A gracious, rational atheist writes a Sadly Obligatory post regretting the behavior of her co-unbelievers:
Most of us just don’t have the faith required to be a believer, for one reason or another, and think it would be disingenuous and insulting of us to fake it. But we love it when you tell us Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or Blessed Yule, because you’re wishing the joy of your holiday on us.
Thank you. And in return, I promise not to nag you to attend my church, chase after you and tell you that you’re going to burn in hell, try to trick you into conversations about it that I’ve scripted out and rehearsed in my head, and otherwise be an impolite manipulative jerk as too many of my co-believers do. (Because it’s not Amway, it’s Christianity, and I’ve found that if I’m truly living it, it really does sell itself.)
The author of the blog wrote this in the comments of her post -
Eh. I’ve lived my life in a more holy way than most Christians I know. If it turns out I’m wrong, and some pissy little whiner god wants to send me away just because I didn’t worship him, even though I lived a clean, decent life, he can bite me. I wouldn’t want to live in that kind of “heaven” anyway. So sorry.
and recapped it later with this -
But I stick with my argument. If your deity would reject me or my Hindu or Jewish friends just because we don’t worship him or her, then I have no interest in your heaven, if it does turn out to be real.
For your sake, I hope your deity is kind and just, and looks for good souls, not sycophants. And the fact that most of you believe that this is the nature of your deity, makes me very happy.
And really, that’s about what I hear from most unbelievers. It’s almost universally an “Oh yeah? You can’t fire me because I quit!” sort of thing. They reject God because (as they see it) He rejected them first by not accepting them just as they are. They have NO IDEA who God is. They have NO IDEA what holiness and sin are. They really don’t comprehend the necessity for Jesus’ sacrifice. And it’s impossible to “lawyer” someone into that knowledge. You can’t debate them into belief, because no matter what facts you hammer them with, you can’t overcome that deep-seated emotion that is informing their opinion.
Which is why it’s God who does the saving, not us. If we focus on doing what we’re supposed to do in terms of obedience and personal holiness, God really does take care of the rest. And when we proselytize and are obnoxious – no matter how good our intentions may be – on a practical level we are hardening them against us, and on a spiritual level we’re saying that WE do the saving, and not trusting in God to do it.
So let us treat this Christmas season as a celebration, and not a recruiting drive.
“manipulative co-believers”? geeze with “sisters” like you, who needs atheist enemies. I suppose “go ye therefore” doesn’t apply to you.
Wow, I can’t believe you approve of manipulating, sneaking and lying as methods to further God’s kingdom – or that you think God approves of that.
I’m not talking about witnessing to people. I’m talking about being dishonest. Scripting out conversations, purposely trying to steer people in a certain direction instead of engaging with them honestly. Resorting to those tactics shows a deplorable lack of faith in God to save.
Oh, and atheists aren’t my enemies. They’re my mission field.
I, too, was trying to decide whether I agreed with your attack on “manipulative” evangelism. I don’t think I would say that such manipulation is evil, but you are right that it is probably annoying and generally ineffective. If you want to witness to someone, you should do it boldly, and not in a timid and cowardly way. The distinction between witnessing boldly and manipulation is like the difference between a frank, honest rebuke and passive-aggressive, obnoxious sulking.
On the other hand, you seemed to attack bold witnessing as well — arguing that we should not “debate” people into belief. Jesus argued and debated all the time, however. It certainly angered some people (the Pharisees), but his style also converted many others.
Perhaps you are merely suggesting that we should be bold but also socially aware (and not obnoxious)?
I think it is the wording, Laura. It gave me pause too … and I am not one that anyone would consider aggressive when it comes to witnessing. I tend to let it happen naturally. I look for openings in conversations. Though, most everyone who knows me knows I am a Christian, where I go to church, and that I am very active in the church … so sometimes people actually come to me and ask questions.
I do like passing out tracts, asking people if I can pray for them, and things like that … but I also love it that there are brothers and sisters out there that are like guerilla warfare! They are street preaching and really engaging with nonbelievers in a way that I don’t think I could. But, I cheer them on!
I think what they are doing is awesome.
Now … I am not into “scripting” conversations to try and lure people into a conversation about Jesus. But, I will ask a person outright where do they think they would go if they died today and let that be jumping point.
Of course, on my blog … I think I can get a bit “in your face” but it is my blog.
I get “witnessed” to constantly, although I’m a Christian. It makes me feel super uncomfortable to have a stranger approach me and try to weasle out the particulars of my religious experience without even asking my name. They rarely actually listen to my responses and continue with their very scripted sales pitch. I’m also kind of offended that I get singled out so often. Do I look hellbound or something? What about the middle aged lady over there in the tailored pantsuit? Why aren’t you concerned with her spiritual well being?
If as a Christian, who understands salvation and all that goes with it, I’m made to feel uncomfortable, judged, and somewhat hostile when witnessed to, then I can’t imagine what a non-Christian would feel like in that situation.
“Those convinced against their will / are of their own opinion still.”