How much am I obliged to evangelize, if at all?

[JKing]

“you can’t legislate morality or you can’t force your views onto someone else.”

I’ve heard this before and it doesn’t hold water. Legislating morality is what legislations do! If I believe rape is OK, there is someone else’s morality that has been legislated to prevent me, under pain of punishment, from raping.

Another obvious question here is, “If I can’t force my views on someone else, why is it OK for you to have your views forced on me? Why are my tax dollars being used to fund this practice that I don’t believe in?”

J

 

[littleone]

Jesus gives us the answer to your question. Luke 19: 11- 23 tells us of the man who went over to a distant land, before he left he gave money to his servants and each was to report when the master came back. These represent the gifts each person is given and how we relate to God’s demand form us.
I for one am a person who God put with many youth from all over the world around 200, I arrive at work having told Jesus that as I arrive at work I leave my thoughts of home at home.
I then invite the Holy Spirit to come into me to fill me to give me words that the appropriate messag may be presented to the youth. I in myself have nothing good to offer the youth but the Holy Spirit has all that each person needs to hear.

Some nights nothing much happens but some nights like last night much happens. Each youth is touched as the Spirit of God moves through the youth. No one knows where the Spirit of God moves, no one knows when it will touch a person, last nigth the youth had a party in the big dining hall. Drink was there music was there, dancing and games.

The youth had moved into the hall after I asked then the night before. They brought their drink music etc and all was in order . Some of the youth came to me and said we wanted you to be pleased with us tonight Wayne!!! I was shocked these are youth from all over the world I don’t know any of them.

My point is that by being available the spirit of God touched them. Each night I speak of Jesus being love because some of these youth don’t come from very loving families it seems, or disfaunctional situations. So it is not me but God’s Spirit and availability by persons who have otherwise nothing to offer.

I have no ability God does not want any ability I think I have but one ability that God does want is my ability to be available at all times. And that is what is asked of us all, that God can give His talents to those who are available to be used by the Holy Spirit.
We must remember though that each person is given a different measure of faith so God gives and He alone will judge.
Paul in the Bible tells us that he counts all things as nothing if he can have Jesus Christ.

I’m not as good as others but I have two degree and I have put them aside and count them as nothing becauese I want Jesus more and more. I don’t get much money but Jesus tells us that we are not to worry about what we need our Father in Heaven knows, we only have to ask. This week a person came up to me and told me that God told him he was to give me $500. Profe that God’s word is true.

God bless
littleone

 

[littleone]

I guess the answer I would give is God gives the measure of faith and the different gifts (Ephthesians 6: 22) and by that measure, and how we have used the gifts we be judged, (Luke 19: 15-22).

God bless
littleone

 

[LeahInancsi]

Evangelization comes in many forms. Leaving your house on Sunday morning to go to church is a strong form of evangelization to your neighbors. You are constantly evangelizing by the example you portray in the life you lead, the way you treat people, the way you help the poor, etc., etc.

No one ever preached Catholicism to me. Not ever. The peaceful nature of Catholics I know encouraged me to become Catholic. I wanted to know their secret.

 

[contramundum7]

Evangelization comes in many forms. Leaving your house on Sunday morning to go to church is a strong form of evangelization to your neighbors. You are constantly evangelizing by the example you portray in the life you lead, the way you treat people, the way you help the poor, etc., etc.

No one ever preached Catholicism to me. Not ever. The peaceful nature of Catholics I know encouraged me to become Catholic. I wanted to know their secret.

I guess i should be more observant… you have a cat not a baby.
Now i don’t envy you so much

Anyway, i was wondering if you could share your conversion story - how it is you became Catholic?

You say it was the Catholic’s peaceful nature that led you to the Church.
You obviously don’t know some of the Catholics i know… but anyway… God bless…

 

[LeahInancsi]

I guess i should be more observant… you have a cat not a baby.
Now i don’t envy you so much

Anyway, i was wondering if you could share your conversion story - how it is you became Catholic?

You say it was the Catholic’s peaceful nature that led you to the Church.
You obviously don’t know some of the Catholics i know… but anyway… God bless…

Yes, she is a kitten. I would liked to have had children also, but I never married.

Please don’t misunderstand that I’m saying that all Catholics have peaceful natures. My great uncle tore my grandmother’s family apart because she married out of the Church. He and his wife were mean and judgemental and deprived my mother of knowing her only cousins as she should have.

My grandmother was raised Catholic and left the Church when she married, as I said above. Although she didn’t attend church any longer, she was Catholic through and through until the day she died. She was my hero. She was very kind, balanced, an excellent wife, mother and perfect grandmother. She was always content, never complained about anything and I never saw her lose her temper. A friend of my mother’s is the same way.

I became Catholic because of the example my grandmother set. Catholicism was the only religion that anyone in my family was affiliated with. Neither of my parents were church goers. My mother wouldn’t go after she and my father divorced because she was self-conscious of what people would say about a single mother in the '60s. All of this left me to find my own religion. As long as I can remember, my preference was Catholic. It was all I knew. It was a natural for me.

Also, my mother’s friend has been a member of my parish church for 45 years. She made me feel I had a connection to my parish church and it was only a matter of time before I found my way HOME.

If you run into mean Catholics, just regard them as poorly catechised. They are not following the Christ’s teachings.

 

[contramundum7]

Yes, she is a kitten. I would liked to have had children also, but I never married.

Please don’t misunderstand that I’m saying that all Catholics have peaceful natures. My great uncle tore my grandmother’s family apart because she married out of the Church. He and his wife were mean and judgemental and deprived my mother of knowing her only cousins as she should have.

My grandmother was raised Catholic and left the Church when she married, as I said above. Although she didn’t attend church any longer, she was Catholic through and through until the day she died. She was my hero. She was very kind, balanced, an excellent wife, mother and perfect grandmother. She was always content, never complained about anything and I never saw her lose her temper. A friend of my mother’s is the same way.

I became Catholic because of the example my grandmother set. Catholicism was the only religion that anyone in my family was affiliated with. Neither of my parents were church goers. My mother wouldn’t go after she and my father divorced because she was self-conscious of what people would say about a single mother in the '60s. All of this left me to find my own religion. As long as I can remember, my preference was Catholic. It was all I knew. It was a natural for me.

Also, my mother’s friend has been a member of my parish church for 45 years. She made me feel I had a connection to my parish church and it was only a matter of time before I found my way HOME.

If you run into mean Catholics, just regard them as poorly catechised. They are not following the Christ’s teachings.

Thanks for the info. I always like convert stories.
The weird thing is, though, a lot of the “mean Catholics” i’ve known (allegedly) knew more about Catholicism than i did. I’m talking about priests and nuns… But i guess if i had to be celibate for the rest of my life, i’d be grouchy too… (just kidding… or am i??) Anyway… God bless…

 

[mgupta]

I dont think Christians are obliged to evangelize. I am a Catholic Christian who is against evangelizing. I believe that whatever faith a person is born into or choses is good enough for God as long as the focus is on Him. I do think it is important to talk about God but to leave religion out of it. I dont think God cares about religion. I encourage you to study some of the world’s greatrest religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucism etc. and then see if you feel the need to evangelize these people of God.

 

[lak611]

I dont think Christians are obliged to evangelize. I am a Catholic Christian who is against evangelizing.

The Bible says otherwise. From the Douay-Rheims Version, “Mar 16:15 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

 

[littleone]

I dont think Christians are obliged to evangelize. I am a Catholic Christian who is against evangelizing. I believe that whatever faith a person is born into or choses is good enough for God as long as the focus is on Him. I do think it is important to talk about God but to leave religion out of it. I dont think God cares about religion. I encourage you to study some of the world’s greatrest religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucism etc. and then see if you feel the need to evangelize these people of God.

I am sorry to say that you have been miss lead, Jesus tells us strongly that we are expected to spread the good news. Why do you think the Holy Spirit is our helper, non of those sects you mention have the Holy Spirit and therefore neither do they have the TRUE life Jesus tells us about.

Jesus tells us that when we find a jewel we will buy the whole field and want to tell the world about it.

I believe that you might be saying those words because you may not have not found that jewel,or accepted the strength and power of the Holy Spirit, and therefore in working without the helper, the Holy Spirit your words are therefore coming from your interlect or from the head. I am sorry I do not mean to put you down or belittle you, but it is true that without the Holy Spirit there is no strength or power.

anyway
God bless you
littleone

 

[littleone]

so out of curiosity, for those of you that do evangelize when the opportunity presents itself… what in the world do you do or say to the people that LOVE to hound the daylights out of you for your belief in the Church, but the second you start to try to talk to them about what the Church believes, or why we believe what we believe, etc… just simple stuff to correct their misconceptions, and you’re NO WHERE being mean, nasty or condescending… what do you say to them when as soon as you start to defend yourself and the Church, they start in with “Well, you have to respect my belief in that I just don’t believe that c**p.” or “Not everyone believes like you.” And they say it in a manner like it’s a sudden news bulletin and you’re supposed to thank them for it.

I’ve got a friend that seriously gets very angry with me every stinkin’ time we discuss abortion and/or contraceptions. I can’t seem to get her to get PASSED the political and social arguments and get to the theological arguments (about respecting human life and the human body). But once we start talking about the theology of it… right back to the political conundrum of “you can’t legislate morality or you can’t force your views onto someone else.” because her bone of contention and there is no further discussion.

I do evangelize using how I live but when she’s always telling me of “When my DD turns 16, I’m putting her on the pill.” so I give her info on the harmful effects of the pill and I don’t get even a neutral “Gee thanks” and she puts it down… I get a “I don’t believe in your religion so this is just junk.” She tells me that abortion is a woman’s choice and should always be a right and I ask her “Well, what about the baby’s choice and right to life?” and she tells me “Not everyone believes like you.” (uh, DUH)

I’m frustrated (in case you can’t tell) and I’d really love to learn how to deal with people like this. I pray about it all the time but in the mean time, I’m coming across more and more like them! And it’s not that my arguments are faulty… it’s the fact that they all come back to “Not everyone believes the same thing you do.”

Firstly if a person is in denial then agree to dissagree, but don’t give satan an inch. find a better subject for the time being change the subject and when they get tired of your doing that then you can present your case by asking the person if they realised that every time you open your mouth they argue and that you are not interested in fighting with a person who doesn’t want to hear another persons point of view. This usually gives you the opening to say your point.

Next be ready, and make sure you have only biblical references NOT your thoughts they will crush you if you don’t give reference from the bible that can’t be crushed.

I use this ploy, “What is a god”? I ask them. they might say “I don’t believe in one”. That is when you can say that a god is a motivator, something that motivates you to act towards something.Therefore we all have a God, since we are all motivated towards something.
I then ask, “If a god is a motivator then what motivates you”? (them) and they might say like some youth I have asked. Girls, drink and sport". I then say “Ok now that you have found what motivates you take that motivator away and what do you have left”? They will say “nothing”. I then say. Ok! My “motivator” and since a motivator is my god, my God is " love" ok! now you take that love away from me. They will say they can’t, so I ask why? They will tell me that it is because love is inside of me.

That then gives you your key, and it is then that I tell them that my God is “love”, He is my motivator and then He must surely be the one true God. He loves me so much that He sent His only son we know as Jesus Christ into this world to help us to love , and also to give us a way to get to the Father. Jesus is pure love and all He taught us was to love God and all people as we love God.
Hope that helps it always helps me.

God bless
littleone

 

[mgupta]

The Bible says otherwise. From the Douay-Rheims Version, “Mar 16:15 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Its all about interpretation of the bible and no one intepretes it the same way. I never said I didnt believe in talking about God and spreading the gospel. However I think there are many paths to God. Each religion has something to offer. I dont believe in evanglizing because I dont think conversion is necessary. It seems a bit arrogant to say that our religion is the true way and only we have the answers.

 

[Lori_Welch]

The Catholic Church is the one truth that traces directly back to Jesus Christ. If one believes in Christ and seeks the truth, one will know that the Catholic Church is the truth. I too, believed that other religions were as “equal” - I too believed that as long as others believed in God all was well. Through prayer and seeking knowledge I have found that the truth is in the Catholic Church. Just by using this forum and posting your belief’s it tells me that you are still searching for the truth. If we never Evangelized, millions of people around the world would still be in their previous faiths - through Evangelization millions have been converted to Christianity and Catholicism. St. Patrick himself, through his Evangelization and courage, converted most all of Pagan Ireland - the power of one person who Evangelizes can literally change the course of a nation. Keep seeking the truth! May God be with you…

 

[littleone]

Its all about interpretation of the bible and no one intepretes it the same way. I never said I didnt believe in talking about God and spreading the gospel. However I think there are many paths to God. Each religion has something to offer. I dont believe in evanglizing because I dont think conversion is necessary. It seems a bit arrogant to say that our religion is the true way and only we have the answers.

Please could you tell me the reason why Jesus tells all people in the bible that He alone, Jesus IS the ONLY way to the Father. Jesus tells us that there is NO other way to the Father. Jesus says “I am the way” (Jesus) “the TRUTH and the Life”. It all seems that either Jesus lies, or He doesn’t really mean it, That there are other ways (as you have said).

Maybe I could say that we don’t have the way, no, Jesus has and is the way. We follow Him because He holds the way the key to eternal life, there is NO other religion that has or can say that it is the way to eternal life with a living God. That is the reason why Our Father in Heaven sent His ONLY (one) begotten son to show us the way for all have sinned and all have gone astray.

I work with many of these people in the religions you speak about when I invite the Holy Spirit to come in, to guide me, speak through me these people ask questions because they have never heard of such a powerful God who is "pure love who sent His only son to guide, to die by taking on ALL yes ALL the sins of ther world Catholic, muslim and sic and all the others as well. Jesus said the “Helper” (Holy Spirit) will come “I will NOT leave you as orphans” Jeus said.

NO other religion can ever say that, no other can prove that their God is “The living God”. No other religion ever expresses that they have the “Power of God” ( Holy Spirit) to share with God’s people to guide them. Non of the many religions have and can express the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why it is NOT arogant to say Jesus alone is the way the truth and the life.
God bless you we all must find our quest to follow God in the truth. None of us are free to say we know it all. Our priest once “even the greatest saint told the people that he sinns at least 7 times per day”. So there is a lot to learn and a long way to go for all I guess.

God bless
littleone

 

[mgupta]

I believe in one God. I think that Jesus is God. I believe that when people enter heaven they enter it through God. The concept of Jesus being an incarnation of God conflicts with the two other Abrahamic religions, but not necessarily with other inclusive religions such as Hinduism.

Islam and Judaism reject the idea that Jesus is an incarnation of God. I think its okay. Their interpretation is just different than ours and should be respected. After all we have so much in common with Jews and Muslims. Maybe thats why past and present Christians, Muslims, and Jews cannot get along. It’s sad. I think our focus should be on God’s love and unity instead of our interpretations of past events.

 

[littleone]

I believe in one God. I think that Jesus is God. I believe that when people enter heaven they enter it through God. The concept of Jesus being an incarnation of God conflicts with the two other Abrahamic religions, but not necessarily with other inclusive religions such as Hinduism.

Islam and Judaism reject the idea that Jesus is an incarnation of God. I think its okay. Their interpretation is just different than ours and should be respected. After all we have so much in common with Jews and Muslims. Maybe thats why past and present Christians, Muslims, and Jews cannot get along. It’s sad. I think our focus should be on God’s love and unity instead of our interpretations of past events.

mgupta it is good to see how much you have put into the study of religions, that is the start for some in understanding god. As I mentioned I work with these people even though I live in the south pacifc (New Zealand).
You say that, Islam and Judaism reject the idea that Jesus is an incarnation of God. I think its okay" end of quote. If they agreed to Jesus being the son of God then that would mean that they would have to accept and engrose the Christian belief, which would leave these groups in disaree since their belief is in Alah and the old testement writings. The old testement readings are the same in all but one way to the new testement and the Book of revelations.

It is this, not change but “fulfillment” that Jesus tells us about that hinges the old testement and gives life to the new testement. It all hinges on the Holy Spirit, and this is the difference between the blelievers of the old testement and those who “have” the fulfillment Jesus brought to us and it is this that causes many arguments between the groups you mention and some others.

Can I ask some questions if you don’t mind? If you don’t wish to answer these uestions I don’t mind God bless you anyway.
Q1 My thinking that you understand the union of the “trinity” of god, If you do, do you understand how God the Father could not come in all His glory into the earth and so sent His Son Jesus to save the world from their sinns?

Q2: Do you think that there is truth in Jesus tells us that He alone is the only way to the Father?

Q3: Why would Jesus tell us that “Anyone who sees me (Jesus) sees also the Father for we are one and the same” and also Jesus tells us that “The Father has given all dominion over to Jesus”.

I have some very loving friends who are Muslum and I love them very much, we don’t argue , as you have said that we sholdn’t have to, but we love god and if you see it how we do that God is the centre of our conversations then we come back to Jesus without arguments. We find that we can look at the historical points and then fulfill with Jesus as the centre.

Love to hear from you again

God bless

littleone

 

[contramundum7]

I dont think Christians are obliged to evangelize. I am a Catholic Christian who is against evangelizing. I believe that whatever faith a person is born into or choses is good enough for God as long as the focus is on Him. I do think it is important to talk about God but to leave religion out of it. I dont think God cares about religion. I encourage you to study some of the world’s greatrest religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucism etc. and then see if you feel the need to evangelize these people of God.

In a way, you are right - but only to a point.
Yesterday, i found a secluded spot out in nature and was alone with God for a long long time. Everything looked totally different out there… It was (as always) very interesting. Frankly, i got to feeling more or less the way you do… that religion doesn’t (really??) matter. Yet it does matter,just maybe not exactly the way some people think.
A good example of why religion (doctrine, etc) matters is this: u can be a very good Christian and very close to God but then something happens - say, 4 example, in a weak moment u either get pregnant out of wedlock or if u r a man, u get a woman pregnant outside of marriage. You could easily fool yourself into thinking that God is big enough to forgive you (He is, of course) and that therefore, u could get rid of the child, then repent, etc… This is called acting on half-truths… (U rationalize) & think that everything is going 2b OK when its all over & u “go on”. I know people who think like this. The person obtains (&/or encourages) an abortion, only to find out in the end that repentence is only the 1st step - it is not enough 2 make the guilt/shame go away permanently (& even when/if it does go away “permanently”, one never forgets…). Serious damage is done to the soul & heart & mind and even body… Usually, maybe not right away, but eventually (& virtually inevitably) the conscience is riddled with unremitting remorse (even nightmares, etc.). Its called Post Abortion Syndrome.
Many so-called Christans get abortions. I’ve heard a lot of so- called “Catholics” do (probably the uncatechized, uncommitted, etc.). Then there is the problem of knowing whether such things as in-vitro fertilization is OK or not. How do we know what God thinks about that & other things if we do not have a Church to tell us - and tell us infallibly?? We humans do not have it in us naturally to know about these kinds of things (OBJECTIVE truth concerning how God sees things, as opposed to subjective truth/ opinion).
Its at times like these that religion definitely matters…
gotta go. God bless…

 

[contramundum7]

I believe in one God. I think that Jesus is God. I believe that when people enter heaven they enter it through God. The concept of Jesus being an incarnation of God conflicts with the two other Abrahamic religions, but not necessarily with other inclusive religions such as Hinduism.

Islam and Judaism reject the idea that Jesus is an incarnation of God. I think its okay. Their interpretation is just different than ours and should be respected. After all we have so much in common with Jews and Muslims. Maybe thats why past and present Christians, Muslims, and Jews cannot get along. It’s sad. I think our focus should be on God’s love and unity instead of our interpretations of past events.

Its never OK to believe something that isn’t true. Jesus said He was God. You either believe that or you don’t. You either believe the whole of Christian faith or you don’t… The Jehovah Ws say that Jesus is not God, just a “good man”. Well, if he was not God, yet said He was (“He who has seen me has seen the Father” (etc)) then He is not a good man, he is a liar & egomaniac…
So who do you say He is???

 

[mgupta]

Q1 My thinking that you understand the union of the “trinity” of god, If you do, do you understand how God the Father could not come in all His glory into the earth and so sent His Son Jesus to save the world from their sinns?

Q2: Do you think that there is truth in Jesus tells us that He alone is the only way to the Father?

Q3: Why would Jesus tell us that “Anyone who sees me (Jesus) sees also the Father for we are one and the same” and also Jesus tells us that “The Father has given all dominion over to Jesus”.

1. Yes, I believe that Jesus did come to earth as an incarnation of God to save people from their sins.
2. I think Jesus alone is the way to the Father because I believe that Jesus is God. I believe that God can take any form He wants to. I believe other religions believe in the same God we do. Their interpretation is just different.
3. I believe in this statement as well.

This is the only area in which my views differ from the Catholic Church but it is an important part of the faith. All of the values that I have been taught and still believe in are from the Catholic Church. I am greatful that I grew up in a Catholic community which opposes abortion and values life so much. I also value social service, community worship and learning, education, tradition and so on. I have thought a lot about the subject of evangelization and other religions and I just cannot accept that God is only present in one religion. I cannot believe that God is limited to only our religion. After studying other great religions, I found that God is so present in them. I am no longer confused about which religion is right. I believe all of them are God given.

 

[mgupta]

Its never OK to believe something that isn’t true. Jesus said He was God. You either believe that or you don’t. You either believe the whole of Christian faith or you don’t… The Jehovah Ws say that Jesus is not God, just a “good man”. Well, if he was not God, yet said He was (“He who has seen me has seen the Father” (etc)) then He is not a good man, he is a liar & egomaniac…
So who do you say He is???

Jesus is God, a great prophet and a great man. God is present inside all of us but yes I do believe that Jesus was an incarnation of God.

I really dont think it is necessary to argue about religion. I dont limit God to religion. I feel like God just wants us all to get along. Historically religions have never gotten along especially the abrahamic religions. “Satan’s successes are the greatest when he appears with the name of God on his lips.” MAHATMA GANDHI