Is it ever okay to lie to get people to follow your religion?

Question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Agc7DKrf7S5EnQE8tes24tLd7BR.?qid=20070531134239AAuUxlP

Oh my gods! I think we all agree!

I'm honesty wondering if ANYONE thinks it's okay...like, it's okay to sin to make someone their religion so it makes lying not a sin or something wacky.

FYI: I'm talking about lies we can all agree are lies, like "I will give you 3 million dollars if you convert," followed by no dough....not subjective misinformation.

Answer 1

It would be ludicrous to break the tenents of your faith to try to convert someone to your faith.

Answer 2

No, why would someone want to lie to have someone come to their religion? It would kind of defeat the purpose I would think.

So my answer is a strong..NO.
But then the truth so one person may be a lie to another. Some people believe the bible is a lie, while others hold it as the truth.

Answer 3

That's funny. Eusebius of Caesarea, the Father of Church History, wrote that telling lies in order to convert people to Christianity was perfectly acceptable and endorsed by God.

The 32nd chapter in his 12th Book of Evangelical Preparation is entitled "How it may be Lawful and Fitting to use Falsehood as a Medicine, and for the Benefit of those who Want to be Deceived."

(FYI: most scholars agree that it was probably Eusebius that added the passages about Jesus to Josephus, which Christians continue to cite today as evidence that Jesus existed.)

St. John of Chrysostom wrote in his Treatise On The Priesthood, "And often it is necessary to deceive, and to do the greatest benefits by means of this device, whereas he who has gone by a straight course has done great mischief to the person whom he has not deceived."

Said Martin Luther, "What harm would it do, if a man told a good strong lie for the sake of the good and for the Christian church ... a lie out of necessity, a useful lie, a helpful lie, such lies would not be against God, he would accept them."

And even the Apostle Paul, "For if the truth of God hath more abounded by my lie unto his glory, why yet am I also adjudged a sinner?"

Christianity is a religion founded on lies. Lies upon lies upon lies. God doesn't exist. Jesus never lived.

Answer 4

One can lie all that want, to get someone to believe in what they do. But in the end, when the lies, battles the truth. Who loses?
And besides, somewhere along the line. before the end, one will get caught in a lie.
Then it will all fall apart.
And if your the one who started it. it will all be put on your shoulders.

Answer 5

isn't that the whole point of religion. people who have no proof of god's existence lie to others and tell them it is truth. claims without basis are basically lies. to say "this is what i believe.", that is an opinion. however saying "This is true!" without proof is a lie in the raw form.

Answer 6

Absolutley not!!
I think that would actually back fire. If you lie to someone to get them to convert they'll eventually discover the truth then they'll leave that religion and tell their friends that people of that religion lie.

Answer 7

Unfortunately I have to resort to the wise words of George Costanza once again "It is not a lie if you believe it".



EDIT: I just re-checked, apparently she removed the question.

Answer 8

Didn't stop the christians during the crusades. I say its ok to lie just not in religion

Answer 9

If people truly love and are devoted to their beliefs and want to share them with others, they would not have any justifiable reason(s) to lie to get other people's attention. That makes no sense.

Answer 10

It depends on the result. Lemmings going over a cliff can be a good thing sometimes.

Answer 11

I thought it was mandatory.

Oh, wait, that's right. Standard rule of religion. The made-up stuff I say is truth, the made-up stuff other people say is lies.