Evangelizing Advice from an Atheist.
Dec. 31st, 2014 08:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wingedbeastI'm an atheist in a country full of Christians, a significant portion of whom find it the calling of their faith to witness to me and attempt to get me to change my mind and take up their faith. If that's what you feel you have to do, I'm not going to deny you your right to speak.
However, for the most part, this isn't good conversation. It isn't convincing to me, to my knowledge, anybody who isn't already a Christian. And, it isn't even convincing to most of the Christians I know.
For the moment, I'm speaking to a subset of Christians who feel it important that they attempt to convert non-Christians into Christians. What I'm saying to that specific subset is, by and large, you're your own worst Public Relations enemy.
I'm not going to promise a greater number of conversions. I'm just going to try to help you alienate others less often. With that in mind, I present this series, which will be just as sporadic as my other series.
Tip 1. Slow Down.
Much of the motivating factor for evangelizing seems to be in the notion that some unsaved soul could, at any moment, die. Hit by a car, brain vessel goes pop, some jerk a mile away fired his gun aimed skyward not realizing where the bullet would go, etc.
Hey, not assuming that we have all the time in the world is a good thing. Carpe-deim and all that.
But, the counter to that is that we don't want to assume that the only option worth considering is that we could die today. We could also live a long lifespan. And, the short-term methods that seek a quick conversion after a conversation or a Christianity-themed movie or a service aren't working. In fact, they're a part of your PR problem.
So, be ready to say goodbye to the short-term tactics and be ready for a longer, more involved conversation.
However, for the most part, this isn't good conversation. It isn't convincing to me, to my knowledge, anybody who isn't already a Christian. And, it isn't even convincing to most of the Christians I know.
For the moment, I'm speaking to a subset of Christians who feel it important that they attempt to convert non-Christians into Christians. What I'm saying to that specific subset is, by and large, you're your own worst Public Relations enemy.
I'm not going to promise a greater number of conversions. I'm just going to try to help you alienate others less often. With that in mind, I present this series, which will be just as sporadic as my other series.
Tip 1. Slow Down.
Much of the motivating factor for evangelizing seems to be in the notion that some unsaved soul could, at any moment, die. Hit by a car, brain vessel goes pop, some jerk a mile away fired his gun aimed skyward not realizing where the bullet would go, etc.
Hey, not assuming that we have all the time in the world is a good thing. Carpe-deim and all that.
But, the counter to that is that we don't want to assume that the only option worth considering is that we could die today. We could also live a long lifespan. And, the short-term methods that seek a quick conversion after a conversation or a Christianity-themed movie or a service aren't working. In fact, they're a part of your PR problem.
So, be ready to say goodbye to the short-term tactics and be ready for a longer, more involved conversation.
no subject
Date: 2015-01-20 05:59 pm (UTC)Although, I will say? While this is great advice, I know that if I were to show this to the Christian Good Girls from middle & high school, their heads would explode. You see, you're discriminating against and oppressing them with a post like this, my friend. You'd have to get past that Delusional Persecution Complex (DPC).
no subject
Date: 2015-01-20 06:06 pm (UTC)But, for my purposes here, the exact same Christians having a better conversation across this boundary would be a good thing.