What do you think is the biggest "turn off" to those being evangelized?

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One of the biggest SMH moments I always see is where the person being evangelized to clearly isn’t receptive at all, so the evangelizer gives up but thows in that last “well… I’ll pray for you!”

It’s like okay what was the point of adding that in, except to appear condescending and look even worse to someone who wasn’t listening to you in the first place. As if the prayer later on (IF they actually were serious about praying for the person, and not just posturing) won’t count unless you first sanctimoniously declare your intentions to the person being prayed for. :rolleyes:
 
exoflare said:
One of the biggest SMH moments I always see is where the person being evangelized to clearly isn’t receptive at all, so the evangelizer gives up but thows in that last “well… I’ll pray for you!”

It’s like okay what was the point of adding that in, except to appear condescending and look even worse to someone who wasn’t listening to you in the first place. As if the prayer later on (IF they actually were serious about praying for the person, and not just posturing) won’t count unless you first sanctimoniously declare your intentions to the person being prayed for. :rolleyes:
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That actually never bothered me even when I was an agnostic, which is what many people are. It’s like someone wishing me happy birthday or something. I don’t turn those things down just so I can be in control or whatever. It’s all good.
 
It’s really a more specific type of interaction I’m talking about. I’m not against just saying that to agnostics or atheists in general. I’d be really surprised if nobody else here knew what I meant.
 
  1. Adding to the message
    Like droning on about how antidepressants are proof that you are not living the gospel and so you need to get off them to be a Catholic. Another way the adding to the message can go is to place extra obstacles in the path of getting married, like to say they aren’t allowed to marry in the Church if they expect they might need to postpone children (NFP) for a bit after marriage.
  2. Subtracting out the basic gospel
    Only going on about these are the rules you must follow and never telling anyone the good news about Jesus and the coolness of the Trinity and the awesomeness of God’s plan for mankind. We so much need our core needs met, and that is what the basic gospel does. Jesus is the answer for us.
  3. Hypocrisy, sin, laxity
    This can range from badmouthing some person who isn’t in the RCIA classroom at the moment to teaching that one ought to attend mass and then not attending. I point that one out especially since I think it is a good idea to tell the catechumens once that yes, I did attend mass last night to meet the mass obligation so that I could exit mass and lead them out at the Creed in the middle of mass. I’ve had more than one catechumen assume that the RCIA leaders didn’t ever attend a full mass.
  4. Failure to respect the dignity a person and treat them kindly
 
exoflare said:
It’s really a more specific type of interaction I’m talking about. I’m not against just saying that to agnostics or atheists in general. I’d be really surprised if nobody else here knew what I meant.
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Yes, I knew what you meant. 🙂

And I agree 100%. I never end a conversation with someone I’ve disagreed with over religion with, “Well, I’ll pray for you!” because it is sanctimonious.

I rather like to do it (pray for them) secretly and laugh while thinking about how the Holy Spirit will move them in ways undiscerned to them. 😃
 
Lady_Love said:
What do you think is the biggest “turn off” to those being evangelized?
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I usually don’t appreciate verbally aggressive evangelicals who assume that my own religious beliefs have little value compared to theirs. On the other hand, I’m perfectly willing to engage in a civil discussion with someone who is evangelizing, provided they are willing to listen to my viewpoint as well as share their own.
 
meltzerboy said:
I usually don’t appreciate verbally aggressive evangelicals who assume that my own religious beliefs have little value compared to theirs. On the other hand, I’m perfectly willing to engage in a civil discussion with someone who is evangelizing, provided they are willing to listen to my viewpoint as well as share their own.
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Well, verbally aggressive anything is bad. I think that can be dismissed out of hand.

I have never actually seen much verbally aggressive evangelization coming from Catholics. Most of them usually don’t even try to evangelize, if you want the truth. If you mention this fact to other Catholics they almost always mutter something like “preach without words” and then go take a coffee break or something like that.
 
iloveangels said:
Well, verbally aggressive anything is bad. I think that can be dismissed out of hand.

I have never actually seen much verbally aggressive evangelization coming from Catholics. Most of them usually don’t even try to evangelize, if you want the truth. If you mention this fact to other Catholics **they almost always mutter something like “preach without words” **and then go take a coffee break or something like that.
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I say this quite often… to the converted. That’s what St Francis often did. He was a good (speaking) preacher too. Alas, we are not all good preachers or talkers.

It would be interesting to know how other Catholics evangelized or that’s probably another thread?
 
roveau said:
I say this quite often… to the converted. That’s what St Francis often did. He was a good (speaking) preacher too. Alas, we are not all good preachers or talkers.

It would be interesting to know how other Catholics evangelized or that’s probably another thread?
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Actually, there’s no evidence that St. Francis ever said that. In fact, he was quite verbal about changing one’s ways.

It looks funny to type “iloveangels OFS” because I’m using a screen name, nevertheless…
 
Many people like the idea of being spiritual but don’t want to actually do something about it, they don’t want to sacrifice their comfort. Christianity (I’m not talking about the watered down, do it yourself version) asks a lot from us and people find that too tedious.
 
Contra_Mundum said:
Many people like the idea of being spiritual but don’t want to actually do something about it, they don’t want to sacrifice their comfort. Christianity (I’m not talking about the watered down, do it yourself version) asks a lot from us and people find that too tedious.
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Yes, or embarrassing, or not politically correct enough or…[fill in the blank].

Catholics are anything but aggressive about evangelization. We could stand to do a better job of it. And we need to start right inside the Church first.
 
iloveangels said:
Yes, or embarrassing, or not politically correct enough or…[fill in the blank].

Catholics are anything but aggressive about evangelization. We could stand to do a better job of it. And we need to start right inside the Church first.
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Yes. I have heard too many times that so and so who goes to mass every sunday doesn’t believe in some teaching, but so and so is obviously a good person and devout so it’s ok not to actually believe what the church teaches. How can non Catholics take our faith seriously?
 
Contra_Mundum said:
Yes. I have heard too many times that so and so who goes to mass every sunday doesn’t believe in some teaching, but so and so is obviously a good person and devout so it’s ok not to actually believe what the church teaches. How can non Catholics take our faith seriously?
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Would it be embarrassing to yell at someone that their house is on fire and that they need to get out now? Just so we need to warn people about the eternal fire of hell and that they can avoid it.
 
iloveangels said:
Well, yes, it’s necessary to act like a Christian to preach Christianity. But it’s not sufficient. Meaning that there are many good pagans out there. Acting “nice” doesn’t equal being a Christian. Being a Christian is more than that.
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Be Christ. Everything else will follow.

People will flock to you, like a shining city on a hill, and ask you how you can be such a person as you are, as Christ has made you. And you will answer, “Jesus - and that means the Eucharist - made me this way.”

And then they will listen.

-Tim-
 
exoflare said:
One of the biggest SMH moments I always see is where the person being evangelized to clearly isn’t receptive at all, so the evangelizer gives up but thows in that last “well… I’ll pray for you!”

It’s like okay what was the point of adding that in, except to appear condescending and look even worse to someone who wasn’t listening to you in the first place. As if the prayer later on (IF they actually were serious about praying for the person, and not just posturing) won’t count unless you first sanctimoniously declare your intentions to the person being prayed for. :rolleyes:
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Yes I know what you mean. Even though I am listening though might not be buying everything, I’ve had people on CAF saying they will pray for me. To more or less keep my soul from burning in hell. Just today after someone did, I suggested I would leave my soul to God’s mercy but asked if they’d also pray for my needs and personal intentions. That God knows what they are.
 
TimothyH said:
Be Christ. Everything else will follow.

People will flock to you, like a shining city on a hill, and ask you how you can be such a person as you are, as Christ has made you. And you will answer, “Jesus - and that means the Eucharist - made me this way.”

And then they will listen.

-Tim-
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Be LIKE Christ. You are not God and neither am I, Tim.
 
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