What do you do when people don't want to hear the truth

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Nancy

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What do you do when ppl don't wanna hear the truth?

Why are you trying to tell anyone "the truth" anyway?
Especially ppl who don't want to hear it?

this is maybe what happens when proclaimers are turned into preachers, or beautiful feet are turned into missionaries or something
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." – 1 Peter 3:15-16

It seems we do not have to go door to door ASKING others to receive Christ as, there will be plenty who ask why you believe. I always pray for the unbelievers I find myself around several times a week, praying they would ask me a question about my faith, that would be THEM broaching the subject. Several of them have asked of me what Church I go to, and sometimes the conversation will continue, sometimes it does not as, the Truth can hurt and...many do not want to hear it.
 

Enoch111

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casting pearls before swine is what God wants Christians to do?
That would not be quite applicable, The Parable of the Sower would be apropos. Every kind of soil would receive seed.

It is only when there are people who resist the truth and mock the Gospel or Christ that it would be most unwise to cast pearls before swine, or give dogs that which is holy.

That is why Christ began speaking in parables -- so that hearing they would NOT hear and seeing they would NOT see.
 
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bbyrd009

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Hm, do not quite follow here Mark.
ha well i guess Quoting pertinent Scripture almost any time could be acceptable too, but generally not, the way we end up doing it; as a recruiting tool? For strangers no less? Paul has a thing on this that no believer can hardly interpret imo--except in groups of 2 or 3 max lol--the "all things to all ppl" one? But there are quite a few others that apply i guess.

unfortunately we have come to accept "Missionary, Good" bc that is how we got here and all, and imo this is the same convo, basically?

How did we determine that that person was not in the Church already, anyway?
We had a little convo with them first?
lol

so imo pride is working even in the "i'm a believer/saved and you're not" paradigm, and certainly one's pride is called upon the second they become "converted" in most cases, in fact the characterization of joining the "winner's circle" or whatever was palpable imo
 
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bbyrd009

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"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." – 1 Peter 3:15-16
imo do yourself a favor and get rid of the English scribe that was himself convinced that you should become a Jesus Bot too before they even let him start scribing, just like the Book even says will happen, and then go from there, but even logically the only reason the standard interp works there is bc we accept the notion that it's ok to address strangers, when that will get you killed, or at least is almost never a good idea generally speaking

I've treated that v a couple times before, but this time i'd like to ask when the last time is someone asked you "what reason do you have for this hope" that you have expressed, #1, and #2 what is that hope, anyway? briefly, not trying to dissect it or anything, "i hope Jesus raptures me," or however you might like to put it, the point here being see how the seemingly logical and approved path/statement is already starting to unravel?

Who is "everyone who asks you to give a reason," who are these people? Why would they be asking you about any "hope" that you have anyway--which with our now warped definition of that, "hope," we are completely on kool-aid now anyway--and "why the admonishment to do it with love," if the scenario is generally supposed to play out as you have just described to me above? sounded like practically a love-in already, right? We'll see

also you might notice that "you are to give an answer to them that ask you," iow they initiate the convo, right, they talked first?
In the Bible v i mean, not IRL of course. Note any contrast there too, see how that is all warped?
 
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bbyrd009

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It seems we do not have to go door to door ASKING others to receive Christ as, there will be plenty who ask why you believe. I always pray for the unbelievers I find myself around several times a week, praying they would ask me a question about my faith, that would be THEM broaching the subject. Several of them have asked of me what Church I go to, and sometimes the conversation will continue, sometimes it does not as, the Truth can hurt and...many do not want to hear it.
ah, very nice imo, prolly you should be asking them Qs up there i guess! Another thing i just saw/remembered is we are told to answer "why" we have this hope/belief, not necessarily what the hope/belief even is, in that scenario? The point being that is left ambiguous on purpose, and our model of "witnessing" that is shoe-horned into the v will not even make logical sense, which hopefully will come out here
 
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bbyrd009

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That would not be quite applicable, The Parable of the Sower would be apropos.
that ends up being the justification we use, sure, but that may not match reality at all, especially if they do not want to hear it
It is only when there are people who resist the truth and mock the Gospel or Christ that it would be most unwise to cast pearls before swine, or give dogs that which is holy.
ok, but as we can see even among believers that generally translates into "my version of the truth," etc right; one has to have believed they have arrived at the truth in order to state it iow. So the pov becomes a way to justify oneself, even if it sounds quite logical, right? "I have the truth, and if you disagree with me you must hate the truth."

so in reality a better statement could be "it is only when there are ppl who insist on a truth..."
 
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Nancy

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imo do yourself a favor and get rid of the English scribe that was himself convinced that you should become a Jesus Bot too before they even let him start scribing, just like the Book even says will happen, and then go from there, but even logically the only reason the standard interp works there is bc we accept the notion that it's ok to address strangers, when that will get you killed, or at least is almost never a good idea generally speaking

I've treated that v a couple times before, but this time i'd like to ask when the last time is someone asked you "what reason do you have for this hope" that you have expressed, #1, and #2 what is that hope, anyway? briefly, not trying to dissect it or anything, "i hope Jesus raptures me," or however you might like to put it, the point here being see how the seemingly logical and approved path/statement is already starting to unravel?

Who is "everyone who asks you to give a reason," who are these people? Why would they be asking you about any "hope" that you have anyway--which with our now warped definition of that, "hope," we are completely on kool-aid now anyway--and "why the admonishment to do it with love," if the scenario is generally supposed to play out as you have just described to me above? sounded like practically a love-in already, right? We'll see

also you might notice that "you are to give an answer to them that ask you," iow they initiate the convo, right, they talked first?
In the Bible v i mean, not IRL of course. Note any contrast there too, see how that is all warped?

"Who is "everyone who asks you to give a reason," who are these people? Why would they be asking you about any "hope" that you have anyway--which with our now warped definition of that, "hope," we are completely on kool-aid now anyway--and "why the admonishment to do it with love," if the scenario is generally supposed to play out as you have just described to me above? sounded like practically a love-in already, right? We'll see"

"also you might notice that "you are to give an answer to them that ask you," iow they initiate the convo, right, they talked first?
In the Bible v i mean, not IRL of course. Note any contrast there too, see how that is all warped?"
Yes, that is why I highlighted the very thing you re-iterated above, hence, no "door to door" or littering corners with tracks. There is a community center in my neighborhood that I spend allot of time at. Full of a mish mash of personal beliefs. People back bite all the time. This one "can't stand" that one, this P.O.'s someone or other...petty, worldly bickering. My life is on display for all of them to see...they see that I do not want to get into any of that, and the ones who will receive, I will say stuff like "Oh, c'mon, he's just goofing, just give it back to him/her. Or, to a good Catholic friend of mine there I will comment, gently when she starts in on another volunteer and, she will say, "yes, you're right..." All there know i am a born again Christian...the center is run by Episcopalians, I am non-denom (as I can be, lol) there are many Catholics there, many unbelievers there, even those who proclaim themselves "Pagan". Between my prayers for them and my own actions-I do not have to even say a word. Although, even if not worded exactly as the scripture is worded, I have been asked where I go to Church, as well as why I believe the bible is true. But, unless the Holy Spirit is in the works, nothing will happen anyhow.
 

amadeus

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What do you do when ppl don't wanna hear the truth?

Why are you trying to tell anyone "the truth" anyway?
Especially ppl who don't want to hear it?

this is maybe what happens when proclaimers are turned into preachers, or beautiful feet are turned into missionaries or something

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecc3:1

"....a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" Ecc3:7
 
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Soverign Grace

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i know we are able to read all about speaking the truth in Scripture, ok, speak the truth in love, etc
but there are other vv that these should be contemplated in light of, and you are allowed to assume that you know the truth if you want to, but imo keep in mind at least 2he who say he knows anything, does not,
at least unless you aspire to be a teacher imo

Some truth is inalterable and there are some cases where one must speak the truth. When I dealt with a case with my father's will, I had to speak the truth - it wasn't a situation where I could remain silent. I think it does take wisdom to "rightly handle/ apply the word of truth."
 
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Soverign Grace

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"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecc3:1

"....a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;" Ecc3:7
That's a good verse - and one to be incorporated when we need wisdom of when to speak and when to remain silent.
 
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bbyrd009

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I guess there is a right time and place to speak it. It takes wisdom to know when and how to speak it.
"it" being this thing that we now both are assuming is even possible for a human to speak; that guy that can perceive just less than 1% of the universe iow. ok.
Some truth is inalterable and there are some cases where one must speak the truth.
i would argue that stating the facts as honestly as you are aware of them is a poor substitute for "truth," even if i agree with your premise as far as "facts" are concerned, certainly.

And i could easily quote court proceedings where "truth" was not allowed to be uttered, even specifically excluded from testimony on purpose, so i would like to offer an exercise based upon something you just said in here somewhere,
Some truth is inalterable
ah, yes, here. (duh)

I observe that all circles are still round, but then we mean to relate "truth" to our walk, right; so could you state some "unalterable truth" in this vein? ty
 
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bbyrd009

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Although, even if not worded exactly as the scripture is worded, I have been asked where I go to Church, as well as why I believe the bible is true.
this assessing the "truth" of something ambiguous is unique to us in the West, and i don't know how to demonstrate that Scripture was not written with this in mind at all, other than what i am doing there right above this post. Although i guess i could explore some Scripture on "the wise," which i will do tonight God willing.

But i guess i could point out that many people believe the Bible is "true," right, who then go on to demonstrate that they are deceived?

i don't mean to imply that the Bible will not lead one to truth however; so the semantics kind of get in the way, but the very worst place one can be imo is in the position of believing they know "the truth."

2he who thinks he knows anything does not yet know

which all that is...for someone else anyway i guess, the part i tagged you for is this; your subjects have heard "the Bible is true" by hypocrites their whole lives, right, and you might get some better attention um, flying in the face of that so to speak, however you might. Bc "the Bible is a Book full of lies" is also true in a sense, if you can accept that, meaning that It has been written so as to intentionally deceive a certain pov, and imo it is incumbent upon us to discover, to realize what pov that is; "wise" is only a clue
 
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quietthinker

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I've seen over the course of years and most recently how people - even Christians - have an aversion for the truth. I know that none of us grow overnight and that there are areas in each of our minds that God has to yet renew but I wonder how others handle it when faced with people who come out and attack you verbally for speaking the truth.

I just dealt with a situation in my extended family where my (now ex-sister) used a corrupt lawyer to try to get me back for telling her to stop contacting my children because she was causing trouble. She then weaponized my father's estate and acted like a kook to try to keep money my father left me since she was Executrix. I was forced to defend myself against the low-life lawyer and the vicious attacks on me. She even called my daughter in-law and was trashing me and when she couldn't get them on her side she unfriended them. She never had a family and I think she hoped she could use mine as hers. She did other things like that such as waiting until I was out of state to get my children to take our father out and then sent me photos of her sitting in the midst of them like the matriarch. I realized that there was a lot of jealousy there but she made her own choices.

I fought back against the nasty lawyer and went to court and prevailed. I had an honest judge - and that isn't always the case. The lawyer still kept money that he wasn't entitled to from the estate which I'm still unsettled over. My ex-sister lied repeatedly about her motivations but I had saved a text where as soon as I told her to leave my children alone she immediately threatened to keep money from my inheritance. I proved her to be a liar.

The owner of the law firm is allegedly a Christian and knew this was going on. I emailed him and told him that he owes me money and he threatened to sue me - it was his firm who did wrong. We knew what he was about before that. He acted superior to everyone else and his son was the town drug dealer. He said something mean about one of my family and I told him it was known that his son was the drug dealer. He couldn't handle the truth. He wanted everyone else to go along with his delusion that he and his family were above everyone else. I was attacked for speaking the truth.

What's even more frustrating is that his son ruined many lives but never got in trouble himself and is now a lawyer. I don't understand why God doesn't expose them to the people who don't know what they did. They made a lot of money with the son selling drugs and the father representing teens that his son sold drugs to.

The same thing happened with another sinning bible teacher who put down other people's families and his son was so corrupt they had to give their business up in town because of something corrupt they did.

I see so many people who don't live by the truth and when I try to I get attacked - often viciously. Has this happened to anyone else? I'm seeing that it's dangerous to speak the truth - people don't want to hear it.
When the rich young ruler didn't want to hear what Jesus told him, how did Jesus respond?
 

Nancy

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this assessing the "truth" of something ambiguous is unique to us in the West, and i don't know how to demonstrate that Scripture was not written with this in mind at all, other than what i am doing there right above this post. Although i guess i could explore some Scripture on "the wise," which i will do tonight God willing.

But i guess i could point out that many people believe the Bible is "true," right, who then go on to demonstrate that they are deceived?

i don't mean to imply that the Bible will not lead one to truth however; so the semantics kind of get in the way, but the very worst place one can be imo is in the position of believing they know "the truth."

2he who thinks he knows anything does not yet know

which all that is...for someone else anyway i guess, the part i tagged you for is this; your subjects have heard "the Bible is true" by hypocrites their whole lives, right, and you might get some better attention um, flying in the face of that so to speak, however you might. Bc "the Bible is a Book full of lies" is also true in a sense, if you can accept that, meaning that It has been written so as to intentionally deceive a certain pov, and imo it is incumbent upon us to discover, to realize what pov that is; "wise" is only a clue

"and i don't know how to demonstrate that Scripture was not written with this in mind at all" I dunno, Mark...it seems clear to me: No need to seek out the lost as they will be set before you everywhere you go. Know why you believe what you believe and always be ready IF anyone asks you. I can't seem to take anything else out of the message in the context.

"Although i guess i could explore some Scripture on "the wise," which i will do tonight God willing." I would love to know what you find :)

"But i guess i could point out that many people believe the Bible is "true," right, who then go on to demonstrate that they are deceived?"
I could see they might be deceiving themselves, if they do not know why they believe...

"i don't mean to imply that the Bible will not lead one to truth however; so the semantics kind of get in the way, but the very worst place one can be imo is in the position of believing they know "the truth."

"2he who thinks he knows anything does not yet know"

I see more "men" getting in the way and making the simple complicated...JMO :)
And, 100% in agreement with the last part of the sentence. Very dangerous indeed!




 
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Soverign Grace

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When the rich young ruler didn't want to hear what Jesus told him, how did Jesus respond?
I looked the verse up and Christ told the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give to the poor, and he was sad. I think I'm missing something you're trying to convey?

This is really good - it's a good way to review Scripture, when you talk with other believers and gain their wisdom. I'm in a real growth period and I feel as if God is trying to break through - if that makes any sense. Has anyone ever felt that you were as close as a breath to God? That He is speaking to you? I've been praying for things for my family and I for a long time. I hope He's going to answer. Grievous evil has been done against my family and I'm waiting for God's judgment.

Has anyone ever prayed the imprecatory psalms that David prayed? A pastor at our bible study said that you're not meant to pray it. That we're to forgive, but sometimes God's justice demands retribution because the evil is so great. Has anyone been there?
 
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Nancy

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I looked the verse up and Christ told the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give to the poor, and he was sad. I think I'm missing something you're trying to convey?

This is really good - it's a good way to review Scripture, when you talk with other believers and gain their wisdom. I'm in a real growth period and I feel as if God is trying to break through - if that makes any sense. Has anyone ever felt that you were as close as a breath to God? That He is speaking to you? I've been praying for things for my family and I for a long time. I hope He's going to answer. Grievous evil has been done against my family and I'm waiting for God's judgment.

Has anyone ever prayed the imprecatory psalms that David prayed? A pastor at our bible study said that you're not meant to pray it. That we're to forgive, but sometimes God's justice demands retribution because the evil is so great. Has anyone been there?
I see nothing wrong in praying for God to redeem His children. You are not praying for revenge, but justice.
And, yeah, I love those "growth spurts" lol. I only wish they were closer together!
 
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