They stop you on campus, knock on your door,
"waylay" you on the street. They just want a few minutes of your time ... to
take a survey, or talk about their faith. How do you respond to these
sometimes aggressive folk?
Be glad. They're trying to do you
good. After all, they want to keep you from eternal fire on some other
undesirable end. You may not like their methods or message, but most of them
mean well.
Be careful. Although many of these
persons will respect your privacy, intelligence, and freedom, others are not
necessarily eager to know what you think, believe, or feel. Their inquiries
are calculated a) if they are Christian, to assess your salvation state (and
any response that’s halting or deviates from their pat formula will get you
classified as "unsaved," even if you have Christian credentials like baptism,
confirmation, church membership)-, and presuming you flunk their test, b) to
make you feel spiritually inadequate and in need of what they offer. These
persons are more like salesmen than ethical evangelists, who witness to their
faith in a respectful, loving manner.
Don't expect dialogue. Dialogue means
a two-way sharing of ideas in an atmosphere of mutual respect You'll soon
learn that they have little interest in your views. They do not expect to find
spiritual nourishment in your statements. (It is possible for persons of
differing religious views to share ideas without attempting to trap or demean
each other. Such an exchange can stimulate the growth of both participants.)
Their goal is, as they say, “to win you to Christ," or to some guru or
religious figure -- a very competitive concept! And they feel very strongly
that they are the authorities on "Christ," or whomever.
Resist the temptation to debate! In
the first place, unless you're "well-versed" in Scripture and theology,
you'll come off badly. And if you're ready to debate, be assured that your
superior arguments will rarely convince them to change. (They might be
surprised at someone as sure as they are, having mostly encountered the unsure
and ignorant. But they'll most likely assume that the Devil's got you or that
you're stuck in ignorance.) Furthermore, though debating maybe fun,
demolishing your opponent with argument may not be the outcome you want.
Don't feel your experience of God is
deficient if it doesn't fit their pattern. For some persons, conversion
(turning towards God) is sudden and emotionally overwhelming. Others
experience a more gradual rebirthing and growth in faith. God's not stuck with
a single strategy for changing humans. Christians and persons of other
faiths -- from the first through the twentieth century -- testify to an
amazing diversity of "divine styles."
Don't worry if you can't answer questions!
Be wary of those who articulate a scheme of salvation or spiritual growth
with the precision of an AAA map. All such simple “maps" must be taken for
what they are-—attempts to make the Divine Mystery comprehensible. Though we
continually try to communicate our faith in understandable terms, we are
always humbled by the limits of language in trying to grasp the Mystery we
encounter. If their questions baffle and bother you, don't assume they're
right and you're wrong. Share these questions with our pastor, or campus
chaplain, rabbi, or priest (like checking Consumers' Report before you buy an
encyclopedia).
Ask questions of your own. One of the
problems with these "encounters" is their offensive/defensive nature -- very
offensive at times! Though debate or dialogue may not work, you can at least
exchange information.
Important: Don't try to trip them —
that's their game. Your questions must be genuine. But don't let them use your
questioning as just another means of persuading you to do what they want.
Try to be kind and loving, without being
foolish. Remember, these persons trying to corner you (for the sincerest
of reasons) are persons whom God loves. Despite their apparent strength, they
may be needy persons whose involvement in an authoritarian group satisfies a
strong dependency need. An awareness of their common humanity can save you
from the trap they're setting, and perhaps, help them see more clearly.
Witness to your own faith. You may not
be able to support your testimony with scripture, but chances are you do have
strong beliefs, which have been nurtured through the years by teachers,
pastors, priests, rabbis, parents, friends, and your own study and
contemplation. You don't talk about these deep commitments very often, but
they are there. And you can witness to the values of your religious
experience. Perhaps you appreciate its support in times of crisis, its
involvement in making your community a better place, its serving real human
needs, its music, etc.
Be thankful. This encounter will
probably stimulate your spiritual search. It may encourage you to do more
religious study. Perhaps you should thank your visitors for their help. But
...
Don't sign anything or agree to
anything! These folks trying to save you have been trained, just like
salespeople, to talk you into some kind of "follow-up." They'd love to get you
to one of their meetings..."just so you can give it a try." (If they haven't
"won you," they'd like to get some help from their veteran persuaders - the
folks who “won" them.) It's best to bid farewell with no strings. You can
always find them if, after much reflection and discussion with friends or
clergy, you decide to explore their group further.
This essay has been adapted from an
article written by the Reverend Dr. Ross Miller, former Campus Minister and
Director of United Christian Fellowship, the Protestant Ecumenical Campus
Ministry at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. Dr. Miller,
at the time this article was reprinted, was pastor of Trinity United Methodist
Church, Eugene, Oregon. His article originally appeared in the September 1983
issue of the Yellow Sheet, the United Christian Fellowship newsletter, and is
used by permission.
