Author	Thread: Convert?
Admin	Convert? Posted : 14 Apr, 2012 02:32 AM What do you think about people that get married and convert to their spouse's religion? Perhaps that is the only way to marry that person. Do you think it is dangerous? Why does this not seem to matter much in the pluralistic environment of the US? Should it matter to us as Christians? Post Reply
View Profile History	Convert? Posted : 14 Apr, 2012 05:44 AM Salvation is through Christ alone. If someone can make Jesus' death mean nothing to them and change religions so easily, they weren't Christians to begin with. I guess it's a concern, but no more of a concern for me than any other lost person. Post Reply
View Profile History	Convert? Posted : 14 Apr, 2012 05:14 PM Depends on the religion. You become a muslim by uttering a statement about Muhammed (obviously, I'm not about to do that!) - there's no requirement to WANT to become a muslim - as far as they're concerned, once you say that seneance then you're a muslim with all it's requirements and benefits. I'm not certain it is possible to become Jewish since this is identified by descent and bloodline, though it is of course possible to commit to the Law and it's commands. I have heard of a case where a man married a Jewish girl and as part of it he had to become circumcised, observer the Law, etc. Though he was still never really accepted as a Jew. Of course, you already know what qualifies somebody becoming a Christian, but of the above examples, I think it's probably the only religion I can think of where conversion is a result of gratitude (for what Jesus has done - we love because He first loved us). In short, you could become a muslim quite easily if you wanted to marry another one, you might be able to marry a Jew but you probably wouldn't be accepted as one, and it's not possible to convert to Christianity for the purpose of marrying one. Post Reply
View Profile History	Convert? Posted : 17 Apr, 2012 05:42 AM The point is that faith is a personal relationship with God. It is not something that can or should be compromised because I like a guy. In essence, that guy just became my god, if I left Christianity to "convert" to his religion, yet never attend services or worship in that tradition. I have heard from a chaplain of girls that married a muslim extremist that was "touring" the US for a wife. While the man was pursuing the girl, he was nice and sweet, everything an American girl expects of an American Christian man. They convince the girl to marry. This is the point that gets dicey. One of two things happened. 1.The girl was forced (as married to a muslim, she just gave up all rights of any kind and became the husbands property) to return with him to another far off land and treated as he would any of his other wives. She essentially disapears and is never heard from again in the US. 2.The man knowing how valuable US citizenship is for a militant islamic extremist, abandons the girl in the US, while taking his new American citizenship with him to his homeland. Does Christ calls us to be in any of these two types of marriages. I can't see evidence for such situations in Scripture. Can you? This is something that we need to combat in our churches. Many young men and women are led astray because of someone they are pursuing. This is not just for the example I gave presented. How many stop attending church because they are doing some other activity together? That is the point and that is why this should be important to believers! We need to be grounded in Scripture and seek marriage alliances only with those whose lives and actions demonstrate true faith in Christ. Post Reply
View Profile History	Convert? Posted : 1 May, 2012 11:52 AM It sounds like you're describing being unequally yoked, which like eating from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, God promises will result in death. Can true attractiveness REALLY exist apart from God? Proverbs 11:22 says "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion." If that's how God views a lack of descretion just imagine how HE views a human being completely removed from Himself. We need to pray that God would open our eyes to the truth of the people and the world around us. All of us have come to know ourselves, others and most of creation from the position of our fallen state. 1 Samuel 16:7 says concerning David's brother "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Because we fail to see as God sees, things which are not attractive at all may seem to be most attractive. That alone is a very real reason why so many sincere Christians struggle to find partners even in the church. What is most special about someone (Christ within them) is often overlooked and disregarded... God bless Post Reply