Biblically, are Christians supposed to evangelize?

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there's several other threads about the bible itself and about homosexuality.

this thread is about evangelism.

so parakeet, since you start so many religion threads here, i have to ask, what brand of christianity do you practice and is it an evangelical one? do you believe you are not saved unless you make coverts? spread the word?

I am not branded by any particular denomination, I would have to say I'm against Catholicism, because the whole "praying to the saints and Mary" just is so pagan. I guess I'm a Protestant, but beyond that I'm just a generic Christian. Salvation is based on Christ alone, but it is our duty to witness to others. Jesus never gave specifics, so there is no one way to witness to people. Back in the Roman days the Colosseum was a major witnessing ground. People don't just give up their life for something they don't believe or they think is an issue that you could go either way on. Many of the first Christians, including the Disciples, surrendered their lives to the flame and the sword and the lions rather than surrender their faith in Christ. I think the day when that method of witnessing is coming soon in the US, but till then we still have "freedom" of speech.

mm yeah, it seems a bit obsessive, the sheer number of religion threads you start. I used to be a bit obsessed with faith, particularly in the early days. Do you think you start a lot of religion threads?

That's interesting.

I had the same dilemma as a teenager as well, but didn't have the same conclusions as you did, I don't know how you did it, some things didn't seem to fit that well, when analizying it, of course I didn't have faith, I believe faith is somehow accepting things blindly, isn't it?

Believe can be used three ways: expressing a possibility, expressing knowledge, knowledge in action. Faith is knowledge in action, such as having faith that your seat will support you WHILE you're sitting in it.

parakeet: that freedom of speech you so happily rave about does not seem to apply in these forums, simply because any argument you post on Christianity becomes one-sided. You, Ragtime and some others have stomped on views put forward by me and some unbelievers as you call us, simply because you say they are wrong. If your god is so all-knowing and all-powerful, how come he f*cked up with the tree of knowledge? If he didn't f*ck up, he obviously knew then that Eve would eat from it, yet she did so anyway. you can't blame the snake, or serpent, because your god created that too; so he must accept full responsibility for that. Now, freedom of speech works both ways, and a discussion or debate works the same; if you decide that the opposition shouldn't have their say, then DON'T START THE ARGUMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE. And calling people trolls and other names for voicing their opinions is a bit childish, as well. I retaliated to abuse, but to have it thrown at you after one comment is not on.

You need to give some thought to the notion that rather than 'witnessing' you are 'badgering'.

What on Earth?!

badgering?

it's pestering, harrassing behaviour. check an online dictionary.

Seems it happens to me too. Groups which I asked for only certain people to come to, everyone came. They say my religion is bogus, I defend it, so I'm the one badgering. If people are going to be anti-missionaries then I shall be a missionary. If people don't want to talk with me about religion you are welcome to leave my threads alone. I really would like it if only Christian would talk with me in my threads so we can get over elementary topics such as "does the Bible exist?" and other such nonsense which I try to be as polite as possible in addressing. Whoever doesn't want to hear my viewpoints, STOP POSTING ON MY THREADS!

Well i'm concerned that you make all christians look like fanatics or fruitcakes. why do you need to start so many threads on the subject?

Postie: It's called baiting. If you throw enough of them, people will bite. And what happens when they do? 'Ha ha, gotcha! SLAM!' Is what you get. But since when is there fairness in talks about so-called sensitive issues?

And actually, this thread is about both the bible and evangelists. Tub thumping of the sort that Ian Paisley, Billy Graham, Benny Hinn and others really does get annoying, and I guess that has followed through in some of the arguments by some of our religious 'fanatics'. Talking about philosophies, scripture can be done without all the hoo-haa that the evangelists use, but they want to ram their beliefs down everyone's throats, because that's the only way they vcan get the message across. Conversion by bullying doesn't work, and should be slapped down as well.

That warrant does not give Christians to right to be a religious police-force with the power to 'arrest' (convert) and beat confessions out of those that 'break the law' (don't believe). Religion is not meant to hold that much power; if it was, then everyone would be mindless drones following the same old rhetoric, like either the people in Orwell's 1984 (Big Brother = God) or China (communism = religious dogma). We are all meant to be free to choose our beliefs, and that includes the right to say no to bible-bashers who want us to 'toe the line'.

Eh, they're fun to bat around.