Atheist views on evangelism.

You read the orgional post using the link below.
http://www.xanga.com/item.aspx?user=MikeDavis&tab=weblogs&uid=295971170


Friday, July 01, 2005
I'm not sure how controversial this post will be, or is. But It has the potential to be. Thats for sure. The taboo issues are religion, politics, and sex. And religion is probably the most controversial of all of them. And I am about to touch that issue. So...dont read it if you think you might be offended. And if I get hate mail from this post....its your own fault for reading it, not mine for posting it.

Question:
I have heard may Christains who say something like:
"I am a Christain, but it's my choice, and I don't believe anyone should try to push Christainity on anyone else. I don't think thats a nice thing to do. We should let people believe what they want to believe."
This view is very tolerant. It is very multicultural. But I have a question.
Most people who know me well, know that I am not a Christian. Most people are fine with that, especially in the college community, because people are tolerant like that.
But: Most people who are Christains also hold the view that if you do not believe Christ died on the cross for your sins, and that if you do not accept him as your personal saviour - you will go to hell.
So - while trying to be nice, by not pushing your views on people...you are allowing them to go to hell for all eternity. Wouldn't it be better to violate some friendship, to push the envelope and maybe be a bit intolerant if you knew that trying to get them to convert would save their eternal lives?
Are you really doing me a service by being "nice" and not trying to convert me?
It seems the nicer thing to do, if you truly believe that I am d**ned to hell for eternity if I don't change soon, is to be a bit pushy - and try to challenge me to change my views.


I say this not because i think you will be successful in such an endeavor, but because I think you might be compromising your own belief system. If you really do think you are right, I think you should take own thoughts seriously, and think about the true implications.
For example, if I were a Christian: I would see many people each day who I knew were not Christains, and thus were not going to Heaven. I would have to ask myself which is the nicer thing to do. Should I be nice in the short term and let them continue to be wrong and avoid confrontation. Or should I confront them and hope to God that I can put them on the right track.
Just food for thought. You are probably thinking right now, why the hell is an Atheist trying to convince me to try and convert him. The answer: because I like to see people take their beliefs seriously instead of half-heartedly. I think that if people truly believe in something, they should follow it's rules. If they don't, it seems hypocytical.
The Bible says: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" - Mark 16:15
If you feel like you are being judgemental when you try to convince someone that their religion is wrong, or that they need to be a Christain then I ask you: Arent you supposed to be judgemental? After all the Bible says:
"For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" - 1 Peter 4:17
If the reason you do not try to share your religion with others is that you think people will brush you off, and call you a "bible-thumper" then I have another question for you: Shouldn't you be proud to be a bible thumper?
The Bible says:
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.- Romans 1:16
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."- Mark 8:34-38
But I don't think most Christians preach. Are you intentionally disobeying the word of God? Ask yourself: Are you really taking your religion seriously? If you are not, shouldn't you?