The CRISTIAN SITUATION is what i would call the revealing of how strong of a Christan you are. The question here is directed towards Christians, but can apply to all religions. There have been instances where a person held a gun to anther's head and told them to say that they didn't believe in GOD. This person was a Christan and refused to and was killed, was this faithfulness, stupidity, suicide, what do you think of this situation, and how would you react?
Orion that depends on exactly WHAT kind of christianity you believe in. If you are a Christian Christian, we believe that if we deny believing god we will suffer hell for eternity. If you are Jewish or Islamic, (Which are older-ish types of christianity if you look at nit like I do) then you don't believe that. Personally I think the bguy was faithful, but possibly suicidal
Which are older-ish types of christianity if you look at nit like I do
-- Islam came 600 years after Christianity
Anyway -- I don't know where you got that from LiveInPeace. Judaism, once renounced, is pretty much like turning on your own blood. Also, in Islam, the only way to become a muslim is by saying La Ilah ha il allah, (There's no god but God) -- Turning back on that just makes your life hypocrisy.
Now, if I was going to be let free and run around in the world and do whatever the F I want I'd say No, I'm not Muslim (unless they'd make me baptize myself or something )
Depends on your circumstance, If they force me to have sex with rabbits in public to make sure I've denounced my religion, I'd rather die.
well the story is detailed enough. the question is not what consequences you will suffer on earth if you deny your religion and beliefs, but would you be able to live with yourself after that.
i mean you can make the question more general and imagine the same situation were a guy is forced to deny everything he believes in. not matter what it was. still such an easy decision?
Orion that depends on exactly WHAT kind of christianity you believe in. If you are a Christian Christian, we believe that if we deny believing god we will suffer hell for eternity.
Saying you don't believe in God to save your skin isn't going to make you burn forever. You can still believe in God. Words and actions are different.
If it IS in fact that way, remind me to never become a Christian . . . .
Saying you don't believe in God to save your skin isn't going to make you burn forever.
I don't see why it's a big problem to lie to some armed maniac when the entire religion you are being forced to give up is based on lies. That would make it the mother of all hypocrisy.
If God wanted human beings not to lie, he would have existed.
Frankly this discussion is going to go the same route as 99% of these discussions have gone, into diatribes and heated polemic, noting the (to be mildly stated) strongly worded post before me.
But as for me, if life is not worth dying for, what is it worth living for? If there is no connect between one's words and one's actions, which master do you serve?
i agree with orion, it is your desicion to say that you believe in god or not, god isn't going to smite you down for lying about believing in him. and if you really want to die for him then that is your choice, but if you want to lie to save your life then i think that is perfectly fine. i beleive in god and if someone threatened to kill my friend if i said that then i don't think that it's my right to kill someone for what i believe so i would lie. but if it's my own life on the line then i don't really care if i die or not but i think i would lie as well because most christian culters would use you as a martyr and say that everyone should do that or you are not a 'Good' christian and i think that whole idea is messed up.
"Christ came so that we may have life, and have it to the full" This is found in the Christian bible.
Lets speak hypotheticly for a minute, and lets say God created man. Now, I would want my creation to serve me, right? But I wouldn't want them to be unhappy either. So then why would I force people to serve me, and be unhappy, when they can be happy and not serve me?
Don't be so quick to write of dieing for what you believe. Is it better to live to fight another day than to die pointlessly? Sure. Is it better to live a coward than to die a martyr? I think not.
Would I die for my God? Oh yes. Yes yes yes. If I had the option do run? I would take it! I'm not going to just walk up to some guy with a gun and tell him I'm a Christian and to shoot me. If there is no way out, and if it's my time to die, then yes, I will die for my Christ. If it's not my time? I'm outta there!
I honestly do not care for religions. I find them a cause of misery and hate. And really, Zealots, whether they are driven by religions, Idealogies, or some other cause, are always what they are, a zealot. And they are all better off dead. ALL OF THEM.
Reason, Zealots, are what makes terroist groups like Al Qeuida existant. It makes the Christian Inquistadors ranks. It makes the Khmer Rouges, the numerous cutlsi n America and Russia, the KKK all possible. Zealots deserve to die. That is my opinion. And feel free to disown me on my beleif, but zealots who are willing to kill people for their cause, or die for their cause on a stupid reason such as that are honestly, better off being dead.
Thats is my opinion. Now then. My qeustion is, for everyone here, what would you have done?