Permissability of lying in proselytising?

[OttomanScribe]

What is the Christian understanding of deception in the path of proselytising?

I am asking because of the recent exposure of Ergun Caner as a fraud (something I have known ever since I heard one of his speeches).

Is it okay for a Christian to make up falsities about themselves or their religion in order to appeal more to those they wish to convert?

I mean if it is, I don't know if I could find out, because then it would be fine for people not to answer me lol.

 

[razeontherock]

Is it okay for a Christian to make up falsities about themselves or their religion in order to appeal more to those they wish to convert?

"Is it ok" really depends on who you're asking, aka who's standards you're concerned with.

If the person you're asking says "yes," they're not converting anyone to Christianity!

 

[OttomanScribe]

"Is it ok" really depends on who you're asking, aka who's standards you're concerned with.

I am concerned primarily with the consensus of scholars in your religion. Failing that the consensus of your co-religionists. Quite simply, how acceptable are the actions of the man I mentioned?

 

[Sketcher]

No. Satan is the father of lies, there's no reason for us to lie in the name of converting others.

 

[drich0150]

Is it okay for a Christian to make up falsities about themselves or their religion in order to appeal more to those they wish to convert?

Christ uses the illustration of a foolish man building his house upon the sand to describe what it is like when a man hears the word of Christ and does nothing to put them into practice in his life.

I believe it is the same when one lies in order to gain new converts. It may be easier to build a large number, by telling people the kind of things they like to hear. It is also easier to build a house upon the sand. But when the rain come the House on the sand has no foundation to support it. Like wise, when trials come to these "new believers" for instances: "their leader has being proved a lier" then their faith much like the House on the sand will come tumbling down.

This is why we are told to build our houses (faith) on the Rock. It may take longer to build and it may not be as big as a faith built on sand, but in the end what you do build will last.

Matt: 7

 

[Criada]

God is truth, Jesus described Himself as 'the Way, the Truth and the Light'. Lying cannot have any part in the truth, nor the works of darkness with Light.
So, no, it is not acceptable. We are, however, imperfect humans, and sadly we often fail to reflect God in what we say and do.

 

[ebia]

What is the Christian understanding of deception in the path of proselytising?

I am asking because of the recent exposure of Ergun Caner as a fraud (something I have known ever since I heard one of his speeches).

Is it okay for a Christian to make up falsities about themselves or their religion in order to appeal more to those they wish to convert?

No.

[quoteI mean if it is, I don't know if I could find out, because then it would be fine for people not to answer me lol.[/quote]
indeed. Except that its a pretty fundamental claim of Christianity that we don't do secret stuff - that was one of the big objections to the Gnostic heresy. Everything is out there in the public domain, the full scriptures are there to be read.

 

[berachah]

What is the Christian understanding of deception in the path of proselytising?

Is it okay for a Christian to make up falsities about themselves or their religion in order to appeal more to those they wish to convert?

You know the scriptures.....what is the point of this thread, other than, as with all your others, to attempt to smear Christians and Christianity?

You shouldn't post in "Exploring Christianity". Perhaps start a new category; something like...."Subtly disguised innuendos as genuine interest"

 

[silence_dogood]

What is the Christian understanding of deception in the path of proselytising?

I am asking because of the recent exposure of Ergun Caner as a fraud (something I have known ever since I heard one of his speeches).

Is it okay for a Christian to make up falsities about themselves or their religion in order to appeal more to those they wish to convert?

I mean if it is, I don't know if I could find out, because then it would be fine for people not to answer me lol.

Unlike Muslims, we do not believe in the idea of taqiyya.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

I am asking because of the recent exposure of Ergun Caner as a fraud (something I have known ever since I heard one of his speeches).

Of course its not okay to lie while proselytizing. However, I think that exaggeration is a temptation of public speakers and of people in ministry. It is a competitive line of work.

I remember my pastor told this funny anecdote of when he was a kid during a sermon.

A few months later, a visiting pastor (who had mentored my pastor) told the exact anecdote. Both had recited this anecdote in the first person, as though it had happened to them.

Obviously, my pastor had lifted the anecdote and told it during the sermon as if it had happened to him. No big deal, since it was just a silly little jokey anecdote, but it made me wonder if he bent the truth in other areas as well. It wasn't a mere bending of the truth, he pretty much told a bald-faced lie, but as it was comic relief and didn't hinge on the gospel message, I guess he felt it didn't matter.

 

[DoctorJosh]

What is the Christian understanding of deception in the path of proselytising?

I am asking because of the recent exposure of Ergun Caner as a fraud (something I have known ever since I heard one of his speeches).

Is it okay for a Christian to make up falsities about themselves or their religion in order to appeal more to those they wish to convert?

I mean if it is, I don't know if I could find out, because then it would be fine for people not to answer me lol.

To deceive is fraud. Actually is against the law to commit fraud. If he is doing it to make money, fraud is a felony when deceiving people to make money. If he is just deceiving people (it is a lie plain and simple) then he will be facing God over it on Judgment Day. On that Day, people will claim they did great things for Jesus and Jesus will simply say, I don't know you. So, those who use the word of God to make money, to deceive others, to use the word to make themselves famous, all of them are on that fine line of being told Jesus does not know them. They are the worst kind of people in my opinion, to use a lie to mislead people to make money, to use the word of God and lie about themselves to make money, they are scum in my book and Jesus will Judge them upon their evil deeds. If you know the person it is time to correct them, it may just save them. If you care enough about them, then you should care enough to correct them. If it is on TV, just turn the channel. Let God handle it. God Bless.