Be careful when you do. There will be things that you can do with them and things that you can’t.
Should a non-Christian have Christian friends?
- Thread starter Matthias
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Be careful when you do. There will be things that you can do with them and things that you can’t.
Becoming a Christian doesn't make someone without sin. They aren't going to live a perfect life. I've seen people try to do that. They're usually the ones that fall the hardest.
Even so, if sin characterizes a person’s life, that person isn’t living a Christian life.
But what is a "sinful life"? And who gets to determine what it is? Some people think even having one beer means you're living in sin, while others think it's fine in moderation.
You’re about to embark on a spiritual journey in the fractured and fragmented world of Christianity. Whichever denomination you decide to call your home will have a point of view on the matter that is accepted by that particular faith community.
Scripture, I’m going to suggest for your consideration, should be the final authority.
You mentioned alcohol consumption. Scripture addresses it.
Maybe I won't settle for any denomination. If scripture is the final authority, why do I need somebody else telling me what is?
There's something romantic about being the lone Christian, anyway. The drifter. Mysterious. The one without a flock. I kinda dig it.
I’m neither Catholic nor Protestant, and I’m not the only follower of Jesus who is.
Do you think you’ve become skilled with the handling of scripture?
There's something romantic about being the lone Christian, anyway. The drifter. Mysterious. The one without a flock. I kinda dig it.
Christianity was never intended to be a one man / every man for himself community. Isolation is fraught with danger.
Not at all. But a man can learn.
I agree. But it offers the most freedom in a world that wants you to adhere to denominational rules. I feel very uncomfortable in church settings.
Then you need a teacher. The Messiah provides teachers.
Certainly.
All communities have rules.
I recommend that you speak privately with a pastor about it.
I have in the past. They don't know what to do about it. You either feel comfortable in that setting or you don't. For those that don't, there's the road. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. You meet new people, you spread the good news.
Offered for your consideration: people who feel guilty and / or inferior often feel uncomfortable in church (and / or other social) settings. Once you’ve become a Christian that uncomfortable feeling should ease, even eventually to the point of feeling comfortable in that setting. You will be surrounded by people who love and care for you.
See the great commission. Every follower of Jesus should be involved in doing that.
I’ve been thinking about your current discomfort in church settings. I still think it will subside after you become a Christian but maybe you could ease into it by watching services online. Since Covid, many churches stream their services. Perhaps you could find one that resonates with you and watch from the comfort of your own home for a while.
That's not a bad idea. My main experience was with an evangelical nondenominational church. The music was bad and most of the people seemed inauthentic.
I actually got to speak once to the youth group. The pastor was interested in my thoughts on a few subjects. It was fun. I learned that I enjoy public speaking and don't get much in the way of stage freight.
Here's the thing that these pastors don't understand though: you gotta have some charisma. You can't get on stage and have the charisma of a wet dish rag. You bore people to death.
In many ways, I think if you're gonna be a good preacher, you should watch some Old school wrestling promos for inspiration.
You were turned off by a counterfeit. You need to look elsewhere for the genuine.
It's a lie, Muslims cannot be friends with Christians.“God teaches us throughout the Quran that there are righteous Jews and Christians. As such there is no prohibition for Muslims to be friends with Jews, Christians or people of any other faith who are of good character.”
Can Muslims be friends with Jews and Christians?
www.islamicity.org
Muslims should treat well Christians, not be cruel to them... like Muslims treat their animals.
Christians are not equal to Muslims, Muslims are greater.
Quran 98:6 "Indeed, those who disbelieve from the People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the Fire of Hell, to stay there forever. They are the worst of ˹all˺ beings."
Quran 5:51 "O believers! Take neither Jews nor Christians as guardians—they are guardians of each other. Whoever does so will be counted as one of them. Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people."
60:8 "Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and fairly with those who have neither fought nor driven you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are fair."
I appreciate you sharing that perspective with me. I discussed this particular Sura with a Muslim. His understanding of it was different from yours. I’ll take that into consideration.
The Muslim treated me better than my best Christian friend at the time did. (He had my back when my best friend didn’t.) The Muslim treated me better than all of my Christian friends and acquaintances did. Generally speaking, Catholics haven’t treated me as well as the Muslim did but the Catholics have treated me better than the Protestants have.
I have friends and family who are Catholic. I have friends and family who are Protestant. I think they’re genuine.
In your opinion, can Catholics and Protestants be friends with a Jewish monotheist?
this Muslim of yours calls himself a Muslim, but he's not following islam by befriending you
this Muslim clearly acts like a Christian
of course we can be friends with anyone, religion doesn't matter
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