Thought to ponder....
I was listening to Life Fm today just before i headed out the door to go out to uni (yep, even tho its the 'holidays'...dedication right there i tell ya heh), and they were doing a poll called 'to convert or not to convert' - based on how the (recently released) Kiwi cameraman and the American journalist had to say they'd converted to Islam (with a gun pointed to their heads). So just thought i'd throw this out there - what would you have done if you'd been in that position? I think many of us as Christians would all be quick to think/say that we would refuse to 'convert'.....but if it came to the crunch, would we?? I guess its one of those things where you wouldn't truly know how you'd react unless you were placed in that situation...In other news, like i said earlier, i am currently on 'holiday'...well, lecture break. The last few weeks have definitely been my toughest at uni with regard to the assignments workload....reaaally startin to feel the pressure of doing two stage 3s but i'm gettin there. Just need to constantly make sure i balance my time well and stay on top of things. Which is why i'm planning to use this lecture break as a chance to get on top of/ahead of things for the next half of this semester...hence my reason for coming into uni today (and some other days during this break).
Anyway, have a good week all, God bless
6 Comments:
Hiya, I came across your blog through Franks. I find this question really interesting! I'm in two minds about it.
I think that Jesus doesn't want us to deny our faith in Him.
Yet I also know that God knows what is in our hearts, and He would also know if we are just saying the words in order to survive.
I mean I know if it was me, and I "converted" in that situation, I would be saying the words but in my heart I would be praying my hardest to God. It would be the only way I could get through.
It does sound a bit selfish as I write this, but what if God's plan was for me to get our of there alive and live the rest of my life for Him, rather than perish there? What if the converting thing was God's way of getting me out, my lifeline?
I'm not saying that I would "convert" if I was in that situation, because (as you said) no-one really knows until it actually happens in real life. I can only speculate and try to understand both sides. I think if it came down to it, I would pray hard and ask God what He wanted me to do, and have faith that He would clearly show me His way.
I wonder if this is at all like the hiding the jews from hitler question. Is it ethical to hide the truth from people in order for the greater good?
(Hiding the truth in this case would be saying you had converted to Islam, when you hadn't)
DC Talk flashback.
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is christians who acknowledge jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.
I think a Christian who denied his faith on TV, and who's real life witness after that was never reported on tv, would be even more damaging than the hypocritical 'christians' that only warm pews every weekend.
So I'd hope that I would refuse to convert. Not to be a martyr, but to prevent my actions from being the downfall of another person's spiritual struggle pre conversion. ie, I'd not want another person's lost soul to be because of my 5 minutes of denial.
Peter did this exact thing. Denied Christ for 5 minutes to save his own skin. And he beat himself up about it afterwards.
We have his example before us. We know it is not something we should do. It is on our own heads of we do that after knowing that.
(it can't damn us to hell, but it will be a big no no)
Cheers for your reply on my blog - I've had some new thoughts on this issue... there is a pretty much identical situation in the bible (Daniel 3), with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - everyone had to bow down to the idol created by the king, and if they didn't they would be thrown into the fire. What happened? They stood their ground and were thrown into the fire.
But they were not burnt at all, God saved them, and this proved testiment to the King, who instead began to worship "their" God and then influenced the whole kingdom.
It speaks for itself really! Quite a lot to think about though, I think I might do a post on this one.
I'm in the last legs of the Primary teaching degree (3 years) - it is hard yakka, but it's been great and I've loved it. I'm starting to apply for jobs now, so the reality of teaching is actually here! Hoping to work with year 7/8.
I would hope that God would enable me to say "No" even if it meant being shot.
I'm not saying it would be easy though.
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