This started out as a letter to my friend who was getting upset because he didn't feel he was letting enough people know about his religion, which yes, was Christianity. This is what I wanted to tell him, but didn't because I didn't feel it was my place.
Imagine if you will: Someone comes up to you and tells you about something you've never heard of before. Something that sounds so fantastic that you cannot resist. Something that will make you feel sooo good, and you will want to keep going back for more and more and can't get enough. It will change your life drastically and permanently. You don't really understand why it makes you feel the way you do, it just happens. Knowing all of that information, doesn't that sound impeccable? Well, I was talking about heroin, not Christianity. (OK, not REALLY... but you get the point) I know you want to share what you believe in, we all do, but the fact is that Christian evangelism has been misinterpreted and abused, and is now a dangerous and ugly thing. When it is as simple as 'believe in this and you won't burn in hell, but live in Heaven with God, all you have to do is say you believe', that is a cop-out, that is not spirituality, that is not divine in nature. It is just persuasive, manipulative, and really shouldn't take place on a superficial level of every day normal chat like that. I believe that TRUE spirituality is learning all that you can and looking at the big picture and taking it all in, Christianity is only a small segment. Well, I'll say it is a large segment, but only because it is what I have been indoctrinated with. Don't get me wrong, I love Christianity and Jesus, but I love other things as well. I have contempt for those other things, too. This whole 'religion' thing that humans have created has really diverted the attention from GOD to having to be RIGHT. If someone is indeed 100% right, there is no way to prove it until you die.
John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5, and Acts 4:12, (paraphrase: there is no other way but Christianity) shows me tremendous pride (the bad kind). Do these verses really mean that the cultures across the globe who have their sacred texts and beliefs are going to Hell? How could anyone say such a thing? Since he was a little boy, Abdul's parents taught him the ways of the Qur'an and Allah. He didn't meet a Christian until mid life, and they had an interesting conversation, but they both still chose to continue what they, their culture, their leaders, and their families believed in. Abdul goes to Hell for that? The God I believe in wouldn't be so cruel to do that to entire nations. It is this alone why I have distanced myself from the American Christian Church. If you read the original Hebrew and Aramaic texts, which you should read, it has been translated directly into English. Here's a couple links: (Hebrew OT) (Aramaic NT), you will find that there have been some interesting translations that completely change what was meant. It made me very angry to know that the Bible is subjective and it all depends on which version you read, and even which publishers printed it. I have seen two NIVs word things differently.
If you live a great life, your natural aura will appeal to people who will want to talk to you about your beliefs. To me, random daily evangelism is kinda like going out to a bar and picking up some random girl and screwing her, only instead of getting her pregnant, you might get her saved, yay! Another bad thing about evangelism is that when you pop it up like that it causes one of two things. If the person is affiliated elsewhere, you just threw his/her blockers up. If they are a non-believer they are going to feel weird and not be in the appropriate setting for such a conversation. You shouldn't have an elevator pitch with the intent of 'saving one's soul'. What would be more constructive for the both of you would have been to have a sincere sit down private talk about spirituality. Then it's all good, that isn't evangelism, that is two intellectuals having a conversation about the things that really matter most. So don't get me wrong, share as much as you can, but to 'evangelize' in public and to people who you are not very close to is just..... AHH! And sometimes it can be very offensive, just like this blog could be to you, and I'm sorry if it is. I can't stand it when people evangelize to me as if I am stupid and I 'don't get it', I GET IT now go play dodge ball in your church gym with the kids. Which sets up my next blog: Child Indoctrination Nation: Elation vs Frustration.
Please, if you disagree with me on this, I urge you to watch a documentary called Jesus Camp. Click here for a direct link, you can watch it for free on Google Videos. If that doesn't change your mind, then I don't know what to tell ya! But I would be more than happy to discuss it further. Thanks for reading, please send me some feedback.
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