Advice from nonchristians - if I were to tell you about the gospel, in what way should I present it?

Question

I'm asking a serious question. I think a lot of modern evangelists have the wrong idea. They have an us and them mentality and I don't agree with that. I believe that all are loved by God and deserve my respect.

Should I do with action? Should I have a low-key open discussion? What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I think the best way is to just live your life as you feel a Christian person should. Low key remarks about how your life is better now than before might be appropriate.

Answer 2

I am an atheist and I can only speak for them. As an atheist, I am convinced that no god exists, therefore you will have a hard time presenting your gospel to people like me. The only way to change that would be to convince us that god exists, in the first place. If you cannot do that, you can give up right away.

In order to convince us that god exists, you should not, I repeat not, quote scripture and such. Old texts, whatever you claim they may be, have no value as reasonable proof for anything. You could as well read fairy tales to us.

Telling us about any sort of personal experience will also do not much good. While personal experience may be very impressive to the person experiencing it himself, or to gullible people in general, it will not convince any sceptics.

So if you wish to convince us of your god, put hard facts on the table. If you have them. If not, don't bother.

Answer 3

1) Prove to me you are living a good life through your actions to other. No hate, discrimination, oppression,.......

2) Ask me if I would be willing to participate in an open discussion about your religion.

3) Come to me with an open mind, willing to listen to my beliefs and my concerns and objections to your faith.

4) Try to have some GOOD answers. something other than faith, "god did it", and because he can do anything.

If you do this I will listen, I doubt you will make a difference but I will listen, I will debate the issues with you. Maybe you will bring up something I have not thought of. But then again you had better be ready to leave the discussion doubting your faith.

If your are truely strong enough in your faith, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to having your beliefs and your faith tested. If you are right and your faith is strong then you should be able to examine your faith and your beliefs without fear of being "corrupted".

I am confident in my beliefs, I am not afraid to re-examine them at any time. Are you?

Answer 4

Don't even bother. I've studied the gospels. I've seen christianity in action. there is nothing you could do or say to refute the overwhelming evidence that the bible is a work of fiction, cynically translated, edited and presented to trap the unwary, the gullible and the weak.

Answer 5

Start by talking about how God left Eve alone with Satan in the Garden of Eden, then blamed Eve for being tricked by the Devil.

Then move on to how God threw a temper tantrum and destroyed the world with flooding, including all the babies and butterflies because they were "ee-vil".

Then move on to how Pharoah wanted to release the Jews many times, but each time God "hardened his heart" so as to give God an excuse to kill more people (like the first-born, including the first-born cows).

I am sure there are many more atrocities to discuss (II Kings 2: 23-24, for example).

Then you can give us a description of what God wanted to happen to his only son so as to give God an excuse to forgive humanity for being tricked by the Devil God allowed into Eden.

Finally, you can round out the evening with a stirring rendition of Revelations 21:8, where God basically says "Love me or I'll kill you."

Now then, if you -can't- explain how all of that is evidence of a supremely loving god who only wants the best for us, don't bother preaching to 21st century non-christians.

You be better off finding yourself a group of children to scare.

Answer 6

Not at all.

If you were to sit down with me and ask me "Can I tell you about Jesus?" I would say no thank you. Since you say you respect all people, surely you could respect me enough to not continue. There are a million and one other, more interesting topics to choose from. The thing is, unless someone wants to hear it, you'll be perceived as pushy. So it's best to not even broach the subject.

Answer 7

Action! word never convinced me, because so often they turn out lies. Actions rarely lie. If you want to preach to me, do it in showing me that you are a better and kinder person than non-religious people.
My main problem with religion is actually that so few people live what they preach. So I came to disregard religion. By now I know more kind atheists than kind christians.

Answer 8

I am a Christian but I hate to be preached to, the pastor in our church is good in which he presents what he has to say in layman's terms. Using examples of the world today. However keeping it within the guidelines of what is said in the bible.

Answer 9

do not talk down to us.

do not make it sound like the bible is the only way. i study the occult and i am glad to hear other ideas but if you make it sound like fallowing the bible is the only way then you just made me your enemy.

do not yell, it hurts our ears.

keep your opinion about our lives to your self unless our life style may hurt others. a gay couple getting married hurts no one. a child being beat is harmfull.

dont argue with us, just give the info. if you must argue do not use insults and remember facts are a must.(that goes for any one)

when we say stop, stop.

Answer 10

Hedgewitch- Christians should never presume that the non christians they are addressing are ignorant of the bible. Many of us were studying scripture before you were born and have moved on spiritually. Don't tell people what they haven't asked you about.

This really sums it up. Don't assume that I lack spirituality or a connection with god simply because I choose not to blindly endorse the same backwards dogmas that you choose to blindly endorse. I could ask you the same question. How do I approach christians to inform them that human sacrifice is against the teachings of christ? How do I approach christians to inform them that religious superiority turns christ into that anti christ according to christ in the bible? How do I let christians know that god loves them more than they can ever imagine? So much more than the earth flooding, earth apocalypse destroying, human in hell torturing FALSE GOD OF THE BIBLE. How do I tell christians that they have STRAYED from the teachings of CHRIST? How do I tell christians that god is loving? I mean actually loving. Not torture you in hell for eternity loving. Not Destroy the earth loving. Not kill all life loving. I mean REAL LOVE loving. How do I tell christians that christanity is the anti christ. How do I let christians know that what budha taught is CLOSER to what christ taught than what christians teach in the name of christ? Budha summed up his entire teachings into three things. Christ taught those same 3 things. I don't suggest that you put yourself above us and assume we are ignorant. Don't put yourself above us and assume that we are ignorant of god or spirituality. Also I believe that christ taught that the way to convert people to the doctrine of brotherly love is by example only. Teach people how to live a life of kindness. By living a life of kindness. People who want to live a life of kindness will learn from your example. Christ doesn't want you running around in your pompous arrogance trying to convert people to your blind dogmas. Teach by example and that doesn't mean acting nice to lure people in so that you can shove your crap religion down their unsuspecting throat.