Read John 12:42-43
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Discuss
In these scriptures, it talks about a time that Jesus went into a synagogue, or Jewish church and taught the people from scripture. He testified that He was the Christ. Many people believed Him. Even the chief rulers believed Him, but the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders, did not. Some people believed that if they said that they believed Jesus is the true Christ, than the Pharisees would kick them out of the synagogue. Jesus said that these people felt that it was more important to be loved by the popular religious leaders, than to be loved by God.
Sometimes when you express your religious beliefs to others, it can make them angry or laugh at you. Sometimes this might make you feel hurt, sad, or even a little angry yourself. Some people might even believe things that are similar to you, but they’ll focus more on the differences in what you believe.
Here are some examples from the scriptures:
The Man Born Blind
Jesus and His disciples were walking down the street and saw a man that was born blind. Jesus spat in the dirt to make a clay. He rubbed it on the man’s eyes and then told Him to go wash it off in the pool of Siloam. When the man did this, he could see!
When people saw this, they said it was a miracle. The Pharisees said that he was just saying he was blind, but really he wasn’t. So they asked his parents to see if He was really born blind. His parents were afraid that they would be cast out of their synagogue or church, and so they told them to ask their son, because he was old enough to tell.
They asked the man again, and again, he told them that it was a man, named Jesus, who helped him to see. The Pharisees called him a sinner and kicked him out of the synagogue for testifying of Jesus.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and went to find him. When He had found him, He asked if he believed in the Son of God? The man asked Him who the Son of God is so that he could. Jesus told him that He was the Son of God and he replied, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.
Nicodemus
The Chief Priests told some officers to go get Jesus and bring Him to them. When the officers came back to them without Jesus, the officers said that no man had ever taught the way that Jesus taught. The Pharisees mocked the officers and said that they were deceived or tricked by the teachings of Jesus, and they said that the really righteous people, like the religious rulers and the Pharisees aren’t tricked like them. They said that all those that believe in Jesus would be cursed.
Nicodemus, another religious leader, reminded them that the religious law told them not to curse any man before listening to them and knowing what it is that they actually do.
After that, the Pharisees went home to try and prove what they believed.
Alma
In The Book of Mormon, we read about a prophet, named Abinadi. He was about to be put to death by the wicked King Noah. Alma was a young boy, who believed the words of Abinadi and asked King Noah to let him go. This made the king angry, and he cast Alma out. He told his servants to follow and slay Alma, but Alma ran and hid. While he was hiding he wrote down the words of Abinadi to share with the Nephites, who believed.
Discuss
How can we show respect to others as they express or defend their religious beliefs, whether or not they are the same as yours?
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