Christians: follow the 10 commandments or respect you? Which do you want us to do?

Question

Websites, Youtube, the many Ray Comforts...I've seen a lot of "good person tests". The silly Christian test that asks a few questions (ever stolen? ever lusted?) to non-believers, about the 10 commandments, basically to "prove" that we are all sinners.

The silliest question is always "have you ever told a lie? Even a little lie telling your wife those pants don't make her fat, is a sin that needs to be repented". That's basically what the test is all about: exaggerate to make us all sinners.

But my question is: If, according to your rules it is a sin to tell a little lie out of respect for somebody, why do you get so upset and shout about 'mockery' when somebody calls your god 'sky daddy' or 'invisible sky pixie' or worse?

It's obviously what that person thinks and your rules told him he shouldn't tell a respectful lie. According to your "good person test", he just did what your god wants him to do.

Answer 1

Ugh! I get into this with people fairly often.

My take on it is that it is presumptuous of me to think I know the "truth" about pants. Whether someone looks good in a particular hat or outfit isn't about _truth_, it is about opinion.

I think if wearing a particular outfit makes someone I love absolutely glow, then it's beautiful on them - even if it's the weirdest looking outfit I've ever seen before in my entire life. Who am I to appoint myself fashion police? There is no inherent truth of it, just my opinion.

And if I am of two opinions (my friend looks beautiful, all aglow with joy from wearing the hat - yet the hat itself is the most hideous thing I've ever seen), I try to discern what my friend is actually asking - for my hat expertise, or for my encouragement.

Now, same scenario and my friend is honestly asking my opinion of the hat because she's not sure of it and doesn't want to look foolish, and I deceive her because I really don't care if she looks foolish or not - that would be lying.

It's all about the intention of the heart.

Answer 2

What do you mean according to "my rules." There is no such thing as a "good person". The Bible says in Romans 3:12 "there is no one who does good,
not even one."[a] We are righteous through Christ's death alone. It is impossible to live life and follow all of God rules - Christ follower or not - and that is why He died for us.
One either loves God, or one doesn't. Whether I get offended or not about what you call God isn't important. You should be concerned about yourself before God - becuse believe it or not - you will stand before Him one day.

Answer 3

What I'd like to know is, if the bible says not to lie, why did it say Herod tried to kill baby Jesus when Herod was dead four years prior to baby Jesus being born? Isn't that an outright lie, propagated by the bible itself?

How can you believe a word that book says when it has undeniable alterations of truth in unnecessary places, just to promote a 'poor Jesus, the whole world was trying to kill him from the beginning' view point?

If it isn't okay to lie, then why does the bible do just that, in several places?

p.s. To you christians that will say 'When it says Herod, it really means blah blah blah...' it says what it says. Don't compound the lie by adding more lies to it. Lying to justify a lie is still lying, even if you THINK it's the right thing to do.

Answer 4

You make a very good point. let me tell you that from my point of view, GOD is big enough to take care of HIMSELF, and one day HE will. I guess the reason people get upset, is because Christianity is like growing up. as childeren we get mad and throw a fit more often. But as we grow, drama seems to be less and thoughtfulness is more. The one thing about the 10 commandments is this, that the first 4 are about loving GOD, and the 2nd 6 are about loving our fellow man. so many so called christians don't know THE WORD OF GOD well enough to know this. so be a mature spiritual person, and don't call others names, and let the children pitch their fits in the corner.

Answer 5

Sin = waste
Sin = greed
Sin = hate

There are such things as good people. They believe in live and let live, have compassion, kindness, and love-even for strangers.

Any definition from ANY book that says we are all sinners is bunk, crap, whatever. If I were homeless and needed food or clothing for my child, and the only option was to steal, then so be it. That is no sin. Period.

And I apologize for using such a tired example as the one above, but it is early...

Answer 6

While malicious lying is definitely condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a person is under obligation to divulge truthful information to people who are not entitled to it. Jesus Christ counseled: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine, that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.” (Mt 7:6) That is why Jesus on certain occasions refrained from giving full information or direct answers to certain questions when doing so could have brought unnecessary harm. (Mt 15:1-6; 21:23-27; Joh 7:3-10)

Answer 7

Frankly Sir obey the first and greatest commandment " love god with all thy heart mind and body" and the second " lovethy neighbor as thyself. If we all shared a pure love for our fellow man neither would happen nor matter. and quite frankly sir/maam If you do as I say and obey what you feel is the right and critically correct thing to do. Ten commandments or not I dont much give a DxxN weather you respect me or not.

Answer 8

Jesus died for all of our sins. The only deathly sin is denial of Him. The word sinner is not so bad when you have relationship with God.

Do what you think is right. God forgives if you ask forgiveness, that goes for all the things you know you are doing wrong and for things that you do not even know that you are doing wrong.

Law is important but that just shows us the trouble we are in. We have Savior who wants to save us. He wants to save us all.

Answer 9

Sin and "we are all sinners" is a handy catch-all category of thinking that could be summed up as "life is full of difficult choices and we don't want to have to make them".

Fortunately civilizations have developed codes of conduct that categorize behaviours as "crimes" and "not crimes" with appropriate earthly punishments for crimes. Can't help feeling this means of avoiding pointless guilt and self (and other) flagellation is the way forward.

Answer 10

We were created imperfect for a reason.
More important than tests is fulfilling God's will