A Christians Perspective on Non-Believers...what's your thought's?

Question

One of the most disliked human traits to me is arrogance or at least the most ugly save (hate) only.

With that said and risking the possibilty of coming off as arrogant or persumptious I'd like to offer my understanding to what some may view my faith in God to be.

Some 39 odd years ago I fell in love with the most beauitful, wonderful woman on earth. We sure did love one another..I could think of nothing but making her my wife.

There was one problem, her family went to a church that did not like mine. They didn't want us to marry let alone date.

They made me feel like the lowest creature on earth, completly unworthy to be in their family. I was not allowed in their home. I was an outcast to say the least...her father forbid any contact with me because of my faith.

BTW: We are still happliy married!

I've often wonder if this is how some Christians have made unbelievers feel at times or at some point in your life.

your thoughts please...

Answer 1

I have just ended a 4.5 year relationship with a Christian (I'm Atheist) Despite loving eachother immensely, one of the main things was religion and our different views on it.

So yes - I have felt like that. Love apparently doesn't conquer everything
***
Congratulation on staying strong despite the obstacles I'm sure are there

Answer 2

My first wife and I were married for 25 years. During the last 5 years she started attending Pentecostal churches. I went a couple of times and just got freaked out by what was going on there. People were getting "slain in the spirit" (falling over when someone whacks you on the forehead), talking in tongues (a gibberish form of language), and spouting "prophesy" all over the place. In the end, she couldn't leave the church and I couldn't join. We raised 2 great kids together and enjoyed many good years. But far too often, religion divides and separates people. We were both pretty good people and great parents. The end of our marriage was over 12 years ago. I was single for 10 years. Now I'm remarried to a woman who shares my faith (or lack thereof). Religious zeal can bind people together and it sometimes tears them apart. It's just the way it is.

Answer 3

I know that I have made certain people "uncomfortable" because of my faith. The bottom line though is how we as individuals make God feel.
I know that my view on things is going to be different from my neighbor or even my wife at times. But through prayer and alone time with the Lord, I will receive a better understanding of how they feel.
That being said, I still make some people feel uncomfortable but now I will ask them why and try to be more compassionate toward their feelings.
If we are to become like Christ, shouldn't we also be more sensitive to the feelings of others?

Answer 4

I, too, am an athiest. I was, at one time, christian. (long story) I often feel the need to hide my athiesm from others. In high school, I was made fun of by "christians", telling me that I should drink water now, because I'm going to Hell. Now, being a former christian, I know how they should behave. When I was christian, I would spend time talking to my athiest friends, trying to understand their point of view, while gently conveying my own. It was a true discussion.

Now, I'm not saying all chrstians are like this. Some of my best friends were christian, and I respect every aspect of them. Hearing stories like this is all too common, and, if I were christian, I would be up here, apologizing for the actions of my bretheren, and assuring all that not all christians are like that.

As a personal feeling, in America, there is no more "Persecution of the christians", there is only "Persecution BY the christians".

Answer 5

At least, you are happily married... ;)

I am a Christian for 6 years, I do not know which of congregations your wife, her parents go to. But the trouble with many church bodies these days, they misinterpret the bible, the teaching of God, and often rely on human interpretation (that is preachers etc.) giving them advice.

However, from my understanding of the bible, I would think her parents are more concerned about her daughter marrying to a non- believer.... not sharing the same faith and belief to many life issures.

For example, marriage for most of Christians are one to one for life and because we study God' words and apply His teachings to our lives, if our partner is Christian also, we would have the same mind about the marriage.

The concept is the same as if you are good at marketing, you will no doubt find it easily to communicate with people in the same field. Say if your wife was not marketing expert, would you sometimes find it hard to discuss about promotional tools with her?

That may be the concerns her parents have in mind, but Christians are not taught not to marry a outsider, simply we are concerned whether we may be able to keep up with our faith in God, as conflicts will be unavoidable, just like the marketing example.....

Hope that may help a bit....

Good luck.

Answer 6

My thoughts are that while in church it is taught to marry within the religion, understand that making people feel bad isn't the way to go. The Bible says that you shouldn't let evil come out of your mouth or your heart. So, my approach would have been...."sir, if you'd like to date my daughter, I think you should understand some things. We go to a church here in town and if you have any interests in my daughter I'd like for you to attend with us." In a situation such as this, it would weed out any of the guys just looking for fun, and attracted more of the serious types, plus it would've helped for that person to get a better understanding of the family and belief systems. That, my friend is the best positive approach to that situation. Blame the father, he handled it unlike God would have wanted.

Answer 7

The way people act on here, especially some unbelievers, I don't encounter in real life. I've lived in the South, New England, Chicago, and NYC and never found such consistent rudness mixed with unfounded hubris. It doesn't really bother me, but it makes me take more seriously the difference between believers and non believers. I have mostly non-Christian friends. So I might get used to the way we get along. But here it reminds me that we are very different and the lines are well drawn.

Answer 8

I'm glad you said 'some' Christians. As a Christian, I should be trying very hard to be following the teachings of my Lord and Savior. If I hurt another human in my own arrogance, I'm really not being very Christ-like. If for any reason I have hurt anyone, I am truly sorry. That will never be my intention; however, having said that, I will never back down when it comes to defending my Lord and Savior.

Answer 9

I am sure it is. One of Jesus' most wonderful sayings is where he complains about people running all over the world trying to make disciples of their way of thinking, and in doing so, make them twice as damned as themselves.

Although intermarriage is always a complication when the time comes to blend two families, it is also a time when you show who you really are. Your new son in law - is he a son to you? Or do you make him an outcast? Same thing with daughter in law.

I think too few of us who are Christians look at how the weddings in the bible were celebrated, and what the family ties meant. Take the poignant words of Ruth, who said to Naomi after Naomi's son/Ruth's husband died, "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! for wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Wherever you die I will die, and there be buried."

Jesus himself said, "A man will leave his parents, and cleave to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." The joining of two people in this wonderful bond is one of the greatest miracles that God works among us.

So when families get petty and interfere in what God is trying to do, it is no wonder people turn from God. If they can and will deny God in his very presence, then who can blame people from turning away from God?

Nobody can do more damage to faith than the bad faith of the faithful. That is why it is so important to live out that "new commandment" - "Love one another, as I have loved you."

When Christians do not show this - when they are busy demanding ten commandments monuments and prayers at football games, and girding for battle in the culture wars like King David instead of King Jesus, there is no love on display. The easiest place for unbelievers to find God is in the goodness and decency of everyday people. But how can they do that if we refuse to be those good and decent people? What happened to the baptists who went to build hospitals where angels fear to tread, and nuns who feed the homeless men nobody else will feed? There are more important things than clerks afraid to say "Merry Christmas" - like the message of Christmas itself; God's love, poured out as an innocent babe in the plain estate of a manger.

Above all, we must pray for love. Unbelievers can call us hypocrites until the cows come home, and they will be right to do so... "if we have not love", we are just clanging gongs.

Answer 10

I'm sure some Christians have mistreated unbelievers and have been hurt by their christian love ones. Unbelievers shouldn't take it out on the believers on this site because of what someone or a group of people have done to them. They are still without excuse in their behavior to those who are on this site who are giving love and respect to them.

Shalom