Christian lied about faith to survive Saudi siege

Reuters ^ | 31 May 2004 14:43:21 GMT | Samia Nakhoul

[Freedom2specul8]

Discretion can be an ugly word.

The great Christian philosophical question:
Would God condone lying to save the lives of others? If we are true Christians, lying is not going to send us to hell..obviously.

[Freedom2specul8]

Excellent discussion going on..take care and good night.

[Tennessean4Bush]

If we are true Christians, lying is not going to send us to hell..obviously.

Ahh, so you do allow a little casuistry. There may yet be common ground to be found.

[Tennessean4Bush]

This pretty well concisely sums up this 600+ post thread.

Sinkspur, not sure we have agreed on many things but we do on this thread it seems.

[Tennessean4Bush]

Oops! Sorry about that, I thought you were someone else. Ha!

[PleaseNoMore]

I am sorry. I just do not see love being better served by sinning ( lying and murdering ).

[DocRock]

"This is the first thing I thought of when I read the headline. Very sad."

"I do not agree with your application of this verse to this situation. From a very pragmatic point of view, he just confessed Christ before several billion people, because he now confesses he is indeed a Christian. Didn't the apostle Peter deny Christ, then spend the rest of his life confessing Christ?"

I didn't make an application of this verse to this situation. I made a statement that this is the first thing I thought of when I read the headline. As for Peter denying Christ 3 times, that makes me sad, too.

[AndrewC]

If you knew me you would understand that the question should be, how did you act when you were in that situation.

God bless you, for whatever answer you gave, ...

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

[Joshua]

"I would thank God would make an exception for such times. "

He did. 2000 years ago on a cross.

[Tennessean4Bush]

I am sorry. I just do not see love being better served by sinning ( lying and murdering ).

Oh, come on. There are situations that arise where lying could actually serve love better. Everyone has contemplated them. What if muslims broke into your house and demanded to know if you knew any jews living in your neighborhood. I would lie in a heartbeat if I knew of some jews in order to save their lives. Wouldn't you?

[lowbridge]

. We don't KNOW what we would do. We do know what we would LIKE to do

I know that I'd like to prevent my throat from being cut. And I'm not at all religious. So, if I had to pretend to be muslim for all of a few hours just to stay alive in that circumstance, that's what I'd do.

[P-Marlowe]

Well if you find anything better than e-sword for a better price, give me a ping. :-)

[AndrewC]

What if muslims broke into your house and demanded to know if you knew any jews living in your neighborhood. I would lie in a heartbeat if I knew of some jews in order to save their lives. Wouldn't you?

Your question reminded me of Corrie Ten Boom and "The Hiding Place". Here is a citation from an easy English version evidently for children but containing the message from the original.

The Secret Room

One of the Gestapo took Corrie into another room. "Where are the Jews?" he asked. "There aren't any Jews here," answered Corrie. She hated telling lies, but surely that was better than allowing people to be murdered, she thought. The policeman hit her, repeating the question, but Corrie did not answer.

[RansomOttawa]

Matthew 16 is clear evidence that Peter had an idea that Jesus would rise from the dead.

From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You." (Matt. 16:21)

It looks to me like Peter was in denial about Jesus suffering and being killed. (Why would Peter have "an idea that Jesus would rise from the dead" if he didn't think Jesus was going to die?)

A complete refutation of your false assertion.

Complete refutation? Wrong on both counts.

[RansomOttawa]

That in fact you are in grievous error and should be repenting instead of hectoring?

Well, thank you for calling and sharing, and shall we take our next call, please?

[AndrewC]

It looks to me like Peter was in denial about Jesus suffering and being killed.

Yes, and he received an answer for that.

Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Peter did not leave Jesus. You have been refuted. He had an idea that Jesus would rise from the dead.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Amen!

[sauropod]

No blood no foul ;-).

I probably came across as too harsh. My dander was up.

[sauropod]

I know and love bible.gospelcom.net. I use it often :-).