Pope Francis warned Jesus Christ followers not to convince someone to become a Christian, insisting it is a “pagan” activity.
“To evangelize is not to proselytize,” the Pope told crowds gathered in the Vatican for his weekly general audience.
“To proselytize is something pagan; it is neither religious nor evangelical,” the Pope said.
“This is not about proselytism, as I said, so that others become ‘one of us’ – no, this is not Christian,” he reiterated.
“It is about loving so that they might be happy children of God,” he added.
Proselytizing, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, means to try to persuade someone to change their religious or political beliefs or way of living to your own.”
Proselytism differs from evangelization, the Pope said, which is the joyful witness of one’s experience of Christ.
“You know your contemporaries, you know that many are alone, that many do not know Jesus,” Francis told young people gathered for a national Catholic youth conference in 2019.
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“Go, go and bring the Lord, go and fill your environments, even the digital, but not of convictions, not to convince, not to proselytize, but to witness to the tenderness and mercy of Jesus,” the Pope added.
The Pope then told a group of Christian high school students the following month that they should respect people of other faiths, insisting, “we are not living in the times of the crusades.”
When one of the students asked how a Christian should treat people of other faiths, the Pontiff said, “we are all the same, all children of God,” and that true disciples of Jesus do not proselytize.
“A Christian should never try to convince others of the truth of Christianity but should simply give a testimony of consistency and wait for others to ask about the faith,” he proposed.
“You must be consistent with your faith,” he said.
“It never occurred to me (and nor should it) to say to a boy or a girl: ‘You are Jewish, you are Muslim: come, be converted!’ You be consistent with your faith, and that consistency is what will make you mature. We are not living in the times of the crusades,” the Pope continued.
“The last thing I should do is to try to convince an unbeliever. Never,” he said.
“The last thing I should do is speak. I should live my faith with consistency. And it will be my witness that will awaken the curiosity of the other who may then ask: ‘But why do you do this?’ And yes, then I can speak.”
“But listen, the gospel is never, ever advanced through proselytism,” he continued.
“If someone says he is a disciple of Jesus and comes to you with proselytism, he is not a disciple of Jesus. Proselytism is not the way; the Church does not grow by proselytism,” he emphasised.
The Church grows by attraction, by witness, the Pontiff said.
“Soccer teams can do proselytism, this can be done, political parties can do it, but there should be no proselytism with the faith,” the Pope added.
“And if someone asks me: ‘But why do you do this?’ Read, read, read the Gospel, this is my faith. But without pressure.”
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This article covers a old talk by Frank ( pope communist LVI ‘ .
in the latest story about Frank, he’s dropping F-Bombs to seminarians in a speech to them …
I guess no one informed him of Islamic coercion to convert. Makes the crusades look like a picnic Or am i going off with my head crazy?
are you aware that catholics used to convert at the point of the sword, too? including muslims.
The Crusades were fought to protect the Holy Lands from destruction during the Islamic jihad. It was not about conversion or coercion. We’ve seen the immense destruction they’ve wreaked on people and places of worship that belong to any other than that of Mohammed in every town they take over. Islam believes all infidels must die. If not for the Crusades, we would not have the Holy Lands to visit to this day.
What unmitigated foolishness. Read Dave Hunt’s book, “A Woman rides the Beast,” and you will see the atrocities and blasphemies committed by the leadership of the catholic church over millennia. It has killed more Bible believing Christians than any other entity.
he’s talking about the Crusades,…nice deflection, lol.
The term “millennia” probably includes the Crusades, no?
With the exception of Muslims, Communists, Nazis, Fascists, Atheists and fellow Protestants it has.
Very confusing. Jesus told us to be fishers of men.
who are you going to believe ? Jesus ? or THE POPE ! Jesus didn’t even have a pointy hat.
I have warned people about this idiot that calls himself “pope” for a decade, and all I ever got was blow back from blind and stupid christians.
What’s it take to wake you fools up???
The pope is no more religious than a bucket of snot.
Well – actually he is “religious” in his chosen Marxist ideology.
Doesnt the Gospel say to do the exact opposite of what the Pope is saying just now ?
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” – literally Jesus himself
Yes, thats what I thought.
Is the Pope smoking something ?
Nah, he’s just a commie masquerading as a Pope.
He is actively promoting “Chrislam” an unholy amalgamation of the catholic church and islam.
I don’t think this Pope’s preachings are even tangentially related to the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus’ exact words are:Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Hey, that sounds like Jesus was commanding us to proselytize, doesn’t it? Hmmm who to obey, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, or a sinful pope?
the pope would include himself in that group- (nonbelievers), he is surely the false prophet
so much for “vicar” (which means in place of). pos p**p
Vicar of Christ
Vicar = Alternate
Alternate = Anti
Pope = Vicar of Christ = Anti Christ
The Vatican is a perfect microcosm of the US. There’s an insane Communist leader destroying the very fabric of the country, it’s beliefs and traditions, and all anyone will do is clutch their pearls, gasp, and wring their hands. Soon, for both stories, it will be too late for a happy ending.
All the Pope is saying to young students is the highest form is to be a good example and profess your own faith – Not too difficult to understand
This communist former bouncer is really a tool of the devil.
The great commission is in the gospel, in Jesus’ words, to bring his word to every nation tribe and tongue.
What the h**l is Frankie reading?
Good thing he’s the last pope.
He should know everything about being a pagan. All catholics should read Dave Hunt’s book, “A Woman rides the Beast.”
you should read the bible, Jesus’s word.
satanic pope…….can anyone doubt this anylonger?
The Crusades were a defensive action after 400 plus years of Muslim conquest and aggression against the civilized world. How this Pope can say this…This is disturbing beyond the pale.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. The word is teach meaning to instruct them. It is not forced coercion.
“To evangelize is not to proselytize,” the Pope told crowds …
Semantical nit-picking,and incorrect, at least in the English language.
Stick to what you are proficient in, Il Papa, like buggering altar boys.
If he is not the false prophet from Revelation there will never be one.
Someone show this LIAR the bible.
2 Timothy 4:1-3
King James Version
4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Obviously, he has never read Acts 2. Or any of Acts, really.
The Bible is clear that the truth will set people free. They must know or have an opportunity to hear the truth. Jesus declared that he is truth, and the way, and that no one comes to the Father except through him.