this post was submitted on 05 Aug 2024
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[–] TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

To be honest, even proselytisation can come off as being condescending. A Christian is basically telling to the person "my religion is better than yours. You are a sinful person and you will be cast into the fires of hell. It will not happen to you if you accept Jesus as lord and saviour!" And it is not like evangelisation is done out of pure power of persuasive words and good teachings from the bible alone. Aside from threat of eternal damnation, many missionnaries tend to incentivise people by offering food or help, in exchange for the locals to listen to proselytisation.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -4 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Look at it from our perspective, though. We fully believe in Hell, and that everyone is sinful and deserving of it. And nobody can escape it without living a life of genuine repentance to God, trusting alone in the sacrifice that He made for us. The most hateful thing we can do is not warn you about it, but just watch you waltz your own way down to your destruction. Now, yes, there are many hypocrites who aren't really evangelising at all and only do it to feed their ego, and God will deal with them justly, but for me and many others, we don't want you to go to Hell. We want you, when your body gives up, to be in Heaven, where there is no more suffering or pain. When I tell people about Jesus and the Gospel - it's not to further an agenda. It's out of love and genuine care. And if it means spending resources on feeding people so they'd listen, then it's worth it. Just like how some places gave out rewards to people who got a COVID-19 vaccine, we wanted to reward someone for doing something that's for their own good.

If we were absolutely convinced that we had the method to eternal life - and that method is very much free - wouldn't it be selfish for us to keep it to ourselves and not tell others?

[–] TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Fair enough except hell isn't real. The Talmud/Old Testament doesn't even mention it.

[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk -2 points 3 months ago

The Talmud isn't the same as the Old Testament at all, it belongs to a completely different religion.

The Old Testament mentions hell quite a lot. Such as Daniel 12:2 and Psalm 139:8.

[–] nefonous@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Except that it's not 2000 years ago anymore. Literally everyone knows about Christianity, hell and Jesus already. You're not coming with some obscure new secret.

If they don't believe it's because they don't want to, so please do leave them alone.

If they look interested instead, then yes of course help them out.

But going to them first and starting telling them how their soul will burn in hell for eternity is definitely not a nice thing to do to anyone. Nobody asked your opinion there.

If me and my group of 200 people believe that there is an evil invisible monster that will curse the soul of everyone unless they come to our church and listen to our priest once a week, would you like all 200 of them to come to you and tell you the same story all over again and again until you give up and go? No, I don't think you'd like that.

It's just a matter of respecting each other faith (or lack of) and personal freedom.

[–] Krauerking@lemy.lol 3 points 3 months ago

You can offer it but thrusting immortality on those who think death gives meaning to their life is just another form of abuse.

It's not kindness to demand things of others you can only guide them like a flock and hope they make the right choices.

Respect others right to free will. You accept the no and hope and wait they change their mind by leaving your door open. This is what the devour get wrong.