Is it immoral to lie to people in order to strengthen their faith?

Question

I'm hearing about it more often than not, churches staging miracles along with televangelists. It's a growing trend and these people who fall for them do not believe holy men can lie. For example, there was a church near Houston where a women spoke in tongues and a Chinese-American was there to say he understood every word she said. I'm thinking how easy is that? Either teach the woman a few words of Chinese or have the Chinese-American lie. Who would know?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d67_1176598087

Answer 1

It's very immoral, and very sad as well.

Answer 2

I'm a theist, but my personal favorite was the televangelist back in the 80's who claimed to have "healed" a woman who had been born blind and saw only continual darkness. After her "miraculous" healing, the televangelist held up a blue scarf and asked her what she saw. She said "I see a blue scarf". Immediately I knew they were both fakes, because if she had been born blind and never saw so much as the inside of her eyelids, how would she have known at first sight to call the color of the scarf "blue"? Yet, there were all these utter FOOLS swaying back and forth in the audience saying, "Praise Jesus!! Praise Jesus!!". If I had been there, I would've beat that televangelist either to death, or bad enough to put him off television forever. Charlatans like that are the numero uno reason that so many people have absolutely no faith or trust or belief in God.

Answer 3

Yes, it is wrong. These people are the poorest examples of Christianity out there and others should not judge Christianity itself on these people.

God can do anything He wants, He doesn't need anyone to lie for Him. In fact, He kinda forbids it. As far as the whole miracles-speaking in tongues thing, I believe it CAN happen, but I also think a lot of people get confused as to what it's for and they abuse it. And from a Christian standpoint, Satan is there to confuse every word. When you abuse something God gave you, Satan will make sure it leads everyone in the wrong direction.

Answer 4

If someone needs to lie to you in order that your faith is strengthened, then I submit that the faith wasn't worth a twig in the first place.
Scripture is clear: All that has been needed to say has been said in Scripture. No further prophets, no miracles, no bleeding statues - God even told the rich man that he would not send Abraham to speak to his family; he said that if a person won't believe whats written, nothing will make them listen.
NO, these things are suspicious at very best.
People would do well to listen to Gods Word, and be absolutely sure you are not being deceived by man, or worse.

Answer 5

Yes, that is sad. I guess some people need to have as many if not everyone they meet agree in their faith, and they will do anything to achieve that goal. That is why I believe that we should all do our own research when choosing a religion. People will always believe what they are comfortable with, that doesn't make them wrong or stupid, but when you go out of your way to convince someone through a lie, then that is wrong.

Answer 6

You are talking about two different issues. First the lying, Christ did not need to lie to "spread the good news" the truth does not need to be stretched to do its job.

On the tongues, Peter in the book of acts, made it clear that when the Holy Spirit came upon the ones in the upper room, they spoke in thongs, and there where Jews from many different countries, and they heard the men talking in their "own" language, and asked are these men not from Galilee.

Answer 7

It is sad that someone would dare stage a miracle. As far as I am concerned, God will do miracles whenever He wants. I would rather wait 100 years for a miracle that was real than see the hyped up shows that go on every week.

Yet, don't assume too much. In all fairness, unless you knew those two people personally, you really can't say if it was real or staged.

Answer 8

A lie is a lie, no matter what. If you change the story (even the order of the events); if you add anything; if you leave anything out (on purpose); if you make up the whole thing; even if your intent is pure, it's still a lie. Lying is always immoral.

Answer 9

You are not talking about strengthening a true faith you are speaking of con artists trying to steal from vulnerable, gullible people. They want them to give them money. They could care less about strengthening their faith. These kind of people pray on the elderly and weak minded people every day. This is unethical and immoral behavior and has nothing to do with faith. It is the devil's work and done out of greed.

To the other ( jan ) a twig is God's work, please do not belittle that by comparing it to a lie.

Answer 10

Yes. It is immoral. How would those believers feel if I made up a religion, and then faked miracles to force people to believe what I WANT them to believe? Jesus himself supposedly said that if you had faith the size of a mustard seed, then you could move mountains. Now if they need to FAKE miracles, what does that say about THEIR faith?
That's low, and weak, and I'm sure if God was real, and saw that nonsense, He would be furious.

Answer 11

Most religions are just lies anyway, so what is the difference. They lie to get money and they lie to keep members in there church.

The more and more I think about it I think I want to start my own church. It seems like a good business to start and I will make tons of cash while at it and only work 1 day a week.