Why do non-Christians feel it's their duty to tell Christians how to be better Christians?

Question

There's a lot of bashing going on, but I'm just interested in finding out why people (specifically non-Christians) like to tell us how to be what they perceive to be better Christians.
I've never heard a Christian telling an Atheist how to be a better Atheist, a Muslim how to be a better Muslim, or any other belief.
I also believe that you should believe whatever you want - God isn't going to force you to believe in Him and I wouldn't if I could.
But, I also believe there are consequences for that decision.

A lot of great answers here - a very good discussion on both sides.
Shame on those who inferred I said something I did not.
I think we can all take something away from these answers.
Thank you for your participation.
God Bless.

Answer 1

I think that a lot of it has to do with the fact that we Christians, although maybe not you and I specifically, deserve it.

We have taken some phases out of the Bible and used them to berate, belittle, and harrass generations of people. Instead of drawing people towards Christ, some members of our religion decide that driving a wedge between "us" and "them" makes "us" better people than "them" somehow.

I do not agree with the bashing from either side, but I certainly can understand that some "Christians" bring the bashing upon themselves.

Answer 2

Probably not the one you want to answer but perhaps it goes to the general (often) tendency of Christians to rub in the face of non christians that they do not have the same promises that we have. An atheist expects nothing more when he/she dies. They are right. Christians should consider their plight and share the potential for them to accept the free gift offered. Not say if you don't believe (often enough as I do) you are going to hell. Not so. The atheist and even perhaps the agnostic may have no where to go and might respond favorably to having the promised hope shared with them.

Christians KNOW FOR SURE that they are saved. If you do not know for sure you judge yourself. Agnostics are not sure and atheists are pretty sure this is it for them. Consider that the next time you are tempted to tell someone they are going to be the main course at a barbecue.

Answer 3

People are never (or should not be) satisfied when they find that someone opposites them - especially in matters of belief. Very often we try to suppress what we don't understand or what differences from us somehow. Also, if we are not happy the way we are, we tend to make people feel that same way about what they are. I believe these are the basic, deepest reasons for what you've spoken of (but I must disagree that only non - Christians do this to Christians; I've seen all kind of believers and non-believers do such things on Y! Answers).

Answer 4

A lot of times I think it's because non-Christians see a lot of Christians behaving decidedly un-Christian. There are a lot of Christians out there doing things like telling others that they are going to go to hell. That judgment, of course, being the province of God and not man (judge not, lest ye be judged).

A lot of times Christians come here telling people that they will go to hell if they believe in the theory of evolution. When, in fact, the Christian religion doesn't even make it a sin to believe in the theory of evolution. And, even if it was a sin, acceptance of Jesus would absolve one of that sin. Ergo, a person can be wrong on how he thinks the world was created, and still be a fine christian.

Also, a lot of people claim to be christians and say absolutely ludicrous things like: You must believe in everything the Bible says from cover to cover as the LITERAL truth. Clearly, the Bible uses many figurative devices to get its truth across (read Jesus's beatitudes and the various parables, as well as almost anything out of Psalms or Proverbs and you'll find the text riddled with metaphor, simile, allegory, etc.).

This kind of stuff baffles a lot of people. So, one way people react is to argue with you and tell you that you're not behaving in a Christian manner.

Answer 5

i think of that maximum cristians already *comprehend* that they are incredibly worshipping a stone age magic e book, an imaginary "messiah" and an imaginary "god" talk approximately SUPERSTITION human beings ! maximum cristians are no longer even attentive to the quantity of their delussions. Many interior the u . s . a . are cristian, ok... in the event that they have been all born in say Saudi Arabia, then that they had quite probable be muslims, or born in india, attainable muslim or hindu. My factor is that the cristians interior the u . s . a . stick to the myth of jesus, via place of start "lottery" that we are all subject to. they are basically following the sheep without *incredibly* thinking for themselves. I study the bible and grew to become an atheist, it is the main absurd self proclaimed 'holy' e book I truthfully have ever come throughout the time of. the actuality that there is dissimilar diverse religions around the international form of things to the actuality that they are all man made without intervention from any supernatural "gods". If the Egyptians have been amazing approximately their faith and gods, then we would nonetheless be buring our lifeless in pyramids and worshipping cats ! guy is the actual inventor of many "Gods" - reality. Which one do you p.c. to worship? properly, it relies upon on the place you're born, yet they are all as imaginary via fact the subsequent.

Answer 6

Christians don't tell atheists how to be better atheists. They keep trying to annoy us into becoming Christians!

Meanwhile, we atheists (who have a considerably more objective perspective) notice and point out the hypocrasies that happen in the Chritian faith all the time. Do we get thanked for exposing scoundrels? Nope. We get yelled at until said scoundrel is plainly beyond-all-doubt guilty.

Then the scoundrels beg for forgiveness and mercy and the whole thing starts all over again.

Answer 7

Well, 1) Christians are always telling people how to behave. So there's a precedent. You didn't have to start it and perpetuate it, but you did. So deal with it.

2) We often know the bible well and it strikes us that if to be a Christian means to live Christ-like, we're curious why you (and I mean Christians generally, not you personally) are going around telling other people how to live their lives, yet you don't live in poverty, you are quick to pass judgment on others, you aren't mild of temper, you don't forgive and you are quick to violence. I mean hey, we just noticed a few things didn't add up!

Answer 8

There are a lot of non-Christians who better understand that the teachings of Christ do not involve bashing. There are a lot of hateful folk on Y!A who can cite obscure passages of the Bible as they show fierce intolerance. It's clear they don't get the central message.

Answer 9

Yes, I have also noticed that certain elements here will bash you on the one hand for being a Christian, and then bash you again for not conforming to the narrow-minded image they have of what a Christian is! If you merely speak of being a Christian, you are attacked with accusations of trying to "force" your beliefs on others; yet the same people who do that are the ones who defend their presence here by saying it is a public forum and we all have the right to say whatever we want.

Answer 10

well no offense but some of us former christians know more about what being a christian is about then some of the christians who are either starting out or who are following the religion and i guess that the religious teachers aren't doing a good job of teaching them how to behave