For Theists: What Do You Think of a Religious Teacher/Master/Preacher etc. when...

[ChristineES]

They don't really believe in what they are teaching. For example, a Christian finds out her Pastor has actually been an atheist for years, but still preaches the Bible as if he/she still believes.
How about if a person preaches one faith, but actually, in his or her heart, believes in something else entirely.

 

[ChristineES]

My answer would be it depends. Since I believe that most religions have a lot of similarities, that if I find out that my preacher actually followed Hinduism (which is unlikely), it really would not matter to me. I know it would probably offend some people, though and some people would be livid.

If I find out that someone is talking about God, preaching about God, and yet has no belief whatsoever in any God, that I wouldn't really want to listen to that preacher as a preacher.

 

[Martin John]

It may simply be that their faith is week. Such a pastor I am sure at some point in the past had a stronger faith. Preaching the Bible for some time, and then has a crisis of faith. In such a situation he may be in need of a sabbatical, some time out for contemplation and prayer.

 

[joea]

My answer would be it depends. Since I believe that most religions have a lot of similarities, that if I find out that my preacher actually followed Hinduism (which is unlikely), it really would not matter to me. I know it would probably offend some people, though and some people would be livid.

If I find out that someone is talking about God, preaching about God, and yet has no belief whatsoever in any God, that I wouldn't really want to listen to that preacher as a preacher.

There are many of those so called types running around in many spiritual forums too. They pretend to know everything about a certain religion,very knowledgeable about this and that, and how a faithful follower he/she is; It was only an ego trip, a fake.

 

[freeindeed78]

I would hope if one no longer believes in what they teach, they would cease teaching it. Although I'm sure there is a certain level of naivety in my hope.... I believe you potentially do more harm than good in such circumstances.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

This is why it still confuses me Christine that some churches refuse to be more open to it's congregation members being more open minded. The reason this happens with the pastors is because at seminary the pastors get the whole run down about the Bible and Jesus, that the Bible is basically a traditional based document, hard to verify. If these churches didn't have certain requirements that the pastor teach their doctrine, then the pastor wouldn't have to lie. I know many Christians don't want to accept that the Bible may not be the entirely enerrant word of God, but it isn't.

 

[freeindeed78]

One question I would ask then, in all sincerety, if it is fallible, who determines which parts we adhere to and which ones we discard?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Well free there's a lot of scholarship being done on that at the moment. Many Christian scholars who have had seminary education write books about it. I would personally argue that the individual Christian has the right to a certain extent, to view the Bible however their reasoning dictates them to. It says in the Bible to study the scriptures, to rightly divide them, and that not everyone is given the same measure of the truth. Meaning you're going to have different understandings. It is because the Bible is a falliable book that we should examine it and rightly divide it.

 

[Badran]

They don't really believe in what they are teaching. For example, a Christian finds out her Pastor has actually been an atheist for years, but still preaches the Bible as if he/she still believes.
How about if a person preaches one faith, but actually, in his or her heart, believes in something else entirely.

I think preachers in general in any religion are taken too seriously. They are men who occupy a job with certain standards, so it's understandable that some of them might actually think differently to what they say. Not all of them occupied this job because of their faith and their will to serve God and the community.

I think i would mind though if a preacher i am learning from about my religion actually doesn't agree with what he is teaching me. I'd feel weird and won't take what he's saying very seriously. But to be honest he could still teach it well, because it depends on his integrity, but i wouldn't prefer it.

 

[painted wolf]

They don't really believe in what they are teaching. For example, a Christian finds out her Pastor has actually been an atheist for years, but still preaches the Bible as if he/she still believes.
How about if a person preaches one faith, but actually, in his or her heart, believes in something else entirely.

This is why it is good to have more than one teacher... and to not use them as a crutch for your own faith. Your relationship with your teachers should be open and honest, even an atheist can teach a theist valuable things... so long as the exchange is honest and respectful.

wa:do

 

[Archer]

They don't really believe in what they are teaching. For example, a Christian finds out her Pastor has actually been an atheist for years, but still preaches the Bible as if he/she still believes.
How about if a person preaches one faith, but actually, in his or her heart, believes in something else entirely.

I see it all the time. Perhaps it makes some of them feel good that they are helping others. Perhaps it is money for some and for others it could be a joke.

 

[Runlikethewind]

One question I would ask then, in all sincerety, if it is fallible, who determines which parts we adhere to and which ones we discard?

The magisterium of the Church of course.