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***UPDATED*** Questions for Christians

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Originally posted by: Corn
Considering what he is going through, please respect his situation and feelings and post these remarks outside of this post in another post.
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Busmaster is going through nothing compared to what his uncle is going through. My opinion was simply a mirror of yours, for him to please respect his Uncle's situation and feelings. Its fine for him to want to give his testimony to his uncle, but my question is why wait until he's near death to do so?

The answer to that question is obvious.....he didn't, I'm sure his uncle has had to endure many "testimonials" from Busmaster and his family already. But now with death looming, a new approach presents itself: "you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain!" Just makes me want to gag.

Here's my advice to Busmaster: If your Uncle is receptive to a discussion regarding your faith, go ahead and relate it to him, if he's not interested, drop it.
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I will heed your advice because it is sound, but your assumptions are not.

Why wait? Ask any Christian why they know non-Christians and thats your answer. They'll either laugh at you, or if they're really patient, explain to you that you cannot possibly have the time or energy to witness successfully to everyone you come across.

And as for "testimonials", the extent that my uncle had to endure from me consisted of an offer, made once, of a Children's Picture Bible to his young daughter, which he declined. The discussion lasted for 30 seconds, and nothing was made of it afterwards.
 
I know its easier said than done, but your relatives ridiculing you shouldn't get to you... matthew 5:10...

also, about your uncle... your uncle is like any other human on the face of the earth... you offer them the gospel. if they reject it, leave it at that and pray for them.. don't try forcing it down his throat.... matthew 10:14
either way, keep showing him love and praying that the Lord will open his heart to see the truth...
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D

 
Well, as if you wanted it or not, here is my take on it, from my own experience this last year.

My father was never a religious person, almost pushing into agnostic/atheist territory for most of his life. He was then diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Out of curiosity, after he had been diagnosed, I asked him what his belief system was, and he said he beleived in Christ and beleived that though his life was going to be cut way too short, ( he was only 52 years old at death, and had just retired after working for the state for 30 years, january 31st of last year), that his die was cast in stone. I told my the rest of my family his beliefs, and most were relieved. Part of my family is ultra-religious (for lack of better term), and had priests etc. etc. coming up to the house. One priest asked if he was a tire kicker and in ways (from what I took) was trying to say my father was bluffing. Then my Dad started getting e-mail's from cousin's and such about how they found god, but yet, he allready explained he beleived. Dad got very sore and irritated with it, to the point where he said he would have no talk anymore of it, what was said was allready said. My Dad swore up and down from the day he was diagnosed he could see angel's that would try to help as best as they could.

I know this is different in ways, in that your uncle is still a buddhist and is dying, but, I'm trying to bring up the key notes of trying not to push your uncle so hard. Ask him politely, at that, and if still no go, you have to let him be. You may think the bible tells you different, but in the end you have to respect the last few days of his life and let his belief's take him where his belief's take him. Who's not to say that he gets what he wants out of it? Sure, I don't know what he may get, but nor do you. You may think you can say for sure, but you really can't, and that's not to knock on your system either. Let him be.

Take care, and prayers go out to you and yours.
 
Thanks to Tanner for his kind words.

Well, its been a few days, but as I was contemplating heading out there (I live in Champaign, IL and he lived in San Jose, CA) and preparing myself for what to do, he passed away Sunday afternoon. I heard that all his eight siblings were around him, and it was peaceful.

And it was sad because we all thought he'd have a while left; the doctors couldn't give him anything but painkillers, but he went and took some Chinese medicine that supposedly healed some other guy of an even bigger tumor.

I thank everyone for posting here, as selfishly I felt that all the advice solidified my resolve in what I had to do, but I couldn't get there quick enough. Truthfully I was even more afraid of the challenge I think, and I don't know if or how I would have gone through with it if everyone of my relatives would have been against me.

I believe that given the kind of person my uncle is, he's a great person, and a loving father, but perhaps an old school traditional Chinese man, and it wasn't likely to work anyway. These types are generally very prideful and arrogant, and would never abandon something so central as their faith for the preaching of a young man... I wonder though, if I was more courageous and acted faster, and if his heart was willing, if it would have made a difference.

I do love him, and for those who say it lacked humanity that I would consider preaching to him during his last days at the expense of his comfort, I think it is the ultimate humanity to consider his soul. Thats why I say that people who don't believe in God, or waffle about it, or say they do when they don't have the conviction to act like it Monday through Sunday, will never understand what is being discussed here. And their posts in this thread is what invited all the flamage.

If you are truely convicted by what you believe, some people will call you names. So Red Dawn, it is an honor that you call me a fundie. I sincerely wish I could be more of one, but I have allowed this shallow society to mess with that too much.

I don't know what God would do with him because in a different world he would have turned out to be a great Christian. Thats a whole other ball of wax...
 
Originally posted by: busmaster11
Thanks to Tanner for his kind words.

Well, its been a few days, but as I was contemplating heading out there (I live in Champaign, IL and he lived in San Jose, CA) and preparing myself for what to do, he passed away Sunday afternoon. I heard that all his eight siblings were around him, and it was peaceful.

And it was sad because we all thought he'd have a while left; the doctors couldn't give him anything but painkillers, but he went and took some Chinese medicine that supposedly healed some other guy of an even bigger tumor.

I thank everyone for posting here, as selfishly I felt that all the advice solidified my resolve in what I had to do, but I couldn't get there quick enough. Truthfully I was even more afraid of the challenge I think, and I don't know if or how I would have gone through with it if everyone of my relatives would have been against me.

I believe that given the kind of person my uncle is, he's a great person, and a loving father, but perhaps an old school traditional Chinese man, and it wasn't likely to work anyway. These types are generally very prideful and arrogant, and would never abandon something so central as their faith for the preaching of a young man... I wonder though, if I was more courageous and acted faster, and if his heart was willing, if it would have made a difference.

I do love him, and for those who say it lacked humanity that I would consider preaching to him during his last days at the expense of his comfort, I think it is the ultimate humanity to consider his soul. Thats why I say that people who don't believe in God, or waffle about it, or say they do when they don't have the conviction to act like it Monday through Sunday, will never understand what is being discussed here. And their posts in this thread is what invited all the flamage.

If you are truely convicted by what you believe, some people will call you names. So Red Dawn, it is an honor that you call me a fundie. I sincerely wish I could be more of one, but I have allowed this shallow society to mess with that too much.

I don't know what God would do with him because in a different world he would have turned out to be a great Christian. Thats a whole other ball of wax...
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Nice post. Sorry for your loss. Who knows, maybe God will look at his soul and not what he was taught.

 
Originally posted by: Cuda1447


Nice post. Sorry for your loss. Who knows, maybe God will look at his soul and not what he was taught.
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Thank you cuda.


I know there was a lot more you wanted to say. 🙂
 
Who knows, maybe God will look at his soul and not what he was taught.

or perhaps he reached enlightenment...
 
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