"Defending the faith..." How moronic is THAT?!?

Question

Let's see now. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and intelligent enough to have created **everything**. In the entire universe!

In light of that level of power, how idiotic is it to think that ANY "faith" needs "defending?" No matter what any person thinks or believes, God will have things any way that He *wants* to have them. There is NO way that any person or group on this dust mote of a planet can harm God in the least!

To "Rudy1991 :]" -- The point of my question is this. Many Christians (but usually the more fundamentalist ones) seem to think their faith somehow needs to be defended. And, I believe, in the UK, the reigning monarch needs to make a pledge to that effect. But since God is capable of defending Himself -- why bother?

Answer 1

Hi, Roadrat. Jesus certainly commissioned his disciples to teach the faith, and teaching the faith entails defending it.

The faith taught by Jesus is clearly under attack, including here in Y!A. Of course, God could have undertaken the defense by his own omnipotence, which is what will happen in the end, at the Final Judgment. But he also calls Christian men and women to defend the faith.

Nothing idiotic about that. In fact, great intelligence and courage is needed.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

Those of us who defend our faith do it so that we can keep spreading the word of the gospel until the end of times. How do you think it got from the 1st century to the 21st century?

It is like the story of Nehamiah. He was motivated by God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He rallyed everyone in town to pitch in, starting with the walls closest to their homes, and they did not finish until the wall surrounding the city was complete and secure including the main gate.

When the people worked, they were also armed with weapons. The people who destroyed the walls in the first place were eyeing this project, and harrassing those who ventured outside of the city. The people inside the city had to be ready to defend their city incase of another attack.

Because nearly everyone in the city was united in this project and armed, it thwarted any more attacks and the walls were eventually finished.

God uses people to keep the gospels alive and well, because God knows full well that there are people out there who's only mission on earth is to debunk His word and to stop the gospels.
It is happening now in Darfur, several places in Africa, China and of course, the Middle East, where Christians today are put in Jail or killed for their faith.
(www.VoiceOfTheMartyrs.com)
But regardless of their agenda, God has protected His word through godly people for 21 centuries and will continue to do so until Jesus Christ comes again. So yes my friend, it is necessary.

Answer 3

Hmm, that is an interesting thought.

If I may speculate, I would propose the idea behind "defending the faith" is that religionists claim that the entire purpose of creation is to give man the greatest pleasure, which happens to be a "relationship" with the infinite ("god"). This can be fully appreciated if the whole world was living with this "appreciation" of the "awesomeness" of god. Therefore, if there are people who aren't living with this awareness it is detrimental to everyone else who is. It can be deduced from this that they need to "defend the faith" so that others also have this awareness of god and worship the awesomeness of the grand creator.

This is merely speculation and would need further clarification and proof for each of the claims.

Answer 4

Respectfully, you are misunderstanding the meaning of that phrase. It's not about defending GOD, who obviously requires no defending. It explained here...

1 Peter 3:15 -But sanctify the Christ as Lord in YOUR hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of YOU a reason for the hope in YOU, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect."

Edited to add: Of course christians would have to defend their faith from those that would stifle their work. Paul spoke of those who would form mischief by decree ... or legal means.

Many of the free speech liberties that are enjoyed by people in the US can be traced back to legal battles fought by Jehovah's Witnesses right up to the Supreme Court of the United States for their right to preach back in the 40's and 50's.

Again, let me put it succinctly. It is not about defending GOD, it is about defending our right to serve him.

Answer 5

"A great many learned men are defending the gospel; no doubt it is a very proper and right thing to do, yet I always notice that, when there are most books of that kind, it is because the gospel itself is not being preached. Suppose a number of persons were to take it into their heads that they had to defend a lion, a full-grown king of beasts! There he is in the cage, and here come all the soldiers of the army to fight for him. Well, I should suggest to them, if they would not object, and feel that it was humbling to them, that they should kindly stand back, and open the door, and let the lion out! I believe that would be the best way of defending him, for he would take care of himself; and the best “apology” for the gospel is to let the gospel out."
- Charles Spurgeon


The counter argument to what Mr. Spurgeon said, is that the Bible expects us mortals to "correct" each other whenever we have gone astray, since people find it easy to ignore that voice of God inside their heads, but a little more difficult to also ignore their neighbor's voice also.

Answer 6

i in my opinion purely come right here to respond to question on themes I even have expertise in. i in my opinion on ly pass onthe attack when I see somone use arcane tips that could attempt and disparage a faith. And which could be any faith. i in my opinion am Pagan and that i detect that's teachings extra healthful me as an entire. this would not advise i visit bash a christian or an athiest for their ideals. it is purely no longer my place. So while yet another does it I even tend to get somewhat aggressive, because it have been. I oftentimes discover myself ignoring question i detect require an answer which could harm yet another. And no i'm no longer wiccan.

Answer 7

Actually, a better way of saying that is that a person explains what he believes and why he believes what he believes. The Bible says "Be instant (ie ready), in season and out (ie at any time) to give a reason for the hope that lies in you."

When people say they are "defending the faith", they are actually explaining and giving evidence for what they believe.

Some people still use the archaic "Elizabethan English" when it comes to religion, but when understood in modern text, it makes perfect sense to "defend", or "give an account" or simply to explain what you believe.

I trust this helps.

Answer 8

+PAX

Yes, I defend my faith, from people who have no clue what they're talking about and are spreading untruths about it. I attempt to educate them so they stop repeating the untruths.

In defending my faith, I'm also defending God Almighty, my Father as any daughter would.

In charity,
j

Answer 9

All across the UK the churches are turning into mosques. I think somebody had better stand up before you are back to a dictatorship, because there is no freedom in islam.

Answer 10

We defend our belief in God, not the faith.