Am I obligated as a Christian?

Question

At my university there is going to be a Jewish Rabbi coming to talk. His lecture is on "A Jewish Perspective on Death". As a Christian, am I obligated to protest his lecture? Am I obligated to speak with him afterwards and try to lead him to Christ?
I am seriously worried about the lies he is going to be telling the lecture students. I am a believer in Christ and I know that Christ is the only way to recieve Salvation. His lecture may lead untold amounts of people to the gates of Hell.

I really do need some SERIOUS advice. Please do not delete this Yahoo!. I am respectfully asking a question those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I don't go around wondering each day whether or not someone is a Christian. But if I know someone is not a Christian then I try my best to lead them to Christ.

Answer 1

Go to the lecture if you want to because you may learn something that may help you when you witness to a Jew. Be respectful and courteous and pray before, during and after that God will guide you and protect you and trust Him to do so. If you want to speak with Him, don't attack his beliefs but write down some questions and have scripture to back up whatever you say. Listen carefully because some of the students who know that you are a Christian may come to you later to ask about the lecture and at least you can show them what the Word of God says. You cannot protect everyone from all the error of all the false religions. We are obligated to study to show ourselves approved to God, as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the Word of Truth. We are obligated to test the spirits to see if they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world. That man's lecture will not lead them to hell, but not believing the true and living God will. Do not protest his lecture, because if you were giving one would you want the students to protest yours? He has a right to be heard just as much as you do.

Thank and praise God that you can recognize the spirit of error because God has given you the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. I hope this helps and let us know what you learned.

Answer 2

Attend the lecture yourself, listen carefully to what the rabbi has to say (by the way there are plenty of female rabbis too but you insist on writing "he") and then ask intelligent questions during that part of the presentation.

You may be surprised at how closely the Jewish outlook on death is to your own religion.

Recently I was called on to deliver an inservice talk on death and dying and how it is viewed in the Muslim religion. This was done as part of my obligations as the Imam at a local hospital. I spoke along with ministers, priests and rabbis, and a buddhist practitioner. The difference between all of us was thinner than a line drawn in sand by your forefinger.

Better to reconcile your differences in your heart. A hard heart is far from God.

Peace and Blessings,

Imam Salim

Answer 3

You should not even attend! First, your attendance as a faithful Christian will give legitimacy to his lecture. Scandalous! Secondly, there is a danger that his evil words will slip past your guard and start to convert you to his viewpoint. You could lose your faith! This is serious! Even to rebut him would require you to actually listen to what he said, and risk your soul!

Stay away. Don't turn on the radio or read any newspapers for at least a week, in case someone publishes a review and contaminates you with his lies. If any student begins to talk about it, run away. This is for your own good. The witness of your refusal to listen will send a clear message to the other students.

Answer 4

You're not obligated to protest. The Rabbi is not going to lead anyone to the gates of Hell, because he is not trying to convert anyone to his own perspective. He is simply explaining what the Jewish perspective is on death. As a non-jewish person, why should you care what the jewish perspective is?

However, I think you would probably benefit from a study of comparative religion while you're at that university. Your perspective seems a little bit narrow.

Answer 5

well said, Jon M. If you can open up your mind to learning something then go hear what he has to say. Just because someone is lecturing on a Jewish perspective doesn't mean you can't learn something about Christianity. You may even learn about some of the perspectives that Jesus (having been a Jew) brought to his teachings.

Answer 6

It sounds like you are already prejudging what he is going to say. You have already decided that he is going to be telling lies and lead people to the gates of Hell.

I think it is VERY unchristian to presume this. I suggest that you attend the lecture and listen with an open mind. Listen to what he has to say and if he says something that is contrary to your faith, RESPECTFULLY ask questions during the Q & A part of the lecture.

Answer 7

I would definitely listen to what the Jewish Rabbi has to say because it is good to know what views other religions have on different subjects. I don't think that you should protest because that may do more harm than good. You could talk to him at the end but be polite and don't be too forceful, just ask sensible questions.

Answer 8

No, you are not. You need to go back and really *read* that Bible of yours. Paul writes that we as Christian believers are grafts onto the "root" that is Judaism. (Romans 11:17-18) He also writes that the "remnant of Israel" as he calls it, will have a temporary hardening of their hearts until the "full number of Gentiles" comes into the faith and are converted. After that happens, all of what remains of Israel will be saved. (Romans 11:24-26) Last time I looked, there were still a lot of non-Jewish non-believers out there....... IOW we've got plenty of work to do to help bring in the "full number" of Gentile non-believers......

I will go one step further here - anti-Semitism is a *sin*, To be a good Christian, you should have love and compassion for the Jewish people.

Answer 9

How would you like it if a Jew protested if your pastor gave a talk on "A Christian Perspective on Death'?

Whatever intolerance could drive you to protest? Is the Rabbi going to attack Christian perspectives?

Why don't you attend and during questions and answers say" I find your talk interesting but I as a Christian of the blank tradition believe that...."? You can give a mini witness to your belifs and to the Lordship of Christ.but only if you can do so politely and charitably and in an informed way.

Answer 10

Attend the lecture and learn from him. Remember his Bible is pretty much the Old Testament of your Bible. So you can learn from him. I am not saying he will be 100% accurate but attend the lecture and pay attention. Don't just look for things you disagree with try to understand his perspective. Then you can engage fellow students about the lecture later and share your own thoughts.

If you feel a leading to talk to him about Jesus, then do it. Just be sure to do it in a respectable and considerate fashion. His goal is not to "save" people with this lecture but to inform people about the Jewish perspective. So he won't be leading people to hell he will just be sharing his perspective.

Jews are great people. I have been to a Jewish Sabbath service and I worshiped and prayed with them. They follow the same God as we do!