Believing

You know who I pray to?

Joe Pesci.

 

First time for everything.

 

And what if the opposite was true? What if this person's perception of you changed because you admitted you believe in God? Then you (or other Christians) would cry foul, say it was persecution of Christians, edge into martyrdom. I'm not down with the double standard.

 

Good point. Maybe we could feed Boots to the lions.

 

He doesn't believe in a fictional man in the sky, and you believe in a fictional neighbor you cornhole from time to time.

Even up, both teams will skate five.

 

sounds very judgemental to me ... a perfect christian.

 

If you believe, as we Christians do, that the only path to Heaven (and out of Hell) is through Jesus, you have every reason to be concerned about a friend who is a non-believer.
However, you shouldn't think less of them. Some of the best people I know aren't Christian. Some of the worst I know are.
You should debate (not argue, but debate) with non-believers as long as they seem interested. If they're not, then you simply let it go, because you'll only do more harm than good.
I absolutely love religion. I'm a Southern Baptist (though I'm much more graceful and less legalistic than most). I'll sit down and talk with people who don't believe what I do anytime. It's fascinating to hear what people believe.
I don't believe there is any better way to find the truth than to talk with others about it. Even those who I disagree with have strengthened my faith, because sometimes they ask a question I can't answer. It leads to my researching it and finding the answer, which puts me ahead of where I was to begin with.

 

face it, if you grew up in the middle east, you wouldn't be praising jesus. the only reason you believe your religion is any better than anyone else's is because where you live and what you've been exposed to.

 

I don't think it's fair too throw all Christians under that bus. Not all Christians are conservative right wing ones.

 

I love when people make this argument. I don't disagree, but it also doesn't mean Christianity is incorrect. First of all, there must be SOMETHING to it or it wouldn't have spread like it did (and I know you can say the same of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam). Also, it's not like America invented it.
Just because something is popular doesn't make it right or wrong. Find a better argument to knock it down.

 

wasn't knocking it down chief -- but i can if you'd like, hell i can talk about that SOMETHING to be more specific -- i was making a simple point.

BTW, you also make a valid point as well.

 

OK, maybe knocking it down is overstating it, though I've heard that argument from people who are definitely simply out to disprove a religion they don't like.
Also, I should have been clearer in that post. I know it's a contradiction to say Christianity must have something to it or it wouldn't be popular, and then say popularity doesn't make something right or wrong.
I mean, if any one religion was completely hollow, I don't think it would expand at all, because I think very few people can seriously search for the truth and then latch onto something that is devoid of it.
However, I don't think that because many people have latched onto one or not as many have onto another makes one better than the other. I believe all the major religions have great aspects to them -- and there are universal truths that they all embrace.
That's why, to me, you can't judge based on numbers or even geography.
But the concept of grace sets Christianity apart. Knowing what I do about each (and I'm certainly not an expert, but I do like to study them all), grace stands out and attracts me to Christ over Buddha, Mohammed, etc.