Civil Religion

10/23/18           Ramee  (video)             early 30's

How can we be "civil" as Christians who want to share the Gospel?

There has been a lot of talk about being “civil” lately when it comes to talking about religion or politics. To be civil simply means to be courteous and polite; something most people do all the time.

Unfortunately, for many the idea of being courteous and polite when it comes to religion means just avoiding the topic completely. Many churchgoers are the first to assume that outsiders wouldn’t want to talk about religion and will possibly get mad, but I want to show that if people have time to talk and we are willing to be good listeners, we can have some civil conversations even with those who vehemently disagree with us.

In my Gospel outreach conversations, I usually spend a good amount of time asking questions and listening to the beliefs of others, without being critical or judgmental, as a way to get a feel for what is important to them when it comes to their religious background and beliefs.

I was talking with Ramee, a faithful Catholic in her early 30’s, and what was deeply important to her was a vision she had years ago. Her vision was of Mary, who reassured her during a time of great insecurity when she was alone at home at the age of 9.

As a protestant, this emphasis on Mary would be a cause of disagreement, because my understanding is that, biblically speaking, there are a variety of reasons why our focus should be on Jesus alone. I would say that experiences such as dreams, visions, and miracles, along with the many rituals and traditions of Catholicism, should only be evaluated according to God’s Word.

Yet this vision was obviously very impactful for Ramee. It helped make God very real to her, and, whether or not it was an actual God-sent vision of Mary, it is probably the biggest reason for her belief that God exists in the first place.

I think if I hadn’t spent some time listening and understanding Ramee’s beliefs, I might have dismissed her vision as simple wishful thinking or maybe even a distraction of the enemy away from faith in Jesus. But whether this vision was a blessing from God or an evil distraction of the devil, after hearing her story I realized that God has been able to use it in some positive ways in Ramee’s life regardless. I believe I was able to respectfully speak into her experiences with God and remind her of the value of looking to God’s word for further direction and a more accurate understanding of the Gospel.

I believe this is the kind of conversation Paul wants us to strive for and pray for, when he wrote… “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4)

PS - I believe we had a civil conversation, without having to necessarily agree with or convince one another of anything. Check it out at https://youtu.be/prSKnBzMfQQ on my YouTube channel.