Should/will people be held accountable for misinformation? (asking for christian/non-christian views)?

Question

I'm asking 2 questions from a 2 different standpoints.

First, intentionally misleading people for the good of the religion.
For christians - Does the ends justify the means, or does it constitute bearing false witness? Will there be repercussions in the afterlife or rewards?
For non-christians - Should there be accountability in this life for it?

Next, unintentionally misleading people for the good of the religion.
For christians - Does lack of knowledge excuse it? Does it not matter since it's for the good of the religion? Again, rewards or repercussions in the afterlife?
For nonchristians - Should there be accountability in this life for it?

Please state if your christian or not too, if you don't mind.

Thanks in advance!

Sorry, I wansn't too clear -- I don't mean a punishment, I was reading censorship stuff. :)

I guess should censorship of misinformation be allowed, and should those who push it be labeled as such?

Answer 1

Intentionally - YES, that is heresy.

Unintentionally - If you don't know what you're talking about then don't say anything in the first place. It's better for a man to just say "I don't know" than accidentally be misleading a person.

Answer 2

A am a Christian and I'm trying very hard to understand what it is that you are asking. What intentional misleading are you referring to?

A lie is a lie, no matter what the motivation. False witness is still a sin and all sin, no matter how small, is subject to the full force of God's justice.

As for the lack of knowledge, no. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse for breaking it. Just as it is in traffic court, so it is in God's court.

Answer 3

nicely realistically i think of it is a undemanding assumption that atheists actual don't have faith they have any divine duty for their movements, perfect? previous that - their duty for sure might lie interior of themselves or from an exterior source. i think of even an atheist has a ethical experience. they do merely no longer characteristic it to the comparable source as a believer might. of course all and sundry makes assumptions at here - it is organic. i in my opinion have not a CLUE how an atheist feels because of the fact I rather have continuously believed. So maximum if no longer all believers are making assumptions in accordance with their perceptions and journey - all of us do this. So ya gotta take that into attention while people say issues that seem off base to you. theory is each thing isn't it? I see a staggering sunlight set and stand in ask your self of GOd's proper creations. perhaps you seem at it and spot some geothermal configuration interior the sky and picture approximately how the orange coloration is brought about by employing the smog interior the ambience... : ) additionally, you will desire to remember that talking that's very constrained and somewhat a pair of times very distorted. in my opinion i do no longer think of atheists think of they don't seem to be in charge - ok? ; )

Answer 4

My experience has been that most fundamentalist Christians allow themselves great liberties with the eighth commandment. I have seen clear cases of where they know they are lying, usually by deliberately misrepresenting scientists' views, etc., and they are giggly-proud of it. After countless exchanges with fundie Usenet "missionaries," it is clear thatr they believe any effort they make which advances their backward views is smiled upon by God. Yes, they think they score big points in Heaven for it. They can also make themselves believe anything.

These people justify lying in the name piety and the perpetuation of their beliefs. Any deceit is legal as long as they think they are doing God's work. Well, look at the other things their predecessors, and current day extremists of some other religions, have justified in the name of their God.

Answer 5

I'm a Christian and I don't think that it is ever ok to intentionally lie. In James 1: 5 we are told to be truthful so we will not come into condemnation. Any sin has a consequence. If we say something in ignorance I think that is different than intentionally deceiving and the person should be corrected or instructed further, so they will not perpetrate something untrue.

It also says that we will have to give account (to God) for every idle word spoken.

Jesus said: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (Mt.12:36-37).

So, it is important to be sure, before we say something, if it is true or not true.

Answer 6

I am a Christian. I believe that people are responsible for themselves. It is definitely wrong to mislead people for the good of the religion. To do so would be to assume that you know God's plan for the Church. If you are truly following God he would not lead you in the wrong direction. It is only when people ignore the proddings of the Holy Spirit that they mislead

Answer 7

Yes we will. The Bible clearly states that we must show oursaelves approved bu correctly interpreting the Word to show ourselves approved of God. The Bible isn;t for private interpretation. We need the Holy Ghost to be led in ALL Truth. Without it, we are whistling in the dark. We have to have it the same way the Apostles showed that they had it. By speaking in tongues. This is the evidence of the infilling of the Holy Ghost.

Answer 8

First of all, I'm a Christian. That gets that out of the way.

It says in scripture that we will all be held accountable for what we do on earth, with the gifts we're given. It also says that anyone who changes the gospel to appeal to a wider audience is sinning. It's a hard gospel to believe in, even Christ said so. So, changing it to make people think they're going to get into heaven easier just sends more people to hell for not knowing the right of it all.

Answer 9

The problem is one of vagueness. For non-Christians you ask 'should' there be accountability? What does 'should' mean in this context? 'Should' according to who? What KIND of accountability do you imagine is appropriate? Are you asking whether or not society should punish people for being misleading others or for simply being mistaken? I think that's fairly ridiculous, don't you?

No, I'm not Christian.

Answer 10

Non-christian, and people should ALWAYS be held accountable for spreading misinformation.

In the case of unintentional misinformation, they should be held accountable for spouting off on subjects they are ignorant on.

In the case of deliberate misinformation, they are liars. They should be held accountable for that.

If a belief system or other line of thought can't stand on its own merits and requires lies or ignorance to sustain itself, it isn't a worthy one and should be abolished for everyone's good.