Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,152,802 members, 7,817,328 topics. Date: Saturday, 04 May 2024 at 10:22 AM

My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance - Religion - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Religion / My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance (2370 Views)

The Inclusion Of Comedy In Religious Events / MY Experience With The Supernatural, Ghost And Spirits Do Exist. / Help! I Now Have Zero Interest In Religious Activites (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (Reply) (Go Down)

My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 3:42pm On Feb 16, 2017
The following is a recapitulation of an event that happened some time ago and it is narrated with literary liberty.

I was processing something somewhere and the lady in charge asked me about my religion (I still don't know what the question had to do with what I was there for in the first place but I guess it had something to do with the fact that I was putting on a white jellabiya) and I told her that I was an Agnostic. She shivered with instant fear and quizzed: "what is that?", "is it a church?". I replied in the negative. She raised her head, focused her eyes on me and the feeling of dismay and surprise hung over her head like a cherub's crown.

She obviously found it difficult reconciling "Agnostic" with Christianity (she assumed I was a Christian, as expected, because my name was a Biblical one) so she abandoned her duty for the moment to interrogate me like a prisoner of religious war. I was excited to throw her bits of "intellectual meat" so I conceded to her interrogation. "Do you believe in Jesus?", she asked. "I believe in the metaphor of his life" was my response. My answer masked her face with the thought of "which kain person be this?".

She was still interested in getting a definite answer from me and so she asked further (I assumed that it was for the purpose of clarity): "so do you worship Jesus in your church?", I retorted "Agnosticism is not a church but a movement of sorts". All she heard was "is not a CHURCH". I knew this because she immediately picked up a Bible that was idling nearby and said she wants to read some verses to me. I tolerated the mild torture as a show of politeness. She read some passages that are seemingly unrelated to each other and concluded thus: "the Devil is the master of anyone or any group that does not accept Jesus Christ and hell is the final destination for such persons". I responded: "yes, I am aware." Her threats of eternal damnation and hell's fury continued for some minutes and all I did was respond with a smile, foregrounding my gap toothedness, as if to say "I have heard but I don't really care!"

She looked at me with a calm sense of surprise this time around and asked: "do you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?". My answer was "why don't you subscribe to Agnosticism instead?". She was irritated and spat the words: "God Forbid!!!". I interjected, saying: "I concur!". "Do you believe in God?", she quizzed. "Not in the same way you do - anthropomorphically speaking", I replied. Perhaps, I may have used a word she was too proud to say she didn't understand or I may have been too ambiguous because she seemed lost for a moment and gained herself with some grunts and murmurings.

She interrogated further, "I hope that Agnost.... something is not a cult o. There are many cults nowadays deceiving people from the path of salvation". I replied "A cult is a group of people with devotion towards a particular figure, god(s), object or beliefs, such as Jesus, Allah, Ogun, Amadioha, Ivwri, Fundamentalism, etc. Sometimes they can be deviant and dangerous. Agnostics do not have any of the features aforementioned. In a way, I can say you are the cultist." The look on her face at that moment must have been captured by the sands of time for its masterly ability to convey words, emotions and thoughts, all at once. I fear that words may not have the aesthetic features to capture her anger at the fact that I dared to call her religion a "cult" even though she was the one that brought that word to the discussion in the first place and I all did was to provide a more appropriate context for it.

She saw me as a lost cause and probably concluded, in her thoughts, that I will burn for all eternity together with her ancestors who served African gods and everyone who doesn't believe in the concept of a Christian God. I would have asked her to give me a message to deliver to those she thinks are already burning in hell but that would have been too forward. After the interrogation, she went cold, visibly disturbed and disappointed at not "winning a soul", and she snubbed me as we finished what took me there in the first place. I left her office with the knowledge that her eyes were trailing me into the distance and probably wondering what must have happened to me to have taken such an "unchristian path". I know she will always remember me as the weird person who attends an "Agnostic church" (She never got her head around the fact that Agnosticism is not a church or a religion).

Tolerance is the key to harmony in life. Everyone must not subscribe to the same beliefs. Let us all live and let be. If everyone faced their business and practised their beliefs without imposing it on others or judging those of others, 90% of the prerequisites for world peace would have been attained. There is no room for intolerance and fundamentalism in this modern world. Atheism, Agnosticism, and other movements that refute, accept or modify the traditional concept of and belief in a Supreme Being are on the rise and Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Jews, Bahais, etc, must accept the reality and learn to live with one another.
I may not have been directly victimised by the lady in my story but many others have been. Churches and shrines are burnt daily, people are killed, properties are destroyed, etc, due to intolerance, victimisation and fanaticism in the world. It is time we suck it all up and put religious differences aside. We are humans first before anything else. Anyone that kills, victimises, destroys, etc, for any religion is nothing short of a criminal.

15 Likes 3 Shares

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by LarryBeryl(m): 3:43pm On Feb 16, 2017
But............Seriously you have given her an assignment that can't be submitted. Your last paragraph will make some spirikoko hate you but believe me bro that's where you burst their brains. Thanks for the enlightenments

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by okenwa(m): 3:54pm On Feb 16, 2017
Thanks for your last paragraph.

2 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by Seun(m): 4:43pm On Feb 16, 2017
I wish the woman had the chance to learn something from your encounter, but she did not even learn the meaning of the word "agnostic". grin

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by hahn(m): 5:02pm On Feb 16, 2017
If it was me I would have told her from the jump that Jesus never existed

No time to listen to bullshit o jare undecided

5 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 5:03pm On Feb 16, 2017
Seun:
I wish the woman had the chance to learn something from your encounter, but she did not even learn the meaning of the word "agnostic". grin

LOL. I thought she would try and be open minded for just a second to know what I meant by that word but she never was. She wasn't even curious enough to ask.

1 Like

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 5:05pm On Feb 16, 2017
hahn:
If it was me I would have told her from the jump that Jesus never existed

No time to listen to bullshit o jare undecided

Sometimes it is interesting to throw pieces of meat to closed minded people so as to understand how their minds work. wink wink wink

1 Like

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by johncallidon(m): 5:06pm On Feb 16, 2017
well said

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by hahn(m): 5:07pm On Feb 16, 2017
fratermathy:


Sometimes it is interesting to throw pieces of meat to closed minded people so as to understand how their minds work. wink wink wink

I already understand it. I enjoy watching the shock when I say Jesus doesn't exist or ask them "what is the benefit of serving god"?

3 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 5:17pm On Feb 16, 2017
hahn:


I already understand it. I enjoy watching the shock when I say Jesus doesn't exist or ask them "what is the benefit of serving god"?

The look on their faces is usually priceless grin grin grin grin! Then they'll start preaching... And I always wonder, if I say I don't believe in your religion or God, why do you think your Bible verses would convince me to change my mind

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by hahn(m): 5:19pm On Feb 16, 2017
fratermathy:


The look on their faces is usually priceless grin grin grin grin! Then they'll start preaching... And I always wonder, if I say I don't believe in your religion or God, why do you think your Bible verses would convince me to change my mind

Me I will be like, "oh you mean the bible? Don't take it seriously. Everything in it is a lie" tongue

1 Like

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 5:30pm On Feb 16, 2017
CC:
jasysandra
lalasticlala
mynd44
thesonoflucifer
Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by jasysandra(f): 5:37pm On Feb 16, 2017
I agree with you as it's one book that blinds them all from the truth.
hahn:


Me I will be like, "oh you mean the bible? Don't take it seriously. Everything in it is a lie" tongue

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by jasysandra(f): 5:41pm On Feb 16, 2017
You were even patient enough. I can't stand people who are obviously blind but believes so much that the only way to go is their way and then I wonder, what way is that way?

1 Like

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by jonbellion(m): 5:52pm On Feb 16, 2017
Lol
I also had a similar encounter when I told a Christian I was an athiest
She was like
"don't worry because we're in the time of grace that's why god has not ended your life"
And "if you believed in god your life would have been better" ironically this was a person I just met who didn't know shit about me apart from my lack of belief
Lmao
What a joke indeed

9 Likes 1 Share

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 7:17pm On Feb 16, 2017
jonbellion:
Lol
I also had a similar encounter when I told a Christian I was an athiest
She was like
"don't worry because we're in the time of grace that's why god has not ended your life"
And "if you believed in god your life would have been better" ironically this was a person I just met who didn't know shit about me apart from my lack of belief
Lmao
What a joke indeed

Many of them are quite intolerant. They automatically believe you are suffering in penury if you don't believe in their God. grin grin

3 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by Nobody: 8:25pm On Feb 16, 2017
lipsrsealed
Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 9:06pm On Feb 16, 2017
Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by Efewestern: 9:26pm On Feb 16, 2017
hahn:


Me I will be like, "oh you mean the bible? Don't take it seriously. Everything in it is a lie" tongue

you again.. I know I will surely see you In this thread, you they represent wella.. keep deceiving yourself, hate it or like it, God is real, you can only wail.

@Op

well I don't subscribe to such bully, I don't believe that those who ain't Christian will burn in hell , it just don't sound right, since nobody truly choose his/her religion, we were all brainwashed into believing most things, this world is a mystery what happens after death nobody can tell, so the issue of nonbelievers been thrown into hell is somehow ridiculous.

thou I know God exist, he his real..

2 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 9:41pm On Feb 16, 2017
Efewestern:


you again.. I know I will surely see you In this thread, you they represent wella.. keep deceiving yourself, hate it or like it, God is real, you can only wail.

@Op

well I don't subscribe to such bully, I don't believe that those who ain't Christian will burn in hell , it just don't sound right, since nobody truly choose his/her religion, we were all brainwashed into believing most things, this world is a mystery what happens after death nobody can tell, so the issue of nonbelievers been thrown into hell is somehow ridiculous.

thou I know God exist, he his real..

Thank you Oniovo for your objective response to this post. If only others were like you...

My argument is what you just depicted smiley. Whether or not God is real, no one should force it upon another or judge another for it.

4 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by Efewestern: 10:40pm On Feb 16, 2017
fratermathy:


Thank you Oniovo for your objective response to this post. If only others were like you...

My argument is what you just depicted smiley. Whether or not God is real, no one should force it upon another or judge another for it.


it just defy all logical reasoning, how can GOD judge people base on their believe, what happens to those who are not born into the Christian faith, no good Christian can answer that question.

am a Christian thou, as for the existence of God, yes, no one should force it on anyone but you can't shy away from the truth.. Once again GOD Is Real. do have a good night rest oniovo
Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by hahn(m): 10:47pm On Feb 16, 2017
Efewestern:


you again.. I know I will surely see you In this thread, you they represent wella.. keep deceiving yourself, hate it or like it, God is real, you can only wail.

@Op

well I don't subscribe to such bully, I don't believe that those who ain't Christian will burn in hell , it just don't sound right, since nobody truly choose his/her religion, we were all brainwashed into believing most things, this world is a mystery what happens after death nobody can tell, so the issue of nonbelievers been thrown into hell is somehow ridiculous.

thou I know God exist, he his real..

Who your Israeli god epp? undecided

1 Like

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by dalaman: 11:43pm On Feb 16, 2017
The average Nigerian christian or muslim is like that. The mind of the average northern muslin is terrible when it comes to such things.

2 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by avaa(m): 11:58pm On Feb 16, 2017
fratermathy:


Tolerance is the key to harmony in life. Everyone must not subscribe to the same beliefs. Let us all live and let be. If everyone faced their business and practised their beliefs without imposing it on others or judging those of others, 90% of the prerequisites for world peace would have been attained. There is no room for intolerance and fundamentalism in this modern world. Atheism, Agnosticism, and other movements that refute, accept or modify the traditional concept of and belief in a Supreme Being are on the rise and Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Jews, Bahais, etc, must accept the reality and learn to live with one another.
I may not have been directly victimised by the lady in my story but many others have been. Churches and shrines are burnt daily, people are killed, properties are destroyed, etc, due to intolerance, victimisation and fanaticism in the world. It is time we suck it all up and put religious differences aside. We are humans first before anything else. Anyone that kills, victimises, destroys, etc, for any religion is nothing short of a criminal.

Can I borrow this sir?
Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 1:15am On Feb 17, 2017
avaa:


Can I borrow this sir?

Feel free!!!
Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 1:18am On Feb 17, 2017
dalaman:
The average Nigerian christian or muslim is like that. The mind of the average northern muslin is terrible when it comes to such things.

A dogmatic Muslim would not even bother asking me questions na... We all know how this would have ended. Probably, I would have been another score in the battle for Allah.

Then again, there are also countries with Christians and Muslims living together harmoniously with people of differing beliefs. Why are those in Nigeria so intolerant?

2 Likes

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by Nobody: 1:49am On Feb 17, 2017
fratermathy:
people are killed, properties are destroyed, etc, due to intolerance, victimisation and fanaticism in the world. It is time we suck it all up and put religious differences aside. We are humans first before anything else. Anyone that kills, victimises, destroys, etc, for any religion is nothing short of a criminal.

preach!

1 Like

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by iSpirit1(m): 2:27am On Feb 17, 2017
Lemme answer the unanswerable Question. I'll just quote one of my previous posts. Perhaps, it should answer the unanswerable Question
Efewestern:


it just defy all logical reasoning, how can GOD judge people base on their believe, what happens to those who are not born into the Christian faith, no good Christian can answer that question.

am a Christian thou, as for the existence of God, yes, no one should force it on anyone but you can't shy away from the truth.. Once again GOD Is Real. do have a good night rest oniovo
People who died before Christianity was founded.

In the Bible, there are three Eras.

i. Before the Law. From the fall of
man till when Moses delivered the
Law.

ii. Under the Law. From when
Moses brought the Law till when
Jesus resurrected.

iii. Under Grace. From Jesus'
resurrection till date.

Under the Law, Righteousness was
attained by keeping all the Law.
Exodus 19:5-6, James 2:10. As
many that lived during the Law Era
shall be judged by the Law.
Romans 2:12.

Under Grace, Righteousness is
obtained by placing our Faith in
Jesus. Romans 2:21-22. Romans
10:4-10. As many that live under
grace shall be judged by God's
standard of Righteousness Under Grace which is by placing our Faith
in Jesus. James 2:12.

What then? What about the people
who died Before the Law, how
shall God judged them?

First, lemme establish that all sinful
men that have died are already in
Hell Fire. As we see from Jesus'
story of Lazarus and the rich man.
Luke 16:19-24. However, the Bible
tells us that Hell isn't the final abode of the wicked but the Lake of Fire.
Revelations 21:8. Because Hell itself
shall be casted into the Lake of Fire.
Revelations 20:13-14. Before the
residents of Hell shall be casted into
the Lake of Fire, they shall be judged. Verse 13 shows that.

Having established that, lemme
quickly show us this. . . When Jesus
died, He spent 3days in the grave.
What was He doing all the while?
1Peter 3:19-20 shows us one of
the things He was doing. . . He went to preach to people who died
during the days of Noah (before
the Law) and as many that believed
in Him resurrected with Him along
with all the saints who had died
prior to His resurrection (Matthew 27:52) who were in Abraham's
bosom. Luke 16:22. Altogether,
they ascended to Heaven on His
ascension. Acts 1:9, Hebrews 12:1.

Please try to read all the cited
scriptures. . . This post might not contain all that needs to be addressed, please bear with me.

I'll address other issues later.
Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by fratermathy(m): 3:31am On Feb 17, 2017
iSpirit1:
Lemme answer the unanswerable Question. I'll just quote one of my previous posts. Perhaps, it should answer the unanswerable Question People who died before Christianity was founded.

In the Bible, there are three Eras.

i. Before the Law. From the fall of
man till when Moses delivered the
Law.

ii. Under the Law. From when
Moses brought the Law till when
Jesus resurrected.

iii. Under Grace. From Jesus'
resurrection till date.

Under the Law, Righteousness was
attained by keeping all the Law.
Exodus 19:5-6, James 2:10. As
many that lived during the Law Era
shall be judged by the Law.
Romans 2:12.

Under Grace, Righteousness is
obtained by placing our Faith in
Jesus. Romans 2:21-22. Romans
10:4-10. As many that live under
grace shall be judged by God's
standard of Righteousness Under Grace which is by placing our Faith
in Jesus. James 2:12.

What then? What about the people
who died Before the Law, how
shall God judged them?

First, lemme establish that all sinful
men that have died are already in
Hell Fire. As we see from Jesus'
story of Lazarus and the rich man.
Luke 16:19-24. However, the Bible
tells us that Hell isn't the final abode of the wicked but the Lake of Fire.
Revelations 21:8. Because Hell itself
shall be casted into the Lake of Fire.
Revelations 20:13-14. Before the
residents of Hell shall be casted into
the Lake of Fire, they shall be judged. Verse 13 shows that.

Having established that, lemme
quickly show us this. . . When Jesus
died, He spent 3days in the grave.
What was He doing all the while?
1Peter 3:19-20 shows us one of
the things He was doing. . . He went to preach to people who died
during the days of Noah (before
the Law) and as many that believed
in Him resurrected with Him along
with all the saints who had died
prior to His resurrection (Matthew 27:52) who were in Abraham's
bosom. Luke 16:22. Altogether,
they ascended to Heaven on His
ascension. Acts 1:9, Hebrews 12:1.

Please try to read all the cited
scriptures. . . This post might not contain all that needs to be addressed, please bear with me.

I'll address other issues later.

Who you wan give work to read Bible? undecided

1 Like

Re: My Experience With A Christian: A Lesson In Religious Tolerance by Efewestern: 5:45am On Feb 17, 2017
hahn:


Who your Israeli god epp? undecided

I never made mention of any Isreali God, I only said God exist.. please read my post again. this time slowly.

(1) (2) (Reply)

The Muslim Says I Will Burn In Hell Fire...what Is My Crime? / Scientist Stephen Hawking Dies Aged 76 / Egyptian Sheikh Forbids Purchasing Chevrolets Because Logo Looks Like A Cross

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 85
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.