witnessing about God to non Christians?

Question

I am a Christian and I was talking to my friend at work about God and being a Christian the other day as he was pretty interested in various denominations and my views on things.

He kept saying "The Bible & Jesus were invented to control people". as a Christian what do you say in answer to that? I beleive that the Bible is true and was compiled by many people and would be a huge fabrication to big to conceal if it were not true. All I could say is that I have a personal relationship with God & dont feel that it is a fabrication to control people.
Is there a better answer to this? A few people have said it to me now & I dont really have an answer.

Helpful answers only please,
thanks

I am not a nightmare! He asked and is actually a very good friend. I merely answered his questions... If you could answer mine rather than drawing assumptions about me then that would be great!

Answer 1

If Christianity were intended to control people, it did a really poor job for its followers in the early years. I'm referring to the Roman persecutions. Clearly, Christianity was not designed to control a group of (mostly) poor people who often had to go into hiding to avoid imprisonment, torture and execution. This is not the type of group of people that a power-mad person desires to control!

A good example was Paul, who went from congregation to congregation but left others in charge - others who often ran things contrary to the way he believed should be done. Paul presented himself as an authoritative teacher, but eschewed leadership, as can be seen with the Apollos/Paul controversy he addressed in 1Co 1:10-16.

There is no doubt that there are Christian leaders throughout history who used Christianity to further their own purposes (power or wealth). However, this certainly does *not* seem to be the case for Paul and his contemporaries.

Conclusion: although Christianity has been *used* to further people's personal agenda, it did not arise with that purpose in mind, and certainly not all Christian leaders use their religion for personal gain.

Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/

Answer 2

Witnessing to non-Christians these days takes a thick skin and a serious commitment...not to mention some real knowledge.
For instance, the idea your friend has, "The Bible & Jesus were invented to conrol people". Seems pretty simplistic, doesn't it. But, amazingly enough, that's a pretty popular pov these days. People are woefully ignorant about the Bible...and about Jesus, unfortunately, and that makes them ripe targets for the sleazy con artists selling this tripe.
Ask your friend if he's actually read the Bible. As you say, it was compiled by many people over centuries of time...obviously, these men were not trying to control anyone...many of them were rejected and abused by the very people they were writing to. Seems an odd way to control people, imho. Bread and circuses seems to work much better.
However, I have wondered about the men who compiled the canon. Could be that they had some personal control issues...and then there were those guys with the Inquisition. You have to admit, they were definitely control freaks...
However, if the man knows anything at all about Jesus, he would know that Jesus was hated by the religious order of His day precisely because the things He preached broke their control, and put it between the individual and God.
Think about it.

Answer 3

Your friend at work is correct. Look at the history of all major religions and others that are no longer practiced. It was a way to control people, provide answers in a time when there were none. The bible should not be treated as truth since there has never been one shred of evidence that a god exists. Now if it provides a moral comfort, great. Just don't treat it as truth. Also, look at how where you were born depicts what religion you are.

It's not for the non-believers to provide evidence that there is no god, but for believers to provide the evidence that there is a god. Saying that, the only answer/evidence a religious person can have is faith that that there is a god. Faith, belief without evidence. This is a form of delusion, and a serious matter that limits free thinking and may have certain consequences on the evolution of the brain. Religion may cause us not to evolve and eventually our species will die out. What a paradox.

Answer 4

I do not think the Bible is invented to control people. I think religion started out as a way for people to understand the world they were living in. They saw the movement of the stars, they saw death and the cycles in nature. They started telling stories. With these stories, some people tried to build a higher position for themselves in society. Next step is control.
The Bible is written by many different people, it has a lot of contradictions and, especially the old testament, is a very evil book. If you think that a fabrication of this size is too big to conceal, you should know that many so called "historical facts" were invented to embellish the glorious history of the church. Of course, many real facts were blotted out. This was done mainly by jesuits and domicans as late as the 16th century.
I hope you will realise that if you think you are allowed to spread the gospel on your work, people with other ideas can do the same. Or do you feel offended then?

Have a nice day.

Answer 5

If the Bible was meant to control us, I'd have to say it's a pretty good control! But I think your friend may still be at a philosophical level rather than a religious one. Once it is established that an external entity does provide Truth, the logical deduction from this is that man must be inferior to this external entity since he does not have the Truth and it must be shown to him (see Plato's Allegory of the Cave). Pick a religion, any religion, but there also has to be some element of logic rather than leaps of faith and mysteries that cannot be seen as Truth after all. Personally I believe that the Bible provides for a step of faith with its gospel message, rather than leaps of faith with a running start as with other religions.

Answer 6

There's an old adage about not talking about politics or religion in bars .The same advice applies even more so to the work place because unlike a bar, you simply can't
walk out of work when the conversation becomes to annoying..
You really need to work on your people skills . Walk up to the person say "Hi I want to witness to you are you interested in having that happen today ? If they say "No" turn around and walk away . If you choose to pursue the person and the point it could become the basis of an harassment suit.

Answer 7

The bible and Jesus were not invented to control people, but they have over a very long period of time been "used" to control people.

eg. The Catholic idea of hell fire. Invented to frighten the common people into doing what the "men" of the church want and omitting the requests of the God of the bible.

Use the "Mankind's Search For God" book it demonstrates all religions and is very helpful.

Answer 8

Religions have been made by men with the inspiration of God. Not all men have had the best intent in the use of it. Historically the Catholic church has misused its powerful influence to control people but the Bible and Jesus have not been disproved or made with bad intent.
You don't need to persuade people to believe. Just be a fisherman of men. What you said was sufficient and sincere.
It may have been a guided message for him. You can't make people see when they are not ready for. He seems to have his mind made up. But your witness may hit home at another time. What you receive, give freely. Let the Holy Spirit do the rest. If you are right, you don't have to defend yourself.
Rev. TomCat

Answer 9

God is not a dictator, He is Father, loving Father. He wants that people whom He created returned to Him and lived with His blessings. Rules is necessary only so that not to fall. He who goes in darkness can fall and break something to himself or to someone else. God don't want it. Usually people think first about themselves, but God thinks about everybody. There are cases that some people were killed only because of one wrong word or were beaten because of one unpleasant look. These are very terrible things, but nevertheless better to be safe than sorry. How many people die on the road, because they did not want to observe the rules. In a similar way, God is warning people, so that they would not perish and He shows the better way of life to live in peace with each other. God is perfectly right when He humiliates proud or insolent people and raise modest. But if you see what is contrary to it, it is not the will of God and not the deeds of Him.

Answer 10

Grace(not law) unto you, and peace(not division),
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus-->Christ.

It is preposterous order to teach first and learn after.
I suggest "go and ye learn" what meaneth Mt 9:13;
Before ye try to save those which are not even lost.
There's none lost in Luke 15, which is told twice,
and perhaps twice for those like you: twice fallen baby-lon.
Twice risen in John 8 notably clears the room of accusers.
Christ isn't standing right on high, but "seated" right higher.
If ye be risen with Christ, pls be seated above such law law.

Luke 15: PLAINLY notes none are lost.
The Son, who was lost(dead) is found(alive).
The 1/100 sheep, which was lost, is also found.
So stop it (woe) with partiality, which makes YOU
the 1/100 sheep the Shepherd has to go & fetch;
Not to mention the other 99/100 don't need to repent.

There is NO respect of persons (partiality) with God.
There is only such law law "partiality" AGAINST God.
Check out what pure grace is of 7 things in James 3:17.
One thing pure wisdom from above is: without partiality.

The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ with YOU all. Amen.