Do you not think it is better to live by example, than force a belief or ideology down someones throat?

Question

This is not aimed at Christians, It is simply that others see that you are happy in your life and wonder why.

Hi, EyeLoveJesus my friend, hope you are well.

greg. m, I have many Christian friends and this is no way an insult to anyone.

Hi Unkie Wayne, how's the noise wall coming on, upto 30ft now?

bonsai bobby, thanks for the great answer yesterday, and again today.

Answer 1

Have you been to Officer's Candidate School? Were you an officer in the military? Are you in top management of a successful organization?

Why do I ask these questions?

Cause your idea is enlightened and very very workable.

Good and effective leaders have always applied "leadership by example".

And, a good and effective philosophy or religion or non-religion is illustrated by a person simply setting an example of how he or she seeks the truth as it applies to his particular life or lifestyle.

And so goes our belief systems and ideologies, and so goes the valid parts of any religion or non-religion.

I was raised in the Bible belt. My grandmother told me to never proclaim that I was a Christian ..... until I was asked, "Why are you so happy? or Why do you care about other people's problems? Or, "Why are you so tolerant of other people and their differences?"

Sorry for rambling. But your question rang a bell in my heart.

edit: I am 64 years old, the word "tolerant" was a nice word in my early years; now it means something else. In those days it meant accepting a person as a human being without judging them by their differences.

Answer 2

I really think it depends on what an individual thinks force means. To me it means you are left with no choice. If I voted for Mitt Romney (not saying I will) does that mean I am forcing the Mormon belief even though I am not a Mormon? I try to live by example, but that means every aspect of my life, my words, my actions, my choices, the decisions I make. As long as everyone has the right to do that, then there is no force involved. It's freedom.

God Bless.

Answer 3

If I want to follow Jesus, I have to remember and live this:

Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

And if I am going to love others the way I want to be loved and treat others the way I want to be treated well then if I don't want others trying to turn me away from following Jesus, then I can't try to get them to turn away from their understanding of God.

I have a problem with the whole idea of living by example, though. I think that if I am following Jesus in order to convert anyone by my actions then thats' the wrong reason.

Answer 4

that's the philosophy I've always lived by. However, if you want someone to change in some way, or join your church or something, after you've lived your exmple for a while, you need to at least mention or say a few words about it so that they're invited, or realize they have aconcious chice about it and are welcome to join you. And that some particular ideology is WHY you're living the way you do and the life that you have.

Answer 5

Yes, without question. There's nothing wrong with sharing your ideas through words, but it is all for nought if your actions stand in opposition to what you preach.

And for those inclined to call the teaching of evolution in schools "forcing religion" upon children--nonsense. Evolution and Natural Selection are not religious ideas. They are hard science, and that is precisely what should be taught in school science classes.

Answer 6

Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary, use words.
- St Francis of Assisi

In other words, "Yes". But, do not say that preaching is forcing. If someone is telling you about God, the are not forcing it upon you, they are just telling you. I don't know of any religions in the United States that kidnap people or force them to convert at the point of a sword. Now, in the Middle East on the other hand...........

Now, for my own question: Is forcing kids to study evolution in school without introducing them to creationism as an alternative also forcing a belief down someone's throat?

Answer 7

It is not for me to agree or disagree with your human decrees.

If you want to live by example then do it, and don't bother wasting your words drawing attention to it, because aren't you just doing exactly what you shouldn't be?

I just dig the sett, forage for food and keep an eye on my kin. Most else is a waste of time. Take from that what you will.

Answer 8

Yes we should live by example, however that does not mean, that we bow down, and allow our selves to become the floor mat to society. It is not shoving a ideology down someones throat, to say
not want to see the filth and language on regular televising shows.
to have our children taught how to use a condom in the third grade,
To have our holidays turned into jokes by those who do not like them
To have our children taught as FACT, theories like evolution that can not be proving.
To have our government that we are taxed to surport, to spend that tax money on abortion, and stem cells that we hold as murder.

To stand by while, our religion is belittled and mocked, and torn apart, is setting a poor example.

Answer 9

Yes, that is what we are commissioned to do, is to witness. Conviction is the work of God and only He can transform a hardened heart to a living vessel in His kingsom. He will wait until the 11th hour, and we are His witnesses to love and lead by example.

May God continue to bless you!

Answer 10

apologize...can't remember who said it, but here goes...

"Preach the gospel every day of your life. And when necessary, use words."

On the other hand...if I force an ideology down the throat, I can't really expect it to be a belief, now can i?

*choking on evolution ideology* *hack* *hack*