Evangelism from the Other Side

[mountainpreacher]

My mistake-long day. correction- PSALM 37:12-13 Thank you for your response :) I'm glad you took the time to read the references. The Psalm verses were actually inappropriate for you,(I had just viewed a rather immature video by paganpuppy02)you seem very rational and open to discussion. I will respond soon. Thanks again.

[mountainpreacher]

ROMANS 37:12-15 . MATTHEW 3:2 . Matt 10:32,33

[jeffmcelhattan]

I'm not sure what your Romans reference is; there are only 16 chapters in Romans. The other references are intersting but I'm not sure what your point is. When someone doesn't accept your message are they persecuting you? Are you comparing that to the 300,000 people each year around the world who die because of their Christian beliefs? Please explain your point.

[saximus]

Christianity is not a belief. It is truth that you cannot understand until you find it. I see God in the faces of all, and I live to serve and to save. One thing I do not do is push religion on people. All we can do is give them an opportunity to be saved. They're the ones who must accept or deny a man who died to save our wretched souls from eternal despair. Why would you fight salvation, anyway?

[jeffmcelhattan]

I appreciate your passion but offer this observation: you speak of Christianity being "truth" not a "belief." I'm not so sure I follow the logic. If it's true, it's objective and therefore subject to scrutiny and testing. What you speak of is very subjective. It's true for you because you "found it". Why does your finding it make it true for me?

[Pelren]

Yes, I do know what it means. I was saved and my life changed. I treat no one like vermin. It means finding new life in Jesus. Yes, Jesus said you will lose your soul because of sin. The good news is that Jesus can save you like He has so many others.

[jeffmcelhattan]

You told me that you "got saved" but you didn't tell me what it means. A mormon talks about "a burning in the bosom" and a buddhist talks about enlightment? Is that it or what?

[gailowens]

We need to be tell people the truth. Either you get saved or go to hell

[jeffmcelhattan]

How do you know it's "the truth"? And what does "get saved" mean? You xians and your jargon; have you ever stopped to think about what you say sounds like to people who don't have your frame of reference? (cont...)

[jeffmcelhattan]

You say, "get saved or go to hell" with the same sort of indifference to your product as a telemarketer has when making a phone call. If you truly believe I have a soul that will perish if I dont' "get saved" and you truly believe God sent his son to die for my soul, why do so many of you treat people outside your camp as if they're vermin? BTW: What does "get saved" mean? Do you even know?

[naujitii]

This is the same tactic used by your religion, and every fanatic religion around the world. Be aware that the Chrisitanity and Catholisism that we know today was a Hybrid religion created by the Romans, which were part extracted from Mithraism. And Religion has been used for centuries by tyrants to manipulate the masses and murder thousands. So dont come up to me telling me to"believe this or be damned" because im not a close minded person like you.

[jeffmcelhattan]

I'm not sure some of the assertions you make are historically correct. The hybridization comment regarding the Catholic church would be; but that's not the only flavor in Christianity. You also seem to assert that because relgion has been abused by some religion must be bad. I'm I reading you correctly?

[naujitii]

you are actually right, this mostly applies to Catholisism now that you remind me, but I say mostly because the christians read the same bible as the catholics do If im not mistaken.

This is a Historical record though, Catholisism was heavily influenced by Mithraisms and most catholic holidays used to be pagan holidays as well, for example the 25th of December was venerated as the Roman pagan holiday of Sol Invictus, The unconquered sun, it is the day when the night is longer than the day.

[Pelren]

I am still so grateful for the man that confronted me on the street. He PREACHED Jesus to me and 17 years later my life is still different. Keep it up preachers.

[noneofyerbiznezz]

Lets go over the xian myth. A man gives birth to a woman, a snake talks and the woman(the bible is soo sexist) screws it up for all forever and ever.

A guy who supposedly does miracles, heals the sick, walks on water, turns water into wine(total alcoholic!) cant do nothin with those last 3 nails? No miracles left? Was he like a genie and only a certain number available? Also, if jesus was god, whyd jesus ask his god *why have u foresaken me LORD?*?

[PlainJanekiwi3212]

1. God created man and woman and she was tricked and ate it. It's also Adam's fault too, because he knew it was wrong, but he didn't stop her or stop himsef.

[PlainJanekiwi3212]

2. Jesus could have done something with the nails. He chose not too. He knew he had to die for our sins, cause God can't look at sin. In reality, he could have flew off and zap them with lightning bolts. But he did it for us.

3. It's the whole trinity thing, Its one God, 3 persons. They are all God, but also not. It's hard to explain, but God is so awsome he can be 1 thing while being 3.

[noneofyerbiznezz]

plain, xianity is a belief. stating it with infinite absolute certainty doesnt make it fact

[PlainJanekiwi3212]

Amen, Jesus said to go make disiples(spelled wrong probablylol) of the world, and that is what we plan to do. We respect your opinion, but sometimes you need some to get in your face for you to understand. We aren't all fire and bremstone Christians, but we want to save you, because that's our mission of love, to share the gospel.

[jeffmcelhattan]

What if people don't want to be "saved" as you define it; if your god is real, why does he need you to speak on his behalf?

[noneofyerbiznezz]

Jesus saves using double coupons!

No seriously, he couldnt even save himself. And some people think that somehow a dead dude is gonna save them? I have some property in Beverly Hills I'd like to sell dirt cheap. Any takers?

[noneofyerbiznezz]

We respect your opinion, but sometimes you need some to get in your face for you to understand<<

If there was truth to your BELIEFS(look that word up in a dictionary sometime), you wouldnt feel the need to force it on others. You would think that the truth would show itself somehow.

[lhdal]

Serious psychological assistance should be provided to those.

[GlobalSufi]

I have no prob with Evangelists telling me of their experience and belief, but I do have a problem with them when they try to legislate morality, or force their experience on others. The FACT is, this is about belief, not Fact. Even Jesus himself said one could follow every rule HE set down, yet not get into heaven.

I believe in Christ yet don't need anyone to tell me HOW to believe.

[jeffmcelhattan]

Legislation alwasy flows from a moral basis; the question is upon whose morality will legislation be based?

[Kurpalac]

The great scientists of our time have largely been Atheists. They have also been Humanists, usually acting more moral than many of the religious leaders of the time. Morality is something that is not derived from the Bible, if it was we would see a lot more murder and smiting in the name of a jealous God. I do not want to live in a world whose morals are dictated by the Bible, that would be a terrible world indeed.

[PlainJanekiwi3212]

Have you even read the bible?

[jeffmcelhattan]

Isn't it the recognition of their peers that makes them "great?" And the recognition usually follows some sort of "party line." History is full of "great" scientists who did believe in God (or the metaphysical); they didn't see a conflict between science and faith.  Newton, Galilleo, Pascal, Einstein; several of my own professors at college.

[noneofyerbiznezz]

I dont know if they didnt see a conflict between science and faith as much as they didnt mix the two. I would love to know how science and religion could go hand in hand.

Reading up on the beliefs of greats in the science field would be interesting, but would not change my opinion

Science explains so many things. Neurotheology is interesting. You can induce out of body experiences via stimulation of right angular gyrus, hypoxia= near death experience.

[jeffmcelhattan]

Great thought and you're right; theistic scientists did maintain a boundary between that which they could observe (science) and that which they believed but had not conclusive evidence for (religion).

[thefakeyeti]

What i belive most christians dont realize is.. that in the bible when jesus christ ask them if they wanted to follow him.. and they stated no. Jesus would move on! now i am atheist but i think that is one side of jesus they tend to ignore.

[SSBGG]

Jesus' words/demeanor varied with the situation/audience. Sometimes with action rather than words, other times with kindness and empathety, and yet other times his words were confrontational warnings. I'm a child of God, that is my world view. I do not feel "accosted" when approaced with differing views. The evangelists get to choose how they express their views, the audience gets to choose how they react. I don't see this as an attacker/victim relationship.

[jeffmcelhattan]

Interesting that when Jesus was confrontational and even physically aggressive it was with the religious folk.

[noneofyerbiznezz]

Personally, I think that jesus stuff is all a myth. There are so many interpretations of xianity..countless sects. I think people say jesus this jesus that to excuse their own actions.

[clubadonai]

This night was quite an eyeopener.

[thefakeyeti]

how was it a eyeopener? I wasnt there and it sounds like you were.. what were you guys doing? Were you preaching and started to interveiw on what people felt? Or did you just ask them what they thought of people trying to force their religion down others throats? What other things happened that day?

[jeffmcelhattan]

I'm not the person posting the first comment; but I shot the video and did the interviews. Our goal was to talk to people on both sides: what was motivating the "evangelizers" and what did their "evangelizing" feel like from the perspective of people being approached (acosted in most cases).