Think about Jesus during his time here as a human on earth, approximately 2000 years ago. A lot of people, such as Judas Iscariot thought that the Messiah's purpose was to overthrow the evil government. Instead, Jesus focused his ministry into changing the minds and hearts of people and of course as the person sent to die for the sins of the world.
In Addition,
In Genesis, God gave Adam and Eve a choice to sin or not to sin by eating the forbidden fruit.
(Ok, long winded but here's my question).
Is it just possible that because Jesus did not try to influence the government in those days, that he wants us to do the same today? Is it possible that instead of us voting for or against candidates based on their pro-choice/pro-life stance, we should instead be working to change the hearts and minds of the people?
Instead of Christians working to overturn abortion laws, shouldn't we follow Jesus example and work on helping those in need? If we do that, perhaps people will choose life?
2006-11-28 00:06:44 · 15 answers · asked by Searcher 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Note to all readers, there are some excellent answers below...in fact, some very valid points for both sides of this argument. Please read and vote.
Thank you!
2006-11-28 10:34:56 · update #1
Jesus would definetly be pro-life.
Pro-choice is the dumbest name for pro-abortion.
It's pro-choice to let your child live, too.
It is right that we should work to help others, but hon, you don't understand the evil minds of many. I personally know people wicked enough to WANT to kill their unborn baby, no matter how much help they could recieve. We should still push to have it made illegal for an abortion, except under extrenuating circumstances that are very special and very rare indeed, and then those wicked ones who like to kill their babies won't have free reign at it.
We fight molestors and murderers and rapists, we might as well fight baby-killers.
2006-11-28 00:12:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anything is possible, just in this case not probable.
Render into Cesars . . . respect the laws of the land. My understanding is the Jewish people were possessed by the Romans and either rejected full citizenship or had not been offered such. Christ either had to act in total rebellion against the imposed law of the land or work on hearts. He chose as you have stated to work on people's hearts and minds because in the long run, this would accomplish more. I also take the Render unto Cesar as a comment to work within a government peacefully for change. So why would not believe as a people that we are called to do both? I believe this is what most Christians think.
Sadly in the US, we have two extreme parties . . . conservative and liberal. It comes down to most people looking at everything these parties stand for since both will work those agendas into law even if the US has other pressing issues. Many Christians have made a decision the liberals are just too liberal and court many special interest groups. If someone would come up with a moderate party, I think you would find most would side with a moderate party. We see pressing issues of economy and war being overlooked as people look at what they think the long term hidden agendas of the parties are against their personal religous beliefs.
2006-11-28 00:36:14 · answer #2 · answered by whozethere 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hi..I think that changing the hearts and minds of people has been the key to all things. The sacrifice Jesus made was to open the gates of heaven to all people that wanted cleansed of their sins not just the ones who "didn't have any." Changing hearts and minds means changing everything. I think that people make the choices they do because they see no other choice.They are hopeless.Give them strength and hope, and they will decide differently for the most part.Everything in our lives are"prochoice".It's just a matter of choosing the right paths.
2006-11-28 00:24:23 · answer #3 · answered by jen_n_tn 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jesus had a mission when he came to earth. The government was not part of his mission. He came to show the way to heaven and to open the gates of heaven by His death. Jesus came to reinforce the "rules" of life (the 10 commandments, the beatitudes, the golden rule).
We, today, should have a goal (mission) for our lives. If you feel you need to campaign against abortion (which is evil and always a mortal sin) do it. The government is there to be sure we follow the rules properly and do not infringe on other peoples' rights. Help other people to make the right choices
2006-11-28 00:45:48 · answer #4 · answered by mrs b 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe Jesus was Pro-Life, but not to the point of forcing his beliefs on others. He definitely led by example, not by just words, and he always but people first, and we should do the same. I think we need to always put people first. If we would stop being offended by every little word, and immediately going to war over "religious" beliefs, we could be a better world of caring people. One way to do this is to help those need. Another is to work with the systems already established, and to let the government know what we want them to do for us. But the number one lesson we need to learn from Jesus' life is to end the violence. If people are getting hurt outside of abortion clinics while they are protesting abortions, how is that any different from terminating the pregnancy they are fighting against? People need to take a step back and stop being offended to the point of fighting over every little thing, myself included. The next time someone cuts you off while driving, instead of flipping them off or trying to chase them down, try to have a good thought for them and wish them a better day. You will find you will be in a better mood too. (sorry if I got too preachy, I'm just tired people taking offense at EVERYTHING)
2006-11-28 00:24:41 · answer #5 · answered by shortcakegirl45 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't think we should legislate religion, but abortion is murder. Here, try to follow along:
Murder is the taking of a human life for dishonorable reasons... selfishness, pride, anger, racism, etc, but excluding execution and war and self defence and the like.
Abortion is the taking of a human life (the life of the unborn child) for selfish reasons (want to wait until more financially secure, don't want children, "not ready yet" etc.)
The child is a living human being. A very wise person I knew once said to me, "If the heart beats, it lives" when I asked him to define "life." And really, that works if you think about it. A person is clinically and legally dead if they come into the hospital and they don't have a heart beat. When I took CPR in high school, my CPR instructor told me, "If you come across someone who isn't breathing and they don't have a heart beat, they're already dead, so don't be afraid to give them CPR. You can't make it any worse." Even when my dog died, the first thing I did was put my ear to his chest and listen for a heart beat.
A baby has a heart beat before two weeks after conception. At my wife's first checkup after we found out we were pregnant, they could find his heart beat with a dopplar. A little, tiny, *human* heart was beating in my wife's tummy. It wasn't my wife's heart: hers was in her chest. It wasn't my heart: mine was in my chest. Whose heart was it? It was baby Carson's heart! Baby Carson had a heart beat, so he was alive! To stop that heart beat would have been killing him. He hadn't commited any crime, so it couldn't be an execution. He wasn't attacking anyone, so it couldn't be self defence. He wasn't a soldier, so it couldn't be a wartime killing. What do you call it when you kill someone who isn't hurting you and hasn't done anything to you and isn't a criminal? You call it murder!
Notice, in all of this, I didn't say, "God said..." or "In the Bible it says..." I have simply, only, and exclusively appealed to logic, reason, and the rules that govern our society. I'm not legislating religion, I'm just applying the laws and common sense in a consistient, logical manner.
As Christians, I don' think it is our role to legislate relgion. Our religion (possibly unique among the top world religions) is one that a person who is forced into it doens't really belong in it. But we should always influence government in whatever way we have avaliable to be honorable and upright and living in accordance with logic and reason. The same way that Daniel did in the pagan nations he served.
2006-11-28 03:40:36 · answer #6 · answered by Sifu Shaun 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No.
We pro-life Christians can't stand it that our taxes are used to support abortion clinics. We don't want to withdraw support of our beloved country, Jesus told us to "render unto Caesar", but at the same time we can't in good conscience support murder.
If we passively followed the law of the land, the Germans would still be annihilating Jews. Not acceptable.
2006-11-28 00:15:24 · answer #7 · answered by nancy jo 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
voting for the right government is a big way to help the needy. it creates the right environment for help to be given because then you will not be doing it against the law.
and if you think Jesus was just in the shadows 'helping the needy' why do you think his arrest and death got the attention and involved king Herod and even the roman authorities?
2006-11-28 00:15:56 · answer #8 · answered by ekduin 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God has the power to change hearts. Jesus was not about the government, but the people.
We as Christians must vote for what is right in our hearts. I for one, am Pro-Life, but I know I cannot argue you into changing it. So I will continue my testimony to people who need his love and hope God will show them the life.
We ARE given free choice. But He wants us to come to him and not be of wordly things.
2006-11-28 00:13:20 · answer #9 · answered by Ace 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You won't find in the new testament where a nation co-agreed with the truth of the Bible only some people did that!
Many r called few r chosen!
2006-11-28 00:12:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you had been a Christian living in Germany during WWII, would you try to influence the govt to stop killing Jews, or would you just "work to change the hearts and minds of the people"?
2006-11-28 00:13:07 · answer #11 · answered by David S 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋