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Rank: Advanced Member
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Hello everyone!
I need a piece of advice from you.
How would you start convincing an atheist friend to be a true Christian?
Thanks a lot as always!
Regards,
Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda. - Dr. J.P Rizal
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You have funny questions!
First, the right word here would be converting, not convincing.
Secondly,
WHY?
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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Jyrkkä Jätkä wrote:You have funny questions!
First, the right word here would be converting, not convincing.
Secondly,
WHY?
Hi JJ! Thanks, First off, I'd like to convince him~ then perhaps as time goes by convert him WHY? ~ because as a Christian I believe we have to share the words of God, we don't want a friend to live his life having no fear. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" -Proverbs 1:7 Regards,
Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda. - Dr. J.P Rizal
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Live a good life. Set a good example. Allow your friend to be intrigued by your example and ask questions himself.
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Conversion means to turn back...you cannot turn back someone, they do that themselves after repenting or
acknowledging they are in error. Then they turn and follow a new course ... that is conversion in the
religious sense.
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle
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Hello, Nish,
I too am an atheist, so I would hope that your friend can convince/convert you!
Now there's no way you can prove that the universe makes sense, but there's just no fun in living in the universe if it doesn't make sense... -- Asimov
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Kingfisher's advice is excellent, Nish. To the believer no proof is necessary, to the unbeliever no proof is possible. It is to God to do the calling.
Sanity is not statistical
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I hope I can convince my hubby to be a Christian, so that he would go to the church on Sunday. My hubby and my mother in law wish one day I could become a Taoist, so that we would burn incense together. We all failed...  On the other hand, faith is important. Religion can help us realize our values and brings us faith and hope.
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth
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Present (what you think is) evidence of the existence of your god. Or lie.
The opposite of hatred is love; the opposite of tyranny is love; the opposite of censorship is love; the opposite of evil is love; the opposite of politics is love; the opposite of war is love; the opposite of god is love.–– Salman Rushdie
Broadly speaking, it is held that getting money is good and spending money is bad. Seeing that they are two sides of one transaction, this is absurd; one might as well maintain that keys are good, but keyholes are bad. Whatever merit there may be in the production of goods must be entirely derivative from the advantage to be obtained by consuming them. –Bertrand Russell
Never believe a liar. Papa, angry people burn our home.
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sisikou wrote:I hope I can convince my hubby to be a Christian, so that he would go to the church on Sunday. My hubby and my mother in law wish one day I could become a Taoist, so that we would burn incense together. We all failed... On the other hand, faith is important. Religion can help us realize our values and brings us faith and hope. Perhaps you should all do both together. Tolerance is a central tenet of both systems.
Sanity is not statistical
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Hello everybody.
I agree w/ kingfisher too, the best way to preach is your own example.
Let people discover your virtues, instead of telling them who you are and what you do.
"Being a true Christian"?? If you love enough your friend and you are a true Christian, then you know what to do.
Regards.
"There are many good things to do, but not all of them matter most" D.F.U
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I love all your responses!
Thanks a lot!
Everything happens for a reason.
There's a reason why this world has many different religions but does worship one God.
Regards,
God is good, All the time.
Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda. - Dr. J.P Rizal
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To be an atheist is not to be a pagan. It is not a question of belief.
It is a question of reasoning.
You can't convert an atheist, and there is no reason to do so.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
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The right word is proselytizing. Imagine there's no Heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one 
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I insist. If you love enough your friend, and you are a real Christian, then you know what to do.
Which means: Respect and love your friend even if he is an atheist, respect his free will. his reasons and decisions.
It's my humble opinion.
"There are many good things to do, but not all of them matter most" D.F.U
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Aid-e wrote:I insist. If you love enough your friend, and you are a real Christian, then you know what to do.
Which means: Respect and love your friend even if he is an atheist, respect his free will. his reasons and decisions.
It's my humble opinion. Thanks! FIRST OFF, I do respect my friend. I do love him as well! Regards,
Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda. - Dr. J.P Rizal
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Maybe you are asking the wrong question?
If I recall rightly nobody convinces/convicts/converts another, that is reserved for the Holy Spirit, isn't it? Or are my Quaker roots convicting me of heresy here?
"The voice of the majority is no proof of justice." - Schiller
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Intelfam, you're right, maybe we can convince for a moment, but the Holy Spirit talks to our heart.
Nish, thank you for asking, you've already started with your friend because you love him.
"There are many good things to do, but not all of them matter most" D.F.U
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[quote=intelfam]
Maybe you are asking the wrong question?
If I recall rightly nobody convinces/convicts/converts another, that is reserved for the Holy Spirit, isn't it? Or are my Quaker roots convicting me of heresy here?
No Intel. you're right. You am what you is.
Sanity is not statistical
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It's difficult to "convince" someone to change her/his mind about something she/he "strongly" belives in, especially when it comes to religion. Atheists per se heavily rely on reasoning and scientifc explanations which in a way don't collide with most religions. Anyway, just like what the others say, better show your friend how your religion makes you a better person and how it gives you satisfaction, happiness, and in general, a beautiful view of life. I know this doesn't really answer your question, but since your signature implies that you are also a fan of our national hero, here's one of my favorite quotes from him, which I guess is worth sharing.  "No one has a monopoly of the true God, nor is there a nation or religion that can claim, or at any rate prove, that it has been given the exclusive right to the Creator or sole knowledge of His Being." -Jose Rizal
"There are three people in all of us: the one we want to be; the one we think we are; and the one we really are. The first two are familiar to us. The last one is a complete stranger." - La Boîte noire
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Nish wrote:I need a piece of advice from you.
How would you start convincing an atheist friend to be a true Christian?
Thanks a lot as always! I've been reflecting on how to respond to this request for advice. I can't give any tips on how to get your friend to change his/er views. I don't know any of the particulars about your friend, of course. However, I've found that people who are atheist hold those views with as much conviction as any religious person, and I expect your friend may be insulted by your attempts to change his/er core values. So, I can only offer this bit of advice: If you're serious, be prepared to lose your friend.... Odds are your attempt will have a negative effect. You might get a true Christian out of it, but you're more likely to strain the relationship to the point that one or the other of you moves on.
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[/quote]
Hi JJ!
Thanks,
First off, I'd like to convince him~ then perhaps as time goes by convert him
WHY?
~ because as a Christian I believe we have to share the words of God, we don't want a friend to live his life having no fear.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" -Proverbs 1:7
Regards,[/quote]
It might be better for you both to have a meaningful debate on the issue. Perhaps your friend will convert you.
"Millions long for immortality who don't know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon" Suzanne Ertz
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Thanks a lot guys!
May God's will be done.
God bless us all!
SMILE^-^
Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda. - Dr. J.P Rizal
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mahinhin wrote:It's difficult to "convince" someone to change her/his mind about something she/he "strongly" belives in, especially when it comes to religion. Atheists per se heavily rely on reasoning and scientifc explanations which in a way don't collide with most religions. Anyway, just like what the others say, better show your friend how your religion makes you a better person and how it gives you satisfaction, happiness, and in general, a beautiful view of life. I know this doesn't really answer your question, but since your signature implies that you are also a fan of our national hero, here's one of my favorite quotes from him, which I guess is worth sharing. "No one has a monopoly of the true God, nor is there a nation or religion that can claim, or at any rate prove, that it has been given the exclusive right to the Creator or sole knowledge of His Being." -Jose Rizal Salamat sa iyong napaka-gandang komento! Regards,
Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa hayop at malansang isda. - Dr. J.P Rizal
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I am a christian myself and agree with Geeman that any attempt to change another person's belief can do more harm than good. Can happen even among different christian beliefs. See what happened in Northern-Ireland for years between catholics and protestants. Changing religion is something for yourself only, eventually with the help of things you read or hear from people you admire like in your case Rizal. With friends, neighbors etc. you must be careful
Give a man a fish you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime - Chinese proverb
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Nish wrote:Hello everyone!
I need a piece of advice from you.
How would you start convincing an atheist friend to be a true Christian?
Thanks a lot as always!
Regards, I suggest you share your moral code, what is universal about Christianity. Perhaps your friend will want to know more then, and ask questions. If not, let it go, a person can be moral and still be an unbeliever. You will still have had a positive influence. If you come on too strong about dogma, and miracles, you may get push-back instead of interest.
"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong". (Knight's Oath, Kingdom of Heaven)
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Convincing them or converting them was like killing your dearest pet. Atheist really don't believe in God but you can try it by setting a good example. Pray in God that you can convince your friend.
You can do anything, but not everything. —David Allen
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If you want people to buy your house, you clean it first.....
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antonio wrote:Convincing them or converting them was like killing your dearest pet. Atheist really don't believe in God but you can try it by setting a good example. Pray in God that you can convince your friend. I respect your idea, so please respect what I am: 
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Want some practice Nish? Have a go presenting your case here. If you are so convinced in your belief system lets have a look at it. Tell us what constitutes the main tenets of your belief system. I am quite sure if you enter the debate/discussion with an open mind you will not only learn much about the plethora of views and variations therein that other people have but you will hone your argument and grow. Your fiend will, at the very least, be impressed with the rigour and intelligence of your position and even if he resists your attempts to convince him, his respect for you and your beliefs will be enhanced. What do you think? Pax Vobiscum P.S. Nish just for starters can you elucidate on what actually constitutes a "True" Christian. And by definition of course what constitutes a non True Christian. P.P.S Oh and by the way you may have more in common with your Atheist friend than you realise. If you are a Christian you probably dont believe that Buddha, Krsna, Brahma, Vishnu, Muhahmed, Abraxas,Thor, Zeus, Jupiter or Quetzalcoatl (meso-americam God of Intelligence and self-reflection) are Gods...And of course neither does he!....See how easy it is to find common ground!
Why do ghouls and demons hang out together? Because demons are a ghoul’s best friend
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antonio wrote:
Convincing them or converting them was like killing your dearest pet. Atheist really don't believe in God but you can try it by setting a good example. Pray in God that you can convince your friend.
I respect your idea, so please respect what I am:
I respect everyone's idea here. That's my opinion and I didnt mean to offend someone.
You can do anything, but not everything. —David Allen
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