Hi everyone, minor here. My mother tells me to not answer calls from numbers I don’t know. Do you guys have any advice regarding this? I feel bad because it might be something important from someone and also I could potentially be in a position where I come off as rude to the person trying to call me right? I know obedience to parents is talked about in the Bible, but do you guys think I should obey in this case? Thanks! Btw, in case this affects what your answer will be, my mother is non-Christian.
Mother doesn’t want me to answer unknown phone numbers
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T
TheIndianGirl
Guest
I don't answer unknown calls either. I wait to receive a voicemail.
As a minor, you do indeed have a biblical mandate to obey your parents. However, if you're old enough to be asking questions of strangers on the internet, you're old enough to ask your mother for a rational explanation for her prohibition, and to negotiate a solution that both of you find acceptable.
I don't know if this happens outside the US, but here in America I get unknown phone calls everyday. I carry a work phone and my personal phone. It happens on both. I don't answer them. If it's legit, they will leave a message. Scammers use auto-dialers to go through numbers (broken down by prefix) and determine which ones are targets by the answers they get. They can "spoof" a phone number in your area and be calling from anywhere in the world. You are not missing out on life by letting these calls go. If it's legit, they will leave a message. Listen to your mother on this one.
I never answer calls from numbers I don't know. If those people think it's rude you don't answer that is Their problem. You are not required to answer every call as they come in.
Just keep all your relevant numbers in your address book. If a call comes in that isn't in there then it's likely not anyone you know or anything important.
And as others have said, if it is they'll leave a message.
Keep I'm mind people still do scams over the phone and it requires them calling people they don't know.
Your mother is trying to protect you. Your safety is more important to her, than your being conceived as rude by some stranger. Listen to her, not because it's Biblical to respect and obey your parents. Do it because you trust her to do what's best for you. 
wow, thank you all of you for replying! I feel like I’ve learned stuff today, thank you.
Exo 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
This is God's command to us and it comes with a promise.
This is God's command to us and it comes with a promise.
Your mother is wise and you should listen to her, since you are in fact a minor. Failure to do so may lead to serious, or very serious, problems. And if you are on any social media, you should cancel your subscriptions immediately.
I feel like honoring and obeying are diff y’know? You can correct me if I’m wrong on this, but I guess the Bible is for (as in, instead of opposed to) the concept of “for children it’s obeying (not always) + honoring parents, while adults gotta be honoring parents.” (regarding obedience to parents, it seems the Bible is for a not always kinda thing, if I’m not mistaken. This is maybe gonna be a very, very, highly, highly, highly, improbable example, but say, if they said to murder, it’s better not to).
Honor and respect are the key in this command. As a child you can not respect your parents if you don't obey them.
God handled obedience exception in the remainder of his commandments. He gives us the exceptions in the "thou shalt nots".
Your OP question doesn't fit into the exceptions.
I'm 70 and I won't answer most calls where I don't recognise the caller's number. There are way too many scams going on. If it is important, they'll leave a message.
Your phone is for your convenience. Not answering it at the whim of any who
might call for whatever reason is not being rude. Unknown numbers are often
solicitors and/or scam phone calls. As a minor, you need to obey the house rules
your parents lay out for you. Believe it or not, they have your best interests at heart
might call for whatever reason is not being rude. Unknown numbers are often
solicitors and/or scam phone calls. As a minor, you need to obey the house rules
your parents lay out for you. Believe it or not, they have your best interests at heart
M
MoonCresta
Guest
M
MoonCresta
Guest
if youve saved the numbers on your phone you can see whos calling you by saving their name.
If anyone calls you thats not saved they'll be using a different number so you can tell it wont be them.
If you dont give your number out to many people it will just be people you dont know and they wont have any reason to contact you right?
So you can just ignore them. If its really important they will leave a message.
anyway some scripture to help look up John 10:4-5
My sheep know my voice, to another they will not listen.
If anyone calls you thats not saved they'll be using a different number so you can tell it wont be them.
If you dont give your number out to many people it will just be people you dont know and they wont have any reason to contact you right?
So you can just ignore them. If its really important they will leave a message.
anyway some scripture to help look up John 10:4-5
My sheep know my voice, to another they will not listen.