Does someone like Jack Chick scare you as much as he does me?

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The only thing about Jack Chick that scares me is the persecution complex.

No, wait. It’s not scary. Just stupid.
 
IMHO, very, very few people take those things seriously. Those who do are unlikely to have any real idea of Catholic teachings. I see them most often in rural areas with little to no Catholic population.
 
I spent the first 47 years of my life as an Evangelical Protestant.

While I was growing up in the 1960s, Jack T. Chick and his comic book tracts were very popular in Evangelical Protestant churches, including mine. His slogan back then was, “Chick Tracts Get Read!” and he was right. We bought them and passed them out as a means of sharing the Gospel with others. I still have a very large collection of the tracts.

I actually had a correspondence for a few years with Mr. Chick over the issue of Dark Shadows, a television show that was mega popular with teenagers back then. I wrote him a 13-page letter (by hand, in cursive writing, on notebook paper) defending Dark Shadows and the genre of “horror stories” and the authors of such (Poe, Bloch, Lovecraft, etc.)

And he actually changed one of his tracts because of me and my letter. 🙂

So he hasn’t always been “scary.” At one time, he was quite reasonable.

However, in the 1970s, his influence dropped off sharply in Evangelical Protestant churches due to some tracts and booklets that he published about someone named “Alberto” who apparently either didn’t exist, or didn’t exist the way Mr. Chick chronicled him.

There were other tracts that included some very dicey “facts” and Evangelical Protestants started doing some research and refuting his incorrect information.

When you are witnessing to Evangelical Protestants, always remember that they want to be CORRECT about the FACTS, and if you can show them how they are in error about history or any other factual issues, they will listen. They will try to refute you, but if you truly have your facts straight, they WILL listen and they WILL not deny the truth. So don’t be afraid of them.

At that time (1970s), Evangelical Protestantism was growing by leaps and bounds, exponentially, and many of the churches were doubling and tripling their memberships every few months. They were utilizing “modern” methods to reach out to their communities (which back then meant microphones, overhead projectors, multimedia, and of course, contemporary music!), and Jack T. Chick’s silly tracts with their dubious or incorrect “facts” didn’t really fit in with these new, sophisticated, and factual outreach techniques.

At this time, most Evangelical Protestants do not take Jack T. Chick seriously at all, and relegate him to the “crackpot corner.”

I think that most Americans in general would not be influenced in any way by Mr. Chick’s “comic book tracts” nowadays in this time of internet information. They’re quaint relics, kind of like silent movies and early television shows. Historically interesting, but not something that anyone would take seriously. It’s too easy to go online and discover all the “holes” in Mr. Chick’s “facts.” There are websites that include refutations of the Chick tracts.

HOWEVER…and please listen and take note–there are a few of the Jack T. Chick tracts that ARE very good. Find “Somebody Loves Me.” This is a beautifully-written little story about a little child who discovers that Jesus loves them! I have read over it since becoming Catholic, and I see nothing objectionable and MUCH good in this tract.

Here’s a link to this tract online (the whole tract is in this link): chick.com/reading/tracts/0006/0006_01.asp

The Bible tells us to always think on the GOOD. Although much of Mr. Chick’s information in his tracts is nonsense and untrue, we shouldn’t throw out the little bit that is good.
 
I check back his website every so often for the latest comic. Nice to get a good laugh every so often.
I do, too. I must admit, I really enjoy his stuff. It’s been said that some of his biggest fans are Catholics.
IMHO, very, very few people take those things seriously. Those who do are unlikely to have any real idea of Catholic teachings. I see them most often in rural areas with little to no Catholic population.
I think that most Americans in general would not be influenced in any way by Mr. Chick’s “comic book tracts” nowadays in this time of internet information. They’re quaint relics, kind of like silent movies and early television shows. Historically interesting, but not something that anyone would take seriously. It’s too easy to go online and discover all the “holes” in Mr. Chick’s “facts.” There are websites that include refutations of the Chick tracts.
Agreed. Chick is so far off the mark on the facts sometimes that I can’t see Catholics suddenly abandoning their faith over a Chick tract. I remember one of his now-discontinued tracts made the claim that a big computer in the Vatican is keeping track of all the Protestants in the world.
 
Is Mr. Chick even still living? I saw his comic books in a ‘Christian’ bookstore when I was very young and they were old then.

Now I am 59, he cant be still around.
He was still around at least a few months ago; there are 2 new tracts out.

ICXC NIKA
 
I spent the first 47 years of my life as an Evangelical Protestant.

While I was growing up in the 1960s, Jack T. Chick and his comic book tracts were very popular in Evangelical Protestant churches, including mine. His slogan back then was, “Chick Tracts Get Read!” and he was right. We bought them and passed them out as a means of sharing the Gospel with others. I still have a very large collection of the tracts.

I actually had a correspondence for a few years with Mr. Chick over the issue of Dark Shadows, a television show that was mega popular with teenagers back then. I wrote him a 13-page letter (by hand, in cursive writing, on notebook paper) defending Dark Shadows and the genre of “horror stories” and the authors of such (Poe, Bloch, Lovecraft, etc.)

And he actually changed one of his tracts because of me and my letter. 🙂

So he hasn’t always been “scary.” At one time, he was quite reasonable.

However, in the 1970s, his influence dropped off sharply in Evangelical Protestant churches due to some tracts and booklets that he published about someone named “Alberto” who apparently either didn’t exist, or didn’t exist the way Mr. Chick chronicled him.

There were other tracts that included some very dicey “facts” and Evangelical Protestants started doing some research and refuting his incorrect information.

When you are witnessing to Evangelical Protestants, always remember that they want to be CORRECT about the FACTS, and if you can show them how they are in error about history or any other factual issues, they will listen. They will try to refute you, but if you truly have your facts straight, they WILL listen and they WILL not deny the truth. So don’t be afraid of them.

At that time (1970s), Evangelical Protestantism was growing by leaps and bounds, exponentially, and many of the churches were doubling and tripling their memberships every few months. They were utilizing “modern” methods to reach out to their communities (which back then meant microphones, overhead projectors, multimedia, and of course, contemporary music!), and Jack T. Chick’s silly tracts with their dubious or incorrect “facts” didn’t really fit in with these new, sophisticated, and factual outreach techniques.

At this time, most Evangelical Protestants do not take Jack T. Chick seriously at all, and relegate him to the “crackpot corner.”

I think that most Americans in general would not be influenced in any way by Mr. Chick’s “comic book tracts” nowadays in this time of internet information. They’re quaint relics, kind of like silent movies and early television shows. Historically interesting, but not something that anyone would take seriously. It’s too easy to go online and discover all the “holes” in Mr. Chick’s “facts.” There are websites that include refutations of the Chick tracts.

HOWEVER…and please listen and take note–there are a few of the Jack T. Chick tracts that ARE very good. Find “Somebody Loves Me.” This is a beautifully-written little story about a little child who discovers that Jesus loves them! I have read over it since becoming Catholic, and I see nothing objectionable and MUCH good in this tract.

Here’s a link to this tract online (the whole tract is in this link): chick.com/reading/tracts/0006/0006_01.asp

The Bible tells us to always think on the GOOD. Although much of Mr. Chick’s information in his tracts is nonsense and untrue, we shouldn’t throw out the little bit that is good.
Alberto claimed to be a former priest and bishop. I think that is where Jack started down the road to his bizarre anti-Catholic banter. Alberto was proved to be a liar in that he was never a priest or bishop. I think it was from Alberto that jack made most of his nuttiest claims. I think the idea for before the internet of spreading one’s ideas through comic books was very innovative and cutting edge. He obviously became mentally ill and hens forth published nonsense and lies. He is 90 now. The look in his eyes is rather spooky to me. Almost like a tragic genius and a waste because he gave himself over to such sick nonsense and evil and it’s spread.
 
I remember reading one that was very anti Catholic and it was called “The death cookie”
Gosh that man doesn’t know his history.
Oh my gosh I have it right in front of me. (Don’t think I would ever hand it out). It is very in your face but since it is the thread topic and in non-catholic religions, here I go… His idea that there are two forces at work in this world is not far fetched. Therefore he concludes that if there is error in teaching or tradition it may go back to that origin (kind of like follow the money). This is nothing new as witnessed during the reformation , and all the “insults” hurled back and forth from both sides, inferring and often referring to that two sided struggle. Even Jesus told Peter , " Get behind me Satan". That is no scarier than a Chick moment. As far as ancient Egyptian priests also having a sort of transubstantiated wafer, it seems to be true. It is also true that many pagan traditions were “christianized” thru out the ages. Is transubstantiation one of them, from a combination of Egypt and Greek thought ? Apparently Chick thinks so ,and many others. Is that guilt by association ? If I were Catholic I would say so. Is that a case of Satan having foreknowledge of the “Remembrance” and imitated it ? Perhaps, for we know he is an angel of light and likes to imitate truth, right up to 99.9% if he can. Just not sure Satan has foreknowledge, unless being told directly from God (like in the Garden of Eden). As to the rest he seems off as to the deaths incurred or anathema meaning death like the OT. So, he is in your face but I would say he has very strong convictions and to some over the top, but the staus quo has a way of numbing the Truth that is in the battle. LIke is he too much or am I lukewarm or a bit of both ?
 
A recent movie made me think of his “Big Daddy” track. In the movie, a freshman, who never even had a public speaking class, nor logic course out debates an University Professor. The Professor is displayed to be a bully, losing his temper, arrogant, etc., Just like the Professor in the track. This mentality in that movie made me wonder how much influence Chick’s way of thinking still has stereotype wise — that is basically what scares me about him.
 
I’ve never heard of him anywhere except these forums and I don’t know who he is. Is he someone well known enough and powerful enough to be scared of? From this thread, it seems he writes anti-Catholic tracts. Is there a market for those?
 
I’ve never heard of him anywhere except these forums and I don’t know who he is. Is he someone well known enough and powerful enough to be scared of? From this thread, it seems he writes anti-Catholic tracts. Is there a market for those?
He is known mainly in the world of Independent, fundamental Baptists, mainly KJV-only types. I encountered his garbage a few times years ago when I attended an IFB church. His influence is small even among IFBs.
Catholics have far more formidable enemies than this nutcase.
 
I am in the South and I can assure you all the Jack Chick is very popular and regarded as a great authority among the Baptists here.
 
A recent movie made me think of his “Big Daddy” track. In the movie, a freshman, who never even had a public speaking class, nor logic course out debates an University Professor. The Professor is displayed to be a bully, losing his temper, arrogant, etc., Just like the Professor in the track. This mentality in that movie made me wonder how much influence Chick’s way of thinking still has stereotype wise — that is basically what scares me about him.
The movie was “God’s Not Dead” and yes, the plot seems similar.

ICXC NIKA
 
The movie was “God’s Not Dead” and yes, the plot seems similar.

ICXC NIKA
Hey i just saw that movie at Redbox, did not get it …is it cheesy,worth seeing ? Heaven is for Real was there and i have seen that . It was OK.
 
I’m more dissapointed that people buy into that vision of Christianity. A vision wherein we are not allowed to understand anyone we disagree with but yet must still oppose them and invent lies which we inevitably come to believe in.
 
I’m more dissapointed that people buy into that vision of Christianity. A vision wherein we are not allowed to understand anyone we disagree with but yet must still oppose them and invent lies which we inevitably come to believe in.
I think you’ve helped me figured out something that’s scarier than Chick: Catholics who are subconsciously shacking up to this Bible-Belt mentality all for the sake of winning stupid, culture wars.
 
Those little Jack Chick cartoons always creeped me out. They still do. :eek:
 
I now realize it is the general mentality of false stereotypes about anyone one disagrees with that is freaking me out in tracks or movies like those. 😉
 
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