Bibles were handed to students at they walked by the Union last week.
As discussed previously, religion is not an issue many people like to argue about. It makes people uncomfortable and is seen as a personal attack on who you are as a person. But as we have all witnessed in the past week between the men handing out Bibles and the evangelist preaching outside the union, there are several people out there who want to get in your face about your beliefs.
No one wants to hear about how they are going to hell, especially from a random person yelling at the top of their lungs.
So why do people continue to practice these tactics?
This may not be the answer that you want to hear, but it is because they really do want the best for you.
Let’s look at this from the perspective of the evangelist, shall we?
The evangelist has obviously been affected by his beliefs in a way he feels has impacted him for the better. He would not be out there spreading the “good news about Jesus” if he did not think it could help you out with your life. He has found something that has helped him and, in theory, wants the same for you. But deep down in his soul, he truly believes that all people should be saved so they can enjoy life in God’s presence like he has.
Then why does he tell you that you are “damned” or “going to hell?”
I have talked with several evangelists on this topic and the general consensus is that they feel as if it is an effective tool for conversion. Essentially, they want to put the so-called “fear of God” into you. They think that if we see that we will go to hell, our natural instinct will be to be saved and convert to their beliefs. So if they can convert even one person by doing this, they have been successful.
However, what a lot of them do not realize is that many of us just shut down as soon as we hear we are terrible people and lost souls. On our way to class, most of us want to focus on class or other things, not how we are damned.
If there are any evangelists out there reading this, take my word: if we want to find your beliefs, we will come to you. Yes, you can say you are trying to help us and deep down I appreciate that. However, there are other ways to convert us.
Maybe someday we will find God and if that day arrives we will come and ask you. But for right now, we just want to go to class.
