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The other day a FriendlyChristian.com reader left an interesting comment. Summed up, the comment read “Praise & thanks to Satan.”
I contemplated allowing the comment, however, eventually deleted it. Was this truly how this reader felt or was this merely an attempt to stir the pot? I’ll probably never know. At any rate…
Sarcastically, I shook my head and mumbled, “whatever dude….” as I hit the delete button. The sound of the mouse click had barely finished before I started thinking: Christians do this all the time.
- We go into forums and leave our little “Jesus saves” comments, as if an unbelieving reader will read it and realize her need for a savior.
- We put cute and clever bumper stickers on our vehicles to “help unbelievers come into a relationship with Christ” (although I question those intentions, hence the quotation marks).
- We stand on street corners and “lovingly inform all passersby that sinners go to hell” (again, mind the quotation marks).
It’s almost as if we try to use our belief in Christ as a weapon (don’t you dare start quoting Ephesians to me). I wonder, though, what is the goal?
Is it evangelism?
If it is, allow me to be the first to fill you in: you can stop, it’s not working. In fact, I bet has the exact opposite effect that you’re looking for.
Or is it to stir the pot?
Seriously, this is how you choose to spend your time?
Personally, I haven’t given the “praise and thanks to Satan” a second thought. The commenter gave me no reason to.
Christians, I’d challenge you to reevaluate your approach to evangelism. Ask yourself, “what worked for me?” I bet you won’t find yourself answering that question with “a random comment in a forum, a bumper sticker, or a bullhorn preacher.”
Love your unbelieving friend. Serve your unbelieving friend. Encourage your unbelieving friend. Listen to your unbelieving friend. Learn from your unbelieving friend.
Atheists - In the last 4.5 months of 2007, I knowingly befriended an Atheist for the first time. I’ve been challenged like crazy by you guys. Thank you for allowing an idiot Christian such as myself into your lives. I know 2008 will only bring us closer together. I am honored to be your friend.
Christians - nuthin’ but love 
Popularity: 3% [?]
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Nope, not a whole lot to go on there.
W00t! (It was word of the year, I’m trying to catch up.)
Did you hear about the dyslexic devil worshipper?
He sold his soul to Santa.
That’s interesting about the idea of is it evangelism.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what exactly evangelism is along with what is ministry.
Here’s my thought, if you’re not sharing the actual Gospel message from beginning to end, you’re not evangelizing, so if you’re one that has the bumper sticker, or likes to say “Jesus saves”, then basically all you’re doing is ticking people off, and make a fool of yourself.
Until you come into a relationship with a person, a little deeper than a “hi, how are you?” then really your saying something has zero effect on them, and instead of building the kingdom, you’re tearing it down. People need to know they are loved and valued before you can really share about God to where they will care.
Yes, I know there are on occasion people who have shared with a stranger, they’ve gotten saved, etc., but for the most part it’s about the relationship you have with the person, and how you invest in them, before the opportunity really arises, and is effective for evangelizing.
You make a very good point. Perhaps that was the same point this anonymous person was trying to make - “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Or as they have already done unto you). We like to be respected, so does everyone.
The summation of God’s law is that we love and serve him AND that we love and serve others. There are two parts to the law and one cannot be done without the other. The bumper stickers I used to plaster my car with as well as the tee-shirts that I wore were never intended to convert - only rebuke. As Peter once said:
As Peter said:
Christian, I thought Jesus said “Do unto others as you would have them do to you” - were you kidding when you said that was anonymous?
My favorite kind of evangelism is the Off The Map kind.
Happy New Year everyone!
Yes, and others before and since.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethic_of_reciprocity
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Golden_Rule
Now, Now, Bill - there is nothing wrong with stirring the pot now and again. Hell, I’m living proof of that!
At the same time, there is much to be said about the intent. A Roman soldier who walks into Temple, over turning the money tables to prove that he can, isn’t the same as Jesus who did so for a very different reason.
An evangelist who stands outside of an abortion clinic, preaching about the sanctity of life, would seem only interested in humiliating women who choose to have an abortion. The same evangelist preaching the same thing outside a medical school, however, might be seen in a more positive light… Still stirring the pot, but for a better purpose.
Namaste.
Very good thought provoking post Bill!
evangelism has become some sort of banging down the door and telling someone they are going to hell. It wasn’t affective with me, and therefore I could never do it to someone else.
I am a believer inn being a friend, but at the same time I am not a friend just to show them my way of thinking…friendship has to be real too…we really need to love others that think differently with no hidden agenda…yea I would love for them to know Jesus like I do, but I also know that it will not happen especially if I am a fraud in my approach.
Happy New Year all! and Hover-loved the joke
My two cents…
I agree with John that intent is important in figuring out what was meant by the comment. If the comment was simply, “You’re a doofus, Hail Satan!” then stirring the pot is the answer.
If the comment had a screed about evangelism and the more subtle and arrogant ways Christians can evangelize or peeve people off, then the Hail Satan was probably was an attempt to show how those things can look to an “outsider”.
If the comment was extolling the virtues of Satanism then the Hail Satan was evangelizing (although I’m sure that was about as ineffective as you can get).
Ben thanks for the links.
Helen, what do they believe at “off the map”…it seems that when i looked through the blogs it listed, I still couldn’t get a grasp on what do they believe. I am all for living the thing, and not being some stuffy smells bad old church cliche…juat wandered what the whole thing is about…i think I will go over there and look again..so thanks for linking that!
Darla, Off The Map is run by people who believe in Jesus. It doesn’t have a written statement of faith.
It does have a mission statement: promoting otherlyness, the spirituality of serving. Informally its goal since it was founded has been helping Christians learn to be normal.
Helen- =)) I am going to love that site! I am all about everyone becoming some sort of normal..and couldn’t agree more with what I have read over there so far. Thanks alot!
My question is: What’s normal?
Darla, I’m glad you like it!
Ashley - exactly :). The less polite version is ‘helping Christians learn to be less like jerks’ - if that helps you understand how the word is being used…
lol, it does. Thanks.
‘Love your unbelieving friend. Serve your unbelieving friend. Encourage your unbelieving friend. Listen to your unbelieving friend. Learn from your unbelieving friend.’
2 Corinthians 6:14 ‘Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?’
Stop calling unbelievers ‘wicked’ is one of the first steps to friendship.
Personally, I never ask any of my friends if they believe in a god or not. I’m sure some do, but they don’t normally say, so I usually have no way of telling which of my friends are Christians and which are not.
Helen- linked to off the map on my blog post, very interesting, and I am enjoying it..
Carr-I have never called my unbeliever friends “wicked”..although I have used the word like this “my new sound system is wicked good!”
I also don’t ask people the minute I meet them if they believe in anything..friendship is about accepting someone like they are, and it takes time to develope.
I am a Christ follower and “jerky” Christians work on my last nerve!
Praise Satin! We are talking about underwear, right?
Happy Nat- hahahaha you made me laugh out loud!!! not just a smile..my thoughts exactly…for the most part these entries seem to have ignored him a whole lot more than praise him.
:d/
Just an observation but Satanists, by definition, believe in God. They simply disapprove of God and follow his enemy. Which is better from a Christian perspective, a Satanist or an atheist who believes in and follows neither God nor Satan?
I am happy to report, but not brag, that I do none of those you listed Bill. Doesn’t make me off the hook. I do say “God bless you” from time to time
I have never been interested in cramming what I believe down someone else’s throat. But, I will make no apologies on living my life how I choose. Nor will I water down my beliefs…nor should anyone.
Hope your New Year has started out great!
Hover = from my Christian perspective no one is better than anyone…did i answer the question?:-w
Bill- just wondering if you survived well from the holidays, or if we should maybe send out a search party for you…or are you having a very long conversation on the phone, and iphone maybe? :)]
You’re not an idiot. You’re a nice guy
You know, I have so many questions when it comes to evangelism. I see those tv preachers and think…oh what the heck, they just want money! And I see overly charismatic christians who sing Jesus saves to every passerby and I think…you nut! See, Im being honest here. ANd Im a Christian! How terrible.
Maybe God uses those people and it their situations it works. But my experience with evangelism….which just seems like such a technical term….is just sharing my journey with my friends. I mean I dont set up a “Jesus time” speech for them but in time they have questions and I just share what I believe, but I dont push it. To me its a choice. As much as I want ALL of my friends to become believers…I just dont push it. I think God times those interactions perfectly and in His perfect timing.
To be honest, what it really seems like to us unbelievers is not that you are trying to do anything for us, or for our benefit, but rather that you are playing out some ritual that benefits yourself. I often get a “I don’t really know why I’m doing this, as I don’t think there is any point, but I have to do this, it’s my duty” sort of vibe. And really, it doesn’t come off very well. At the very best it comes off as condescending, and often it’s worse than that: it’s just indifferent, or even spiteful.
An I mean, most evangelists will say flat out that only Jesus can make me believe in Jesus: they can’t really do anything. Indeed, if they could do anything, it would play all sorts of hell with theology. I mean, if you evangelizing me could make a difference between believing or not, then it could make THE difference. And if that’s the case, then whether I go to hell or not is more up to sheer dumb luck than anything else: if you miss your bus or something, that’s that. Sure, I make the choice, but causally, whether or not I make that choice or not depends on the situation, which I have no control over. Seems a pretty junky thing to base someone’s ultimate fate on.
Like I said before Bill, I try to live Jesus, not just talk about Him. I’m human, I fail, everyone does. I actually like bumper stickers, for the mere fact that there are times when the world is going 100 miles per hour and I’ll see one and it will bring my thoughts back to the One who can give me peace. If I’m in a setting where people want to know about God, great…there is nothing I enjoy more than spending time with like-minded people. Sure I would love to see the whole world saved but realistically it ain’t gonna happen…I would hope that people,believers and non-alike would be able to love on eachother regardless and accept eachother where they are at. I think this is a good place for that. I know where I’m going, I don’t hold back nor am I intimidated by where I’m at public or not when I talk about God. I pray over my food in public the same as I do at home. I say “God bless you” and mean it when someone sneezes. I don’t make excuses for my behavior nor do I push it on anyone. I will lead someone to Christ if they want in a public bathroom, rock concert or behind closed doors. I think the key is being consistant in whatever circumstance you find yourself in. If you are acting differently outside the church walls than you are inside, it’s time to do a self check. It’s up to God Himself where and when and with who, takes the pressure off. Hope you had super holidays!
What happened to Bill? He hasn’t posted in nearly a week!
Not sure…I just got home….hmmm……. :-t Bill>>>>>>> Where ya at????????
Bill are you sick? We sure could use a new topic..and would love to see you write something:)
Hahaha. Ok, ok…I’m here
I’m glad to know that if something ever happens to me that I’ll have a search party looking for me in no less than one week! LOL
“We like to be respected, so does everyone.”
I couldn’t agree more. I actually think disrespecting others is the ultimate blockade in the road to “saving” people.
I was so happy to read this post. It really gives me a lot of hope that Christianity will be “normalized” as described above. I’m a non-believer. Thats probably clear from my other posts. However, I’m a rational person and if something makes sense to me, I can’t really argue with it. The incessantly “jerky” and self-righteous aftertaste of most of my Christian experiences makes me want to run the other way, not learn more. Bumper stickers, coming door to door and preaching seems to be the opposite of tolerance and humility. Its not good advertising, its hypocritical and it really invites backlash. I am so happy, that this seemingly off-handed Satan comment brought up what things are like for non-believers. I agree with most of the do-gooder ideals of Christianity. I love most of the morals and its a great way to encourage a community to get together and make change for the better. The people I have the most respect for, admiration and wish to learn something from are people who are just good people. Its terribly simple. You know a good person when you meet them. They just are. I might not agree with everything they say or do, but I respect them and try to learn from them. There’s a certain point when stickers and such seem to cheapen the message. When I think of spiritual anything - I think serene, kind, beautiful, calm, strong, peaceful. Being bomarbarded and essentially told what a horrible person I must be just makes me angry. I don’t think the people preaching at me, or driving around with rude stickers are nice, wonderful or good people. I don’t know what kind of image they think they are projecting. Is this to make them feel better about themselves? or to be boastful? or show off to their fellow Christians? Honestly, this big to-do over The Golden Compass is a similar example to this Satan comment. I understand why many religous people would be upset about the author’s intentions and underlying message in this book/movie. But can you imagine how upset you would be if anti-God propaganda was blantantly all over the place? If unlike the movie, it couldn’t be avoided - ever?
Sorry for the rant. I’m mostly just excited. I want to apologize for offending anyone but then again, pondering how and why people become offended is part of this topic.