John Piper - Should Christians be willing to read the books of other religions?

[desasterz]

I love the way he sais honey.

[Hufflewaffle]

How can anyone in their right mind sit there and say ridiculous things like "Most christians don't have time, the inclination or the intellectual wherewithal" to learn about other things??

The only way to find 'inclination' and "intellectual wherewithal" is to READ other books and LEARN to think for YOURSELF.

Learn as much as you can. Don't let ANYONE - even John Piper, tell you you are not smart enough.

[YooserFriendly]

great answer i love the way in which he thinks

[meer8]

@chriscoolguy15 Who told you Enoch was holy? Have you really read the books of the apocrypha? They have theological errors that conflict with the bible.

[lambent77777]

Everyone now... khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanartists.­...

[foxterrier65]

what other 'holy books"- there are none.

[chriscoolguy15]

@foxterrier65 -Well... there is the book of Enoch which the apostles Jude and Peter obviously believed to be part of God's scripture from their own words they have claimed this through their epistles and the epistle of Barnabas who was Paul's companion and also Barnabas is in the book of acts. There are a few others which I suspect to be profitable and inspired scriptures but those two I know towards myself to be true. You don't have to read them as the cannon bible is more than enough in life.

[foxterrier65]

Yes or no answer or at least one in under 1000 words please.

[soccerman71931]

@foxterrier65 Paitence man. If he say yes or no, or in at least one in under 1000 words, you wouln't understand why yes or no.

[TheIsweem]

Thats right Piper! that bible is GOOD honey, i can taste it all day! sweet stuff :)

[mariuspieter]

Of coarse Christians should, like why, would something happen to you if you read other religions' books, seriously?

[Thrazonn]

Take special precautions before mixing with the godless heathens, apparently.

Hm, but what kind of analogy is that? Okay, so you have your "honey", but that does not exclude anything else from being honey as well. Make sense?

[BrianJ1962]

By the way - before people start 'bashing me' for being critical or trying to sow dissention - I'm not.

I'm really trying to understand why, when all 'sides' of the current debates surrounding the various theisms & anti-theisms proclaim to preach "tolorance", "free speech" and other altruistic virtues, why it is that their actions, when challenged, resort to ad-hom attacks & intolorance to the point of advocating (& enacting) violence?

This applies to all 'sides' - not just Christians - IMHO

[BrianJ1962]

Interesting analogy with the honey at the end. Unfortunately, the same argument could be put forward as 'proof' any other faith, or even non-faith, is 'true'.

It also doesn't acccount for the possibility that honey comes from all around the world, is made from different sources of nectar and can have radically different properties and flavours.

I'd be interested to know - given the current state of the world - why the 3 Abrahamic faiths are in such dispute over "god" - when it is the same god?

[donbrucestuart]

I appreciate Mr. Piper's treatment of this question. Another reason Christian's don't have to arrive at the final truth about God and salvation by accomplishing a sufficient comparison between the Bible and all the competing religious systems' foundational documents is that the Bible makes the truth about God and the way to be reconciled to Him exclusive of all other truths and ways. I'm out of space, so I posted the rest of this to mysite.verizon.net/vzers1z0/id­1.html.

[SantaFeSandy]

He's absolutely right in his final analogy! Plus, too often, those not gifted with a calling into apologetics, who are really not all that grounded in their own beliefs or why they believe them, when they read all the beliefs of World Religions, become confused as to what the Truth is. Soon, they forget what they read, where they read it or if they heard it or dreamed it or what. Always stay under the covering of your Church or husband in such matters before venturing out. Pray first.

[wkialyleiam]

I always apreciate Johns thoughts on the questions he attempts to answer.

[99minerkc]

Most christians don't read the bible, so they sure won't read other holy books!

[aiiirdryy]

@99minerkc it's depressing how true that is....

[therealdrag0]

@99minerkc Hah. Yep...

[jeffmaraman1]

@99minerkc

Amen to that. It's amazing -- you would think that if someone actually believed that God wrote a book, that that book would be worth reading.

[lightbrownpoop]

@99minerkc so true...probably half of those claiming to be Christians aren't even saved.

matthew 13:22 the thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life.

[99minerkc]

@lightbrownpoop My question to you is this: Tell the truth as lying is a sin!! Have you read the "ENTIRE" bible yourself and I mean cover to cover, every book of the bible in it's entirety?

[lightbrownpoop]

@99minerkc i have not read every verse out of every book yet. i have read much of it and am trying to apply it to my life, it's not easy when you've been a bundle of self-centered, perverse, insecure fears your whole life...i've only been a Christian for a year now and i just can't get enough of it:) i literally meditate on scripture throughout the day, trying my best to stay Christ-centered and not self-centered:)

[99minerkc]

@lightbrownpoop What evidence did you examine before you converted? Did you research greco roman times and the early church?

[99minerkc]

@ctsfinestjon So, you have read the entire bible(every book)from front to back?

[ctsfinestjon]

@99minerkc if reading the bible in its entirety BOGGLES your mind,how much do you even read it? We should be able to read the bible fully atleast 3 times in our life.Its not a big book.LOL its funny how you say " EVERY BOOK from front to back" lol...uhh yea.You should too.It will help you understand who God is

[99minerkc]

@ctsfinestjon Interesting how you never answered my question.

[ndzoko]

@ctsfinestjon .It will help you understand who God is

; SURE !!>Witches, kill them. Homosexuals, kill them.fortunetellers, kill them. those who don`t listen to priests, kill them. those hitting their dad, kill them. those who curse their parents, kill them, adulterers, kill them. fornicators, kill them. people who believe in other religions, kill them. non-believers,kill them. fals prohets ,kill them. blasphemers, kill them. those who work on the Sabbath, kill them. This is the word of god !!

[eagles5822]

@ndzoko I don't know any jews or Christian who killed anyone, I know that Jesus Christ said "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8: 7) I also know that there is no chapter in ANY BOOK which is as peaceful as the Sermont of the mount. Secondly if you were a loving God who knew that his people had been slaves durin 420 years would you tell to your people to love bless those that curse them the answer is no because that would make them go

[eagles5822]

@eagles5822 back to Egypt and they would curse you because you would want them to bless those that curse them

[eagles5822]

@ndzoko can you answer this question: would the world be more peaceful if Jesus was the president of the whole world

[AngieLovesFashion]

@99minerkc THATS SOOO TRUE ITS DISCUSTING!....

[niinja2]

@99minerkc

lol spark of truth

[xXMrGreenEyes24Xx]

Yes then they can see how plagiarized the bible is.

[mime454]

Does John Piper read these comments? How do you submit questions to him?

[ageofpoo]

@mime454 you need to send him a telegram

[booksandvideos]

@mime454 I seriously doubt he reads any of these comments. He's pressed for time as it is.

[timeforcute]

@mime454 It's on their Desiring God website under Contact Us.

[ekimup]

@mime454 God reads em.