Question: Why push your faith on others?

Originally posted by saint4God

Hm, post a bunch more times? It'll be good readin' I'm sure. I'll hear from ya when I can. No hurries no worries.

Great Idea, now why didn't I think of that? Hahahaah! Actually, it is a great idea, and I will do that.

Man, just today every dorm and every bus stop on cammpus had an old man passing out little partial bibles, and every single one tried to get me to take one. There had to be 50-100 people within 100 yards within the next closest person (if that makes any sense). My roomate came back with 6-7 of em because he didn't want to insult them.

Originally posted by silentlonewolf
Man, just today every dorm and every bus stop on cammpus had an old man passing out little partial bibles, and every single one tried to get me to take one. There had to be 50-100 people within 100 yards within the next closest person (if that makes any sense). My roomate came back with 6-7 of em because he didn't want to insult them.

Yeah, at my campus you see a lot of that too, usually around the first few weeks that classes start. I try to avoid them so I'm not rude, but I usually end up with one anyway. It helps when I have my headphones on though...

Originally posted by silentlonewolf
Man, just today every dorm and every bus stop on cammpus had an old man passing out little partial bibles, and every single one tried to get me to take one. There had to be 50-100 people within 100 yards within the next closest person (if that makes any sense). My roomate came back with 6-7 of em because he didn't want to insult them.

So what'd the partial Bibles say?

I got a free copy of the Bhagavad Gita coming out of the Air & Space Smithsonian on a high school field trip. I thought it was a nice gesture.

I never understood that. If you are going to market religion, you'd think they'd have a better strategy than a door to door strategy or pushing books on a corner.

If you are really concerned about people's souls, honestly how many are you reaching with that strategy.

Fear, The Great Evangelist

Without wishing to get too specific, it is my observation that all forms of evangelism, regardless of the details, are founded in some form of fear.

I see the same dynamics in play whether the thing being “evangelized” is a religion, political ideology or commercial product.

The fear may range from fear of being misunderstood to fear of nonconformity to fear of not getting the best deal to fear for your immortal soul, but fear is always involved.

Fear is not only what motivates the evangelist, but is usually what evangelists try to instill in their potential converts to coerce them into compliance with whatever the particular goal of that form of evangelism might be.

Bait And Switch

No matter how sweet the carrot offered by an evangelist may be, there is always a stick, and that stick is fear.

In my meditations, I have learned that fear has a valuable place in the pantheon of human emotions, but not at the heart of it.

Thus I distrust those who seek to instill fear in me, because those doing so invariably are motivated not by concern for my well-being, but by their own fear.

More bluntly, if you're trying to scare me, you're trying to control me.

I do not seek further control over my life on the part of others.

Just the opposite, in fact.

[edit on 4/6/2005 by Majic]

I did not turn to God because of a fiery sermon or screaming evangelists doing this - or :bash:. I got into trouble and turned to God to get AWAY from the fear and oppression. Well, it worked. If I find someone going through the same thing, looking for help as I was, I'm going to try to help. If someone asks me what I think, I'm going to tell them. If someone says there's a 'conspiracy' where information is lacking then I'm going to present facts and rationale. If that's evangelistic oppression, pardon for me in partaking in the same rights as everyone else in this world.

Pray, train, study.
God bless.

Cue Up The Rousing Crescendo

Originally posted by saint4God
If that's evangelistic oppression, pardon for me in partaking in the same rights as everyone else in this world.

If only he were alive today, I think Jimmy Stewart could have delivered those lines memorably. He was a master of the indignant everyman speech.

Nothing you listed looks like "evangelistic oppression" to me. Quite the contrary, in fact. But that's not what I was talking about.

Sharing your honest opinion with someone isn't necessarily evangelism, but, as an example, telling them that they will burn forever in a lake of fire if they don't do what you recommend is evangelism, whether that's your honest opinion or not, because it is an attempt to coerce others into compliance with an agenda by using fear.

That's an example of what I'm talking about, but only one.

And for what it's worth, lest I be misunderstood, it's still evangelism even if it happens to be true.

Originally posted by Majic
Nothing you listed looks like "evangelistic oppression" to me. Quite the contrary, in fact. But that's not what I was talking about.

I had a few threads bumped because of "preaching" which I think is a bit of a double-standard. When others propose or 'bring to light' a conspiracy theory it's okay, but when I do it, it's preaching. Here's what I mean:

Dark Secret Conspiracy:
www.belowtopsecret.com...

Conspiracy: God has an attitude problem:
www.belowtopsecret.com...

Originally posted by Majic
And for what it's worth, lest I be misunderstood, it's still evangelism even if it happens to be true.

So I come with good news, is that evangelism or not?



[edit on 11-4-2005 by saint4God]

Why push your faith on others? It happens everywhere .... Christian .. Muslim .. whatever. That's why a secular rule of law is so important. Otherwise, we'd have governments pushing whatever religion the majority of people in that government held. And some of those religions out there are pretty darn wonky ....

I think that if one seeks it then it should be discussed. I dont want some nut job knocking at my door, at 9:00 in the morning making the dog bark.

True story:

I got woken up, because the idiot that I lived with at the time thought it would be a good idea to have these people over. The problem was she wasnt there. So I answer the door wondering who the three ladys were that were at it.

I opent the door. "Hi Im karen, is ____here?"

Me: "No"

Karen: Well we have an appointment with her, are you sure she isnt?"

Me: "Let me check" I look and call her.

Me: " She must have left"

Satan...I mean Karen: "Thats odd we had an appointment"

Weirs silence...waiting....waiting...she still isnt saying anything.

Me: "Well Im going back to sleep so...."

Silence..waiting, watching them look at eachother (Which creeped me out, its was as if they were talking in their own heads about me?)

Xenu, I mean Karen: "Well what about you? Do you want to hear about the lord?"

Me: "No Im not religious"

More silence...waiting....waiting....waiting...

Karen: "Okay well tell her we stopped by"

Me: "Okay have a good day"

Slowly walking...slowly walking...looking at our car port..just plain creepy.

You bet your a$$ I told her and she laughed hers off. Not cool.

me i have had mormons come to my porch one day and start talking to me about mormonism i was all like "hey i've met some pretty nice mormons. i have been raised by pagans and am an odinist. but hey if you want to hang out and stuff, it's cool" they left real nicely

Maybe this is why people push their christian faith:

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.- Mark 16:15

I don' t believe in hellfire, or an eternal life of torture for those that reject God.
But people need to understand why we proclaim our faith to people around us.

I will use an illustration. Say you know your next door neighbour work nights and sleeps during the day, you see his car in his driveway. But you see flames and smoke coming from his roof. Knowing that he is sleeping, would think too bad so sad and carry on with you daily activities, or would you call 911 and pound on his door trying to alert him about the danger? If you understand this then you can answer the OP question.