Or: How NOT to Witness to Atheists
By Siamang
Hemant’s website, Friendly Atheist has been flooded with fans of Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron’s “Way of the Master” name-brand of Christian evangelism.
Yeah. Fun.
Last week Hemant wrote a bunch of posts that spawned discussion leading up to and following the Nightline face off starring the pair. That seemed to call Com/Cam Masters out of the woodwork.
I’m sure folks here are familiar enough with Com/Cam and their tactics. If not, here’s my impression:
“Ten commandments. If you ever told a lie you’re a liar. If you stole a piece of candy when you were five, you’re a thief. If you’ve looked at another person you’re an adulterer. If I’m wrong, nothing happens, but if I’m right and you’re judged by almighty God at judgement day, by your own admission you’re a lying, thieving, blaspheming adulterer, how should you be judged….”
It’s a high-pressure sales script that sounds like it was written by a telemarketer. I’ve watched the Way of the Master shows, I’ve heard Ray use that script on podcasts. He never varies it at all. “If you’ve ever told a lie, Press ONE. If you’ve ever stolen something, even as a child, Press TWO or stay on the line!”
And that’s the general tack used by the first-time posters who descended on the Friendly Atheist site.
I complained about this sticking to a script on a discussion on Friendly Atheist. I said that Ray doesn’t ever LISTEN to the person he’s preaching at. He makes zero attempt to understand where a person is in their life and meeting them there. This is the response I got from poster Betty:
That’s because the message is the same for everybody. God will judge justly–everyone according to the same standard. He won’t bend or change His Law.
Wait a minute… I thought God’s message was the Gospels, not Ray’s telemarketing script. If you’re saying that God’s message is the same for everybody, why aren’t you preaching the Gospel? Why are you preaching things that were written by Ray Comfort?
If you’re going to preach something other than the Gospels, as a way to get people to understand their message, doesn’t it make sense to listen to the person you’re talking to and have a conversation rather than preach at them? Until you know where I’ve been and who I am, merely barking a pre-rolled script at me does neither of us any good.
So here’s a nickle’s worth of free advice to evangelists seeking to convert atheists: learn our stories first.
Siamang.
05-14-2007 |
16 Comments »By Siamang
Jeff Sharlet has a roaring good read about the parachurch organization “Battle Cry” in the latest issue of Rolling Stone.
Listen to this lede:
This is how you enlist in the Army of God: First come the fireworks and the prayers, and then 4,000 kids scream, “We won’t be silent anymore!” Then the kids drop to their knees, still but for the weeping and regrets of fifteen-year-olds. The lights in the Cleveland arena fade to blue, and a man on the stage whispers to them about sin and love and the Father-God. They rise, heartened; the crowd, en masse, swears off “harlots and adultery”; the twenty-one-year-old MC twitches taut a chain across the ass of her skintight red jeans and summons the followers to show off their best dance moves for God. “Gimme what you got!” she shouts. They dance — hip-hop, tap, toe and pelvic thrusting. Then they’re ready. They’re about to accept “the mark of a warrior,” explains Ron Luce, commander in chief of BattleCry, the most furious youth crusade since young sinners in the hands of an angry God flogged themselves with shame in eighteenth-century New England.
Read the whole thing at The Revealer.
Patrick at The Passionate Atheist diagnoses the problem and points to a strong question:
While Flemming and everyone else remain fixated upon the nonexistent “militancy” of the teen BattleCry members, the real problem continues to sit there: theism offers the one and only “viable” alternative to the assault society is carrying out on these young people. Whatcha gonna do, exhort them all to become Atheists? Friends, do keep in mind that our worldview is evil, and NO ONE wants to be on the side of evil. How about humanists? What the hell is that? “Brights?” These fine young people are already “bright,” they’re bright young christians. Agnosticism is a joke, paganism is of Satan, and even the beautiful umbrella term “Freethinker” won’t work because it’s highly likely that these teens are already quite in control of their own minds. They made up those minds to walk out of the room containing the violence and the MTV and the sex. The room they walk into next just happens to be the only room left, and it contains a smiling, loving Jesus waiting to give them all hope.
I said this on YouTube, and I’ll say it here. Don’t like what you’re seeing in the BattleCry movement? Come up with a good alternative that doesn’t involve religion. Until you do, enjoy the freakin’ concerts, they’ll just keep on getting more and more “militant.”
What’s other folks answer or comments on Patrick’s open question?
What’s yours?
-Siamang
04-16-2007 |
1 Comment »By Siamang
With Jim and Matt’s book coming out, as well as Hemant’s, we expect to see a number of new visitors to this site. I think for the most part, the people viewing this site have been here for a good part of the conversation, but pretty soon that may change a little bit.
Those who have been here are familiar with this conversation and what makes it special and as far as my experience on the internet goes, unique. This has been and continues to be the one conversation where Christians and atheists are really learning how to talk with one another.
As I said, I think it’s unique. A conversation between Christians and atheists that has required very little moderation. One that seeks understanding rather than “winning” an internet argument. It’s not always perfect, and I wouldn’t count myself as having a perfect record in this regard. But it’s so much better than anything else on the internet that it’s an oasis.
So as we welcome new visitors, or just as a reminder to ourselves, I’d like all of us to share the rules of thumb of this conversation. These can be welcome messages, or things we’ve learned about our discussion here with people of different beliefs.
My hope is to highlight some of these in upcoming posts, to bring new visitors up to speed on what this conversation is all about. Imagine someone new coming to this site, a Christian or an atheist, or anyone else with a different belief. What’s something you’d say to them to bring them into the conversation?
Here’s a start: Don’t assume, ask. Don’t assuming you know the other person’s view based on your own past experiences or assumptions. Don’t start with “Well since you’re a Christian, you believe I’m going to Hell.” Don’t start with “Well, since you’re an atheist, you believe that humans have no more worth than animals.”
These are merely statements of the questioner’s unwillingness to open their ears and understand the other. Don’t assume you know the beliefs of someone else because “all you atheists are alike” or “all you Christians are alike.”
I’m sure I’ve made assumptions about other’s beliefs in the past and have come to regret it. This is great advice for listening.
-Siamang
03-12-2007 |
3 Comments »