is there some sort of conspiracy amung christians to step up prosthelytizing?

I was surprised a couple of Sundays ago to fine Mennonites at my door with a newsletter. That's the first time that had happened, and it was on a Sunday no less. I was wondering the same thing as the OP.

I do have some zingers for those who are of other religions or of no religion at all when asked "Have you found Jesus?"

"Oy, I'm Jewish, and you know what happened the LAST time my people found him!"

"I had no idea he was lost"

"I don't need to look for him, it's not an easter egg hunt."

"Yup, he was in the cole slaw."

"Yes, I found him. He's in my trunk."

"Have you tried the synaguage?"

"Yes, he was behind the sofa the entire time."

"Has He found you?"

"No. Man, is he good at hide-and-seek."

"No, but I'm still looking."

"No. Maybe you should file a missing person's report."

I've seen bumper stickers with some of those sayings on them. I also saw one yesterday that said, "Come the Rapture! We'll have the planet to ourselves." and "In case of Rapture, can I have your car?" and "Born okay the first time."

My favorite thing to do is say "Yes.". It confuses them.

reply to post by madnessinmysoul


your response does make a lot of sense, yet in my case it does not seem like the answer.
part of it, but it doesn't seem to explain the numbers.
thanx.

reply to post by tncryptogal


pretty funny, when i still had my store going i used to get visits from the mormons.
i'd sit down and let them say their shpeel and then grab my book written by, wasn't it john smith, the guy who basically founded the religion?
anyhow, i'd open it to the marked page and ask them to read a few paragraphs, he explains how this planet was basically seeded and how life came from elsewhere etc....
their jaws would drop on cue and they'd get up and leave.

I used to go to an evangelical church, until the pastor there started talking about having visions of laying hands on Satan while standing in an arena surrounded by demons.

My first thought was "This guy is smoking crack and playing DND at the same time"

My second thought was "I've got to get the HELL out of here!"

Haven't been back since. Best decision I ever made.

reply to post by rubbertramp


I haven't read through and may be repeating what has already been said, but being that I used to be affiliated with such people, I think the reason they have gotten so preachy is that most Christians seem to think that we are living in the end times and they're out to save you're soul before it's too late. I don't say this of all Christians, but many seem to think that if they convert someone, he/she will ramp up a few points in heaven and they're out to ramp up all they can get. Talking to you like some of them did makes them feel better about themselves. It probably has nothing to do with you at all. They feel good because they tried... they don't care what you think about it. It's a personal victory just knowing that they preached to you. They can go on and brag to such and such person about how many they tried to convert and probably get just as much joy complaining about how many refused to listen.

Now, before I get attacked, I don't mean this about all Christians at all. Many are very caring people, but I do know many many of the type that I speak of. I spent 14 years as a preachers wife. I know what I'm talking about. My advice: Turn your back or move on to the next real customer. I'm not a Christian basher... I still consider myself to be a Christian actually. But there's a time and a place for everything and if someone is rude enough to you to disrupt your business then that person deserves for you to be rude right back.

My reverend, a great guy who praises all religions, says " If an evangelist asks you if you have been saved yet, tell him you were saved about 2000 years ago".

Originally posted by rubbertramp
reply to post by works4dhs

 

don't mean to sound silly, but are there extra points given per conversion?
i'm not sure if i understand why?

we are instructed 'preach the gospel to all nations' and convert as many as possible. you can say this is our #1 priority. and yes, we do get points for it! but the prime motivation is compassion.
and no church I ever attended believed in getting in peoples' faces about it. this sort of thing can't be forced.

I don't understand why some people are so pushy. I guess they want to be able to tell themselves that they tried everything. But being pushy makes people instinctively feel defensive. It is the flight or fight instinct kicking on. You might try to explain that to them, if you can get a word in edgewise, that they need to reevaluate their witnessing methods, because feeling cornered and not being allowed to speak is a turn off. Also it is sort of rude to try to witness to someone when they are work and have customers.

I know these people mean well, but some methods can turn people off. Not all Christians are like this. Some people are more polite. They may leave a tract or something interesting to read and try to engage you without making you feel cornered or defensive.

If people have an arguement and feel stressed, they will not remember the message. Or if they do remember the message, the message won't fit the conversation.

The ultimate message is that everyone is a sinner and that everyone can be forgiven. Jesus died so that all could be forgiven. If you believe that his death paid for your sins, and if you live your life loving others, then you can be forgiven.

People should love one another. Acting out of love, it is harder to sin. If you truly love another person, then you will not want to hurt them. You will naturally keep most of the Ten commandments because those all involve someone getting hurt by your actions. If you love other people, then you should sin less, because you will just not want to hurt anyone. You will not be a racist and you will not be involved in activities that demean or hurt others.

That is the message, but who will remember that if they are in the middle of an arguement, are cornered, or made to feel defensive?

I sort of understand that some people are desperate at this time. They feel there is not much time left on the earth and they really feel they have to be witnessing to everyone.

Maybe some people think you get more "points" with God or something. To me, once you are saved, you can't be "more saved". It is something to be saved. If you convert some people, it does't make you more saved though.

It just means that when you get judged, you see that you tried to help a lot of people, rather than seeing that many people were lost and you could have helped them.

I'd much rather see the good that I did, then see the mistakes that I made. But I do think some people are going to see that their methods were pushy and actually counter productive.

reply to post by works4dhs


i was raised by very liberal jewish parents. was bar mitzvah'd and learned to read hebrew, but nothing else was forced on me and i was able to look into any other religion/thoughts that i wanted.
i always had a great appreciation for my parents attitude towards this.
basically, anyone who desires can become a jew, conversion is welcome, but an attempt to talk people into it has never been a part of my experience.

reply to post by jessieg


i have good friends who are christian. i sincerly enjoy sitting down with them and discussing religion and other issues. most do have the attitude you just presented and are more than willing to discuss other issues.
constantines influence on the bible.
the dead sea scrolls and other text
etc.....
i even know a few 'christian militia' types, and even though they will proclaim their wish to be in a fox hole with other christians not a single one has ever tried to overpower me in a conversation.

before this thread drops into the void where dead threads go i'd like to add just one more thing.

if there is truth to this 'rapture' concept, would it not make more sense that christians like i mentioned along with those i consider to be very judgemental, like those constantly bashing gays, woman who receive abortions along with others, would be far less likely to be raptured than those of other religions/ those who lack religion?
it seems to me god would choose those with a kind heart who live their lives in an honest way than those i've mentioned?

Originally posted by rubbertramp
before this thread drops into the void where dead threads go i'd like to add just one more thing.

if there is truth to this 'rapture' concept, would it not make more sense that christians like i mentioned along with those i consider to be very judgemental, like those constantly bashing gays, woman who receive abortions along with others, would be far less likely to be raptured than those of other religions/ those who lack religion?
it seems to me god would choose those with a kind heart who live their lives in an honest way than those i've mentioned?

unfortunately there are obnoxious, pushy, rude Christians just as there are obnoxious etc non-Christians. bumper sticker said 'Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven'. the rapture is intended specifically for Christians.

as far as 'bashing gays'...this may not be the forum to discuss the theology but that behaviour is condemned by every major Christian denomination.

the rapture is intended specifically for Christians.

i see it more as 'by christians'.
since the word 'rapture' is no where to be found in the bible, can you explain this a bit more?
would be appreciated from a christian aspect.
is it explained in detail, or is it basically just an assumption?

Originally posted by rubbertramp

the rapture is intended specifically for Christians.

i see it more as 'by christians'.
since the word 'rapture' is no where to be found in the bible, can you explain this a bit more?
would be appreciated from a christian aspect.
is it explained in detail, or is it basically just an assumption?

I Thess 4:16-17
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
the word 'rapture' just means 'caught up'
most of us believe it'll happen *soon*, to be followed by a seven year tribulation featuring massive disasters and final judgment

reply to post by works4dhs


thanx for that, it's been a while since i've picked up a bible.
for some reason i thought it had more to do with revelations.
to be honest, at times i'm not sure why people believe what they do.
comprehension being my main issue.
so, what part of that has to do with christians only, like regarding believing in the resurrection,
and not just the belief in god in general?

sorry for all the questions, i'd just like to know your and others pov, without having to get into it with those i'm bitching about in this thread.

reply to post by gemineye

You are right that some "Christians" think that by shoving leaflets into the unwilling hands of others, they have somehow done something virtuous. Or they will be obnoxious and intrusive. For some of us, however, we sincerely believe the time is near. I have seen citations on the blood red moons correlating with the Jewish feasts (looked for 20 minutes and couldn't find the thread just now). But in answer to your comments, some are more concerned about speaking what we perceive to be truth....just out of love for all; others, are more oriented towards checking off the box.

Originally posted by works4dhs


I Thess 4:16-17
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
the word 'rapture' just means 'caught up'
most of us believe it'll happen *soon*, to be followed by a seven year tribulation featuring massive disasters and final judgment

Question. Why would the Lord himself come down to raise the dead? Do Christians believe that the soul stays with the dead in their graves? If so, they why do people always say, " He's with Jesus now, or He's in heaven now?" Doesn't the soul leave the body at death?

I'm very curious about this.

reply to post by rubbertramp


No conspiracy here bud, only commandments as found in Mark 16, and various other passages.

As for the Christians getting in the way of your business, I somehow doubt the way you explained the situation. I believe you may be more mad over the fact that your under conviction from God and know you need to be saved or face eternity in Hell.

But if they really are causing such a problem for you, and your not just trying to vent your anger on ATS with the other Christ hating member, then just take the paper he is handing out and lay it aside. Better yet, video tape it and post it here so we can see there actions. If your really a flea market vender, I'm sure you can find a video recorder some where....even if it is 1980's tech....

Christians are not 'conspiring'.

Through prayer and intercession, some are 'inspired' to evangelise.

Those who cannot let it rest when their overtures are rejected do so because they are, like everyone, flawed humans who have difficulty in admitting or accepting defeat.

I am a Christian who does not believe in the rapture. The rapture is a Paulian doctrine that does not correlate with the teachings of the Lord; it is the job of the sheppard to into the darkest of nights for the sake of the lost.

reply to post by rubbertramp


They think the end is near because of so many signs, they perceive we are living in the last days, so yes I imagine they want to step it up.