Pope Francis Tells Christians Not to Try to Convert Nonbelievers

[rangerrebew]

Pope Francis Tells Christians Not to Try to Convert Nonbelievers

Ben White/Unsplash
Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.22 Dec 201925,986

ROME — Pope Francis told Christian high school students this weekend they should respect people of other faiths and not attempt to convert them to Christianity, insisting “we are not living in the times of the crusades.”

Asked by one of the students Friday how a Christian should treat people of other faiths or no faith, the pope said that “we are all the same, all children of God” and that true disciples of Jesus do not proselytize.

Francis said that his experience growing up in Argentina with its waves of immigration was a great help in learning to respect other people.

https://www.breitbart.com/faith/2019/12/22/pope-francis-tells-christians-not-to-try-to-convert-nonbelievers/

[rangerrebew]

In other words, "don't piss off Muslims because, to me, it looks like Allah is stronger than the God of Christianity."  So sayeth the Pope.

[Idiot]

Pope Francis Tells Christians Not to Try to Convert Nonbelievers

Ben White/Unsplash
Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.22 Dec 201925,986

ROME — Pope Francis told Christian high school students this weekend they should respect people of other faiths and not attempt to convert them to Christianity, insisting “we are not living in the times of the crusades.”

Asked by one of the students Friday how a Christian should treat people of other faiths or no faith, the pope said that “we are all the same, all children of God” and that true disciples of Jesus do not proselytize.

Francis said that his experience growing up in Argentina with its waves of immigration was a great help in learning to respect other people.

https://www.breitbart.com/faith/2019/12/22/pope-francis-tells-christians-not-to-try-to-convert-nonbelievers/

[PeteS in CA]

What Francis actually said (well down in the article):

“You must be consistent with your faith,” he said. “It never occurred to me (and nor should it) to say to a boy or a girl: ‘You are Jewish, you are Muslim: come, be converted!’ You be consistent with your faith and that consistency is what will make you mature. We are not living in the times of the crusades.”

“The last thing I should do is to try to convince an unbeliever. Never,” he said. “The last thing I should do is speak. I should live my faith with consistency. And it will be my witness that will awaken the curiosity of the other who may then ask: ‘But why do you do this?’ And yes, then I can speak.”

“But listen, the gospel is never, ever advanced through proselytism,” he continued. “If someone says he is a disciple of Jesus and comes to you with proselytism, he is not a disciple of Jesus. Proselytism is not the way; the Church does not grow by proselytism.”

IOW, the article headline is misleading at best. One can disagree with how he said evangelism should be done, but he did not forbid it.

Part of the background to his remarks is that Argentina and other South American countries have experienced significant growth by Evangelical Christian groups, who are less passive in their outreach than Francis urges. IMO, Francis, as a leader in Argentina, should have learned rather than rejected and envied; and maybe read the Book of Acts.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Exactly opposite to what Jesus told the disciples to do.

Apostasy.

[Chosen Daughter]

Exactly opposite to what Jesus told the disciples to do.

Apostasy.

Well if the Catholic Church revolves around the Pope I would say he has finally made the church irrelevant.  If you take away the mission there is no church.  No purpose, no church.

This is happening in other Christian churches also. 

I'm not trying to convert the Jewish people to the Christian faith... In fact, trying to convert Jews is a waste of time. Jews already have a covenant with God and that has never been replaced by Christianity.

-John Hagee

Sadly both of these people know what is written in the Bible but they deny Jesus.

[mountaineer]

Thanks for posting what he said, Pete, but I have to wonder whether he ever has read Acts 2, let alone Paul's various epistles. What does he think Paul was doing in all his travels?

[Wingnut]

What Francis actually said (well down in the article):

IOW, the article headline is misleading at best. One can disagree with how he said evangelism should be done, but he did not forbid it.

Part of the background to his remarks is that Argentina and other South American countries have experienced significant growth by Evangelical Christian groups, who are less passive in their outreach than Francis urges. IMO, Francis, as a leader in Argentina, should have learned rather than rejected and envied; and maybe read the Book of Acts.

You are a good man Charlie Brown!   

[Absalom]

Repeating, the Almighty is merciful as this buffoon is 83 not 38!!!
Don't be shocked if it's revealed that Frankie was unconsciously talking
about himself when he told Christians not to try converting non-believers;
as his Catholic Faith is about as robust as that of my neighbor's Beagle!!!

[Chosen Daughter]

Repeating, the Almighty is merciful as this buffoon is 83 not 38!!!
Don't be shocked if it's revealed that Frankie was unconsciously talking
about himself when he told Christians not to try converting non-believers;
as his Catholic Faith is about as robust as that of my neighbor's Beagle!!!

Trying not to laugh.

[Absalom]

Permit another reflection about Frankie Boy!
After slapping a woman's hands in St.Peter's Square,
he immediately raced for cameras to apologize; and
I instantly realized that he was AOC all in white!!!
So a suggestion; this mensch belongs on tee-vee and
I know exactly where; on the VIEW embedded between
Joyless Baggage and Whoopsie Daisy.
Imagine the piety, the sanctimony, the sentimentality;
are we blessed or what ???????????????????????????

[EdinVA]

...learning to respect other people....

Don't have a dog is this fight but respect is a two way street.
If it is only one way, you get run over.

[Sighlass]

What Francis actually said (well down in the article):

IOW, the article headline is misleading at best. One can disagree with how he said evangelism should be done, but he did not forbid it.

Ok, the headline should read "Pope says not to talk to other folks of religion with the intention of converting them and if you do you are not a true Christian...... and then he quotes a poem that is not historically accurate to shame Christians.

[Victoria33]

"ROME — Pope Francis told Christian high school students this weekend they should respect people of other faiths and not attempt to convert them to Christianity,..."

He means do this as Christ did it.  Christ taught in public and it was up to the individual person to accept it or not.  He did not force anyone to believe.  During the crusades, people were beaten and killed if they did not accept the church's belief and give what they had to the church.  Today, the Pope means live in the love of Christ and help others who need help but don't try to force people to your way of thinking.

[bigheadfred]

"ROME — Pope Francis told Christian high school students this weekend they should respect people of other faiths and not attempt to convert them to Christianity,..."

He means do this as Christ did it.  Christ taught in public and it was up to the individual person to accept it or not.  He did not force anyone to believe.  During the crusades, people were beaten and killed if they did not accept the church's belief and give what they had to the church.  Today, the Pope means live in the love of Christ and help others who need help but don't try to force people to your way of thinking.

Well if that is the case he needs to learn how to STFU.

[Chosen Daughter]

Well if that is the case he needs to learn how to STFU.

What I would say, sort of. 

[PeteS in CA]

I know this is a repeat of my post near the beginning of the thread, it seems some are criticizing Francis for something he didn't actually say. Re-run:

What Francis actually said (well down in the article):

“You must be consistent with your faith,” he said. “It never occurred to me (and nor should it) to say to a boy or a girl: ‘You are Jewish, you are Muslim: come, be converted!’ You be consistent with your faith and that consistency is what will make you mature. We are not living in the times of the crusades.”

“The last thing I should do is to try to convince an unbeliever. Never,” he said. “The last thing I should do is speak. I should live my faith with consistency. And it will be my witness that will awaken the curiosity of the other who may then ask: ‘But why do you do this?’ And yes, then I can speak.”

“But listen, the gospel is never, ever advanced through proselytism,” he continued. “If someone says he is a disciple of Jesus and comes to you with proselytism, he is not a disciple of Jesus. Proselytism is not the way; the Church does not grow by proselytism.”

IOW, the article headline is misleading at best. One can disagree with how he said evangelism should be done, but he did not forbid it.

I'll go a little farther. What Francis said is the way to evangelize has been called "Lifestyle Evangelism" in Evangelical circles. The problem is not with the method Francis proposed, but in his saying that it is the way to evangelize. In so saying, he disregarded what the Book of Acts says of evangelism in the 1st Century church.

But criticizing Francis for saying not to evangelize at at is to criticize him for something he did not say.

[sneakypete]

Ok,I am probably not the most religious person posting here,but WTH IS THIS GUY THINKING??????

He HAS to be senile. Is there no mechanism in place for the Cardinals to remove his ass and replace him with someone within shouting distance of sane?

Hell,this goober actually slapped the hand of a woman reaching out to touch him as he passed by her yesterday.

[Applewood]

When I was a young girl in Catholic Sunday School, we kids were taught that we should go out and convert all non-Catholics.  I lived in a predominantly Catholic town, but the only non-Catholic I knew was a friend of my older  brother.  This friend was a big, strapping fella even as a kid.  No way was I going to try to convert him.  He'd squash me like a bug.

[truth_seeker]

Why are Protestant "evangelicals," even interested in the Catholic Pope?

[mountaineer]

Why are Protestant "evangelicals," even interested in the Catholic Pope?

He's a prominent figure in the world, who opines on the major issues of the day as if people should listen to him. Why are Americans interested in the British royals? We're allowed to venture beyond our own four walls, now and again.

[don-o]

Wow! Religion threads on TBR.
Don't make me get @Mrs Don-o over here.

[bigheadfred]

Wow! Religion threads on TBR.
Don't make me get @Mrs Don-o over here.

This isn't a Religion thread. This about the Pope.

[Applewood]

He's a prominent figure in the world, who opines on the major issues of the day as if people should listen to him. Why are Americans interested in the British royals? We're allowed to venture beyond our own four walls, now and again.

Popes used to exert considerable influence  in world affairs and sometimes it was for the good.  John Paul II , for example, fought Communism.  This pope though is a meddlesome jerk who encourages Americans to break the law by welcoming illegal aliens and phony refugees, and if they don't, then they are branded as sinners.  The H with him.  Why doesn't he house all these "poor" people in his palatial abodes and take care of them?

[thackney]

This isn't a Religion thread. This about the Pope.