Why Do Christians Try So Hard To Convert Others?

Hare Krishna,

Please accept my humble obeisances,

All glories to Guru and Gauranga ,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada,

Okay, earlier today my good friend for some reason she just started talking about the Gospel and all. That, I had no problem with, I just sat there and listened. But then she started saying things like "If anyone isn't a Christian, they will be sent to Hell" or "Everyone must except Jesus
Christ as their savior or perish forever because he is the only way."

She explains that Jesus worked miracles, turned water into wine, made the blind see. I reply saying that I believe Jesus was a great man who tried to stand up against an oppresive Roman government. I said that I'm sure that Jesus helped many of the poor and sick. He gave them something to believe in, he gave them hope and raised their spirits, therefore "healing" many people. I say that the whole miracle thing was probably an exaggeration by one of the 40+ writers of the Bible, which was written over the course of 1500 years, and translated and re-translated numerous times.

Now this is where things went sour. I remained polite and said "No offense, I respect your belief but please do realise that you must do the same for other people too.It upset me a little because we are friends and I don't think that intolerance of opinions is part of a healthy friendship. If there is anyway to restore peace, what would be a good way of doing so? Besides i have already came across many chiristian who try so hard to convert others and sometimes they are even my own relatives..How should i react and what to do since i dont want to hurt them as well....

your servant,

sonali

Dear Sonali prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances, All Glories to Shrila Prabhupada!

The following reply is just an effort to inform everyone on some simple facts about the christian tradition that will be helpful in discussions with christians in general. I am not lecturing to you, or trying to convert.

I'm Sorry you had difficulty with your friend. I have heard that there is a big problem in India with "born-again Christians" trying to convert the "Pagan Hindus". I am sorry for that. The knishta-adakari (third class devotee) believes their religion is the only one that has GOD, and they cannot see that any Faith, other than theirs, can be relevant.

I will not try to be too long in this response, but I am Eastern Orthodox Christian (Slavonic tradition), and could perhaps cast a little light on this troublesome topic. Also, as a Gaudia Vaisnava, I would like to state a few accepted facts about Jesus and the Bible.

First, it would seem that your friend is a Fundamentalist. Your friend most likely receives the bulk of her philosophy from the Books of St. Paul, and not the Gospels. Jesus speaks in the Gospels of Love and turning toward God, there is really no Hellish condemnations in His teachings (though he uses some harsh analogies against the ignorance of the day). St. Paul was a crisis manager, and his books have been misinterpreted by the lower christian churches, and so, given more weight than even the Gospel teaching of Jesus! Thus they say, "accept Jesus or perish forever".

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to give a Christian Fundie a satisfactory answer about how you see Jesus.... unless you declare Him the "only way, only savior", and convert.

So anyway, in Temple lectures, I have learned that Shrila Prabhupada declared Jesus to be a Pure Devotee and also Shakta-avesh Avatar. This means that Jesus was more than just a nice guy. He was a devotee sent by Krishna for a certain reason. As for miracles, well, there are Vaishnava saints who have been credited for miracles, so there is no reason to doubt Jesus's miraculous activities.

In regard to the Bible, I agree with you, that there are perhaps some fallible contributions to the Holy Book. However, St. John said that not all that Jesus said and did have been included in the written and lectured history; it's the traditions that matter in Original Christianity.

Most important, about the Gospels: There were a few Apostles who did gather in the cave-cathedrals of Cappradotia, Turkey and assembled the Gospels (the four which are in the New Testament). The first, most accurate Gospel is the book of Mark. St. Mark was St. Peter's secretary and organizer. He would go ahead to a city and make preparations for St. Peter's appearances and lectures. St. Mark wrote his own book about fifty years after Jesus left the planet. The book is basically the lecture-program that St. Peter delivered in his guest appearances, and is considered the most succinct knowledge that this important disciple had to dispense on the subject of his Master. If you truly want to know what Jesus's most active disciple lectured; read St. Mark's Gospel.

The other most accurate Gospel book is St. John. This book was written by St. John himself, most beloved disciple of Jesus, and is a personal, eyewitness account. Beyond these two books, you needn't do anymore research on the subject of the real, historical Jesus. So I encourage anyone to read St. Mark, and hear the basic lecture of a prime disciple. I say this with the same certainty I would for lectures from highly regarded disciples of His Divine Grace Shrila Prabhupada!

NOW... how to react to Christian Fundamentalists...hmmmm, that's a tough one...

They won't accept any answer, like "Jesus was a divine spiritual Master, I appreciate that.", they would answer "He Is GOD." Anything said, less than that, to a Fundie, is unacceptable. SO, my suggestion is to do a little research as I have indicated above. Get familiar with the real and accurate writings about Jesus.. St. Mark for sure, and St. John for further study.

The problem with Fundamentalists is that they use the letters (books) of St. Paul, by dissecting the books and mixing verses from the books of Romans and Hebrews to support a flawed, blood-sacrifice-heavy philosophy for eradicating man's inherent sinful contamination. This is a contrived philosophy which has poisoned the Original Christian Tradition, and this philosophy's beginning can be mapped out in late history of the developing "christian" traditions.

Anyway, that's a whole different subject. I just hope that you can use this information to find a focus to deal with the fundamentalists. I hope you will accept that I mean no criticism of you in this post, I'm just trying to dispense accurate knowledge on the subject. Responding to Fundies with good effect is difficult, and requires accurate historical knowledge (which they may still reject!). It is hard to break a stone with water.

I would be glad to field any questions, and promise to have shorter answers. :-)

Replies

Rankin Fisher March 11, 2013 at 8:51pm

Dandavats Prabhus ___\._

St. Mark Chapter 3 v. 31 - 35

There came then His brethren and His mother, and standing outside they sent unto Him, calling Him. And a multitude of people sat around Him, and they said unto Him, “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are just outside and seek after thee.”

And He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brethren?” And He looked around at those who sat about Him there, and said, “Behold, My mother and My brethren. For who ever shall do the will of God, then they are My brother, and My sister, and mother.”
Volunteer

Ashwani Kumar March 11, 2013 at 4:27pm

Hari Bol Mataji ,

I can just laugh if my friend starts saying , if you dont believe in jesus then you are in hell .

In India especially where christian's now have many facility to preach by mercy of Sonia Gandhi ,

focus on converting hindu's to their faith ,

it would had been very nice if they focused in living what jesus preached .

Those who think i can convert & those who think i will convert are both fool's ,

because the original relationship of serving god can not be changed , weather you are muslim,hindu or anything .
Rankin Fisher March 11, 2013 at 10:07am

Dear Sonali prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances, All Glories to Shrila Prabhupada!

The following reply is just an effort to inform everyone on some simple facts about the christian tradition that will be helpful in discussions with christians in general. I am not lecturing to you, or trying to convert.

I'm Sorry you had difficulty with your friend. I have heard that there is a big problem in India with "born-again Christians" trying to convert the "Pagan Hindus". I am sorry for that. The knishta-adakari (third class devotee) believes their religion is the only one that has GOD, and they cannot see that any Faith, other than theirs, can be relevant.

I will not try to be too long in this response, but I am Eastern Orthodox Christian (Slavonic tradition), and could perhaps cast a little light on this troublesome topic. Also, as a Gaudia Vaisnava, I would like to state a few accepted facts about Jesus and the Bible.

First, it would seem that your friend is a Fundamentalist. Your friend most likely receives the bulk of her philosophy from the Books of St. Paul, and not the Gospels. Jesus speaks in the Gospels of Love and turning toward God, there is really no Hellish condemnations in His teachings (though he uses some harsh analogies against the ignorance of the day). St. Paul was a crisis manager, and his books have been misinterpreted by the lower christian churches, and so, given more weight than even the Gospel teaching of Jesus! Thus they say, "accept Jesus or perish forever".

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to give a Christian Fundie a satisfactory answer about how you see Jesus.... unless you declare Him the "only way, only savior", and convert.

So anyway, in Temple lectures, I have learned that Shrila Prabhupada declared Jesus to be a Pure Devotee and also Shakta-avesh Avatar. This means that Jesus was more than just a nice guy. He was a devotee sent by Krishna for a certain reason. As for miracles, well, there are Vaishnava saints who have been credited for miracles, so there is no reason to doubt Jesus's miraculous activities.

In regard to the Bible, I agree with you, that there are perhaps some fallible contributions to the Holy Book. However, St. John said that not all that Jesus said and did have been included in the written and lectured history; it's the traditions that matter in Original Christianity.

Most important, about the Gospels: There were a few Apostles who did gather in the cave-cathedrals of Cappradotia, Turkey and assembled the Gospels (the four which are in the New Testament). The first, most accurate Gospel is the book of Mark. St. Mark was St. Peter's secretary and organizer. He would go ahead to a city and make preparations for St. Peter's appearances and lectures. St. Mark wrote his own book about fifty years after Jesus left the planet. The book is basically the lecture-program that St. Peter delivered in his guest appearances, and is considered the most succinct knowledge that this important disciple had to dispense on the subject of his Master. If you truly want to know what Jesus's most active disciple lectured; read St. Mark's Gospel.

The other most accurate Gospel book is St. John. This book was written by St. John himself, most beloved disciple of Jesus, and is a personal, eyewitness account. Beyond these two books, you needn't do anymore research on the subject of the real, historical Jesus. So I encourage anyone to read St. Mark, and hear the basic lecture of a prime disciple. I say this with the same certainty I would for lectures from highly regarded disciples of His Divine Grace Shrila Prabhupada!

NOW... how to react to Christian Fundamentalists...hmmmm, that's a tough one...

They won't accept any answer, like "Jesus was a divine spiritual Master, I appreciate that.", they would answer "He Is GOD." Anything said, less than that, to a Fundie, is unacceptable. SO, my suggestion is to do a little research as I have indicated above. Get familiar with the real and accurate writings about Jesus.. St. Mark for sure, and St. John for further study.

The problem with Fundamentalists is that they use the letters (books) of St. Paul, by dissecting the books and mixing verses from the books of Romans and Hebrews to support a flawed, blood-sacrifice-heavy philosophy for eradicating man's inherent sinful contamination. This is a contrived philosophy which has poisoned the Original Christian Tradition, and this philosophy's beginning can be mapped out in late history of the developing "christian" traditions.

Anyway, that's a whole different subject. I just hope that you can use this information to find a focus to deal with the fundamentalists. I hope you will accept that I mean no criticism of you in this post, I'm just trying to dispense accurate knowledge on the subject. Responding to Fundies with good effect is difficult, and requires accurate historical knowledge (which they may still reject!). It is hard to break a stone with water.

I would be glad to field any questions, and promise to have shorter answers. :-)
- This reply was deleted.
  - Volunteer
    
    Ashwani Kumar March 11, 2013 at 4:23pm
    
    agree .. :-)
0agt3srydos9o March 10, 2013 at 3:45pm

Krishna says: Krishna says: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. (BG:18.66)
Madhu Gopal Dasa March 10, 2013 at 11:17am

of 2

This reply was deleted.