4 marks:
Evangelical protestants want to convert Catholics, Catholics want to convert Moslems, Moslems want to covert Jews, and so on…
To me, this represents an insecurity in one’s own embraced belief system and a desire to take matters into our own hands.
No. It is fulfilling Jesus’s scriptural instruction to preach the Gospel to all nations. It is being solid in our own belief system, and therefore sharing the Gospel of Salvation in Christ.
This had led to religious conflict, war, and yes, the present attitude in the west that traditional religious belief systems are all quite dangerous and detrimental and should be squelched.
Well. It depends if you believe the gospel or not, which says that there is only ONE way to God, through Jesus, and that other claimed gods are false, often demonic, and lead to destruction. If you do not believe what the gospel teaches, then of course you have nothing to share, and are merely inventing your own religion as you go on.
Consider the words of the visionary modern prophet, John Lennon: “Imagine no religion. I wonder if you can. Nothing to KILL or DIE FOR. A BROTHERHOOD OF MAN.” How telling.
This was the same visionary prophet who said “Imagine no possessions,” and then spent tens of thousands of pounds on shoes, clothes, etc?
And as for “Nothing to KILL or DIE FOR. A BROTHERHOOD OF MAN”. Come off it!
Never have their been deadlier wars and persecutions than in the age of Atheism/Agnosticism and materialism.:
French Revolution. 1 Million dead
World War 1. 10 Million dead
World War II - 20 Million dead
Vietnam War 1 Million dead
Cambodia 1 Million dead
Korean War ??? dead
Russian revolution and Communism: 5 Million Dead
Nazism: 6 Million Dead.
Nothing to kill or die for, indeed!
Yes, there are many Moslems who seek the conversion of others. I believe this is the primary motivation of groups like Al-Qaeda and people like Zarqawi. And yes, of these type of people, we should be wary. But I do not consider Moslems (as distinct from “Muslim” which represents to me the African-American wing exclusively, not the worldwide faith) a group to be specifically targeted to be converted to Roman Catholicism. Those days of imperialistic jingoism and “jungle missionary” activity are long past as we strive to encourage PROGRESSION down a path of MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.
Al Qaeda seek not conversion but domination. There is nothing wrong with trying to peaceably convert others, so long as you don’t start slaughtering people who peaceably try to convert the other way.
The problem with Islam is that their idea of “mutual understanding” is to come to Christian lands, demand equal-rights to worship and proselytise, to grow in numbers and to start asking Christians to adapt to their ways (veiling, segregation of women in education, no criticism of Islam, removal of Christian symbols, christian principles removed from government, education etc.) But then in Muslim lands they refuse these freedoms to Christians, kill missionaries and people who convert, and drive out Christian minorities through discrimination and terror.
That type of “Mutual Understanding” will quickly see Christianity replaced everywhere.
