However, a person who is sure of their faith has no reason to want to make another person wrong.
In fact, making others feel bad and wrong is probably the worst way to encourage them to have any interest in searching for God. Why would any so-called "non-believer" on the receiving end of this email be inspired to go to the church of a person who thinks this is appropriate? Aren't Christians supposed to entice others to look for God, instead of drive them away?
I think the role of a true Christian is not to put others down, but to quietly live a life of such love, charity, humility and joyfulness that others notice, and want what they have.
Still, many of the people who think this sort of mocking email is clever can't really be blamed, because they have never learned critical thinking in school. Because of the way some educational systems are run, many people have only learned to parrot back what others have told them, without ever thinking things through. This is why I'd like to see more money put into our educational system. Society never got ahead by the people who can only regurgitate what they've heard someone else say. Society moves forward because of the people who use critical thinking to analyze things and come up with new solutions to old problems.
My favorite Republican, Abraham Lincoln, said: "The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend."
But it's a tricky thing to do. Bullying is easy, and it is often the choice of the weak in spirit. Figuring out how to "love your enemy" takes a lot more strength as well as faith, love and intelligence. I think that's what Solomon meant.
Love,
M
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