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@linus-smallprint @ellette-giselle @whalekeeper @theducktator @liberty @loopylin @keilah-h @rae @hybridlore @savannah_grace2009 @theshadow @trailblazer @smiley @the_lost-journal @esther-c (Please tag other people if you want…I probably forgot someone lol)
So.
This is a very interesting topic. Why, you ask?
Because I’m about to ask you a random question with moral implications and literally no context. The context within which the question was asked (haha jk it wasn’t asked, an answer to the question was imposed…but that’s all the context you’re getting) might cause bias towards a specific answer, so I’m just not going to put it here. Yet. I might rant a little bit later.
So here is the question:Â Is it (ever) morally acceptable to tell someone that their religion is false or that their god doesn’t exist?
P.S. I already know my opinion, I’m just curious.
Pray, thou shalt simply add ketchup unto the mac'n'cheese.
Yes. There are some social situations where it would be inappropriate or pointless to start a fight with someone like that, but if the topic came up, then yes. Tell what you believe is the truth. Staying silent or affirming a something that you do not actually believe in is deceiving the person you are talking with. Yes, it might sting the person a little, or maybe a lot, but if you said it out of concern and love for them, and not out of a spiteful need to be correct, then there’s nothing morally wrong.
(love the topic title btw hehe)
Have you drank water today?
There are some social situations where it would be inappropriate or pointless to start a fight with someone like that, but if the topic came up, then yes. Tell what you believe is the truth.
*smiles and nods but refuses to give opinion until more people have answered*
Pray, thou shalt simply add ketchup unto the mac'n'cheese.
Even you were wrong, but believed you were right, I still think it would be good to disagree with the other person.
All of what I said still depends on the situation and the intentions of the people involved, though.
Have you drank water today?
I’ll answer your question with a question. đ
Did Peter, Philip, Stephen, Paul, Priscilla and Aquila, or ultimately Jesus tell anyone that their religion was false or that their god doesnât exist?
You will love what you spend time with.
If so, then I believe there is a pretty good precedence to do so.
If not, then we likely shouldn’t do it either.
You will love what you spend time with.
Ah, good question.
Welp…I just spent half an hour reading the bible, especially Acts. And I have not found any mention of anybody specifically telling anyone that their religion is false or that their gods don’t exist. However, it does seem to be implied in certain places. For example, Acts 9:28-29
So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.
Another example would be Acts 14:8-18, but I’m not going to paste it here because it’s really long. Basically, it’s the part where Paul and Barnabas are in Lystra and they heal someone, and then everyone wants to worship them, but they go “no, we’re just men like you!”
There’s also Acts 15:1-2 which seems to suggest that they had no problem debating areas of their own faith and essentially telling people that they were wrong, but it’s debatable whether this equates telling someone that their religion is false:
But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, âUnless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.â And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
There is also Acts 17:16-17. This is followed by an account of how the Greek philosophers questioned Paul not in argument but with a desire to learn what he meant. Like philosophers usually do.
 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
Continuing in that same encounter, we find Paul’s reasoning in Acts 17:29-31
 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.â
Now that one’s pretty straightforward, I think. But it still doesn’t use the exact words.
The bible also tells us that, after John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus preached repentance. Mark 1:14-15 says:
 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, âThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.â
To repent entails some recognition of wrongdoing; however, it doesn’t necessarily entail a change of belief, but simply a regret of past actions. Jesus does go further, though: “repent and believe in the gospel.” This absolutely entails a change of belief. But, as in other examples, the exact words are not used. And Jesus is not shown telling any individual person that their beliefs are wrong.
With few and debatable exceptions, whatever I found was positive instead of negative preaching. For example: “There is one God” as opposed to “You are wrong about there being many gods.” However, in order to affirm the existence of one God, one must reject the existence of more than one god.
We do know that Jesus wasn’t exactly concerned about being polite. He called people hypocrites and vipers and even children of the devil. So not everything He said was positive.
*glances at the time*
*screams*
After an hour and fifteen minutes of research, I will conclude that I’m probably overthinking this and that I would be wise to come back and read more tomorrow morning. (I’ve been known to overthink things and make them way too complicated when the answer is literally like a sentence long and could be comprehended by a two year old child who is attempting to make a peanut butter sandwich to feed to her favourite doll.)
Pray, thou shalt simply add ketchup unto the mac'n'cheese.
Goodnight lol
Pray, thou shalt simply add ketchup unto the mac'n'cheese.
It depends. I would say usually yes but fighting on the internet never convinces anyone, and sometimes it’s just best to be quiet. I also don’t think you should go up to someone who’s clearly of a different religion and randomly tell them off. But if it comes up in conversation or court or somewhere, absolutely.
MARCIE! YOU MADE EGG SOUP!
I feel like it totally depends on the situation.
Though, at least for me, something doesn’t feel right about saying “your religion is wrong and false.” Because that tends to get people defensive and push them away from Jesus. I feel way more comfortable with saying “I believe that there is only one God….(etc…)” and just sharing what I believe. This may raise questions and get them thinking about how our beliefs are different. Hopefully that made sense lol
This lady thrives on the divine grace of Faith and the rich embrace of caffeine.
*reads what I wrote last night*
*squints*
Of course they told people they were wrong– that was necessary in order to preach the gospel. You can’t say “I’m right” without saying “you’re wrong” either indirectly or directly.
Thanks XD XD
Pray, thou shalt simply add ketchup unto the mac'n'cheese.
absulutly.
It just really matters how you go about saying that. If we are to speak truth and proclaim Jesus, that means we need to discredit false gods. God is not One among many. There is only ONE.
But yeah, it depends on how you go about doing so and if you’re antagonistic about it or do it in a loving and kind way. And again, it would depend on the situation to show what tone, examples, bluntness or gentleness should be used.
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
Ok here are some of my initial thoughts- I haven’t thought about this all fully, but this is what comes to mind after reading what everyone else has said thus far.
I agree with what @savannah_grace2009 said about stating what you believe rather than immediately coming against someone else. Often if someone feels attacked, they put up walls, and the conversation won’t get anywhere. Now I do think there may be cases where someone’s heart has been hardened to the point where telling them straight up is more beneficial (and more loving) because that’s the only way they’re going to hear it, but ultimately it’s not up to us to convince them of the truth. That’s the job of the Holy Spirit, we are simply to be obedient to Him. I think this will come down to each situation, because each person is on a different journey to discovering God, and only He truly knows where there hearts are and what they need to hear to bring them one step closer. This is why, to me, it’s important to be sensitive and ask God what He wants to share with the person rather than just spouting off a speech. Perhaps someone someday will be more blunt with the person and tell them what is true and what is false, but if they aren’t in a place where they’re ready to receive that yet, it could do more harm than good. Sometimes they just need someone to speak the truth in the form of speaking their identity (“your life matters”, “you are so loved”, etc). I think it’s more about helping someone reach the point of discovering the truth for themselves.
Now, I haven’t taken the time right now to specifically search the Scriptures, so take this with a grain of salt, but I think this is why in the Bible we may not see as many examples of Paul, Peter, etc, directly telling someone “Your religion is false”, but they will state, “This is the truth”, and in saying that they’re implying what is true and what is false, and their lives were the proof of their convictions.
So in essence: don’t just tell someone what is false, but show them what is true, and let them see it in your life.
"Real love is for your good, not for your comfort." -Justin Whitmel Earley
Basically what everyone has said. XD
But since I must have my own take documented..
I believe everyone it on a path either towards for away from God. Everyone is seeking the One that can fill the hole in their lives. If you have that, then you have a duty to share it. Similarly, if you believe others will actually face eternal doom, then you are cruel not to want to share.
The first step seems to be praying for that person, that God will open their heart. In many places, the best thing to pray for is divine revelation and hunger. Then for yourself that you can walk in the Spirit when God does open the door. That might entail telling them their religion is not entirely right. That God is over all, and Jesus is His name. That personal salvation does exist, but cannot be earned by balancing good and bad deeds. That a debt against heaven can only be cleared by the one the master of heaven. That grace and truth exist together. That there’s hope for the imperfect.
*gets off soap box*
*looks back at rant*
That went somewhere that’s named Nowhere.
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
@stephie (And anyone else, I would like others to hear this đ)
Is it (ever) morally acceptable to tell someone that their religion is false or that their god doesnât exist?
Hello again Stephie! And this is a hard question… I would say it depends on the age… Because with little kids, it is good to make them understand about the one true God (our God) as early as possible, but… if they are in a different religion, maybe you should do wait. I have a younger sister, and she freaks out and gets really scared when you try to explain to her that something she has believed her whole life is false. (And she is only 5) Plus, like how someone else brought it up on here, she saw girls (or a girl… I forgot XD) trying to convince this little kid (which I believe was her friend’s younger brother) that God doesn’t exist. And that is 100% messed up! But if we think it is messed up or wrong to do it to our young children of God, then that would make it wrong for us to do it to any other child in a religion! (And to say otherwise would be hypocritical) But with adults, (or older children) I’d say it is better, as long as you have known them for a time. (Because going up to someone you just met or a random stranger off the road is awkward and they will probably not listen.)
So that is my opinion! What do you think?
If you reach for the stars, you get the stars. But if you reach for heaven you get the stars with it
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