Stealth Evangelism

[Nope]

During my time as a Christian, I met some people who weren't exactly honest with others about their attempts to evangelize them. Their reasoning was that winning someone over to Christ was more important then anything else so they didn't mind being a little bit dishonest. To be fair, I don't think that they always understood that they were being dishonest because they were unable to consider anything beyond making a convert.

In some Baptist churches that I attended, we were encouraged to be friendly to new comers because they might not know Jesus. When people tell me that their new church is friendly, I always get suspicious that this is just another sneaky tactic to win converts.

I have had friends who pray that someone converts even when they tell that person to their face that they accept their believes or non-believes. In many cases, the Christian friend is waiting for the right moment when they can pounce. Usually this is when their friend is vulnerable like after the death of a loved one.

Of course, there are the pamphlets. I have found them in library books, in a display at the zoo, on the back of a bathroom stall, just about anywhere a stealthy evangelist can shove them. I even saw a young woman leave one for a tip at the table beside mine. The reason that I noticed her in the first place was because she was so rude to the waiter.

Have you had any stealth evangelist experiences or did you engage in any when you were a Christian?

[Alex K]

I stealth evangelize atheism

I'll usually act like I'm totally fine with people being Christian and all, but then sometimes drop atheisty remarks because I can't help it. I don't secretly pray for them to lose their faith though, because that doesn't make sense.

I've had one amusing non-stealth evangelism experience. I talked to a nice girl from my school over lunch, and I honestly don't remember what exactly I said. The next day she came up to me after lunch and handed me a bible in which her pastor had highlighted some verses which they thought were particularly important for my soul, inspired by our conversation the day before, she said. I thanked her, smiled and took it, but the thing must be broken, I'm still atheist.

[Nope]

I meant to tell this story in my first post. Our religious nephew was staying with us and expressed no problem with our lack of faith. One day, he and I went to the store and a woman passed out a fill in the blank evangelical pamphlet. I threw mine away and assumed he did his also.

Later, my son found the pamphlet on his bed. He asked where it came from and I said that I must have made a mistake about throwing my copy away. Perhaps I had accidentally laid it on his bed when I put some items up in his room.

Being a rather silly teenage boy, he filled out the pamphlet in the stupidest way possible. One of the questions was...If I die tonight, I will be in.......... My son wrote, your mother. He then showed the pamphlet to his cousin who he expected to roll his eyes but laugh.

Our nephew got really angry and shouted, "You know that is your aunt, right? You are saying that you would like to have sex with her." Instead of being upset, my son started to laugh because he realized who had left the pamphlet which of course did not endear him to his cousin.

[Alex K]

That is funny. You must be so proud of your son

[Nope]

That is funny. You must be so proud of your son

Yes, I am.

My son has his father's sense of sarcasm and my silliness. Poor kid.

[robvalue]

I've seen it even on this forum. Someone shares their experiences about a crisis they are going through, and Christian vultures come in and start trying to say "they need God." Disgusting.

If someone tried that crap on me to my face they would get more back than they could handle.

[Natachan]

I might've gotten drunk and "there's probably no god so stop worrying and enjoy your life" on the wall of a bar restroom underneath a call for prayers for god to return to this country.

All I know is next time I went back I saw some very interesting stuff written on the walls.

[abaris]

If someone tried that crap on me to my face they would get more back than they could handle.

I haven't had someone trying to pull that trick on me. If they take no for an answer and me walking away as a hint, there's no need for being rude. But if they don't, they might be in for some surprises.

[Tonus]

Have you had any stealth evangelist experiences or did you engage in any when you were a Christian?

It's funny to look back on: JWs go door-to-door to evangelize, but I can remember that we were taught not to identify ourselves as such when we knocked on a door. We were to simply offer a cheerful greeting and ask for a minute of the person's time.

The thing is, everyone in the area knew that if there was a knock at the door at the most inconvenient time on a weekend morning from someone who only offered a cheerful greeting and a request for some time... it was a Jehovah's Witness.

[robvalue]

I've kind of been mulling over whether I should debate JW that come to bug me. I have the right since they knocked on my door spouting garbage. I guess it would at least stop them coming back.

I've been interrupted while writing about how shit religion is on this forum by JW. It was hard to keep a straight face with them.

Yeah when I said "more back" I didn't mean I'd be rude, but that I'd argue my case. And I got a lot of ammo.