Definition of Evangelizing

[Nachtschattenreich]

There has been a lot of controversy over the subject of Evangelizing on this board recently, and when I contemplated in a quiet moment why I found all this melee so unproductive, I came to the conclusion that it is because I do not know what precisely is Evangelizing.

Is it when I tell an atheist that I believe in Jesus Christ and think this or that on a specific subject?

Obviously not, because that is a statement about myself and my views, and not some kind of act that could be considered an insult.

And if it would be, what´s about the statement the atheist is making to let me know that his ideas are others than mine?

It seems to be more like Unlauterer Wettbewerb (dishonest competition - sorry, the concept does not seem to exist in the Anglosphere), that is "any deceptive behaviour or conduct, or otherwise violation of the principle of good trust, which influences the relationship between the competitors or between suppliers and accepters", only that in this context it is about the free competition of ideas, not about business. The German law lists a number of criteria what can turn the principally honest act of competition into a dishonest one, such as aggressive selling tactics, seduction to breach of contract, bribery, violation of secrets, abusive terms and conditions, detraction, comparison, imitation, deception, loss-leader pricing, and so on.

I think the idea becomes clear when the phenomenon is defined from its supposed goals: A competitor is dishonest when he is trying to intimidate or take by surprise someone who is taking up time to make a decision he can live with.

That means that Evangelizing would not be limited to Christian scripture. Any set of ideas can be promoted in a dishonest way, or a honest one, it all depends on the individuals that subscribe to these ideas. In this definition, the term would describe a behaviour that is used to promote those ideas, not to the ideas themselves. Building a situation which may seduce a sceptic or unconvinced individual to open up to weighing his genuinely open decisions, and then surprisingly pulling out the rug under his feet to attack with a vicious mindfuck is an evil behaviour that can be implemented with any agenda, and on the ground of any self-contained story.

What do you think, what is Evangelizing?

[Grannymouse]

Evangelizing, in my mind, is when someone gets up on his/her soap box to tell the world that s/he has found the truth and the only truth and that everyone else needs to follow this same path of truth or they will die and burn in hell forever. After this, they ask for donations (or demand, citing all sorts of bad that will happen to people who don't donate).

These people are into 'saving lost souls', even if the people that they are 'saving' don't feel as if they need to be saved. They are desperately trying to 'save these souls' before the devil gets them. I think its a competition.

If the audience is made up of 'already believers', the speaker will rile people into a religious frenzy using repetitious phrases and lots of AMENS. A woman in a fancy dress and too much makeup will sing and maybe bring people to tears before the plate is passed for donations.

Some evangelizers knock on doors and give out pamplets which explain the hell that the world is on the verge of going through, then 'show people the way to being saved from all that. Then have an addy that you can send your donations to. We have been on the verge of this hell for as long as i've been around.

http://www.evangelize.com/ ...the first few lines explains it pretty well, notice the side bar, too.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/leaders/newsletter/2001/cln10801.html
is another site that attempts to convert, using 'softer' tactics than the 'old ways' of evangelizing.

From what is see, evangelizing is: recruiting people to believe and then get out and spread the word. Oh, and don't forget, get all the new marks to send you money, too. Sorta like a pyramid scheme?
_________________
EC Anna
Right Earth Monastery

[prntrkmt]

Evangelism is a recruitment campaign.

Evangelism evolved from warfare.

The Sumerian people used warfare for several thousand years as their primary method for determining whose gods were "real". The losers were expected to switch to the gods of the winner.

The Jews developed the idea of evangelism, attempting to spread their religious beliefs through recruiting rather than through warfare.

Eventually the Jewish religion realized that evangelism is very annoting and not particularly effective. Modern Jews will often discourage newcomers to make sure that only the really persistent become Jews.

Paulinist Christianity competed directly with Judaism at a time when Judaism was the leading evangelical religion in the world. Evangelism was one of the ideas that Paul stole from Judaism.

While Judaism evolved away from evangelism, Christianity never did.

Islam reuinited evangelism with warfare. The classic Islamic evangelism is at the point of a sword -- convert or die.

The vast majority of the world's religions are non-evangelical. If someone wants to learn, they will share their religion, but they don't actively try to recruit anyone new. Many of the world's religions go one step further and try to discourage newcomers (again to guarantee the sincerity of those who persist).

Evangelism is extremely insulting and rude. Civilized people are secure enough in their own beliefs that they have no need to attempt to convince everyone aroudn them that they have to share those same beliefs.
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http://www.prntrkmt.org/

[Nachtschattenreich]

Grannymouse -