If God says people should behave a certain way, does that mean it's okay for you to force them to?

Question

Even if their own disobedience of God doesn't harm anyone directly.

Or should you just tell them the error of their ways and hope they listen?

Please note that I am just asking a question!

I am not promoting forcing anyone to do anything. (and no, I'm not from Saudi Arabia)

I am just asking about the separation of church and state (force = law) in various ways to see if it changes the answers.

Answer 1

you are right it's freedom
2Co 3:17
17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Answer 2

But which God are we talking about? The God who sends you 17 virgins if you fly an airplane into a building. Or the God that says to Turn the other cheek?

In my life the best examples of Godly people are those who serve as examples of good moral principles and keep their mouths shut.

I once worked with a wonderful Christian woman who put a Bible on everyone's desk. She never said a thing about reading it. She just felt everyone should have one if they needed it. I loved that woman becuase she was so caring. I am not a Christian and never read it. But she made me feel better about Christians in general.

I've also worked with "Christians" who forged their time cards so they could get home in time to watch the 700 Club. I don't think much of them and when they open their mouths and talk about how holy they are they piss me off.

As John Prine said: Blow up your TV, eat a lot of peaches and find Jesus on your own.

I'll let someone else advocate giveing a woman 200 lashes for geting an abortion. Noisy Christians are there own worst enemies.

Answer 3

Even in this society we live in, bad behavior is NOT tolerated and has affects on others. If you murder someone, it has consequences right here, right now.

No one forces anyone to BELIEVE. You either do or you don't. God isn't after human "doings", but human beings who realize that nothing they can DO will reconcile them to a holy God. It has been DONE FOR THEM at the Cross. Simply believe that what Christ did there for YOU was sufficient to reconcile you to God.

Its NOT what WE do, but what HE did that is the issue here.

We aren't called to tell people the error of their ways, but to tell them the GOOD NEWS that Jesus paid it ALL, so that they could be forgiven and given the very righteousness of Christ as a FREE GIFT.

Our job is to tell people the good news that God isn't mad at anyone in this dispensation of GRACE. The Cross removed all the enmity between God and man. That is why it is called "good news."

The results of our being faithful to TELL THEM is between God and the person who heard.

"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

"God desires that ALL men be saved ...AND that they come to a full knowledge of the truth."

Answer 4

Absolutely not. Jesus was once asked about how to treat a non-believer. His answer was to show kindness and love in the hopes that the non-believer would eventually come around. Doesn't sound like a violent admonition to me.

That's what's wrong with the "Moral Majority" (actually, the Immoral Vocal Plurality, in my book). They don't understand that their beliefs are harmful to those who disagree with their viewpoint. Hell's Bells, there are so many denominations out there that it is impossible to decide among them as to how to treat others.

Because to the Methodists (for example), you can earn your way to Heaven through your deeds, but to the fundamentalist Baptists (one of the sub-denominations, I forget their exact proper name), God has already decided who's in and who's out, such that we are predestined to our final doom. (So much for a loving, forgiving God...)

So I repeat: Not only no but Hell NO you may not force someone to obey God. Christians: Remember the folly of the Spanish Inquisition and the organized mistreatment of Jews in other places that led to the several Diasporae? All the fault of the hate-filled Christians who misunderstood God's orders: Forgive. Love. Teach those who will learn. Pray (and ONLY pray) for those who will not.

(But then, see the Book of Esdras, one of the Apocrypha, for why someone else's prayers do you no good anyway.)

Answer 5

From the Christian perspective, you are only permitted to "force" obedience to your beliefs when it involves people under your authority, and also when it is legal to do so. For example, you could force your minor children to attend church. You cannot force your employees to attend church. However, you are certainly permitted to persuade your employees to attend church - as long as it is not perceived as coercive.

Disobedience of God *always* harms someone directly - namely, the disobedient one.

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

Answer 6

Some of the 'rules' attributed to 'god' make good common sense, and have been adopted in law to protect the individual from harm and to protect his/her property
If you start preaching at people, when they don't behave the way that you think they should, you won't make many friends or influence people.

Answer 7

Force never works. Jesus never forced anyone to change. He merely sent people or allowed circumstances to occur that caused one's heart to change. In other words, we are to set the example and pray for that person and the Holy Spirit will do the convicting and converting.

Answer 8

are you from saudi arabia? thank god i live in the only country that has a constitution that separates church and state

Answer 9

I guess it depends if God also tells you that you're supposed to force them. But if God doesn't and you're just trying to score points, then I don't think its your place to make people, just let people know, and then they can decide and work things out with God.

Answer 10

We can tell them but not force them because even God does not force people to worship Him but He has given us a choice but also will pour out His wrath on all who reject Him