Do Christians think everyone should be a Christian?

That depends on the Christian. When I considered myself Christian, I really wished I could get everyone I could to become Christian if they weren’t already because I was scared they’d go to Hell if they weren’t. I made it my mission to “spread the gospel” in the hopes of helping people become saved. Now I feel silly because of that behaviour on my part and no longer consider myself Christian.

Some do; some don’t.

I don’t think every Christian feels that way, but, generally speaking, yes, most hardcore fundamentalists of any religion believe they hold the monopoly on ultimate truth and are therefore superior beings whose mission it is to convert the poor unenlightened ones and give them the gift of salvation.

Not all of them. Most evangelical Christians do and are heavy on proselytizing.

Christians seem to be more into those sorts of beliefs than those of most other faiths are, but not all Christians feel that way. I feel it’s not a very correct way to be a Christian. I think Jesus would think such people were missing some key points.

No. My opinion only – the Christians who feel that Christianity is the only true religion are mostly the born agains. My Christian friends don’t really care that I am not a Christian,

Evangelicals need the Jews to take over Israel so the Rapture can happen.

It depends on the denomination along with each individuals religious views. Also, many Christians can interpret the Bible differently from one another. I would say that from my personal experience with the more conservative Christians is that they tend to believe that faith in Jesus is the only way into heaven. Some Christians have a tendacy to try and get others to convert to their beliefs that we are all sinners and need a savior. Some Christians see it as their duty to try to convert others to their belief system.

No.

Christians believe there has only ever been one true Christian and he was Jewish!

As a non-Christian, my answer is yes: “True” Christians are evangelicals, feeling an imperative to save souls by converting all people to Christianity. It’s what makes it so annoying to non-believers, as well as the key to its success!

It’s easy to call one self a Christian. I remember in my bible study group, there’s a statistic that claims about 2–5% Christians have actually read the entire bible. The reason I bring it up is because the bible doesn’t say to go onto the streets and shout the lords name and tell everyone they are going to hell. The truth is, the Christian way is to just live out your life as Jesus has and that is good enough in God’s eyes. The philosophy/psychology behind this is that a non believer will see how the Christian one lives and might want to strive to be like that. Of course, there are other Christians who believe screaming Jesus on the streets is the correct way. The purpose of being evangelical wasn’t go to some suburban rich persons area and ask them to believe, it’s to seek out the poor and those who are in despair and help them turn their live around through the gospel.

That’s like asking, “Does everyone that lives indoors feel that everyone else should practice indoor living too?” The answer is yes and no. I sure like living indoors and I’d encourage anyone else to do the same, but everyone is free to choose their own lifestyle. If you want to live out in the cold, feel free. I only feel an obligation to let you know there’s an alternative to outdoor living and let you choose.

As with Christianity, I am in awe and humbled that God loved me so much that he suffered and died in my place order to pay the penalty for the wrong things I’ve done. I like knowing that my eternal life is secure. And, I like knowing that God knows that no amount of praying, obedience, church attendance, giving, or good deeds can earn my way into Heaven; the bar is too high for any of us to reach without Him reaching out to us and offering a way out of our predicament. But that’s me. If anyone else wants to reject that kind of love and forgiveness, be my guest. I don’t understand that choice but you’re free to make it. I have no grudge or enmity towards anyone for choosing another religion.

Could I be wrong? I suppose. But I’ve been studying the Bible for 30 years and the more I study the more amazed I am at it’s message of grace.

Cheers.

I’m partly Jewish, partly Christian, partly Atheist, as I come from a multi-religious background. I’ll check with ⅓ of myself and get back to you about that.

It depends on the interpretation of the Bible, but it seems to be saying that if you don’t believe you won’t get into heaven. Many Christians don’t really believe the teachings of the Bible, but prefer to pick and choose those parts that fit the way they want things to be.

I am a Christian, and I would love it if everyone accepted Jesus, but I don’t think everyone should, like by force or law. Let people decide what they will, and I will weep for those I don’t meet in Heaven.

One thing I suggest people realize, America isn’t the only country that has a Christian population. Christianity is by far the largest group, Islam following by a close second. I used to be a Christian and when I was, I’ve never met any other Christian that believed everyone should a Christian, just that everyone should find Jesus or God in their own light. I believe this new “you must be a Christian or your going to Hell” thing is a fad. Before 9/11 there was more acceptance in our country, and now there’s been a surge of “reasons” for Christians to believe they have a higher moral standing ground. That’s all the reason why there are Christian hate groups (which by itself sounds crazy) running around boycotting people’s funerals and deeming themselves the judge and passing judgement on homosexuals when that’s not our job. It’s for the Lord to pass judgement, we just need to follow the rules.

This is not an easy question. God encourages us to bear witness WHEN ASKED, and to do what we can to make sure people realize how to get to heaven. But… God also stresses that our primary mode to accomplish this is by example. We, like God, are not willing that any should perish, but the old saying about leading a horse to water but being unable to make him drink applies. Each christian has to decide, prayerfully, how to behave toward non-christians. My personal preference is to realize that becoming a christian is a very personal process, and that the best thing I can do is endeavor to set a good example.

Being a former Baptist I gotta say those I was around believed that everyone should be a conservative, heterosexual, bible fluent, Christian.

I think sometimes we Christians hear the Great Commission “Go ye into all the world and preach my Gospel to every creature,” and think it means we have to warn people about hell.
Actually, “Gospel” is GOOD NEWS!
I believe our job is to live the good news. To be kind to everyone, feed the hungry, visit the imprisoned, care for the elderly and the sick, and bring hope to the hurting. What Christ did for me transformed me into the kind of person who wants to bring hope to the hopeless.
I don’t want to shame anyone into heaven, or scare them there. I don’t think he wants me to stand on a street corner with a bull horn. I think he wants me to BE goodness and kindness and not just talk about it.
St Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.

The Bible says that we should come to no one but the father.

To me, that pretty well eliminates everything else.

@King_Pariah The funny thing is John the Baptist was a Baptist, he wouldn’t know what a conservative is.

@Judi

Great answer, Judi! Exactly right! : ))

Becoming a christian is easy. The hard part is remaining one.

There is no such thing as an absolute answer to this question, so the answer is no, not all Christians think this. However, I will answer this in the terms of the majority of the Christian population.

Christianity is, by nature, a missionary faith, and Christians do generally believe that being Christian is the only way to salvation. That being said, this does not mean that all Christians, or even a majority of Christians will try to convert you to their beliefs. From my experience, I would say that the majority of Christians are very respectful of other religions (respect of the lack thereof being less common, but certainly still prevalent) and do not try to force their beliefs upon me.

I think that some people who have responded to this thread have failed to recognize the disconnect between thinking that all people would be better off were they Christian and actually trying to convert people. Thinking that all people should be Christian does not equal acting upon it.

In summary, I would have to say that, from my personal experiences and general knowledge of the religion, most Christians do think that everyone should be Christian, whether they act upon that thought or not.

Not this one.

They ought to; non-Christians do not end well, and Christianity is a faith that preaches compassion.

Other than the ones who come knocking on my door with leaflets and speeches and the ones who stand on the street corner handing out the same leaflets, no. But that said I have to admit I have met rabid christians and rabid atheists as well. Course I have also met rabid breast feeders, spankers and non spankers, etc. etc. So there is no absolute answer to this question.

I am not sure what I am and I don’t care what you are. Just don’t try to convert me to your way of thinking with an excess of words (remember actions speak louder). And I will afford you the same courtesy.

@Nullo If possible, I would like some clarification on you statement please.

I don’t care what religion you choose to follow providing it doesn’t negatively affect other people. I am Christian but I see similarities in most religions so I am often unsure why we are often at war with each other.

Many Christians I have encountered do believe that everyone should be Christian. I think most believe it because of how much they see Christianity as adding to their life. They are moved by the spirit if you will to try to help others bask in the glory of Jesus Christ the way they are able to. It is also my understanding that since Christians believe the one and only way to God and a spot in heaven is accepting Jesus Christ as one’s personal Lord and Savior and they really want that for everyone.

I think the Christians who do the best job of representing and who have the potential to lead the most people to Christ, are the ones who don’t talk about Christianity, but the ones who live it. Those who live their faith seem surrounded by a peace that comes across in everything they do, that is the best testimony I can imagine.

@Moegitto Nope, you actually read that correctly lol…...

@Blackberry I was afraid of that, lol

Mostly, they do, because this is what the Bible says that they MUST do. There is no real “good news” in the Bible, it is full of hell-fire & damnation, of cities & lives being destroyed, no tolerance at all. Slavery is encouraged, women are treated as having their only value as wives & mothers, & they are specifically instructed to NOT speak up in church (they must wait to get home & then ask their husbands if they have a question). When one grows up in a Christian church, they mostly accept these percepts, just like the Muslims do. If you reach the point that you no longer believe, they will turn on you in a heart-beat. Non-believers are the most distrusted/hated people on the planet.

@Linda_Owl

I’m sincerely sorry that you have had such a jaudiced and incorrect view of both the bible and christianity. My own experiences in a very few churches have been smiliar, but most of my experiences have been very different.

@CaptainHarley I have to disagree with you and agree with Linda Owl. The bible has many passages about slavery and womens “rights”. There is a actual passage saying how it’s right to beat your slave as long as they don’t die. Christians are by far the most hate filled religion out there. Even with Muslims killing themselves left and right they bear no ill will towards the enemy. Christians are the fundamental grounds for all our hate groups here (KKK, Westboro, Bare racists) and they use their religion to “justify” their hate as the right way to live. When I came to the realization that my ancestors were singing spirituals hoping God would come and help them when the bible specifically says slavery is right is when I realized that this world is being ran by an unjust hand using religion as a form of control. You don’t hear any ministers talking about that passage in the bible.

I’m Christian, but I don’t think all people should be. If you don’t really believe in God then why would it be right for me to judge you and say to believe in him. That doesn’t seem right to me. My own beliefs are mine and never pressed on others. I have to admit though I have met many Christians who believe everyone should be Christian or they will burn in hell.

@moegitto – There is no such thing as a fair and sane religion, they are all nuts, christians, muslims, jews etc. It is futile to argue which is the craziest or cruelest.

That does not necessarily mean there is no god or supreme creature of some sort.

@rooeytoo (Not trying to sound aggressive) I already said that I do believe in a higher being, but I just don’t know which principles to follow. And while it’s true that there’s no one perfect religion, we as humans have a higher instinct than animals. That’s means we shouldn’t just let something “tell” us what to do so much as let something give us guidelines on what to do. The bible doesn’t say, “you WILL open your home to every man”, it says you should. It’s also nowhere near futile to argue about what religion is the craziest because Christianity is the only religion that disagrees with every other one. The only religion Muslims have a problem with is the Jewish, and that’s not so much because of religion as it is because the two have been actively warring for centuries. Christianity has the highest convert from rate due mostly to it’s unfundamentally strict way of forcing it’s values on you, no other religion says if your not “insert religion” your going to hell. Even the Amish allow their kids to go out for one year and experiment before deciding to stay Amish for the rest of their lives. Heck, after deploying so much, I’ve learned that the Muslims actually respect Jesus Christ alot more than some Americans!

@Moegitto

Disagree all you like, nothing will change the fact that the core of christianity is to love God with all your heart and mind and strength, and to love your neighbor at least as much as you love yourself.

BTW… the Amish are christians.

The amish are hellish to their animals, the biggest offenders with regard to puppy mills. Muslims torture their animals before they finally slaughter them, in the name of some religious ritual. I have no respect for those who treat animals inhumanely.

I tell you they are all nuts.

The golden rule is the way I try to live, following that principle you can’t go too far wrong, unless of course you are a saddist.

@rooeytoo , I was under the impression that halal slaughter way more humane than what they do in American food production. I thought I heard that they American meat corporations electrocute the cows so their blood will coagulate so the sellable beef weighs more. I’m not sure how halal slaughter happens, but I believe they at least have to acknowledge the animal, unlike the factories our food is produced in.
Edit:
Just looked it up. It seems like halal is quick and painless with much more respect for the animal than corporate slaughter.

@Moegitto I normally just lurk these discussions but I just wanted to say that muslims and christians are always fighting in africa.
Also I don’t think this makes any sense:
“Christianity is the only religion that disagrees with every other one.”

@judi – Australia just had a moratorium on live cattle exports to Malaysia because of their horrendus treatment of the animals. Much film on telly showing the practice. Slit throat, run beast around so they bleed out properly, much hilarity in the process, beast bawling and wild eyed until it dropped. It was not pretty.

I agree that many abatoirs do not slaughter humanely that is why I only buy meat from known sources. So to be more humane than Americans is not really much of a step up. However at least electrocution, regardless of the reason, is fast and relatively painless. Running around with a slit throat does not appear to be.

@CaptainHarley Amish are to Christianity the way Eastern Orthodox are to Christianity. Just because they fall under the Christian tree doesn’t mean they follow it the way a regular Christian does. My mom is a Seven Day Adventist, which also falls under Christianity, if ou ask her what her religion is, she won’t say Christian. Also, I’ve already stated the core of most religions is what matters. People themselves can take that core and force it to mean what they want. A book is meant for reading but you can beat someone to death with one if you use it in that way.

@sneezedisease It’s not a Muslim vs Christian fight, it’s a cultural fight. If it was a Muslim vs Christian fight we here in america would have been having that same fight over here since the 60’s. DO a little research on countries that have a high majority of Christian and Muslim cultures in the same area and you can see most places don’t even mind the other. Only America tries to make something so black and white.