Since there is a heavy discussion over me and my "Salvation" and intents, I feel that now I should speak out and plainly concerning the methods used on my fellow heathens and unbelievers.
What has annoyed us over the past few decades is certain aspects of evangelism and the OUTRIGHT ARROGANCE of some.
My heart does harden, but bare in mind that you have only yourselves to blame on many of your approach.
I will take a few examples that have been uttered just on this very mailing list and do pay attention to my own impressions from it. I will ask for you to LISTEN and PAY ATTENTION.
Laura: What is scary is that there will come a point in time where TPW has his heart hardened and no amount of prayer will help. You are right We need to pray that he will see the light before it is too late.
TPW: *growls* You see, right there I will point out why from that alone no Pagan or anyone for that matter would want to listen to that person. Reason: Many of us non-christians when encountering a group of your evangelists noticed two kinds of prayer
The first kind is the one that was uttered without being mentioned to the one being prayed to. The kind that whenever a situation occurs to the non-believer and then finds out later that the Christian had been praying for him/her without mentioning it. This is a non-egotistical approach, and the non-believer sometimes will even thank them. Why? It's a prayer that was truly selfless.
Then there is the other type, the more commonly found. To many of us, whenever we had an argument with a Christian (Often an exercise in futility), they retort with a dismissal and a "I will pray for you". Many of us wonder if this isn't the evangelical equivalent of "f*ck you*. It's not really a prayer, it's more of supernaturally charged threat, you might as well give us the evil eye and curse us, because when you say "I hope something happens to you to see the light" you often mean ILL-WILL.
You may not have thought about it that way before, but think about it. What is to occur so we "see the light". Many of you still believe in "us being humbled". Well, they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, what makes me laugh about that is often it is those who believe in it's opposite who provide that road with grade "a" material.
JT: True Dean; but it doesn't do any good to tell a Sodomite or a Pagan that God loves them if you are judging them in your own heart - they always know. God expects us to demonstrate His love. After all Jesus didn't come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
TPW: Aaah Judy, you see, that's another thing we unbeliever (not just Pagans, the rest too) have grown extremely tired of. This arrogance that some christian have. This "superiority complex" that some have...
You must have heard these before...
- "I used to be as you were" (Really? then what's my middle name?)
- "You may think you are happy, but you won't happy until you know christ" (Assuming you have walked a mile in the unbeliever's shoes I suppose)
- "You are virtuous, but those are christian values" (Since when you were alone on this planet?)
- "I wished I had as much faith as you have" (I usually respond "Sure, I could become your teacher, but could you handle the lesson?")
- "If you are not with God, you are against God"
And the list goes on. How about respect the individual and not insulting his intelligence? Would that be too much? I feel that much of the backlash that many have felt has stemed not from the fact the heathens were heathens, but because the "christians" acted as if Christ never spoke!!
Judy: They have a gut reaction because they don't understand the gospel Dean,
TPW: We have a gut reaction because much of the tactics used by many preaches are designed to denigrate, debase and ridicule unbelievers. More precisely, they seemed geared to attack weak-willed individuals. Many also display an "Us or them" mentality that places them above the rest "God's little chosen ones" and the rest of us lowly unbelievers.
In fact alot of the ways used are attemtps at arousing emotions in the mark. In some circles, it is known as CFGI (Charismatic Fear/Guilt Inducement).
And there is a loooong list of deceptive tactics that have been used over the past 30 years to gain more followers and/or intimidate other faiths.
From stealth-baptisms to the satanic cult scare in the 80'sYou expect us to respect you after you insult us? After much deception has occured And you wonder why there is so much ill-will generated against some of you? Don't wonder anymore.
But to show that I can send in some constructive criticism your way I thought up some T-shirts that wouldn't be offensive and yet would pretty much speak rather honestly of the Christian faith rather than insult the unbeliever.
- FRONT: "Why do I read the Bible?" BACK: "THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE" (John 8:32)
- "Show me your faith and I'll show you mine!!" (Humor works better than condemning)
- "Ask us about our After-life insurance plan"
- "Vive la difference!! One God, many bibles!!"
- "Miracles & Salvation Inc. for free estimates, pray to God"
- "Doing it the same way as Big Daddy "J"
See, you don't need to be insulting, and humor, as opposed to the bitter approach used before shows more that you are not out there to hurt people but to share information. Isn't it not what witnessing is supposed to be about?
TPW
_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/features&pgmarket=en-ca&RU=http%3a%2f%2fjoin.msn.com%2f%3fpage%3dmisc%2fspecialoffers%26pgmarket%3den-ca
---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
