You may think it is very hypocritical of me to say this as i have done this quite a lot. However i stopped when Christ layed it on my heart to do so. I haven't debated or wrote one religious comment since last year august.

CHRISTIANS

Christ said himself that the world hated him first. It is unlikely that us arguing and trying to put his word across to unbelievers who don't want to hear, but mock the word is going to change their opinion. I don't think there is anything wrong with informing a nonbeliever or reasurring someone of course, but debating is a problem that Christ himself said don't do. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that a non-beliver can be transformed and we all need to trust the Holy Spirit.

You see what makes us differen't is that we have the gift of the Holy Spirit so we do not need to take part in Religious Debating. We serve a powerful God, A God of Concequences and A God of Love.

Remember whoever will perish will perish.

Satan is moving and has blinded the eyes of Men.

Well, it all depends on the kind of religious debate you're referring to here.

Religious debates that tend to educative and informative should not be discouraged at all. Personally, I have gained a lot from such religious debates, and I am pretty sure Jesus Christ won't get angry with me for participating in them.

But when the debate (more like fight) is tending to a Christianity vs Islam thingy, my hand no dey o. Those are the kinds of debates me thinks should be stopped.

A debate is never Informative. If a Debate is informative, it is a discussion rather. Debates are hurtful and lead nowhere. Even some discussions are pointless. For example the user IslamPride has islam pride! he is convinced his religion is true, but this wont stop him asking the christians questions that he already has the answer to, mocking the 'worshippers of the Messiah'.

We shouldn't even reply to these kind of people. Some Christians have that fire burning in them that they feel so passionate about Christ, as i did, that would make you fight (using words) hand and foot to put The Word across. But what we are forgetting, it is only through the Holy Spirit.

Examples of such informative/educative debates:

* "Should Women Preach?"
* "Christians: Does God's Word Allow Divorce or Not?"
* "Is Elijah John The Baptist?"

These are just a few among many others.  You'll see that on topics like these, people argue and argue, but at the end of the day, we all gain something.

Hope you get my point.

I totally agree, real followers need not debate in an effort to convince. Convince who? of what? all these debates are self adulation nothing to do with God.

goodguy:

Examples of such informative/educative debates:

* "Should Women Preach?"
* "Christians: Does God's Word Allow Divorce or Not?"
* "Is Elijah John The Baptist?"

These are just a few among many others. You'll see that on topics like these, people argue and argue, but at the end of the day, we all gain something.

Hope you get my point.

goodguy,

I do understand what you are saying but these topics are more like discussions about Gods word. However topics like:

60 Questions for the christians
101 Contradictions in the bible etc etc

Do not need to be responded to. If they don't want to believe then thats their problem, all they want to do is spread ignorance.

True story Softee.


If y'all have noticed, gbade seldom posts/give inputs on these religious debating threads. I got to the same realization as Softee. Most times, these non-believers are not willing to let go of their pre-conceived notions and agendas in the face of enlightment and the Gospel. True, i rather love Discussions such as the ones goodguy pulled out.

But gbade has decided on one thing: if in a discourse, a non-believer keeps harping on his pre-conceived notions, i leave him/her to his/her notions.

I guess by then, it's time i let the Holy Spirit do his thang. . .

Softee:

You may think it is very hypocritical of me to say this as i have done this quite a lot. However i stopped when Christ layed it on my heart to do so. I haven't debated or wrote one religious comment since last year august.

CHRISTIANS

Christ said himself that the world hated him first. It is unlikely that us arguing and trying to put his word across to unbelievers who don't want to hear, but mock the word is going to change their opinion. I don't think there is anything wrong with informing a nonbeliever or reasurring someone of course, but debating is a problem that Christ himself said don't do. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that a non-beliver can be transformed and we all need to trust the Holy Spirit.

You see what makes us differen't is that we have the gift of the Holy Spirit so we do not need to take part in Religious Debating. We serve a powerful God, A God of Concequences and A God of Love.

I know you've decided debating isn't for you, so I won't bother giving my rather long winded view on the issue. However, I just wanted to know if this is in the Bible: "debating is a problem that Christ himself said don't do". Just curious.

Remember whoever will perish will perish.

Satan is moving and has blinded the eyes of Men.

Are you a Calvinist? Just curious once again.

gbade. x:

True story Softee.


If y'all have noticed, gbade seldom posts/give inputs on these religious debating threads. I got to the same realization as Softee. Most times, these non-believers are not willing to let go of their pre-conceived notions and agendas in the face of enlightment and the Gospel.

The trouble with irony -

@ Softee

You may think it is very hypocritical of me to say this as i have done this quite a lot. However i stopped when Christ layed it on my heart to do so. I haven't debated or wrote one religious comment since last year august.

CHRISTIANS

Christ said himself that the world hated him first. It is unlikely that us arguing and trying to put his word across to unbelievers who don't want to hear, but mock the word is going to change their opinion. I don't think there is anything wrong with informing a nonbeliever or reasurring someone of course, but debating is a problem that Christ himself said don't do. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that a non-beliver can be transformed and we all need to trust the Holy Spirit.

You see what makes us differen't is that we have the gift of the Holy Spirit so we do not need to take part in Religious Debating. We serve a powerful God, A God of Concequences and A God of Love.

Remember whoever will perish will perish.

Satan is moving and has blinded the eyes of Men.

I tend to agree with you to some extent, as much as I love to debate. Debates can be informative and educational if and when they are conducted in the right spirit, and under a more controlled situation. Because this is a virtual forum there is no real control. Persons are free to say whatever comes to their mind and often times get away with it.

They insult, mock, jeer, and do all sorts of things just to carry a point over. , but such is life.

I agree with the poster. Debates sometimes may descend into name calling, and we should avoid it at all cost. It is one thing to defend the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, when called upon to do so, but it is different from debating pointlessly over a topic that, some people may post, just to rile up Christians. I say, just ignore it, it is not worth it.

@ KAG:

now who the schmuck do you think you're giving lip? Hold your peace! The reason why i don't bother on 'em threads anymore are because of peeps like you. The "oh, hey, i'm an atheist so my position's always right and you theists are always wrong, so u need to shut up i'm right, u wrong " mentality u and your likes keep up.

Don't give me lip!

O s'aro kutukutu. so ara re gidi gan ni!!!

Irony ko, Metalni ni

@topic,

My response?

2 Corinthians 5:11 - Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;

2 Corinthians 2: 14 - Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
What more can I say?!

@topic,

I would rather say that the call is out of personal feelings than a persuasion from the Bible. The word debate carries a certain negative connotation to many people; but when understood in a proper perspective, it carries more weight for the cause of Christians proposing well reasoned answers to publicly affecting issues than a mere call to be tarciturn thereto. Let me propose some contextual definition for the word 'debate' from the online WordWeb dictionary. :

Noun:
1. A discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal
2. The formal presentation of and opposition to a stated proposition (usually followed by a vote)

Verb:
1. Think about carefully; weigh
2. Discuss the pros and cons of an issue
3. Have an argument about something
4. Argue with one another

Except in the last two definitions (3 & 4 - as "argument" is another scary word to many), debating any issue (in the sense of the other meanings) is both a Christian responsibility and a healthy evangelical exercise. I believe the Bible offers several texts in support of a spirited debate where the aim is both to convince, offer answers to enquiries, and share knowledge on issues that are otherwise taken for granted. This is commonly known as apologetics. Here are a few:

I Pet. 3:15 - "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." See also Rom. 1:14-18.

Sometimes, I wonder if such calls for Christians to be quiet about current issues is suspect of the fact that those making the calls simply have no answers and would not be bothered to seek them. When the propositions are weighed at the end of the day, there's much more damage done by a reserved and taciturn attitude to serious matters. If anything at all, I have benefitted immensely from such spirited debates that have helped shape my convictions and ultimate conversion from Islam to the Christian faith.

Religious debates or not, there are people who will benefit tremendously from mature discussions on spirituality. As long as we don't lose sight of the substance, apologetics on the Christian faith is indeed much needed in our age; and is very much a part of the spiritual parlance in evangelical Christianity.

@ shahan:

i understand where you're coming from. I love discussions where both parties trash out issues. The work/responsibility of every Christian, that is apologetics, setting issues straight shouldn't be ignored. That i agree.

But when the other party refuses to budge/let go of pre-conceived notions in the face of overwhelming evidence from the Scriptures, then it's best to let that individual be. . . .and like i once said, let the Holy Spirit do his thang i.e convict that person of the Gospel/truth that you said. I hope u get my drift.

Take for example, the case of babs787, a.k.a BLABS787 who does a loada sh*t-talking (please, excuse the language). If you can recall the numerous threads he put up to undermine Christianity - when all his distorted theories where appropiately debunked by y'all, answers where given to his "questions", please what happened? The dude still refused to back down in the face of truth, probably due to ego or something. When known facts from the Quran about Prophet Mo' where laid out, he quicky reverted to the "you all hate muslims" ideology.

How many times has their claims about Apostle Paul been debunked, and yet they keep harping on the same issue? How many times has verses from the Quran been shown, telling believers to slaughter kaffirs, showing Mo's marrying a 9yr old, and yet they choose to ignore such statements/direct verses from the Quran?

How many times has it been that when faced with a critical analysis of their Prophet, the Quran, the Hadith, certain practices in  Islam, they shy away and are quick to adopt an agressive nature and the "you people hate muslims" chant and escapist methods?


Truth is, when one has done his/her part, it's time to pray the Holy Spirit convicts such a person, 'cos  no matter how many times u keep saying the same thing, they will always be spiritually blind.

@gbade.x

really?

gbade. x:

@ shahan:

i understand where you're coming from. I love discussions where both parties trash out issues. The work/responsibility of every Christian, that is apologetics, setting issues straight shouldn't be ignored. That i agree.

But when the other party refuses to budge/let go of pre-conceived notions in the face of overwhelming evidence from the Scriptures, then it's best to let that individual be. . . .and like i once said, let the Holy Spirit do his thang i.e convict that person of the Gospel/truth that you said. I hope u get my drift.

Take for example, the case of babs787, a.k.a BLABS787 who does a loada sh*t-talking (please, excuse the language). If you can recall the numerous threads he put up to undermine Christianity - when all his distorted theories where appropiately debunked by y'all, answers where given to his "questions", please what happened? The dude still refused to back down in the face of truth, probably due to ego or something. When known facts from the Quran about Prophet Mo' where laid out, he quicky reverted to the "you all hate muslims" ideology.

How many times has their claims about Apostle Paul been debunked, and yet they keep harping on the same issue? How many times has verses from the Quran been shown, telling believers to slaughter kaffirs, showing Mo's marrying a 9yr old, and yet they choose to ignore such statements/direct verses from the Quran?

How many times has it been that when faced with a critical analysis of their Prophet, the Quran, the Hadith, certain practices in  Islam, they shy away and are quick to adopt an agressive nature and the "you people hate muslims" chant and escapist methods?


Truth is, when one has done his/her part, it's time to pray the Holy Spirit convicts such a person, 'because  no matter how many times u keep saying the same thing, they will always be spiritually blind.


what truth are you referring to here? is the falsehood perpetrated by you and your cohorts. Questions were thrown at you on jesus dying for the sin of mankind, crucifixtion or crucifiction, jesus being sent to the whole world, contradictions in the bible etc but all you could do was beat around the bush.

i could remember in one of the threads in which a question was thrown at shahan on 'who wrote the last part of the bok of deutronomy and joshua respectively. Shahan told me IT WAS MOSES AND JOSHUA THAT WROTE ABOUT THEIR OWN DEATH WHILE
Davidylan in another thread SAID IT WAS THEIR SUBORDINATES THAT WROTE THE BOOKS FOR THEM. now, do you call those 'answers'.

also the issue of pedolphine has been debunked couple of times but you still go about bringing the same issue all over again.

Gbade.x, no muslim will ever run from your questions. Even the issue of 101 cntradictions i brought then was never answered and when i also posed some questions to shahan, all she could do was avoiding my questions saying they were copied (funny set of people).

also in one of my threads tagged '101 contradictions', my 101 was quite different from the shabir's (babyosis' author) but babysis copied shabir's post and told said she was told by shabir to ignore the a certain verse in the quran use for measuring the authenticity of any holy book.

Like i said in one of my posts, i have lorry loads of questions for every fraud in christianity ranging from crucifixtion, jesus as saviour to jesus being sent to the world, i can bet you that by the time we slug it out one after the other, you will be the one to tear your bible having detected the fraud, fantasies etc.

lastly, if you christians think that your religion is the best and surest way to achieving eternity, goodluck and stick to it but never go beyond your limit with regards to quoting blindly and out of context, i.e. trying to teach the religion you have no in-depth knowledge because if you think that you can write all sorts of jargons against my faith, you are a big failure because i will teach you my religion and your christianity too.

If you do not stop going beyond your limit, i will not stop too in exposing the lies, frauds etc in the bible.

a word is enough for the wise, for you is your religion and for me is my religion and do not go beyond your limit.

good luck

gbade.x

what truth are you referring to here? is the falsehood perpetrated by you and your cohorts. Questions were thrown at you on jesus dying for the sin of mankind, crucifixtion or crucifiction, jesus being sent to the whole world, contradictions in the bible etc but all you could do was beat around the bush.

i could remember in one of the threads in which a question was thrown at shahan on 'who wrote the last part of the bok of deutronomy and joshua respectively. Shahan told me IT WAS MOSES AND JOSHUA THAT WROTE ABOUT THEIR OWN DEATH WHILE
Davidylan in another thread SAID IT WAS THEIR SUBORDINATES THAT WROTE THE BOOKS FOR THEM. now, do you call those 'answers'.

also the issue of pedolphine has been debunked couple of times but you still go about bringing the same issue all over again.

Gbade.x, no muslim will ever run from your questions. Even the issue of 101 cntradictions i brought then was never answered and when i also posed some questions to shahan, all she could do was avoiding my questions saying they were copied (funny set of people).

also in one of my threads tagged '101 contradictions', my 101 was quite different from the shabir's (babyosis' author) but babysis copied shabir's post and told said she was told by shabir to ignore the a certain verse in the quran use for measuring the authenticity of any holy book.

Like i said in one of my posts, i have lorry loads of questions for every fraud in christianity ranging from crucifixtion, jesus as saviour to jesus being sent to the world, i can bet you that by the time we slug it out one after the other, you will be the one to tear your bible having detected the fraud, fantasies etc.

lastly, if you christians think that your religion is the best and surest way to achieving eternity, goodluck and stick to it but never go beyond your limit with regards to quoting blindly and out of context, i.e. trying to teach the religion you have no in-depth knowledge because if you think that you can write all sorts of jargons against my faith, you are a big failure because i will teach you my religion and your christianity too.

If you do not stop going beyond your limit, i will not stop too in exposing the lies, frauds etc in the bible.

a word is enough for the wise, for you is your religion and for me is my religion and do not go beyond your limit.

good luck

My view is based on this verse
Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.


Every statement posted on this forum is read by lots of people, many of them not regular posters. some of these people have little idea what the truth is. The information they recieve from this forum therefore goes a long way to forming the foundations of their belief systems. An example might be a church goer who doesnt read the bible. He will not be able to pick out the lies in a post by someone like Babs787 or that kinky reverend. more so there are so many muslims reading who have swallowed the koran and the interpretations of the imams, who will never know the truth unless someone points it out. They will never know that what their imams say about the bible are lies unless someone points it out.

When anybody replies a topic like '60 Questions for the christians' and '101 Contradictions in the bible', the person is not just answering the original poster, but is actually declaring the truth for all to see.

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher.

However i agre that as Christians, to be trully Christlike, we should not stoop so low as to trade insults with unbelievers.

@lafile:

thanks for that post. As Christians, We keep elevating and learning from each other. gbade's reached a final conclusion:

i'd let the truth be known about Christianity, reaching out to unbelievers. gbade would say his piece and contribute, then leave the rest to God to convict the unbeliever


@babs787:

you know, rather than u being called names, you earn names such as BLABS787. Just don't forget them anti-depressants when u get to the drug store. . .

gbade. x:

@babs787:
you know, rather than u being called names, you earn names such as BLABS787. Just don't forget them anti-depressants when u get to the drug store. . .

Lol, gbade.x at it again!

@ gbade,
Guy, you and this anti-depressants again! LMAO.
Got great sense of humor!

[size=4pt]Never knew you were a gunner like moi![/size]

I feel i am being misunderstood.

If a person ASKS about christianity sincerly wanting to clarify, gain knowledge, clear confusion etc etc, i do not see a problem preching or conversating with them about Christ.

However on Nairaland. I see an ongoing trend of people starting threads in the hopes to see Christians arguing amoung themseleves and Christians arguing with Muslims. Or even out of ignorance to mock the Christians and we stupidly try and argue a case with them, when we know that they can never hear or understand The Word as they are blind and then our selfish desires for being right kicks in and we forget the power of the Holy Spirit. What this shows God is that we don't trust in him because we do not have to argue a case for God. Do you really think God intended it to be like this? His people arguing amoung themselves in order to be right? Or is this satans plan? Ruining the reputation of Christians.

However their are people who judge Christians by streotypes and have been misled (In my time of being a Christians i have corrected quite a few of these). There is nothing wrong with correcting them. However, It is pointless presenting the same aguments towards people who don't give a damn and want to mock Christ. There is more Anti-Christs in this world then we think there are.

And am I, the humble admin, one of those "antichrists"?

No, I am not. I'm merely a messenger to all Christians, beseeching them to reactivate their brains and be free!

Seun:

I'm merely a messenger to all Christians, beseeching them to reactivate their brains and be free!

And who sent you on such a commission? Knowing your stand on christianity at the moment?

@ Softee,
www.nairaland.com is not the only forum online where such heated debates and arguments as this that you have brought out occurs? Infact nairaland's version is even mild!

My question to you is, what solutions can be proferred to such arguments?

Seun:

And am I, the humble admin, one of those "antichrists"?

No, I am not. I'm merely a messenger to all Christians, beseeching them to reactivate their brains and be free!

Please seun, If you got lost on your journey what makes you think other Christians should give up on theirs. Your expiriences are not another mans expiriences so you are not qualified to tell anyone that.

I did not get lost on my journey. I found my way back to sanity and common sense and I want to help others too!

Fair Enuff. But what if i tell you Christ is my Comfort, My best friend, My love. Would you try and brainwash me and take away my biggest love?

Like i said your expiriences is not every mans expiriences.

Its torture! me without Christ.

I did not get lost on my journey.  I found my way back to sanity and common sense and I want to help others too!

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof is destruction.