Interview with a Christian

fitz0

Myself and a friend were in Connolly Station on Saturday evening waiting for a train when we were approached by 4 Americans. They asked us would we like to appear in a documentary they were doing for their church in California so we said we would. So my mate went first. There were three questions:

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?
2 - Have you ever sinned?
3 - What do you think it takes to get into heavan?

I am athiest but my friend is Catholic, just the apathetic kind who has never thought about it too much. His answers were pretty much like I expected them to be.
1 - 3 or 4. they're not a big thing in Ireland.
2 - Yes I suppose so.
3 - Be a good person, be sorry etc etc

Then he was asked if he accepted that Jesus loved him and all that jazz. He was asked "Will today be the day you accept the Lord Jesus into your heart? Will you say it: I accept the Lord Jesus into my heart?"
My mate just looked really uncomfortable and said "No, not today"

After this they handed him some pamphlets, asked him if he would read them. They tried to hand me some but I just said "No thanks" and that was the end of it. They didnt try to interview me at all after that which suited me the best.

All I thought of the whole thing was that they were very presumptuous to think that everyone believed in god. I thought their first question should have been "Do you believe in God?"

So my question is, what would you have done in this situation? Would you have started a debate? Or just said no thanks? Or have you encountered these specific people in Dublin over the weekend?

Zillah

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?

All of them, but a couple of the more obscure ones might take a bit of thinking about.

2 - Have you ever sinned?
Most certainly.

3 - What do you think it takes to get into heaven?
Accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

4 - Will today be the day you accept the Lord Jesus into your heart?
Most certainly not.




As for your irritation at their pro-God assumptions, its understandable. But see it from their point of view. They have a documentary to make, and if the Evangelical American block has shown anything its that it will say and do anything to gain converts, so bedamned to you and your heresy. They want a tacky monologue of people saying "I ACCEPT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!"

And thats all that matters.

Zombrex

fitz0 wrote: »

Myself and a friend were in Connolly Station on Saturday evening waiting for a train when we were approached by 4 Americans. They asked us would we like to appear in a documentary they were doing for their church in California so we said we would. So my mate went first. There were three questions:

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?
2 - Have you ever sinned?
3 - What do you think it takes to get into heavan?

I am athiest but my friend is Catholic, just the apathetic kind who has never thought about it too much. His answers were pretty much like I expected them to be.
1 - 3 or 4. they're not a big thing in Ireland.
2 - Yes I suppose so.
3 - Be a good person, be sorry etc etc

Then he was asked if he accepted that Jesus loved him and all that jazz. He was asked "Will today be the day you accept the Lord Jesus into your heart? Will you say it: I accept the Lord Jesus into my heart?"
My mate just looked really uncomfortable and said "No, not today"

After this they handed him some pamphlets, asked him if he would read them. They tried to hand me some but I just said "No thanks" and that was the end of it. They didnt try to interview me at all after that which suited me the best.

All I thought of the whole thing was that they were very presumptuous to think that everyone believed in god. I thought their first question should have been "Do you believe in God?"

So my question is, what would you have done in this situation? Would you have started a debate? Or just said no thanks? Or have you encountered these specific people in Dublin over the weekend?

I probably would have answered the questions (probably a bit better than your Catholic friend), but refused the pamphlets. I probably would have pointed out I was an atheist after they finished asked the questions.

faceman

Sounds like they were Born Again Christians.

Doesnt sound like they did anything wrong as long as they werent pushy when you said no. Did you feel oppressed?

fitz0

No I didnt feel oppressed or in any way put out. It was just a strange encounter and I wondered about other peoples thoughts.

PDN

Sounds to me like their 'documentary' was only going to be viewed by a tiny audience and that their real aim was to attempt to convert you.

As a Christian I feel embarrassed that those who share my beliefs would be less than honest in what they were doing. They should have been upfont about it and just admitted that they wanted to discuss their beliefs with you.

I guess they've figured out that in this celebrity obsessed culture, when even the most talentless buffoon believes they've got the X-Factor, the lure of being in a documentary will gain them more access to talk to people.

Design_Dude

Go to the www.wayofthemaster.com Its copied directly from there (watch one of the vids). That style of evangelism works moreso in america, here it just gives ppl the wrong impression of christianity!

fitz0

Hmm I never got the impression they were out to convert people but I guess thats the point. It seemed legit to me because they had a video camera and they specifically asked for permission to show us in the vid. Didnt work so well though!

We took a look through the little leaflet we got and it was full of ridiculous little word plays, pictures and anecdotes. The only one I remember though was "You don't just trust a parachute, you put it on. The Lord Jesus can be your parachute."

I'd suddenly push the camera back into the guy's face then head-but the other fella. I am an aggressive secularist after all.

Dades

fitz0 wrote: »

The only one I remember though was "You don't just trust a parachute, you put it on. The Lord Jesus can be your parachute."

You don't trust the parachute - you trust the guy who packed it!

pH

fitz0 wrote: »

Hmm I never got the impression they were out to convert people but I guess thats the point. It seemed legit to me because they had a video camera and they specifically asked for permission to show us in the vid. Didnt work so well though!

Well if they'd just been wanting 5 minutes of your time to try some religious indoctrination would you have agreed (without the camera being there)?

limerick_woody

I would have stabbed them in the throat multiple times - it's harsh, but i think fare

Soul Winner

fitz0 wrote: »

So my question is, what would you have done in this situation? Would you have started a debate? Or just said no thanks? Or have you encountered these specific people in Dublin over the weekend?

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?

All of them but we are not under law anymore. Read Paul's letter to the Galatians and you'll see what I mean. Paul goes to great lengths to say that the law died when Christ died. For if salvation came by works of the law then Christ died in vain.

2 - Have you ever sinned?

Yes. Everyone has, including you guys.

3 - What do you think it takes to get into heaven?

Well it says in the Bible that all you need is faith in God. Read Hebrews 11 where it talks about all the Old Testament giants of faith who made it in because of their faith not because they knew the 10 commandments.


4 - "Will today be the day you accept the Lord Jesus into your heart? Will you say it: I accept the Lord Jesus into my heart?"

I'm not in the position to accept anyone. I'm the sinner who needs forgiveness remember? If He's the Lord of Glory then it is He who accepts me. Now if you ask me do I accept what He did for me on the cross. You betcha! Those who are forgiven much, love much.

fitz0 wrote: »

I thought their first question should have been "Do you believe in God?"

Well in fairness it is a valid question but it is still none of their business. If God wants you He'll call you and you'll know about it when He does. Then you can work out your own salvation between you and Him. You don't need people who think that they are saved because they keep the 10 commandments getting in the way of that. Tell them to go home and worry about their own salvation and stop annoying people and putting them off Christianity.

2Scoops

fitz0 wrote: »

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?
2 - Have you ever sinned?
3 - What do you think it takes to get into heavan?

1. All.
2. Morality is subjective... :pac:
3. There is no heaven.

Zillah

2Scoops wrote: »

2. Morality is subjective... :pac:

Sinning is about disobeying God, or the rules presented in the Bible as coming from God. Morality only enters the equation when we consider whether disobeying God is wrong.

(hint: Its not)

Malari

fitz0 wrote: »

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?
2 - Have you ever sinned?
3 - What do you think it takes to get into heavan?
4 - Will you say it: I accept the Lord Jesus into my heart?

So my question is, what would you have done in this situation? Would you have started a debate? Or just said no thanks? Or have you encountered these specific people in Dublin over the weekend?

1 - About 4, but not necessarily the first 4!
2 - Nope, don't recognise religious law or derive my morals from religious law, therefore I have never sinned.
3 - The gullibility to believe it actually exists.
4 - Not without a substantial amount of money exchanging hands.

When I see these people coming I'm ready with a "no thanks". You can spot them a mile off usually.

Mark Hamill

fitz0 wrote: »

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?
2 - Have you ever sinned?
3 - What do you think it takes to get into heavan?

1- 11 (I know the one that left before they became famous)
2- I'm sinning right now by talking to you
3- From what I can by the website, just an over 18s ID, although a membership card seem to help too.

The Mad Hatter

Dades wrote: »

You don't trust the parachute - you trust the guy who packed it!

Who packed Jesus?:P

KnifeWRENCH

fitz0 wrote: »

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?
2 - Have you ever sinned?
3 - What do you think it takes to get into heavan?
4 - "Will today be the day you accept the Lord Jesus into your heart? Will you say it: I accept the Lord Jesus into my heart?"

1. All of 'em I think.
2. Nope. I am perfect in every way. :rolleyes:
3. You have to die :pac:
4. Sure I can say it. Doesn't mean I mean it, though.

In fairness, unless they were harassing me I would have talked to them for a while. My own views are that I believe in a higher power and an afterlife, but I'm not convinced with organised religion.

They'd probably cut me out the documentary anyway in favour of a more attractive believer!

ChocolateSauce

1 - How many of the 10 Commandments do you know?
2 - Have you ever sinned?
3 - What do you think it takes to get into heavan?


I'd have said:

1. Don't kill, don't steal, don't commit adultry, respect mother and father, don't covet thy neighbours things, don't work on the sabbath (?), don't worship false idols. That's all I can think of....

2. I'd say "Sinned? No, only people who believe in sin can do that. I've done immoral things in my life, who hasn't?"

3. I'd have said "Well, first heaven would have to exist. If it did, god would have to absent, because lets face it, he's a pretty horrible guy."

Parsley

If someone asked me if I was going to accept Jesus into my heart, I'd ask them if it involved some kind of surgery, if this "jesus" was similar to a pacemaker or other... :pac:

Zombrex

Zillah wrote: »

Sinning is about disobeying God, or the rules presented in the Bible as coming from God. Morality only enters the equation when we consider whether disobeying God is wrong.

(hint: Its not)

Yes I'm surprised how many people (Christian and otherwise) forget this point.

I've no problem saying I've sinned, in fact I'm sinning right now (leave that up to the rest of you to figure out :P).

The issue is whether or not sinning (disobeying the Christian idea of what God does or doesn't want) is in itself immoral

(hint: Its not )

Eglinton

My favourite take on the 'marketing decision'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCz0-HY1TLU

2Scoops

Zillah wrote: »

Sinning is about disobeying God, or the rules presented in the Bible as coming from God. Morality only enters the equation when we consider whether disobeying God is wrong.

Wicknight wrote:

Yes I'm surprised how many people (Christian and otherwise) forget this point.

A little pedantic, but I see your point. :pac:

Zillah

I think its a very important distinction to make, otherwise we're supporting the notion that the Bible is a valid guide for morality. One can both sin and be good, in my opinion.

2Scoops

Zillah wrote: »

I think its a very important distinction to make, otherwise we're supporting the notion that the Bible is a valid guide for morality. One can both sin and be good, in my opinion.

I agree - here, more than most places, there is a need to clarify the meaning of sin and, in the context that the Christian interviewers meant it, you are absolutely correct. All I meant was that the word 'sin' itself is not inextricably linked to God, the Bible or religion.

EcoGirl

The question you'd need to ask is: "Which ten commandments?"

For a start, Catholics and Protestants divide them up differently, mostly cos of the 'graven image' thing which the Protestants think is serious enough to get its own commandment, but which the Catholics (with their statues and all) hide at the tail end of the first commandment. The Catholics, to make sure they still have ten, divide up one of the 'coveting' ones.

But even more than that, there are two lists of commandments given in the bible. The first Exodus 20 is the ones we're familiar with. But those stones got broken as Moses broke them in a temper cos the Israelites were worshipping false gods. So he went back up the mountain to get a new lot and although they were supposed to be the same they're very different. Exodus 34 is your location for those:

1. Thou shalt worship no other god (For the Lord is a jealous god).
2. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
3. The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep in the month when the ear is on the corn.
4. All the first-born are mine.
5. Six days shalt thou work, but on the seventh thou shalt rest.
6. Thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.
7. Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread.
8. The fat of my feast shall not remain all night until the morning.
9. The first of the first fruits of thy ground thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God.
10. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.


Also, I'd also say the documentary was just an excuse.

Craft25

i was late waiting for a bus to get into town once, and some obvious bible bashers offered me a lift in their minvan..

i thought grand sure theyre harmless enough lookin, so i get in and they begin to launch into their spiel..

so i quickly launch into how i've been to jerusalem, walked in the steps of christ.. their ears perk up.. lovely..

then my theories of how he was an old version of che guevarra whose stories been tampered by the powerful down through the years, start rabbiting on about all my favourite philosophies and thories, philosophers and science... in the end they just pulled in UCD said u can get the bus from here... good to give them a taste of their own medicine though, try and convert them for once

MrPudding

Wicknight wrote: »

I've no problem saying I've sinned, in fact I'm sinning right now (leave that up to the rest of you to figure out :P).

Need a clue.... Are you typing with one hand?

MrP