Protestant Ministers Continue To Preach Hatred

[tailfins]

Sorry, but those look like cat-box contents.

Quibe is really good; Brazil adopted it from the Arabs. You wouldn't make a very good missionary. My father-in-law was served rotisserie monkey when witnessing to a Tupi tribe. The Tupi get REALLY offended if you turn their nose up at their food.

[mundame]

I really don't get why you are so vehement about someone knocking on your door. Just say no thanks. They aren't going to force their way into your home and tie you up while they preach.

What exactly about this message of the love of God upsets you so? And if the message isn't ultimately about that, then you dismiss the speaker.

Good question --- I feel the same way about the hard-sell salesmen in BJs as about the door-to-door missionaries. So what is the common denominator?

It's that they are predators and they see me as their prey. And I verrrrrrrrrry much don't want to be anybody's prey.

They want to get my money or get my belief to reinforce their own or to beef up the poor membership of their church or take over the world --- they want something illegitimate. They want it for THEMSELVES, not for me, and so they intrusively approach me and try to get it out of me. Like con men do.

It's just wrong. It's immoral to treat people as prey.

The model I approve of is where people put their wares out on display, at a store or church or a website, and advertise for people who are interested to come on in and see if they'd like some of this stuff they are selling. So BJs has lots of little stands where people in hair nets have free samples to promote some brand or other, and they don't harass anyone, but you can try if you like. They have an intermediate moral position where a guy gets on a loudspeaker and promotes a "free giveaway" of something, a kitchen knife, I think, just assemble at the deli counter. But actually, that's a con, because they get people there and then keep calling for more people for half an hour! So you're waiting there all that time. I did wait about ten minutes once and then left and never fell for that con again. They don't harass people, but they do trick us, so that's wrong.

Then the last and worst is the hard-sell home improvement guys who literally stalk customers through the dark, empty aisles, but they don't do that to me twice........

And the worst of all is when they actually come to a person's HOME and do that predator stuff, that is really intrusive prey-seeking behavior. It's just wrong.

You know I'm hardly the only one who feels this way! Lots of people put up signs to keep the religious types away from their homes, lots of people get angry about it. Intrusion just isn't good. They want to get at us for their own sakes, for some bad reason. Just like the people in BJs who want your money. Very possibly it's for the same money reason: they want a bigger congregation and thus more "offerings."

Anyway, I don't care to be prey for anyone, and quite a lot of people feel like I do.

[Abbey Marie]

Mundame, I cannot convince you that for many of us, spreading the gospel is a work of love, and a commission straight from God's word, when you see it as a self-interested horror show. We'll have to leave it at that.

[tailfins]

Good question --- I feel the same way about the hard-sell salesmen in BJs as about the door-to-door missionaries. So what is the common denominator?

It's that they are predators and they see me as their prey. And I verrrrrrrrrry much don't want to be anybody's prey.

They want to get my money or get my belief to reinforce their own or to beef up the poor membership of their church or take over the world --- they want something illegitimate. They want it for THEMSELVES, not for me, and so they intrusively approach me and try to get it out of me. Like con men do.

It's just wrong. It's immoral to treat people as prey.

The model I approve of is where people put their wares out on display, at a store or church or a website, and advertise for people who are interested to come on in and see if they'd like some of this stuff they are selling. So BJs has lots of little stands where people in hair nets have free samples to promote some brand or other, and they don't harass anyone, but you can try if you like. They have an intermediate moral position where a guy gets on a loudspeaker and promotes a "free giveaway" of something, a kitchen knife, I think, just assemble at the deli counter. But actually, that's a con, because they get people there and then keep calling for more people for half an hour! So you're waiting there all that time. I did wait about ten minutes once and then left and never fell for that con again. They don't harass people, but they do trick us, so that's wrong.

Then the last and worst is the hard-sell home improvement guys who literally stalk customers through the dark, empty aisles, but they don't do that to me twice........

And the worst of all is when they actually come to a person's HOME and do that predator stuff, that is really intrusive prey-seeking behavior. It's just wrong.

You know I'm hardly the only one who feels this way! Lots of people put up signs to keep the religious types away from their homes, lots of people get angry about it. Intrusion just isn't good. They want to get at us for their own sakes, for some bad reason. Just like the people in BJs who want your money. Very possibly it's for the same money reason: they want a bigger congregation and thus more "offerings."

Anyway, I don't care to be prey for anyone, and quite a lot of people feel like I do.

1) I hope you don't take it out on the minimum wage drone working at BJs.
2) Dwindling membership has nothing to do with it. It's a lifestyle, kind of like staying physically fit. Think of it as staying spiritually fit. I wish I had my father-in-law's discipline to make any sacrifice necessary to witness. When temporarily assigned here in the US he gets call after call to visit someone in jail. He often gets a 2 AM call about someone being arrested. I'm not sure, but I think he also does jail visits in Brazil. He is responsible for having planted numerous churches along the tributaries of the Amazon River. My father-in-law is a gifted man. Besides his native Portuguese, he speaks Spanish and a couple of indigenous languages.

[mundame]

Mundame, I cannot convince you that for many of us, spreading the gospel is a work of love, and a commission straight from God's word, when you see it as a self-interested horror show. We'll have to leave it at that.

Lots of people feel as I do; that's why they have the "no trespassing" signs and the frowns. MOST people don't like it: I know that's true because if they did like it, there would be a lot more welcomes and a lot less rejection and people complaining about it to each other. Trying to convert people door-to-door is hard, because most people do not want to be converted. Most people who answer the door reject the missionary, right? They say they aren't interested and close the door.

Perhaps religious types should restrict their approaches to the homes of people who put up affirmative signs: "Missionaries Welcome." That would be fair and appropriate.

[Abbey Marie]

Lots of people feel as I do; that's why they have the "no trespassing" signs and the frowns. MOST people don't like it: I know that's true because if they did like it, there would be a lot more welcomes and a lot less rejection and people complaining about it to each other. Trying to convert people door-to-door is hard, because most people do not want to be converted. Most people who answer the door reject the missionary, right? They say they aren't interested and close the door.

Perhaps religious types should restrict their approaches to the homes of people who put up affirmative signs: "Missionaries Welcome." That would be fair and appropriate.

Jesus never said it would be easy.

[tailfins]

Lots of people feel as I do; that's why they have the "no trespassing" signs and the frowns. MOST people don't like it: I know that's true because if they did like it, there would be a lot more welcomes and a lot less rejection and people complaining about it to each other. Trying to convert people door-to-door is hard, because most people do not want to be converted. Most people who answer the door reject the missionary, right? They say they aren't interested and close the door.

Perhaps religious types should restrict their approaches to the homes of people who put up affirmative signs: "Missionaries Welcome." That would be fair and appropriate.

Oh come on! Your sarcasm is reaching the point of being abusive. That being said, it seems door-to-door evangelism is a kind of self-punishment for the evangelist. Jails, nursing homes and homeless shelters are more effective mission venues. Inmates of these kinds of facilities are happy to get a pastoral visit.

[Robert A Whit]

I believe that the hospital had some clergy come to visit me. I sure did not ask and the clergy did not come from my church since they had no idea I was in the hospital.

[tailfins]

I believe that the hospital had some clergy come to visit me. I sure did not ask and the clergy did not come from my church since they had no idea I was in the hospital.

They can't know who doesn't have family to visit unless they ask.

[Kathianne]

Mundame, I cannot convince you that for many of us, spreading the gospel is a work of love, and a commission straight from God's word, when you see it as a self-interested horror show. We'll have to leave it at that.

I've mentioned that I live in the city known for having more churches per capita than anywhere else in US. There's not a weekend day that doesn't have a least one person or group knocking on my door. That doesn't offend me. I listen for a moment, do not accept their literature and thank them. If they keep going, I slowly close the door. I've never had a problem and yes, I understand they believe they are carrying God's word to the people. I respect that.

[Robert A Whit]

I've mentioned that I live in the city known for having more churches per capita than anywhere else in US. There's not a weekend day that doesn't have a least one person or group knocking on my door. That doesn't offend me. I listen for a moment, do not accept their literature and thank them. If they keep going, I slowly close the door. I've never had a problem and yes, I understand they believe they are carrying God's word to the people. I respect that.

Very, very well said. Indeed, right on the mark.

[tailfins]

I've mentioned that I live in the city known for having more churches per capita than anywhere else in US. There's not a weekend day that doesn't have a least one person or group knocking on my door. That doesn't offend me. I listen for a moment, do not accept their literature and thank them. If they keep going, I slowly close the door. I've never had a problem and yes, I understand they believe they are carrying God's word to the people. I respect that.

I wonder what would happen if they gave out swag? Would you use a Jehovah's Witness mini-flashlight or pen?

[Kathianne]

I wonder what would happen if they gave out swag? Would you use a Jehovah's Witness mini-flashlight or pen?

Not a thing. I keep my hand on the door and say, "Thank you, I don't want any."

[jafar00]

If the priests are preaching hate, it explains a lot why their flock are hating on Islam or anything else they don't agree with.

[avatar4321]

Ive seen good and bad in all faiths. Some simply misguided in doing bad things. Some are evil people.

That's why i think it's important to be converted to the message, not the messenger.