
Gaylor, "Feminist Salvation," "The Humanist", July/August 1988, p.37.

"By the year 2000 we will, I hope, raise our children to believe in
human potential, not God." (Gloria Steinhem, editor of 'MS' magazine.)

My friend, Why is it that Christianity has to tolerate all other
things..but NO ONE has to tolerate Christianity.

One last thing.....Christianity is NOT believing in a man named
JESUS. It means to have a right relationship with GOD through Jesus
Christ: