MovieChat Forums > A.D. The Bible Continues (2015) Discussion > Question for Christians

Question for Christians

posted 10 years ago by netsirc
68 replies | jump to latest

I apologise in advance, this will probably be a headache to read because I'm writing this from my phone.

Question: Is it fair to say we no longer need to actively spread the word of God? Yes, I know the bible is clear about it. But in this age, time, and place is it still needed? Thanks to the disciples, James, and Paul, Christianity is one of the main religions in the world. The bible is one of the best selling books in history; it's been translated into 100s of languages. We have churches everywhere and televised sermons. we also have films and t.v. programs like this. Not to mention, the groups of indigenous people forced into Christianity by the Catholics. And the crusades done by the Catholics...

What I'm trying to say is, for the average Christian, everyone in their community already has access to the bible. Unless we're all to travel to remote parts of the world, there is not much for us to do.

Why do I think this question is important? Because I am tired of seeing tactless attempts of converting. Please leave that to members of the church, and instead try to inspire people through your actions and counsel, to find God themselves. And I also can't stand seeing insufficiently equipped believers trying to take on troll Atheists who have nothing better to do than to spend their time arguing over something they supposedly don't believe in (how many people do you know argue over the idea that big foot/the lochness monster/aliens don't exist? None. Because why waste your time over something you have no emotional investment in?). I say they're insufficiently equipped because a lot of Christians don't actually read the bible. For the ones that do, most don't understand half of what they're reading. When bible verses are thrown at you out of context, if you don't know the proper context yourself, how can you properly defend it? That's why study bibles are important, so you can examine the context of the scripture and the reasoning behind certain phrasing. There's also the question of why defend the bible at all to someone you know in your heart you can't change, especially someone over the internet.

So really, what is the point of trying to spread something others already have access to? All we get from it now are complaints of shoving religion in others' faces on top of accusations of intolerance (hate the sin, not the sinner you guys).

[–] huskerinitaly 10 years ago

You don't like it; don't watch it.

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[–] Vargur 10 years ago

So "christian" of you 😱

[–] darkn2742-884-930658 10 years ago

There is a book called The Insanity of God. It talks about a Christian man who goes to Somalia to spread the word of God. He actually has to come back to the U.S. cause things got so bad over there and for other family issues. Then he wonders about Christians around the world and wonders what they know. So he goes to places in the middle east, China, Russia etc... What you find out throughout the book is most of the areas he went still don't know about The Bible or are imprisoned, tortured and killed for even having a Bible. Yet their are pockets of Christian churches just learning even as late as the 1990s about Jesus his words and his love. So yes to answer your question the word of God has still has to be preach cause not everyone still knows it.

[–] lewisfindley-05520 10 years ago

I'm certain vargur would like reading this book. He likes reading about Persecutions of Christians by Somali Moslems. What's his mother's name. I'll bet 50 bucks 30 to 1 it's ISIS...

[–] Vargur 10 years ago

What the *beep* are you even talking about? Do you even grammar?

[–] lewisfindley-05520 10 years ago

What the *beep* kind of sentence is " do you even grammar?"

Vargur you are proof that government education American style has been a gross detriment to the young people of this nation

My name is Lewis Findley. I am a holocaust denier from Savanah Georgia.

[–] Vargur 10 years ago

So young. So ignorant typical biblebelty-ish.
I'm glad I'm proof, in your vision, of something I have never experienced here in Central Europe. ❤

[–] lewisfindley 10 years ago

And what is that? COMMON SENSE? I hear that has been in short supply in central Europe for decades. Figures . Y'all let an Illegal immigrant JEW cozy his way into Berlin and wreck the CONTINENT Jan 30, 1933 April 30 1945.rannau toBerlin wrecked Europe..pretty good for a poor lost wandering JEW boy.

[–] Vargur 10 years ago

You do realise you have some sort of mental disorder, right?

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[–] lewisfindley 10 years ago

And I do not offer Any apology to anybody viewing this who lives in Germany or is of German lineage , ditto austrian ditto ,polish. I am Scott Ulster.

[–] lewisfindley 10 years ago

You're not the first Nazi atheist to tell me that.

[–] ggcoul 10 years ago

Do you think the disciples wondered if they should do as Jesus asked?
As a Christian, Jesus is asking you to do the same thing the disciples did. Spread His Word. I think there is a time and place for everything. Not everyone is open, and opportunities to share your faith arise inconspicuously.
Be ready to share in a loving way; that is all Jesus asks.
Open a door, give a smile, be a friend...
Faith is a word that need no exploration through texts and books;
it is shown and felt.

[–] ggcoul 10 years ago

Do you think the disciples wondered if they should do as Jesus asked?
Do you think they felt confident?
As a Christian, Jesus is asking you to do the same thing the disciples did. Spread His Word. I think there is a time and place for everything. Not everyone is open, and opportunities to share your faith arise inconspicuously.
Be ready to share in a loving way; that is all Jesus asks.
Open a door, give a smile, be a friend...
Faith is a word that need no exploration through texts and books;
it is shown and felt.
And try going to church to enrich your faith rather than the internet.
Much better, believe me.

[–] JeopardyLeyton 10 years ago

I agree that any religious person should not actively try to convert others. Religious belief should be a personal thing, and believing that your way is the only way and that you therefore must 'save' others by converting them is a dangerous stance to take. It also almost never works, and actually puts people off. You're right, people have enough access to information about religion to make their own decisions about it of their own accord.

But I think you seem to be taking a bit of an arrogant stance, in that you seem to think a lot of Christians don't read or understand the Bible, and assume that atheists who argue about religion are only 'trolling.' You can't just box people like that and make assumptions about people's reasons or beliefs and ways of understanding, and claim that they are inferior to yours.

Also people do argue over whether big foot/aliens/the loch ness monster exist, just not as much, because there aren't so many people who hold those particular beliefs, and those who do don't have any great influence on society.

[–] aaahmemories 10 years ago

It also almost never works

Well, it's much less effective in modern times when people have access to so many more facts about the real world, information that wasn't available until recent times. But there are still plenty of gullible folks, weak, vulnerable, dissatisfied, confused, terrified of death, longing to be coddled, and desperate to believe that everything is being taken care of for them. These are still especially ripe to be duped by religion even when any rational person can easily see it's the original con game.

Religion is like a rocking chair -- a lot of work to get nowhere.

[–] JeopardyLeyton 10 years ago

Yes, but it still surprises me how many people believe in a religion even with all the access to facts. I suspect most of it is indoctrinated in childhood. Also, I've noticed that quite a few 'born again' Christians embrace the idea of God etc when they have done something quite terrible and are ashamed of it - it's a way of convincing themselves that now they've found God, their previous sins are forgiven and they can absolve themselves of responsibility and feel better.

[–] PrincessMagical 10 years ago

Jesus forgives our sins if we come to Him and let Him forgive you. I will pray for you.

I belong to Jesus: my Lord, Savior, my eternity, my everything. I love you, Jesus!

[–] JeopardyLeyton 10 years ago

Cheers! That's very nice of you. I'll let you know if it works out.

[–] aaahmemories 10 years ago

Jesus forgives our sins

If your deity's love were unconditional, that would be unnecessary.

I will pray for you.

See my sig line directly below.

Religion is like a rocking chair -- a lot of work to get nowhere.

[–] aaahmemories 10 years ago

When it comes to emotions, facts are rarely if ever important. As you can see from this board, it's all about serving the emotions. Common mantras of the religious are, "Well, you can't prove it," (even when you have), and "You're just angry," (which you're not), and "You're misinterpreting it," (which you aren't). Facts are never as important to them as feeling good about their irrational belief systems.

As you point out, this has a lot to do with indoctrination, both in youth and later. Why do you think there are churches and services? They've got to convince themselves again and again of these beliefs. It's also like chanting, "Lalalala! Not listening! Not listening!" It shuts out the constant barrage of common sense that would otherwise demonstrate clearly and without doubt just what nonsense their religion is.

Churches also serve a powerful tribal function. They're a way of saying, "This is my tribe." It helps people define themselves, which clearly the majority are unable to do on their own. Churches are essentially social clubs. I once talked to a guy who say, "I don't know how you could live without the support system of a church."

Religion is like a rocking chair -- a lot of work to get nowhere.

[–] JeopardyLeyton 10 years ago

I once met a Christian who told me that he wouldn't be a good person without Christ, which I thought was insane, and scary. He really believed that the only reason people were good was because they did what God told them to. I suppose that is useful for the rest of us, that these kinds of people who would otherwise willingly do bad deeds choose to follow a strict moral code to prevent them from committing harm, but a lot of atheists are very good people, who are and do good because they feel for other people and can empathise, which makes doing good a personal necessity, and not a rule of thumb.

I honestly don't mind if people choose to believe these things, any more than I mind people who choose to hunt big foot or believe they've been abducted by aliens or visited by leprechauns. It's when people think that their beliefs should be everyone's beliefs that it gets dangerous, and when you get people given special status and influence in society trying to covert laws and attitudes to fit those irrational beliefs, like the so-called 'pro life' movement or the anti homosexuality/gay marriage movement. That's when you have to argue against it.

[–] aaahmemories 10 years ago

I once met a Christian who told me that he wouldn't be a good person without Christ

You're right about that being scary. Imagine an adult being unable to distinguish right from wrong without being told. I've often said there's an ominous pathology lurking behind religious belief, and history shows that people can and do commit unthinkable atrocities while believing these are "righteous" acts supported by their theology. A mob's a mob, whether driven by communism, racial hatred, or religious fervor. And a criminal's a criminal whether he claims temporary insanity or the word of his deity.

It's when people think that their beliefs should be everyone's beliefs that it gets dangerous

It's even more dangerous when they justify their actions by citing a power which cannot be proven and to which there is no appeal. Naturally, Christians love to misdirect attention from themselves by pointing at current Muslim atrocities, forgetting their belief system is a close cousin to that of Islam. A recent example of Christianity's poisonous influence is the death penalty bill for gays passed in Uganda, a measure heavily promoted with American fundamentalist money, never mind guidance, something considered a trial balloon for similar measures here in the U.S.

While at present they are a small minority in America, there are Christians who dream of a Christian equivalent of Sharia law becoming the norm in the U.S. There is nothing benign or innocent about this, and it bears an unmistakable resemblance to Islamic terrorism.

Religion is like a rocking chair -- a lot of work to get nowhere.

[–] DabacTSP 9 years ago

My story (and many other similar stories I've heard) are quite the opposite. I was an atheist most of my life, and I got convinced and converted mostly due to the reason, the archaeological and historical evidence, regarding the Bible events and prophecies. It's a start. Then the life in faith is mostly on learning to trust and rely on God even if it seems in vain. But it works!

Cool music http://audiosparx.com/MartinaSver

[–] aaahmemories 10 years ago

BTW, Jesus foretold the present situation. It shouldn't surprise anybody.

Naturally. Whacky nonsense is always treated as whacky nonsense. Except by other whacks.

Religion is like a rocking chair -- a lot of work to get nowhere.

[–] efparedes-22140 10 years ago

Well, here's my take on the original question (which is a great question btw).

I agree with you that there are one too many insufficiently-equipped Christians attempting to evangelize the Word to non-believers. While their intentions are pure, they may end up causing more harm than good.

Having said that, I believe that there should be no limits to evangelizing the Word. I'm not particular to the method of how the Word is evangelized, so long as it is done accurately, like you said, with proper command of Scripture. Here's where it gets interesting though. Shows like A.D. obviously changed things up a bit. But the things they changed have not dramatically altered central themes inherent in the Acts. Those remain intact, so I don't have a problem with this show as a means to evangelize. It's a good effort and God willing it is good enough to bring back fallen-away Christians as well as attract those curious about Christianity to continue learning more about our faith.

There is a popular movement today which seeks to remove God from the equation. This movement claims that humans have always had the propensity to love, to be merciful and tolerant. That God had nothing to do with instilling these virtues in us. The more popular this thinking becomes, the less likely people are going to warm up to the usual attempts at evangelization. That's why we need as many avenues we can employ to spread the Word to everyone. We need to embrace new methods and at the same time monitor them to ensure their proper adherence to Scripture.

[–] lancer165 9 years ago

Yes Billy Graham preached to all and lived the life not unlike the Lord he served. Died penniless????????? Left no money to anyone.