Thoughts on Proselytizers after the game
(Written by kencraw)
For those of you who went to the football game on Saturday and exited the stadium to the north, you were greeted by signs and guys shouting something about Jesus. (and the lead guy even had the odd Jeez-zusss pronunciation to top off the stereotype.)
And as I averted my eyes and quickly walked past them, just like everyone else, I had a moment of self reflection. Why didn’t I rejoice in them “bringing the message of Christ” to the people of the stadium?
I mean, I’m as dedicated a Catholic as they come. I do my best to live out the faith, trying my hardest to following all the guidance of Christ and the wisdom of the Church (yes, even the tough and unpopular ones that result in scorn). I’m willing to take on just about all of the community at California Golden Blogs in a someone legendary all-day discussion on a DBD a handful of years back, so I don’t slouch from confrontation. Plus, I’m at my local parish 4+ times a week, teaching multiple classes, many of which are focused specifically on bringing people to Christ’s Church.
So why did I avert my eyes to signs that ask people to repent and believe in Jesus?
And the answer I came to after some reflection was because those people are making a mockery of the faith. I was reluctant to brand them with such a harsh judgment at first, not wanting to criticize people for using a “different strategy” for bringing Christ to people.
But I eventually rejected the notion that it was just a matter of strategy and one thing made it perfectly clear: He was YELLING AT the people.
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
I wanted to go back to him and say “Why are you yelling at these people? What have they done wrong?”
His tone was one of anger and aggression. It was one assuming the worst of the people coming out of the stadium. I don’t know where they came from, but my gut says it was from somewhere where it is assumed that all people in Berkeley (or the Bay Area, or Northern California, or “San Francisco”…) were heathens and needed to be told of their condemnation. That their anger over some slight must be taken out on those evil ones in Berkeley (or SF or…).
Is that a message of love?
Make no mistake, anyone who preaches a message of anything but love is not preaching with Christ at his back.
Now, in fairness, love is an abused word that somehow has in many ways lost its meaning. Many get accused of not acting in love when what they really are saying is that they’re not acting in permissiveness. That is complete BS. A father who disciples his child so that he grows into a good man is acting in love. Love does not mean ignoring sin and error out of “niceness”.
Nevertheless, love is doing something out of a genuine concern for the best interests of the other, particularly when done selflessly.
So, I ask you who witnessed those guys yelling at us as we left the stadium: even with the most charitable interpretation of the motivations of those people, were they acting with love?
No. Not in any way.
Which means they do not speak for Christ.
Christ calls all of us to a wonderful, life-giving, live-altering covenant, one that was sealed by his sacrificial act of dying on the cross for our sins, an act done out of love for us, that he would take the penalty for our sins.
God wants all of us to respond to his call, not because it is easy or convenient, but because it is what is best for us, because he loves us. For anyone out there who reads this blog and was turned off by the yelling of those bozos, please don’t let it dissuade you from answering God’s call in your life.
They don’t speak for Him.
September 9th, 2013 at 12:30 am
The worst part, Ken, is that I’d lay good odds that he’d not consider you his type of Christian anyway. There’s a lot of the evangelical types that consider Catholicism not much above paganism — and possibly worse. Because, in their eyes, you pay lip service to Jesus, but also worship Mary and bow down to a throne in Rome…
Let me say straight that *I* don’t believe this. I’ve got my own odd thoughts on religion that just don’t match anybody else’s and I have a lot of respect for the Catholics. Also, I really <3 Pope Francis — it seems like every time I turn around, he's saying or doing something that's rather amazingly humble. But there's a lesson to be learned here, and I think it boils down to the aprocryphal quote from the Pope's namesake — sure Francis of Asissi probably never said it, but it's good words: "Preach the Gospel always, and, if necesary, use words." The way one acts is going to have a lot of sway over how others respond to you.
This is why I hate a lot of the street preachers. I'm much less likely to listen to you — indeed, I'm more likely to reject what you have to say outright — if you're screaming at me. But if you come to my aid with a warm shoulder or words of wisdom when I need it, then you're more likely to make that conversion. But doing the latter is hard, and yelling at people is easy.
*shrug* It's just my two cents, not sure if it's worth the copper it's minted with.
September 9th, 2013 at 7:13 am
Katster, yeah, it’s a good possibility they were of the “the pope is the anti-Christ” variety, although thankfully their numbers are dwindling.
I’ve met street preachers who were actually bringing the gospel to the street before, so it’s possible, but they’re definitely in the minority. They tend to operate more like an enticing information booth at a convention center, eager to happily talk to anyone who comes up to the table.
And yeah, Pope Francis has been awesome. 🙂
September 9th, 2013 at 2:22 pm
If you stopped and listened to every proselytizer on or around the Cal campus you would’t get very far.
September 13th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
I walked right between the 2 guys with the “jesus is god” signs. It’s people like (the yelling guy) that that turn people OFF religion. They come across as radical, aggressive & crazy. He wasn’t your typical Cal or Berkeley type. It’s certainly not what I want to see or hear as I’m leaving Memorial after a disappointing win.