What are specific ways that non-believers say that Christians lead people astray or deceive them?

Answer 1

Answer

Most non-Christians respect the beliefs of Christians and do not hold any grudges against them. Atheists realise that Christianity is a proselytising religion and accept the inevitable, that Christians will seek to convince them.

Followers of some religions feel that Christians try to deceive them and lead their younger members astray by claiming greater authority for Christian scriptures than for their own scriptures. They sometimes refer disparagingly to images of the gods as idols, claiming proof that the gods have no power, without admitting that their own God seems to have no power, either. There are claims of Christian miracles, which the more easily influenced may believe, leading them to stray from their ancestral religions.

Those with no religion believe that the Christian scriptures are sometimes used in a way that could be seen as an attempt to deceive them. This includes claims of ancient prophecies, where an ordinary reading of the text shows no such prophecy.

Answer 2

One of the comments commonly encountered is that The Bible isn't the word of God. The whole thing is a "scam"...usually they refer to all religions as a scam in that case.

Thus some think that people are deceived by the Bible.

There are cults who teach incorrectly and lead many astray. They claim the name Christian. By using the same words as the Christian church, doing good deeds, and showing an outward appearance of cleanliness/holiness, they appear to be good examples. What is outward and what is inward are often different things. The church refers to this as "wolves in sheep's clothes". So many are tricked into following what appears to be good, but instead they follow the imaginations of men, not the Word of God.

There are many popular preachers who teach incorrectly, stating that God wants you to be wealthy because Jesus taught that he came that we would have life and "have it abundantly" etc. Taking it out of context, they claim that people will have ease of life, money, etc because that is what Jesus promised. What Jesus really promised was abundant life- eternal life- through Him. He said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." And another deception is that there are many paths.

There are as many deceptions as their are false teachers. This is why a Christian has to become very familiar with the word of God and learn to tell truth from error. So few bother and they become ensnared in falsehoods. It's gotten worse with the advent of modern technology and the speed with which false information is shared. But there remains hope in that the word of God remains, Christ remains, and there will be a remnant of believers. Not all will be deceived, but most will by the rulers of this world.

So take the time to study. Even from a strictly intellectual, educational point of view, you will learn much by actually reading what many deride. If you haven't read it, you cannot be an authority on it or truly pass judgment on what you do not know.

God will open the eyes of those who will have their eyes opened, and seal the eyes of those who will not. And that's up to Him.