Why are people so offended and become easily irritable when Christians quote a verse, or say something "religious"?

I am sincerely not offended by quoting a verse or saying something religious in general. I am completely offended when people do that to justify hate, or stir shit up . I am offended when people use their religious beliefs to make laws affecting everyone, even those who don’t share their beliefs.

Some clues here.

I must also add this: when someone of, let’s say, Jewish faith or Hindu or Buddhist practice wants to share a teaching from their tradition, they usually say something like “In my religion we believe…” or “According to—tradition, ...” Many Christians have a way of announcing their beliefs in the form of universal truth, as if they owned it and owned it exclusively. It’s that arrogance that puts me off. And I speak as one who was raised to it and can quote Bible verses with the best of them.

[Edited to add: Some Christians, like cak, are respectful of others while expressing their beliefs and thus help redeem Christians generally from the very bad reputation fostered by some.]

I don’t get irritated by a quoted verse, or when someone says something religious – that’s fine. I will say something if I don’t agree with what has been said, like the recent question about Obama. I find those posts very counterproductive and will (at times) post my opinion. I think Christian or non-Christian, if you post something that inflammatory, you should expect a reaction. I also think that is the point of such questions.

I don’t say anything when someone announces they are atheist, agnostic or whether they worship the fire hydrant. I don’t think there is a point to say something rude, just because of someone’s belief or non-belief.

it get very annoying after a while.

I mostly dislike the way that some Christians assume that they are announcing fact when they quote scripture and expect everyone to accept it fully, without question, just because it is scripture. In a debate, especially one not dealing with religion, pulling out Bible verses isn’t going to prove anything to me. What Christians say does not automatically go just because they believe in it. It’s also one of the only religions that does that. I don’t think I’ve ever heard any Hindus going around quoting vedic texts.

I also really hate it when it is a Christian’s go-to comeback or retort to quote Scripture. I don’t believe it, so why do I have to listen to you?

If the scripture is appropriate, no problems. But if it is inflammatory, or if the scripture is being used to mean something it doesn’t, then I get a bit peeved.

Unfortunately, some of the most out-spoken Christians seem to forget they aren’t the only folks who follow a religion.

One last thing, haha, is that, for the most part, the kind of people who pull out scripture as evidence are quite selective in the passages they choose, entirely ignoring others. If you’re going to use it as evidence, you can’t cherry pick it like that, you have to use the whole thing. All or nothing, baby.

Sometimes quoting scripture during a debate is like saying “God is on my side.” Other times maybe it’s appropriate—but easy to take the wrong way if you don’t know the person you’re talking too.

In the Fluther thread linked above the questioner has linked to a gentleman who believes that God has spoken to him directly and said explicitly that he is angry with the US for electing Obama. In that context, it might not be surprising that quoting the Bible could be taken as a rhetorical move that says “God agrees with me” rather than as something more benign.

I think I see the source of this question in that other thread. Did you think AC was responding to you with “aren’t there any religious fundamentalist social networking sites”? I’m pretty sure he wasn’t directing that at you (and your scripture references), but at the question itself.

Just in case it isn’t clear, I was doing the same with the link up there^^. I wasn’t saying I found your quotes offensive.

I agree with much of the first two posts. I am happy if people are alive in their faith. I do not mind if they quote the Bible.

I do mind if they use it as a bludgeon to justify very unchristian actions or ideas.

Actually, there are such social networking sites.

A MySpace sort of thing: http://www.xianz.com/

And there are a bunch listed here: http://www.fusion101.com/services/101_christian_chat_room.htm

But if you want to win converts, why would you go to a site where everyone already believes? There’s no fun in “preaching to the choir,” you know.

By the way, that other question is currently being moderated. Apparently someone objected to it, or someone said something they shouldn’t have.

I suppose I got all the answers I suspected. I also suppose that I interject “religious” things quite a bit because of how I believe God has positively affected my life. I guess I can understand it getting old from your perspective.. I’m just anxious for others to feel what I feel. I appreciate all of your feedback. I am not one to ignore feedback so I can tone it down.. no problem. I completely understand.

Because most people use religion to say “Im better than you.”

NOTE: MOST (majority of religious people)

Good for you, @NaturalMineralWater. I think there are a lot of open-minded people here who are very willing to exchange thoughts with other open-minded people of all persuasions. It’s the aggressive single-minded dogmatic types who really get on people’s nerves and give believers of all stripes a bad name.

There’s the lurve.

We are tired of religion.

A lot of posters of religious themed questions or answers lose sight that spirituality and morality can exist without being religious.

Fluther’s population at large consists of a high proportion of fact-based, intellectual thinkers who have arrived at their spiritual life after a lot of careful consideration and examination. Evangelism is not appropriate in this context.

@AlfredaPrufrock You’re right, which is why I always put “religion” in quotes.. because I don’t subscribe to a “religion”. But ANYWAY!! On to other questions. xD

No need to feel offended or irritated, just say no thanks and leave them with their beliefs.
Stay cool folks…
Oh and it’s not only Christians who put it up front, lots of others do as well.
Go off and enjoy your own god or idol or whatever and leave these wee people to be happy with themselves…
It takes all sorts…

because historically and in my experience its an avenue to start bible bashing and preaching..which unless you are a Christian you don’t want to hear

It’s not the mention of religion or the citing of verses; it’s the attitude with which it’s frequently done, and the assumption that (a) Christianity is the only correct religion; (b) the speaker’s interpretation of the verse is correct.

In my experience, when someone brings up his or her religion outside of a context where religion itself is being specifically discussed, it stops the discussion. Instead of actually considering something on its merits, it turns the discussion into “God said so.”

And when someone cites a single verse in support of an argument, it’s almost always the case (again, in my experience) that the argument then rests on a simplistic interpretation of that one verse; if you look at the larger context that the verse is in, it often makes the argument a lot more problematic, and occasionally contradicts the argument the speaker is trying to make. Usually it seems that citing a single verse is just a way of thumping the Bible at someone who is unlikely to know the Bible well enough to refute the argument.

The reason I asked the question is because I just didn’t understand why if someone dislikes religion thrown at them, why would they even bother to respond in a thread that is religious in nature? It got me to thinking… you know… almost everywhere I get the same caustic cynicism in response to even mild “evangelism”.. what’s the deal yo? beeooopp beooop beoooppp we’ve been hit captain! the USS Logic is going down fast.. save yourseeellvvesss beoopp beooop beoopp

But I get it.. I read you loud and clear.. lol..that’s a roger Houston… you’ve all made some excellent points and I can respect that. If you spray a horse with a high pressure fire hose he’s not likely to take a drink.

@NaturalMineralWater: because there’s a difference between discussing religious matters and “throwing” religion at someone. If someone is puzzling through matters that have a religious content, it’s far more helpful (and likely to be better received) if someone else does not say “Because God said so. SomeBook 6:10–12 makes it crystal clear,” as if that is sufficient to answer the question and end the discussion.

Especially if that person is not convinced of the relevance of the Bible, and even more so if the person is convinced of the relevance of the Bible, has read John, and thinks that SomeBook 6:10–12 taken out of context completely contradicts what the rest of SomeBook 6 says.

@cwilbur All I’m sayin is that if you go into a bakery.. regardless of whatever other products they have to offer… expect to see some bread.

I don’t think people mind when the individual quotes ONE thing. But even I, who IS Catholic, mind when someone starts quoting a lot. I think I unconsciously say to myself one (or all) of the following: “This person’s a weirdo”, “This person’s a hippocrate”, “We’re no longer having a conversation. We’re having a religious conversation. Barf!”, “By quoting the scriptures, this person is vicariously assuming the role of God and, therefore, preaching and talking down to me and I want to punch him in the nose”.

Very thought provoking responses here, we got some thinkers in dah house! Excellent! Thank you NaturalMineralWater for posing this question, as I am a Christian myself and have frequently encountered this response from others in the past. Not so much any more as I’ve changed my tactics with some…uh, well tact!
:p
So much of sharing the Bible has to do with delivery, and if its done poorly, people may shoot the messenger for that reason, but some shoot the messenger, because of the MESSAGE as well!
It all boils down to this really. Its been said by some here that Christians think that their way is the ONLY way, that they have some monopoly on the truth.
Examine Jesus’ own words; Christians don’t have to make such a claim for themselves, as Jesus says that He IS the Truth, and that He IS THE Way (not one of different ways made available to various cultures, etc.). He IS the Life (John 14:6 for those who’d like to check that out: those that don’t, ignore what I just said ; )
Now I hope this messenger (yours truly) doesn’t get shot for this message; I mean I desire to grow in holiness, I just don’t wanna get there from bullet holes. X D
That’s a very radical claim that Jesus made! In the greek, He did in fact say, THE Truth, etc.
How can He say that? What about the millions of Muslims, Hindus, Jews, etc? Isn’t their Way valid? Aren’t all religions basically the same, teaching the same Truths?
Essentially comparing the Bible to other religious books, there are some similarities, certainly. But the fundamental core of the foundational doctrines are entirely different.
Where all religions are the same is that in each, requirements from the practisioner in order to merit favor from Deity, to receive blessings, to acheive a state of bliss/heaven, what have you are acquired by obeying certain rules, laws, practises, rituals, sacrifices, etc. Essentially, its something that the practisioner has to work at!
Before I understood the gospel, as a Christian in name only, I didn’t understand that this modus operandi was incorrect. As a Christian, I myself tried to earn my way to heaven.
The Gospel and religion in general are contrary in that religion says to the practisioner, ‘You must do’ whereas the Gospel says to the penitant, ‘It is done’.
Thats what Jesus said from the cross when He said, “It is finished” That wasn’t a cry of despair and defeat, that was a declaration of triumph! In the greek, the word used there is “tetelestoi” or “paid in full”. Its actually an accounting term, referring to a debt that has been entirely paid off. It was also a word used in prison sentences, when an inmate paid his debt to society and fulfilled his term of imprisonment, they would write on a document, tetelestoi, so that he couldn’t be charged with the same crime twice. The concept of salvation by grace (that is ‘unmerited favor’) is unique to Christianity in that God Himself, as the Son Christ Jesus, paid the price for our sins, and offers us heaven, relationship to the Father, accounting righteousness to our account, FREE of charge to us.
A favorite acronym of mine is G.R.A.C.E.= Gods Riches Attributed at Christ’s Expense. It is this exclusivity I think that many find offense at… but listen…
Heres the rub ladies and gentlemen: So what if Jesus said He was THE truth, way and life? So what if the ‘Bible says so’? That doesn’t make it true, just because its written down; you can’t believe EVERYTHING you read!
All true. (I had to delete over half of this entry due to its extreme length, but if any one wants to read the rest of what I have to say re: authenticity of the Bible, feel free to email me @ KNYHTF1RE@aol.com)

I talk about the Baha’i faith and my views on religion and spirituality a lot on Fluther and I don’t really get much derision thrown at me. Sure there are definitely challeneges to my thoughts, but I appreciate that because it gives me a chance to study and learn more or to reaffirm my beliefs. I also like it when I am shown a new way to look at a given issue.

The difference may be that I don’t use my morality or personal expectations as a basis for judging others. Everyone learns in their own way. If there are disagreements, all I can do is share my view and offer some quotes to help frame my thoughts.

The point about people coming to a thread about religion to just throw in some irreverent comment is certainly true. My best guess as to why people would to that is because, if they do not believe in God, they have probably been exposed to a certain amount of proselytizing and condemnation in their real lives and Fluther is a good safe place to vent that frustration since it is more on the atheist side than not.

@fireside, I’m not so sure Fluther’s as much atheist-leaning as it is agnostic.

@AlfredaPrufrock – That’s probably a fair assessment.

When all is said and done, religion is a personal thing. Kudos to all who chose to stay with their religion in these times, where I guess keeping faith might be a hard thing. And I respect that!

But here’s the thing:

I don’t believe in the word of the bible, or the god that is written abouth there.
When the bible and god or jesus is used as a reference in a discussion, it’s like quoting a storybook; VERY difficult to take serious.

The question in this tread is why people are offended and irritable when christians quote a verse or say something ‘religious’.
I as a non-christian take it as an insult, when I’m supposed to accept (what I believe is) a storybook as a serious referece in a discussion! I feel that my intellect is offended, and that provokes irritation and a general unwillingness to continue the discussion.

changed my mind, holding my tongue

The answer to your original question is simple:

“the same reason Christians get irritated when non-fanatics say something rational or quote scientific facts rather than religious crap”

It is insulting when someone is trying to have a reasonable, civilised discussion with you and your answer is “things are so because I say so. And I know it’s true because I read it in some book written 2000 years ago by some people who never even met Jesus”. There are many arguments going for the existence of God, and there are good elements in every religion, but just because you are irrational and ignorant, does not mean you should expect everyone else to be so too.

As a Christian, I am offended by people who claim that their particular version of a much translated version of a non-contemporaneous set of writings is the sole truth of the world. There have been many great people in history who have brought the same message to the world and I respect the people of those religions.

I am a Christian for the same reason I am an American. I was raised with certain beliefs that I have been able to reconcile with the world I live in. I don’t claim to know a one and only TRUTH that all people must live by. (Luckily I was raised as a Catholic and taught I will know the truth only when I die) I also deny anybody has the right to impose their “truth” on others.

Fluther is a discussion site, not a because-it-says-so-in-my-book-so-you-have-to-accept-it site.

@NaturalMineralWater: when I’m in a bakery, I expect to see bread. I do not expect to be pelted with day-old stone-hard rolls, and when I make it clear that I’m there for cookies instead, continuing to try to sell me bread is just rude.

When I’m in a bakery I expect coffee, a small baguette, and some butter. Cheese is an added bonus. And I expect a lovely seat near the window, looking out onto a clear spring morning. I expect beautiful women to try to catch my eye as they pass by, but I’m too busy reading a very good book—possibly something french or russian. Then I expect to do some writing in my notebook, and then I expect to go outside and have an adventure involving possibly a dog and a kite and a long but not too terribly difficult hike.

That sounds to me like religion as it ought to be, @bob. Man cannot live by bread alone.

Along the bakery lines. Assuming the bakery is fluther. If I did come to the bakery for a cookie, and another customer tries to convince me to buy some bread, that customer should be willing to accept a response from me regardless if I like the bread or not.
xtian: “Oh this poppy seed loaf is the only good thing this bakery makes.”
atheist: “I’ve tried poppy seed and it makes me break out in hives, I’m here for a cookie.”

@all Well I’m glad you’ve all been able to continue the discussion while my internet has been out. xD I see some funny bakery stories and some of the same things I’ve seen over the years as far as responses. Wow, you guys took the bakery thing over the top.. lol.. it’s not even my analogy anymore.

What’s funny is that I get some of the same caustic rigidity I’m asking about in answer to a question about said causticity. I wonder if there’s some special inner turmoil about this subject that makes it so sensitive? Were I to just as passionately support Sidhatta Gotama’s three basic truths would I receive the same cynicism? Or if instead I thought Gerald Gardner had the secret answer.. and I desperately wanted everyone to help me mix up a magical soup? Is there some subliminal nerve inherent to us as humans that is being struck when the subject of God arises?

If Sidhatta Gotama was part of our heritage, and had a political agenda that permeated a significant portion of the the American psyche, you would get the same push-back. The evangelistic segment crams Christianity down American throats at every turn, and it’s wearing. Also, a significant portion of this segment “talks the talk” but doesn’t “walk the walk.”

My director at work posted this on our team website, and it made me think of this question:

There are more than six billion people in the world today. If this world were shrunk to the size of a village of 100 people, what would it look like?

The village would have 60 Asians, 14 Africans, 12 Europeans, 8 Latin Americans, 5 from the USA and Canada and 1 from the South Pacific

50 would be women, 50 would be men; 30 would be children, 70 would be adults; 70 would be non-white, 30 would be white; 90 would be heterosexual, 10 would be homosexual

33 would be Christians, 67 would be non-Christian

15 would speak Chinese, Mandarin; 7 English; 6 Hindi; 6 Spanish; 5 Russian; 4 Arabic; 3 Bengali – The other would speak Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French, or some other language

20 are undernourished, 1 is dying of starvation while 15 are overweight

Of the wealth in this village, 6 people own 59% (all of them from the U.S.), 74 people own 39%, and 20 people share the remaining 2%

15 adults are illiterate, 1 has a university degree, 7 have computers

In one year, 1 person in the village will die, but in the same year, 2 babies will be born, so that at the year’s end the number of villagers will be 101

If you have money in the bank, money in your wallet and spare change somewhere around the house, you are among the richest eight

What is the significance of the number of Christians? I’m not sure what your point is.

God has a political agenda? Where is all this “cramming”? Does hypocrisy nullify a belief system?

I’m just trying to get onto the same page with you.

I’m also not sure what the number of Christians worldwide has to do with the American psyche and governmental policy.

A more relevant set of information would be:
Polling data from the 2001 ARIS study, described below, indicate that:
– 81% of American adults identify themselves with a specific religion:
– 76.5% (159 million) of Americans identify themselves as Christian. This is a major slide from 86.2% in 1990. Identification with Christianity has suffered a loss of 9.7 percentage points in 11 years—about 0.9 percentage points per year. This decline is identical to that observed in Canada between 1981 and 2001. If this trend has continued, then:
– at the present time (2007-MAY), only 71% of American adults consider themselves Christians
– The percentage will dip below 70% in 2008
– By about the year 2042, non-Christians will outnumber the Christians in the U.S.

————————
So there you go, if by 2042 the US government has not made changes to reflect the growing plurality of beliefs, then there is reason to worry. However saying that Christianity has dominated the American psyche in the past is probably just a reflection of the vast majority of Christians that have been living in this country.

Lawmakers vote based on what their constituents would want, ideally. If three fourths of their constituents are Christian, then they would have a perfectly logical reason for continuing to vote for Christian-friendly policies. It’s not right and it exposes a weakness in our political system, but that is the way it is right now. Bashing non-evangelical Christians because you are mad at the others, is kind of silly.

Significance of the number of Christians: Who talks the most about their religion, and with such certainty that it is the only path to God? Why, when they are not the majority (in the world)?

God may not have a political agenda, but the far right evangelical Christians certainly do.

Have you agreed with the popular vote in every single presidential election? If not, I guess you were wrong. You see how that doesn’t make any sense?

Far right evangelical Christians have no more of an agenda than those of the far left. People have different viewpoints.. that’s just reality.

@fireside I wonder, given the statistics you mentioned, what other statistics would change in direct proportion.

Maybe less instances of religious intolerance because everyone’s beliefs are being respected equally?

I’m not sure why you’re associating Christianity with religious intolerance.

I was thinking more along the lines of churches disappearing across the nation.. God falling out of society.. I wonder what the effect would be.. apparently we’ll find out.

I was thinking of the threads on Fluther.

People are not as tolerant of religion or religious discussions because they feel as though they have been left out of the governmental policy decisions. There is intolerance because Christianity is assumed to be somehow controlling policy makers.

If there were less than half Christians, then policy makers would probably be more inclusive and there would be less begrudging, maybe.

America is a land of many. There are many different religious beliefs, there are many cultures, there are many languages even. If Christians were no longer the majority, why assume that God would fall out of society?

God is in many cultures and religions.

Interesting idea even if I disagree. =D

The “Christian God” isn’t in many “religions”. I wonder what would happen if He fell out of society.. which I believe He slowly is.

In my opinion, the “Christian God” is in Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i faith.
But I do see that you are talking about the teachings about God being different in each of those religions which is sort of true.

I fail to see the relevance this discussion has to the original question. The problem lies not with Christianity, or whether there are many or few Christians in the world. There could be one Christian, and than one could hold the fundamental Truth.

But the point is how do you go about persuading people that, for whatever reason, chose to use their brains rather than dogma. Quoting verse is similar to lawyers quoting Constitution. You have to all agree that the source is accepted before you even start. And what annoys non-Christians (or generally people who may not take the Bible literally) is this insistence to use a frame of reference that is not accepted by all.

And all you guys are stupid because, as we all know, the real God is called Aslan and he was the one who created our world through His Song. It says so in the first Book of Narnia, chapter 2, line 1.

@Jack79 – Actually, Aslan is called by many names in many worlds. In Narnia, he is called Aslan.
Just about done reading it.

@Jack79 Conversations are perpetuated by tributaries. I’m perfectly ok with it.

If someone pushes an opinion my way, I’ve been brought up to politely say ” No thank you ” and to move on if I don’t want to buy into it…
This issue isn’t about picking on any particular religion just the fact that someone is forcing their beliefs onto you Christian or otherwise…
If you say no thanks in a nice manner it is usually accepted…

In our city there is an advertising campaign on the sides of the busses inviting people to learn about Islam. My first thought is OH, NO proselytizing Muslims. Nobody wants to hear “Have you accepted Mohammed as your personal prophet?” <;P

My family now has a Muslim connection, after my son married his Indonesian girlfriend from West Java.
I must say visiting her family, twice now in West Java has given me a whole new insight into the muslim way of life in a small village situation.
All the village have accepted us in the most open and friendly manner and it is a pleasure to now call lot’s of them our friends.
Never once has any islamic message been preached to us, they fully accept us for who we are.

I am not surprised mij. Though there is a religious explanation for this, as well as all the other ones. Muslims accept everything that Christianity believes in, just like Christians accept Judaism. But for us the entire Jewish Scriptures are called “Old Testament” and we have added a “New Testament” to it. Jews do not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Similarly, Muslims see Jesus as one of the most important prophets, but for them he was superceded by Mohammed, whom they see as the greatest of all. So they have the same respect for Jesus as Christians do for, say, Moses. I have often seen Muslims in Christian churches too, and they always show respect.

Of course your son’s in-laws are probably just nice people and don’t think at all along religious lines.

America was founded by Christians (and Deists, and Deists who became Christians) and much of the Constitution is based on the Judeo-Christian ethic. Today is a very different world than then however, and its fair to say we are living at the cusp of a post-Christian America.
What religious discipline would allow for tolerance, and acceptance of a central diety figure? There isn’t any at present, however a one world religion is on its way, and will receive all manner of belief systems, with the blatant exception of biblical Christianity, due to its exclusive claims as recorded in scripture.

@Jack79 I think you have it wrong. mij’s in-laws probably didn’t force their religion because the don’t believe they have to NOT because they don’t ‘think’ along religious lines. The Muslim people I know live their religion rather than just occasionally think about it. It is part of the way they eat, dress and speak. It is part of their daily schedule and how they interact with others. That interaction includes generosity to visitors and definitely not cross-examining people about religion. Their religious conscience is personal and they are strong enough in their beliefs that they don’t have to resort to coercion like some Christians,

what did I get wrong? You just repeated more or less what I said in your own words. When I say they don’t think along religious lines I don’t mean they are not religious. I just mean they do not see that as a dividing line with other people, and can accept that their daughter can be married to someone from a different religion. Of course it could also be that they were against that marriage but had no choice, or something else. I don’t even know the people. I’m just assuming they respect mij’s religion, even if they disagree with it (in the same way most New Yorkers respect Jews).

@TheKNYHT

“What religious discipline would allow for tolerance, and acceptance of a central deity figure?”
the Baha’i faith

I don’t follow any religious path or bent, well I believe in nature and that things happen for a reason, but not through some god or higher being, that I cannot accept as I have never seen any proof. No I’m not knocking anyone else’s beliefs I think it’s good to hold onto something… For me it just happens to be the sun comes up, and the sun goes down.
I’m happy with that.
Our family are accepted by our Muslim relatives and they just get on with their daily lives as they always have.
We have accepted our Muslim family into our lives and nothing has changed for us.
We are all just one big happy family when were together, with religion not being an issue. I do think respect is the main thing, if we all go swimming, our girls will cover up in respect for the others, no big issue, and beats getting sunburn…
I did get given a free copy of the Koran from our local mosque in Perth and invited in and made most welcome with a cup of tea thrown in, remember I’m Scottish! mainly because I wanted to check up on wedding protocols as I was asked to give a speech, which was translated into Indonesian as I made it. Boy was that fun.
Oh the wedding was alcohol free as well, a great time was had by all, I did have a wee dram before I went to bed that night out of respect for my Scottish/Irish forbearers.
Yes people a wee bit of RESPECT goes a long way…

Our earth is dominated by the minions of Satan.

You’re wrong, minions are a minority group

But what if you have a minyan of minions?

I am certain that a minyan of minions will have no men Yans at least not Orthodox, possibly Reformed.

But they will be a quorum, will they not?

lol4rl

Because they are not as open minded as they thought they were.

@lukiarobecheck Interesting. So their close mindedness leads to that barrier of communication. I would venture a guess that it’s the same both directions of course.. if you don’t converse with an open mind the conversation will eventually go sour.

Yes, people are very sensitive to hearing Scripture or “God language.” One of the main things that can upset people is if someone comes across superior because “God told them.” This usually irritates the listener because how do you argue with God? Engaging with non-believers is essential and usually sharing our personal testimony when asked is safest. Some Christian dating sites like http://www.ChristianCrush.com encourage members to share their personal testimony, which is helpful because you can’t argue with someone’s story and it helps you to really get to know their spiritual journey.