According to the New Testament, heathens are evangelized. If they resist, they are left to God. Somewhat different from the Koran says about infidels, don't you think? 
Posted on 04/05/2007 5:05:09 AM PDT by Daffynition
If you're a Tibetan Buddhist or you're leaning that way, you may not know it, but you need Jesus.
That's the thinking behind a series of Christian evangelical workshops -- including one later this month in Wheaton -- that will coincide with the Dalai Lama's trip to Chicago and other American cities this spring.
Interserve USA is putting on the workshops to teach Christians how to talk to Buddhists and, perhaps, to win converts.
"We welcome the Dalai Lama here, but we also want to have a chance to reach Tibetan Buddhists with the gospel," said Doug Van Bronkhorst, executive director of Interserve, an international missionary group based just outside of Philadelphia.
The online announcement for the upcoming workshop offers this enticing hook: "Tibetan Buddhism. It's ancient. It's complex. It's trendy. And its leader, the Dalai Lama, is visiting your city this spring."
But Van Bronkhorst said in a telephone interview Tuesday, "We are interested in people, not notches on a belt."
That's not quite how it sounds to the head of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, which includes bishops and leaders from most of the largest Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups in the area.
"I'm speaking without knowing anything about this group," said the Rev. Stan Davis, acting director of the council. "But my sense is that their goal is to try to convert to Christianity. Our goal would be to enter into a dialogue with them, to find out about their faith in a two-way conversation."
'He's a very thoughtful man' So does Van Bronkhorst think Christians can learn something from the Dalai Lama and his teachings?
"Oh, sure," Van Bronkhorst said. "He's a very thoughtful man. He has a lot of good things to say about peace in the world, and he's quite knowledgeable about other faiths, including the Christian faith."
Van Bronkhorst says his organization has no plans to send Christian evangelicals to greet the Dalai Lama during his American tour. "Of course that's up to [individuals] if they want to do that," Van Bronkhorst said.
The Rev. Patti Nakai, a part-time minister at Buddhist Temple of Chicago in Uptown, says Buddhists in general may not disagree with the Bible, just the evangelical spin.
"Most Buddhists would not have a problem with what is written in the gospel," said Nakai, who does not follow the particular practices of the Dalai Lama's sect. "It's what evangelical Christians say -- the idea that you have to be saved in a certain way or you're doomed to eternal damnation, that's what we have a problem with."
The Dalai Lama is due to travel to Chicago in early May, making his first public appearance in the city since 1999.
The spiritual leader is expected to stay on the 24th floor of the Palmer House Hilton in the presidential suite, where amenities include three bathrooms.
But then, you do deny New Testament (Bible) revelation in its entirety. The New Testament attests to the Deity of Jesus Christ and His Sonship to the Father. So does the Old Testament, by the way, seen clearly once NT revelation is accepted.
Who was Jesus Christ, in your estimation.
He claimed to be God manifest in the flesh, and His apostles taught it. Either He is Who He said He is, or He was the worlds greatest master deceiver. Which(?), in your view.
If people who think differently than you are not bad... n.b. ...those who are bad do think differently than you.
Neither. There are a lot of other options in there.
As historical speculation, I suspect there was such a preacher named Joshua at that time, simply considering the commonality of that name. Monty Python's Life of Brian exaggerated, but the scene with the street of rival preachers was not all that far off the historical truth.
That said, this Joshua attracted a following and had some wisdom in what he said. Quite possibly, he got in trouble with the Roman law. After his death, his followers collected stories on him, some accurate; some the works of other men, attributed to Jesus, some -- well, George Washington had his Parson Weems.
In a religious sense, it is irrelevant to me. Judaism in unusual in that it sees itself as the religion of one people only -- the Tribe of Israel -- but does not deny that people of other religions may be righteous. Furthermore, Jewish belief is that the righteous non-Jew has the same reward in the afterlife as the righteous Jew. The difference is that the non-Jew is subject to Noahic law; the Jew is subject to Jewish.
Christianity is the way God for the righteous Christian. Islam is the way to God for the righteous Muslim (not as many of them around, anymore, a there used to be). Buddhism is the way to God for the righteous Buddhist. Atheism is the way to God for the righteous atheist -- and won't they be pleasantly surprised?
According to the New Testament, heathens are evangelized. If they resist, they are left to God. Somewhat different from the Koran says about infidels, don't you think?
Check back later to see if it evolves ...
Wouldn't that be the Tribes of Israel?
We lost a few along the way. 8>)
Actually, there is a term among Jews to refer to other Jews -- M.O.T., i.e., Member of the Tribe. So there is a tendency that, at least I have, to think of a singular tribe.
Usage note: "M.O.T." is more often used as an adjective than a noun, as in "I never knew Harrison Ford was M.O.T."
Maybe you did; maybe you didn't. Tribes flow from blood, so wherever the other tribes were, there the blood flowed into the future. God knows where they are and He ain't telling, yet. The Tribe probably ought to be careful.
Actually the Falashas claim to be one lost tribe. There’s a group in India who claim to be another.
Thats not what I have been told. Form whatever I know, if you have not accepted Jesus as your Saviour, you are going to hell. Somewhat similar to the Koran. Only difference is that Muslims want to make sure you get there quickly.
Therein lies the difference.
No you don't.
“No you don’t.”
yes I do.
>>yes, written by men.....<<
Physically, yes. Spiritually, under divine influence. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” - 2 Timothy 3:16
When you write a letter - is the pen writing the letter, or are you? The pen is a tool being used to transcribe your thoughts onto paper. Such was God’s will to use men to transcribe His revealed will.
Again, whether you choose to accept this or not does not change the fact that you will be accountable for your sins on your last day. You will stand before a righteous, holy, and just God who will demand payment for your sin. You can only escape this fate one of two ways:
1) Be perfect and never sin.
2) Since that’s impossible, your righteousness must come from someone who WAS perfect and never sinned - Jesus Christ. God loves you so much that He gave you the way out. Repent of your sins, trust in Christ as your personal savior, read & obey His law.
The “mouthful” you’ll have for the evangelist who tries to tell you the truth is nothing compared to the eternity in hell’s fire that you surely face if you’re outside of Christ.
Forsake your pride, and turn to Him - you have no other hope.
>>I believe that if God is that narrow, I prefer to spend eternity in Hell.<<
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Christ’s own words - Matthew 7:13, 14, 21
Hell is an eternal separation from God. Eternal torment, sorrow, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. It is not party central. Check your pride, deep down no one wants that.
I do not wish God to be a god I would want to be separated from -- and I do not think it is the case.
However, many interpretations of scripture are, if true, those of a god I would prefer not to spend eternity with. I pray those interpretations are wrong, for God's sake as much as mine.
Then they haven't read the gospels.
So you admit, there is no difference in the ideology eh?
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