Does God Command Christians To Go From Door To Door Preaching The Gospel?

by Bangalore 144 Replies latest jw friends

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  tec

  Yes I can...and christ does not exist....and I did give you an idea of what would make me interested above... EVIDENCE...not just 'this is what a voice in my head said'. At the end of the day....that means NOTHING. And is a witness to NOTHING

  You can tell yourself that... IF you are so sure Christ does not exist, then may I ask how in the world can you expect to recognize his voice, much less have any faith in that He can answer... yes, with lots of addendums and IF's attached to it, then MAYBE you would be impressed (it is not Christ's job to impress you)... if you are so certain that Christ does not exist, then I guess you would reject the witness... but that does not mean that no one is witnessing to Christ.

  But God doesn't like to play the EVIDENCE card does he?

  Well, Christ is pretty good evidence. IF some would deign to look to Christ, rather than to the surrounding noise, then one might be able to see more clearly.

  THAT would be too simple.

  Looking at Christ is pretty simple.

  He prefers whispering to people and getting them to come on interenet forums to tell other people to listen out for whispers.

  Actually, He sent His Son. It is His Son who speaks, in spirit, as He said... my sheep will hear my voice; it is the spirit who teaches and who will lead you into all truth.

  Only around 10% of the population actually hear voices in their heads, and most of them aren't even claiming to hear Jesus.

  And you know this how?

  Waffle!...my ears hear pretty well...and my eyes...well I need glasses for reading. But I can still see. WOW! must be a miracle and I didn't even ask!

  Eyes and ears to physical things... but being physically deaf or blind does not prevent a person from being ablet to see and hear the Spirit of Christ.

  Peace,

  tammy
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  NewChapter

  It is no different with anyone else is it? You might hear about someone from others... but to actually KNOW them, you have to go TO them.

  If you don't want to (or don't know how to) do that, then you should at the least reserve judgment.

  It IS different because it is hearing voices. It is also irresponsible, because none of you have any way of knowing if someone needs help. And no, I DO NOT want to hear voices. And any god that would require I experience symptoms of mental illness to get to know him is a pretty dodgy god at that.

  IS that honestly why you shy away from Christ? Or is that why you shy away from people professing to hear him?

  I do not shy away from Christ, that would imply belief. I do not shy away from people professing to hear him. I shy away from hearing voices and it raises red flags for me. Sometimes I shy away from people hearing those voices. It depends on if I think they may be dangerous.

  Speaking TO someone is simply communication.

  Hearing voices in your head is not communication. It's a sign that something is going wrong.

  Test the message... rather than attempt to test the person.

  I disagree. No matter what a voice says, I believe that hearing such a voice is unhealthy. How unhealthy is up for debate as there are many causes, but certainly not a healthy thing to encourage and nurture. It is irresponsible.

  Some embrace Christ, yes.

  Some embrace the voices.

  I came on the thread because you and Still criticized the lack of witnessing by christians... while at the same time you criticizing the amount of it on other threads. You think christians should witness more... you think they should get out of your face... how can you have it both ways, other than that you simply wish to judge and find fault, no matter what?

  Two separate issues. I don’t like to hear Christians proselytize, especially when they are deeply irresponsible and condoning and encouraging the hearing of voices. When someone tells me they hear a voice, I say ‘get checked out by a doctor’. When someone tells you they hear a voice, and you agree with the message, you say, “It’s the Lord’.

  Yeah, right. I am 100% convinced that the THIS is why the unstable people who approach me are always talking about their lord. They have been encouraged and misled, and it is very sad that responsible people encourage this bullshit.

  The second issue is that those who claim to be Christian not really following through with their mandate. It doesn’t mean I want to hear it, but I know enough to know what they are supposed to be doing. Many Christians are content to just be private (which I like, but it’s not exactly Christian) or to talk when the opportunity arises. MY point is that if Christians are convinced they have such an important message, you’d think they wouldn’t shut up about it. But I would, of course, avoid them. Just pointing out an inconsistency.
• 

  NewChapter

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwJsNTZFdcU
• 

  still thinking

  You can tell yourself that

  I don't need to tell myself that....lack of evidence.

  if you are so certain that Christ does not exist, then I guess you would reject the witness.

  I'm open to the idea....prove it! (sorry but I need a bit more than the voice in your head), maybe you could ask Jesus to give you enough faith like the apostles to perform miracles. That might be better than asking for more voices in your head.

  Well, Christ is pretty good evidence

  Saying that does not make it evidence. You have no evidence...just a claim.

  Looking at Christ is pretty simple

  Can't argue with you there...LOL

  Actually, He sent His Son

  So the bible says...but that is full of lying scribes.

  And you know this how?

  Scientific statistics. I would go searching for you. But unlike your Christ...the evidence is there for you to see too and you don't need to hear voices...just google.

  but being physically deaf or blind does not prevent a person from being able to see and hear the Spirit of Christ.

  Apparently this is true....any member of the population can hear voices in their head...it is not limited to the sighted or the hearing. I read somewhere that sometimes deaf people interpret some things as a voice ie. in dreams. (can't remember where I read that), might have been here on JWN
• 

  tec

  It IS different because it is hearing voices. It is also irresponsible, because none of you have any way of knowing if someone needs help. And no, I DO NOT want to hear voices. And any god that would require I experience symptoms of mental illness to get to know him is a pretty dodgy god at that.

  I don't hear voices by the way. Just one voice.

  If you want to talk to someone/anyone... you kinda got to hear their voice. If you don't want to hear His voice, then you probably won't.

  BUT THIS conversation has nothing to do with that. It has to do with you stating that people do not bear witness to Christ. (other than the jw's) Obviously they do, because again, if you have not heard his voice, then how in the world do you know of him to even have this conversation?

  I disagree. No matter what a voice says, I believe that hearing such a voice is unhealthy

  You may believe as you choose. That is your right.

  But again, this conversation was not about that.

  Two separate issues. I don’t like to hear Christians proselytize, especially when they are deeply irresponsible and condoning and encouraging the hearing of voices. When someone tells me they hear a voice, I say ‘get checked out by a doctor’. When someone tells you they hear a voice, and you agree with the message, you say, “It’s the Lord’.

  Wrong. I don't say anything about WHO it is from. If I hear the same, then i will state that I have, or that my spirit bears witness to something they shared. THEY are the ones who say who they hear from; not me. Since I know that He speaks, I don't automatically assume mental illness. Now if someone said to me that a voice told them to cause someone harm, including themselves, or to hate or to do something that is against love... then I would say to them that first: this is NOT the voice of our Lord. I would also tell them to get checked out by a doctor, and have done so in such a situation, in the past. I would remind them (in the event that no mental/physical problems are detected) that no other spirit or voice has any control over them, and they CAN tell those voices to stop or those spirits to leave them alone.

  Do you truly think that I am mentally ill, NC? Truly? Because if you do think so, then how can you also think that I am deeply irresponsible... obviously I would just be mentally ill, and therefore not responsible. Just curious how you work that out.

  It doesn’t mean I want to hear it, but I know enough to know what they are supposed to be doing. Many Christians are content to just be private (which I like, but it’s not exactly Christian) or to talk when the opportunity arises. MY point is that if Christians are convinced they have such an important message, you’d think they wouldn’t shut up about it. But I would, of course, avoid them. Just pointing out an inconsistency.

  You sure you know what they're supposed to be doing? Or do you just know what people tell you (people you believe are wrong on the matter of Christ and God) they are supposed to be doing. You do recall that Christ is written to have said that if someone rejects you, then simply brush the dust off your sandals and move on, yes?

  And if you're avoiding them, then how do you know that they would not have come and spoken to you?

  Peace,

  tammy
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  still thinking

  I don't hear voices by the way. Just one voice.

  Yeah...that is so different...

  If you want to talk to someone/anyone... you kinda got to hear their voice. If you don't want to hear His voice, then you probably won't.

  I talk to real people...and I hear their voices...I can still hear them whether I want to or not.
• 

  tec

  I don't need to tell myself that....lack of evidence.

  You said you can have it both ways... I said you can tell yourself that. Where does evidence enter into it?

  I'm open to the idea....prove it! (sorry but I need a bit more than the voice in your head), maybe you could ask Jesus to give you enough faith like the apostles to perform miracles. That might be better than asking for more voices in your head.

  Giving witness is not the same as giving proof. I can't give you proof. Never ever have I ever claimed that i could. Nor have I ever asked for something like more voices in my head.

  Not sure you're actually reading anything I write to you if you can make that kind of statement.

  Just think you're looking to find fault no matter what.

  Saying that does not make it evidence. You have no evidence...just a claim.

  Christ is evidence. The accounts that witness to him are evidence. The truth of his teachings are evidence. His voice is (personal) evidence to one who hears Him. (though faith IN him came first... for me, I always felt God, and I believed in Christ because of the truth in his teachings)

  But what you do with that evidence (and whatever else people witness about) is upon you.

  Scientific statistics. I would go searching for you. But unlike your Christ...the evidence is there for you to see too and you don't need to hear voices...just google.

  You made the statement. You back it up. Isn't that how you say it works?

  I read somewhere that sometimes deaf people interpret some things as a voice ie. in dreams.

  That's actually pretty cool. I think there was a thread here about that; I never looked at it though.

  Peace,

  tammy
• 

  still thinking

  Since I know that He speaks, I don't automatically assume mental illness.

  That is actually quite a dangerous stance to take. Although around 10% of the population claim to hear voices and most of the time it is harmless...self diagnosis is a dangerous thing when it comes to things like that.
• 

  still thinking

  You sure you know what they're supposed to be doing? Or do you just know what people tell you

  LOL...sorry...but...LOL
• 

  tec

  But diagnosing someone over the internet... that's not dangerous at all, lol.