This is a tactic that has become popular within Evangelical Christianity and is particularly aimed at teens and first year college students.
The Christian purposely “befriends/targets” a “non-believer” and introduces him/her to other Christian friends. They pal around for a while and discourage the target from forming other friendships. After a few months the target is pressured to convert. If the person converts he/she becomes one of the pack. If they choose not to convert it is not uncommon for the “target” to be dumped and left on their own. This can be particularly devastating to first year college students who can be midway through their first year and suddenly find themselves with no friends.
If you doubt the existence of relational evangelism Google it and see for yourself. I know a fellow whose son got messed up in this stuff. He ended up totally friendless in the middle of his sophomore year of college.
2007-06-07 04:31:39 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Worries me for my soft-hearted kiddos...=0(
2007-06-07 04:35:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you're talking about some cult fractions that claim to be Christians...
Real Christians emulate Christ's example, and therefore, would never pressure anyone into conversion. God gave us all free will. We are all free to choose whether or not we want to follow Christ, Budda, Ron L. Hubbard, or whomever/whatever.
I am a Christian. Love and kindness without any judgment is the only way to help others who do not yet have a personal relationship with Christ.
2007-06-07 11:44:34 · answer #2 · answered by Mel W 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This brainwashing and peer pressure technique was used through out the ages by the church in Europe and still is by some religious groups even today. It is rather crude in comparisson to the brainwashing techniques used by the scientologists and their off-shoot landmark movement.
Since our own goverments use similar peer pressure, spin-doctor, censorship, maecanate and misinformation methods to control their populace they are not very likely to protect their people by forbidding it.
It is a form of guiding/binding a persons throughts and feelings which in it's very nature is akin to black magic, just using different means. I agree that black magic and such brainwashing can produce positive results such as combating addiction. All in all I am a minimum force type of person so I would not use such methods if I could avoid it. The people who apply such methods probably think that the ends justify the means and to save their souls is of paramount importance. Much like the genocidal christian kings of medieval europe who butched pagans to bring salvation to their people. In my opinion though killing is rather less evil than attemting binding them for life.
2007-06-07 11:52:33 · answer #3 · answered by han_ko_bicknese 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That truly is a shame, man. But I would say that chances are people who do this for the wrong reasons are just that, wrong. I have a couple atheist(however, mostly agnostic) friends, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They are the ones who pull me aside so I can look at myself and giggle. I try to return the favor, ya know?
We are all still human, and crave something deeper... all of my friends can agree upon that.
2007-06-07 11:37:03 · answer #4 · answered by Soundtrack to a Nightmare 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a very sad and pathetic way to try to convert people. It's so completely unbiblical, and it's a great way to create false converts.
You don't have to make someone your best friend or "part of the pack" to show them the Gospel.
2007-06-07 11:37:10 · answer #5 · answered by jaela_darling 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i believe it to be a cult that was started by a meth junkie homosexual man named ted haggard. either it is a man or the anti christ. i believe that it is sort of like the jim jones thing that hapened back in gyanna a couple of years ago. i refuse to believ ein any thing that is based from liars and frauds,
2007-06-07 11:35:50 · answer #6 · answered by wedjb 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
All I can say is....It is not the way of God. It sounds more like just another ploy of a specific religion.
2007-06-07 11:35:28 · answer #7 · answered by Poohcat1 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hey, I don't like this. I don't have time for googling. are you in a cult or something.
2007-06-07 11:39:03 · answer #8 · answered by lou_lou 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
paranoia - not good
relational evangelism - make friends and share what you have
if you don't want it? don't take it
don't deprive others choice dude
2007-06-07 11:36:39 · answer #9 · answered by firechap20 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
this sounds like cult behaviour....where did you get this?
i dont have time for googling
2007-06-07 11:36:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋