The other day, I was walking the streets of downtown Boston and I saw a fellow passing out pamphlets and asking people if they'd heard the good news. While I moved to avoid him, a thought struck me: has anyone in the developed nations of the world actually NOT heard about Christianity at this point? I ask this not to be insulting or degrading to actual missionaries (though I myself am no believer), but I'm forced to actually question the value of trying to seek out converts in the Western World. Between the internet, the printing press, 1500 years of existence as a formal religion, and centuries of missionary work, is there any actual point to missionary work in the Americas or Europe nowadays, considering between all 3 continents there are maybe like 8 people who have never heard of Christianity and more or less know what it is about? Anyone else think it's slightly redundant at this point? Again, I do not seek to offend, I am simply curious.
First-World Proselytizing
- Thread starter bz316
- Start date
Most of the Escapist community are from America/Europe, and how many people on these forums would call themselves Christians?
Not a lot.
It's not just about being informed Jesus exists, the message of Christianity is that because Jesus exists and because of what he did (died on the cross to remove sins) you have to then take action by asking Jesus to forgive you. or else you are still guilty of your sin.
Even though virtually everyone in Europe/America may know about Jesus, how many have actually made the step to ask him to forgive their sins? That is why missions and outreaches still happen in those countries.
Not a lot.
It's not just about being informed Jesus exists, the message of Christianity is that because Jesus exists and because of what he did (died on the cross to remove sins) you have to then take action by asking Jesus to forgive you. or else you are still guilty of your sin.
Even though virtually everyone in Europe/America may know about Jesus, how many have actually made the step to ask him to forgive their sins? That is why missions and outreaches still happen in those countries.
I'm still curious as to way Coca Cola still advertise...
Does anyone in the first world not know about Coca Cola?
Does anyone in the first world not know about Coca Cola?
A more important question though is, how many people who haven't already made up there mind give enough of a shit to listen to some guy in the street asking you to join his cult?Hero in a half shell said:
EDIT: That isn't to say Christianity is a cult, just that you can't tell what they are preaching until you bother to stop and listen to the person who may just be trying to sell you on Cthulu.
Most people know that money is needed for cancer research too.Daystar Clarion said:
I hope they realise that they're wasting their time advertising soon.
Isn't it to get it back on our mind and to try and tie the idea of "having a good time" with drinking Coke.Daystar Clarion said:
Anyway, I would imagine the reason it is done is that you never know if there was someone who was raised in a place where they didn't really enocunter Chirsitanity. Sure they might of been aware of it's existence, but the details of the religion is soemthign they might not be aware of. And they might eb encouraged to find out more by having someone actively encouraging them.
Well, one of those things is infinitely more worthwhile than the otherColour-Scientist said:
I dunno, I've pretty much gotten to the point where most advertising doesn't even register on my radar.370999 said:
I think a lot of missionaries consider it "spreading God's word", which as stated above, is a little more specific than simply informing people that Christianity exists. Especially for lesser known denominations such as the Mormon church this kind of practice makes sense.
I was once asked if I had heard the "good news". I was bored and waiting for somebody so I said, "Tell me more, excited individual"
I immediately lost interest when she started with "You're Asian, so you might not know-"
In truth, every westerner has heard the News. The reason there are still missionaries is because we are not all convinced of the "Good" in this news and the missionaries know that. At any rate, some of these amateur preachers are just so excited about the goodness of their cause that they MUST TELL EVERYONE.
I immediately lost interest when she started with "You're Asian, so you might not know-"
In truth, every westerner has heard the News. The reason there are still missionaries is because we are not all convinced of the "Good" in this news and the missionaries know that. At any rate, some of these amateur preachers are just so excited about the goodness of their cause that they MUST TELL EVERYONE.
It's so someone that sees an advert for Coca Cola will think "I could really go for one of those right now" when otherwise they'd not have bought one. It's worked on me before.Daystar Clarion said:
I guess you'd have to look into conversion statistics to find out if modern day missionaries have any success. Plenty of people do become Christians in later life, so perhaps it does.
A good chunk of it is that young Christians (especially evangelicals) are often assigned to spread the Gospel as part of their growing-into-Christianity. Of course, it would be expensive, inconvenient, and even dangerous to evangelize where Christianity isn't already popular (say, Tehran or Manchuria), so mostly they just mill around their local area for a while and hope for a "conversion" or two they can take to their supervisor so that he'll promote them to the next level.Vern5 said:
There are many times in which an individual due to circumstance or an event converts to any religion. These people are offering guidance to their religion by answering questions and attempting to get you to join them. I assume everyone has heard of various religions, but you'll never keep growing unless you get your butt out there and try to convince people. It might not always work but there are times.
-which is stupid because if God is omnipotent why would he need a 'sacrifice' to remove people's sins? Surely he can just magic them away with his big fluffy beard...Hero in a half shell said:
Sorry to be so rude about it but this part has genuinely never made a single shred of sense to me.
Also people play up the fact that God sacrificed his only son for us. So what? He's God, he could magic a billion suns into existence, it's hardly a massive deal.
If you are a run of the mill human, it does. Depending on the size and the kind of company, advertisement can be one of the main factors for its growth, manufacturing companies like coke are specially interested in ads.Daystar Clarion said:
You can expand on it reading this paper http://www.iiuedu.eu/press/journals/sds/sds1_july_2008/08_SECC_04.pdf . Good shit and not to technical.
Religious organizations seem to be as dependant. Word of mouth ads for them as providers of your spiritual solutions are very effective, and they need costumers to keep their business up.
I'm an awful person, because I laughed when I said "Coke."[footnote]I realize Cancer research is far more important than my beverage of choice.[/flameshield][/footnote]Daystar Clarion said:Well, one of those things is infinitely more worthwhile than the otherColour-Scientist said:
Mom was right, I'm a hopeless Coca Cola Addict.
I am reminded that "good news" can be substituted for "good word", A flash mob of people pretending to be missionaries could get a response like this and start singing "Surfin' Bird." I would love to see that.Vern5 said:
Aaaaaaannnnnddddddd, that was really off topic.
But it is possible that some people have not heard of something that is almost universal and note worthy. It is like the people who went to see Titanic without knowing that it actually happened. While most people may have heard of it hearing of it may only mean that they know it exists as a thing.