Posted by Jim Henderson on: 02.17.2006 /
If I were asked to visit a bunch of athiest meetings or gatherings and provide feedback as a non interested person - I would probably be surprised and wonder what their agenda was.
Some people participated in the bidding for Hemant hoping they could get him to:
1) Into the “right” church
2) Hear the “right” preacher
3) Meet “real” Christians
4) Read the “right” book
Believing that if they did he would “convert”, “see the light” or “get saved.”
We had no such aspirations (for a number of reasons).
We just wanted someone who is not used to our world to enter it briefly and tell us what they noticed, felt or experienced.
With that information we could improve our “approach” and find better ways to connect with people like Hemant in hopes of seeing them become followers of Jesus.
Too hopeful?
still manipulative?
Leave a Reply
Comment by: Jess
1 02/17/06 7:30 AM | Comment Link |why not Hemant, if others?
I do understand your point, though, and I applaud it. It’s important to not use “conversion” as an alterior, underlying motive for any relationship or conversation.
Comment by: Siamang
2 02/17/06 9:18 AM | Comment Link |When done out of love with genuine respect and humility, it’s not manipulative.
Comment by: Ir
3 02/17/06 9:43 AM | Comment Link |Jim, you wrote that you hope to see persons like Hemant become followers of Jesus. Do you hope that for Hemant himself?
Comment by: Jim Henderson
4 02/17/06 1:18 PM | Comment Link |sure
Comment by: Paul
5 02/21/06 9:02 AM | Comment Link |I think Hemant is doing an excellent job providing that sort of outside perspective!! he obviously can’t speak for all atheists, so its great to see others joining into the conversation and giving further top insights!
whether conversations lead to people wanting to follow Jesus or indeed learning to be better follower of Jesus - i hope so but if not I’ll still want to listen and learn from people like Hemant and Siamang…
Comment by: seeker
6 02/21/06 10:47 AM | Comment Link |At the very least, we all expect that you would be overjoyed if he became a christian as a result of this experience. I also expect that you are probably having to consciously restrain your evangelical impulses so that you DON’T evangelize him, but stay true to your initial purpose.
I think that you are going to have to continually reaffirm your committment to your information-gathering mission, and discipline yourselves NOT to abuse your pet atheist (i say that with humorous affection) by overtly or subtly trying to manipulate him or preach to him.
I think that if you show him respect, as he is showing you, and continue to do so, we will all learn very much.
Comment by: seeker
7 02/21/06 10:54 AM | Comment Link |And by the way, xians, including myself, are often viewed as inhospitable, if not downright hateful, towards gays. It would be interesting to do the same experiment with an open-minded gay person.
Comment by: Siamang
8 02/21/06 11:08 AM | Comment Link |Thanks for the kind words, Paul.
This is a fun experiment. I love the community of honest seekers here.
Comment by: The Consultant
9 02/22/06 6:08 AM | Comment Link |Jim, you wrote:
Some people participated in the bidding for Hemant hoping they could get him to:
1) Into the “right” church
2) Hear the “right” preacher
3) Meet “real” Christians
4) Read the “right” book
Believing that if they did he would “convert”, “see the light” or “get saved.”"
How do you know? Did these individuals who participated in the bidding write about their motives somewhere?