The clash of the Evangelists: Christian, Islam, Mormon, and even Atheist?
It is interesting how people will complain when they see a Christian tract, or any small hand bill, that has a Christian message in it, laying around in a coffeehouse, restaurant, bus stop, or other random places. Even more people start complaining when they see a Christian sitting down with a 'non-Christian' sharing their faith.
It was very interesting to hear that most of the people I talked to had strong negative feelings to-wards Christians sharing their faith. The negativity was only directed to-wards Christians, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses. People were surprisingly open to hearing about the belief and faiths of Islam, BaHa'i, Scientology, Hinduism, and Paganism. What was more interesting to me, however, was the fact and 35 of the 40 people thought that the idea of atheist evangelism was a very interesting thought and would be open to letting one of these people sit down with them in a public place and share their beliefs. In fact, although most people said that Christians make them angry when they 'preach' and try to make converts in public, yet the same people said that the very same actions, coming from atheists would be 'interesting' and 'welcomed'. "Let's face it: Atheism is in," Stan Guthrie wrote in Tuesday's column in Christianity Today magazine. Why? Why is Atheism on the rise and finding a home in many of the social hangouts today? "We don't want the public square to be dominated by the atheists," said New York Times bestselling author Dinesh D'Souza. D'Souza believes Christians have left the public square unoccupied, limiting their expression of religiosity to church on Sunday, their families, and the Christian subculture. As a consequence, atheists have entered the public square – what Christians thought would have been "neutral space," as D'Souza put it. And they want to drive the Christians out, remove Christian symbolism from coins, the pledge and public buildings. "Ultimately, they want to discredit Christianity as something that is incompatible with modern life and modern thought," said the noted author in an interview with The Christian Post. As Christians have spent more time in the Church house and foreign mission fields, the call for Christians to be committed to public evangelism in local market places and public squares has seemingly gone neglected. Without a consistent saturation of the Gospel in the commonplace, and proper evangelistical training, many Christians admit to having no idea, desire, or conviction to share their faith publicly. Many have no answer to why they believe what they believe, or have a defense or apologetic knowledge to defend their faith. So it seems that it is a perfect time for atheists to use the Christian evangelistic strategy, or mission (Great Commission) to bring an informational movement, to try and reach open-minded people and Christians (who don't know why they are Christian) with a 'Freedom From Religion and Faith' Gospel. What do you think about this? Have you been approached by any of these groups? If so, what was your experience? Samuel Connelly Wichita's Christian Faith & Culture Examiner Related article by Samuel Connelly Freedom from Religion Foundation. Is a no-religion nation even possible, and to Americans want one? More information:
Comments
There is a real rise in atheism. I have noticed a much more outspoken generation for atheism, and the truth is: People want something to believe in and when Christians are supposed to have THE answer but don't, people will listen to those who 'think' they do.
I am a Christian and know why I believe, with answers based on faith, science, historical and archeological evidence, and I feel that God is easy to defend, but many Christians don't, and it is a tragedy. People need an answer, and Christians need to have one. Even though I know that my faith is right and worth living and dying for, many Christians don't know why they believe, and it is just stupid to claim to be something with no reason for it.
Great Column
Blake
Interesting article. I don't agree atheism is on the rise... More than 90% of Americans believe there is a God. The debate over whether references to God should be eliminated seems to be cooling, and when it comes down to it, the idea that there is no God is just not compelling. I served as a missionary in Houston, Texas for the Mormon faith, and I did meet one person who said he did not believe in the Bible, and like the 35 people in this study, I thought it was refreshing. I mean, the South is a place where people believe in the Bible whether they have read it or not. Still, having read the Bible word for word, and adding The Book of Mormon as additional proof of the Bible, I completely disagree with the fellow and his conclusions. (Just not his right to those conclusions.)
My biggest problem with atheists going about preaching atheism is that, from my theological perspective, it REALLY matters whether a person believes or not, because that influences their path through Eternity.
Blind faith had 2000 years to make the world a better place, and they call it the Dark Ages....
good riddance to the ZombieJesusCult.
"neutral space"
"they want to drive the Christians out, remove Christian symbolism from coins, the pledge and public buildings"
You can't have it both ways. If the space is filled with Christian symbolism, it's not neutral. If it's neutral, it wouldn't have those things.
I'm curious as to whether your respondents were predominantly Christian or members of another religious (or areligious) group. My hunch is the hostile response from Christians is because people view the christian evangelizing as attempts to get others to convert to their faith, whereas learning about the beliefs of non-christians is far enough removed that people can view it as intellectually satisfying while non-threatening to one's own faith. I think part of it is also post-modernism in America and an overwhelming regard for moral pluralism in this country. I think it also depends about your approach. As a life long member of the Mormon church, I've had a lot of conversations with people about my faith. The most comfortable one's, I believe are those that involve both sides of the discussion in listening to rather than talking at each other. Too many one-sided evangelizing conversations leave a sour taste in people's mouths.
Religious philosophy is the core wisdom taught by the founder of a religion. That wisdom is later "interpreted" to align with the needs / thoughts of those who came after. Added are thou shalts / shalt nots and the how to pray(incense, icons, etc) which may have little to do with the core spiritual wisdom, which for all religions is that the individual is created by a Higher Power, is immortal and continues after the body dies.
L Ron Hubbard's lecture "Hope of Man" details the vast importance of the great spiritual leaders who, with their universal message of the spiritual nature of man, kept hope alive through the millennia.
Overlooked by many Christians is that the psychiatric / drug industries promotion of a totally non-spiritual view of existence ("you're just a sack of chemicals governed by 2.5 pounds of brain matter), enables atheism to gain ground.
Dianetics and Scientology (www.ScientologyHandbook.org) provide workable solutions, interesting people to find out more.
You cannot generalize the opinions of 40 people.
My boss has bible quotes on his place mats at the pancake place I work. People leave tracts there all the time. His lion's club prays before their meetings. Yet when a co-worker simply returned a book to me and dropped it off, my boss blew a gasket because it was a Sam Harris book "End of Faith" WHICH is not a book about promoting godless fascism, but promotes the importance of moderates challenging all forms of extremism of all labels. His insecurity and ignorance of what an atheist is shows theist's hypocrisy.
I am so tired of myth being coddled because humans are too insecure to be challenged. Placebos are more important than facts, which is sad in the day and age we live in. The earth is not flat and virgins don't get pregnant via "poof" spirits. You are not going to get 72 virgins anymore than Harry Potter can fly around on a broom. Rubbing Buddha's belly is as useful as 4 leaf clovers and Ouiji boards. Why is the atheist vilified for saying that Santa isn't real? Maybe we want better for humanity than the stories they make up to placate their emotions?
WE are not the enemy. We simply want thinking and reason and science to help humanity and we want humanity to ween itself off of fairy tales. Humanity has survived without belief in the Egyptian God Horus, and it can survive without the magical tales of Allah or Jesus. It is time for humans to grow up.
I would draw a distinction between actively approaching people, either in a public space or knocking on their doors, and passively setting up a booth where people might stop and interact if they choose to. Are any atheists doing the former? Here's the only case of atheist door-knocking I know about, and it's clearly a joke:
www.break.com/index/door_to_door_atheists_bother_mormons.html
Let's face it, there just isn't as much motivation for atheists to proselytize. My non-God does not give me bonus points towards non-paradise for converting non-souls.
""Ultimately, they want to discredit Christianity as something that is incompatible with modern life and modern thought," said the noted author in an interview with The Christian Post."
Seriously, if anyone has discredited Christianity, it is Christians.
I get the impression Mr. Connelly is living in some other United States, where the public arena is actually neutral and balanced. Not here it isn't. Here, Christians have abused their majority position to dominate the public sphere, demanding that science be debased to conform to their beliefs, that courtrooms and schools carry the 10 Commandments, that city property be filled with Christian Christmas displays, to the exclusion of other beliefs.
If "people were surprisingly open to hearing about the belief and faiths of Islam, BaHa'i, Scientology, Hinduism, and Paganism," it's because it's *refreshing* to hear an alternative point of view.
Who let the $cientologist in here?
Your buddy elron was nuttier than a fruit cake, but some folks keep buying into the Co$ cult swill.
how come scientology is always mentioned as a religion -- you might as well call the mafia a religion -- scientology started as a self help/pseudo-psychiatric system that has only sought religious status for tax exemption purposes and the protection from scrutiny this status provides -- it is arguably one of the most successful cons of modern times.
The more I see the instant insanity that appears on any discussion board when someone blandly brings up scientology--as an author friend did once did passingly in an article--the more I have to wonder who really instigated that.
Someone has done a VERY effective negative PR job on getting a bunch of people irrationally angry about that religion. (And if you think it's not a religion, you need to read about more religions.)
Now _that_ would be a good article: "What powers-that-be are so scared of Scientology?" And for God's sake, why?
And just to comment on the topic of the article above...I would be a lot faster telling an atheist to take a hike than I would a Christian. I'm not Christian, but the religion teaches a sound moral base, whereas atheism teaches a nihilism that leads to dishonesty, situational ethics and a "me-first" view of the world.
The more I see the instant insanity that appears on any discussion board when someone blandly brings up scientology--as an author friend did once did passingly in an article--the more I have to wonder who really instigated that.
Someone has done a VERY effective negative PR job on getting a bunch of people irrationally angry about that religion. (And if you think it's not a religion, you need to read about more religions.)
Now _that_ would be a good article: "What powers-that-be are so scared of Scientology?" And for God's sake, why?
And just to comment on the topic of the article above...I would be a lot faster telling an atheist to take a hike than I would a Christian. I'm not Christian, but the religion teaches a sound moral base, whereas atheism teaches a nihilism that leads to dishonesty, situational ethics and a "me-first" view of the world.
PART 1 of 3 (avoiding the 1,000 character cutoff)
The author asks: “Why? Why is Atheism on the rise and finding a home in many of the social hangouts today?”
I’m only offering my own biased viewpoint and some of this is guesswork (disclosure I am an atheist with Zen Buddhists/Taoist overtones).
My guess is that atheists are simply becoming more vocal and are getting more space in the public arena thanks to more well known voices (i.e.”The Four Horsemen” Hitchens, Harris, Dawkins and Dennett) saying what many of us already believed but earlier felt too uncomfortable bringing up.
One reason atheism is on the rise is the greater dissemination of information about all belief systems and philosophies thanks to the rise of online forums, blogs, informational sites, even questionable user-wikis.
Part 2 of 3
In the past, most people had to rely on the status quo (i.e. mainstream media, mainstream publishing and prevailing local standards) in order to receive information about various religions or other “isms” like atheism. Now, we are able to weigh the various mountains of data available plus the nature of the Web allows for a navigable research context. As information becomes more available, people are more likely to embrace free-thought and reject the status quo if said status quo clashes with their worldview. This also explains why atheism is “finding a home in many of the social hangouts today.” Since it is more accessible it becomes more acceptable. As we become better equipped to directly communicate with others of various religions and beliefs, we begin to realize that it’s not so much a world of “Us vs. Them” as it is a world of “Us” who happen to believe differently.
Jed Merrill says:
“Interesting article. I don't agree atheism is on the rise... More than 90% of Americans believe there is a God.”
Jed, this is not really a matter of opinion. All major research shows that people who label themselves not religious or atheistic are on the rise.
Check out the Pew report here
religions.pewforum.org/reports
QUOTE: “More than one-quarter of American adults (28%) have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion - or no religion at all. If change in affiliation from one type of Protestantism to another is included, 44% of adults have either switched religious affiliation, moved from being unaffiliated with any religion to being affiliated with a particular faith, or dropped any connection to a specific religious tradition altogether.
Just an observer lied: "whereas atheism teaches a nihilism that leads to dishonesty, situational ethics and a "me-first" view of the world."
Stop lying. Atheism is a lack of belief in any gods. It does not require acceptance of nihilism, nor does it mandate any particular ethics system, if one were to poll atheists one would find a variety of ethical systems.
Perhaps one of the reasons for the hostility towards Christian evangelism is due to the dominance of those Christians who share their faith in decidedly un-Christ like ways. Things like the lack of respect or outright condeming of other religions, use of propaganda and mind control techniques, deliberately trying to create spiritual crises, and the convert "by any means possible" attitude.
I think people are less open to hear Christians talk, preach, attempt to convert, etc. for a a number of very good reasons.
1.) A lot of people are sick of it already. (When was the last time a pair of atheists or Hindu's interrupted your breakfast to find out if you'd like to read some literature...)
2.) Corollary to #1, Christians have had a complete monopoly on the public space for a very, very, very long time. And they defended that lock (and continue to attempt to) vehemently.
3.) As noted above, finding out about other views, philosophies, and religions is both interesting (intellectually) and often non-threatening (as they are often a bit distant and/or the lurking feeling that your one more sentence away from "Do you mind if we come in for a few minutes...")
4.) Surprisingly, even when delivered honestly and kindly, "Believe what I believe or you will suffer eternally, and probably your godless children, too" just doesn't make folks feel all warm and fuzzy.
For those who think they are tired of Christians, wait until the Muslims come kicking down your door.
Allah Kills....
Christians. Muslims. Atheists. One of them is right. My vote is for the ones that don't believe in invisible creatures in the sky that sometimes speak in their heads but no one else can hear.
What was the demographic of your poll?... a poll is completely meaningless without this information!
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that their Watchtower (Jehovah's) organization is the only true Christian faith.
They believe that the truths of scripture were lost through a great apostasy centuries ago until God used JW founder Charles Russell to restore the Gospel.
Jehovah Witness share some doctrinal beliefs with Christianity,but many of their beliefs either completely contradict,or at least pervert Biblical truths.
Some of these are as follows:
Only 144,000 go to heaven,two classes of Christians,Michael Archangel is Jesus,works based salvation by door to door 'placement' of Watchtower literature,ban on whole blood transfusions but permitted to use components as fractions...
Theologically,Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult of Christianity. The oppressive organization does not represent historical, Biblical Christianity.
Sociologically, it is a destructive sect whose false teachings frequently result in spiritual and psychological abuse,as well as needless deaths.
Atheism is not an equivalent category to Christianity or Islam; the latter are sub-categories of theism. The term atheism denotes a position on a particular question - is there a Deity? However, humans live by many more questions and answers than this one. Illuminating the nature and meaning of human experience is a serious and broad undertaking. There is really no such thing as an atheist: there are many philosophies that include an atheist position. Those who identify themselves as simply "atheist" would do well to examine the structure of their beliefs and experience in richer depth. Then they may find themselves in possession of the kind of useful tools enjoyed by some members of organized religion. Religions may be untrue, but they are very powerful entities.
If you can't see it, don't believe it?
Can you see the wind?
Oh, you can? Because of the trees, and the sound, and the grass, and all it's other effects?
Same with God.
Jehovah's Witnesses: It depends on 'what' makes them flip flop. If it's their own progress, and not pressure from their critics, ... follow them.
Jonah was a true prophet, but his prophecy was "delayed" also. He was very upset about it. Read the short book of Jonah. Jehovah's Witnesses hit a home run in 1914, but it's unfolding more slowly than originally thought. Habikkuk 2:3
Jehovah’s Witness Religion - Are they Christian?
Like Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Christianity died with the last of the apostles and was not resurrected until their founder Charles Taze Russell began organizing the Watchtower Society in the 1870’s. In their view the cross is a pagan symbol adopted by an apostate church and salvation is impossible apart from the Watchtower. While the Witnesses on your doorstep consider themselves to be the only authentic expression of Christianity the Society they serve compromises, confuses or contradicts essential Christian doctrine.
"spurhund" is very right! Though you can call me an athiest for being a nonbeliever, I don't classify myself that way. The best way I could describe myself is as a "realist." What is provable and what is not provable. The person who said that non beleivers were dooming themselves and their children to a lack of morals has hung around way to many beleivers. For me, I study the bible because I find the evolution of religion fascinating and it can be pin pointed to a human need of understanding and a lack of science. With science, it all goes out the window and frees people to respect life as it evolved. My children also learn about God and Jesus and Muhamad because they have a life to live and must be educated about the world they live in. . . its up them what they want to believe, I am here to teach not be a "peer with presure". In addition, WE ARE A CHANCE OCCURANCE, respect it or who knows when, this experiment in life will be gone forever. My life morals are higher than any believer!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!