November 24, 2017

"They're evangelical Christians — but they're nice."

Said a man, commenting in my presence, on the UW campus yesterday. The woman who was with him — his wife, perhaps — calmly instructed him that he should not have said "but." "And" would have been more appropriate.

The learning never ends.

64 comments:

Gahrie said...

Well evangelical Christians are Deplorables aren't they?

M Jordan said...

I’m an evangelical Christian ... but I’m not that nice.

Kevin said...

This is no different than racial prejudice.

But it won’t be seen that way.

tcrosse said...

I am neither an evangelical Christian nor very nice.

tcrosse said...

I am also a Credit to my Race.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Gorillas in the Mist

rhhardin said...

Lots of people think they're as smart as evangelical Christians and don't need the good news. There's the but.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Funny: When I first read that it looked like "commenting on my presence"

Unknown said...

I know a guy who is an evangelical Christian. Very nice. Sober because that's how he wants to be, not how he expects people want him to be.

He doesn't try to evangelize me: he says that I'll know when the time will come. Not sure about that, but it's a good way to let that conversation lay.

He volunteers at the mission a few blocks away. The heroin kids go there for a meal, then go get their fix. They are not allowed in if they are noticeably high, so their visits can be sparse.

He says you can't save them all, but that saving one can be enough. I don't ask him how many kids he thinks he has saved, because I don't think the odds are very good. It seems like a lot of work. Hopefully he at least has one.

-jj

Fabi said...

I'm less of an evangelical Christian than tcrosse and less nicer, too.

Sebastian said...

"The learning never ends." The teaching never ends, sure. But will he do without but next time?

Which prog has learned anything about evangelical Christians over the past generation? Who among them has expressed any interest in "learning"? If they have "learned" anything, does it outweigh their desire to destroy evangelical Christina as a political and cultural force?

Mr. Groovington said...

The disintegration never ends.

TerriW said...

Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy has a particularly cynical take on it ("You know, if we get through to just that one little girl, it'll all be worth it!"/"Yes. Particularly if that little girl pays $46,000 for that doll."), but Scripture is pretty clear that even only one is worth it.

traditionalguy said...

Evangelical denominations will recruit members. And when it works, it amazing to see the people transform from learning they are loved and accepted by a God with the power to forgive Sin. The ChiComs fear that faith infecting the Chinese. But nothing stops the power of that message in a miserable atheist culture ... Like the one taught at most colleges in the USA.

NB: the conservative Baptist school plays the liberal Christian school 70 miles up the road, at noon. TCU should crush Baylor and then replay Baker Mayfield's team in the first Big 12 Champioship. Fear the Frog!

dreams said...

The learning never ends, really. I don't think liberals ever learn.

Geno said...

Of course e are nice. Christianity is based on a few basic ideas: The Christ as Savior, The Great Commandment, and the Golden Rule. These are all Scriptural; we are explicitly required to act and speak in loving kindness.

Yancey Ward said...

He won't learn, and the wife was surely only interested in his phrasing because she noticed other people heard it.

Yancey Ward said...

And wouldn't you love to have a mate that tried to keep you from looking like a bigot in public?

grackle said...

The woman who was with him … calmly instructed him …

Hey, gals! Here’s today’s relationship tip:

Never pass up the opportunity to discipline your cuckolds in public. Your betas will love it!

In my time I’ve been around “born-again” Christians – if that is what is meant by “evangelicals.” The only problem I’ve found has been a couple of instances of folks trying to get me “to come to Jesus.” Proselytizing, especially if it is heavy or persistent, is a form of aggression.

Carol said...

He says you can't save them all, but that saving one can be enough.


Are they even allowed to try? Our Catholic soup kitchen can't because Grant Money.

Seems to me some people couldn't use some preachin'.

Unknown said...

There is a guy who shows up at the corner in front of the Wells Fargo every few months. He preaches fire and brimstone through a loudspeaker. Echoes off the buildings. There are usually a few guys with him holding up signboards.

Some of the heroin kids inevitably wander over there to mock him and his sign carriers. Eventually the police come.

I helped the guy out once. His sound system was feedbacking horribly, feedback and echoes of feedback, absolutely painful to listen to. So I went over to show him how to set his levels and position him out of the direct line of the speaker. He thanked me, then resumed his preaching.

I think that was possibly a Christian act on my part, but I probably get points off for mostly wanting to stop the noise.

-jj

TerriW said...

I suppose preaching is a form of advertising, and different people respond to different techniques.

I always thought the most effective preaching was living a life that other people would decide that they, too, would like to have, but maybe that's just self-serving claptrap because the other stuff makes me squeamish.

gspencer said...

The gift of salvation is always offered, and is available to everyone.

Not everyone accepts.

mockturtle said...

I'm an evangelical [I guess] Christian but I'm not always nice. Just ask Trumpit.

mockturtle said...

Are they even allowed to try? Our Catholic soup kitchen can't because Grant Money.

Seems to me some people couldn't use some preachin'.


Reminds me of my cousin. She and her husband work for World Vision and spent a few years in Azerbaijan. I asked her if they shared the Gospel and she said it was strictly forbidden as was the Bible. So I asked myself, what's the point???

robother said...

The liberal "but" often reveals more than it intends.

roesch/voltaire said...

I try not to deal in generalities concerning people but consider the individual and the action. There are so many different Christian sects with various goals in life from enforcing the Old Testament to embracing the Sermon on The Mound that one must do some learning. I don,t know if standing on the Capital Square and urging sinners to repent mean that these witnesses are nice (doe that mean the core of their humanity-and not necessarily their beliefs ?) as they exercise their right to express their view point. But when I consider the many churches that opened their doors to the community for Thanksgiving dinner I can, with little learning,easily say those folks are nice. .

Drago said...

R/V: "...Sermon on The Mound..."

I know it was a typo, but come on, you are making a molehill out of a mountain.....

I appreciated the rest of your comment.

Drago said...

robother: "The liberal "but" often reveals more than it intends."

Indeed. We see that here on these boards every single day.

Examples of conjunctions never used by the left to describe islamists or islamist beliefs: "...but..."

Fabi said...

Unless it took place on Mound Everest.

tcrosse said...

The rap on evangelical Christians was that they were preachy, judgmental, and morally censorious. They no longer have a monopoly on these things.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Evangelicals might be getting a bad rap. There are SJW Evangelical groups springing up left and right. I saw one that called themselves “a different kind of Evangelical”, “Evangelicals for Social Action”, that warmed the cockles of my leftie heart.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

This is in GB. The one in my 10:53 comment is here in the States. This is a positive direction for Evangelicals.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/18/evangelical-christians-social-action-revivify-church-brand

“From food banks to job clubs, there are signs that evangelical Christians are reclaiming idea of church as community servant”

“There are increasing signs that evangelical Christian groups are using social action to detoxify their brand, weaving their charitable work into the fabric of people's lives. As the welfare state retreats, faith groups are increasingly supplying volunteers, local knowledge, and sometimes money to the places left behind.”

tcrosse said...

Leftie Christians are nothing new, especially among RCs. Consider the Berrigan brothers, or the current Pope.

TerriW said...

Christianity doesn't break easily along left/right lines. But you'll also note that Jesus himself was an expressly non-political guy. His mission was orthogonal to government.

Mountain Maven said...

Later on, the wife won't bother correcting him. But later on he won't complement christians.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Leftie Christians are nothing new, especially among RCs. Consider the Berrigan brothers, or the current Pope”

Yes, true, but these people are Evangelicals, not Catholics. Catholics have long been involved in social justice issues and community outreach.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

But you'll also note that Jesus himself was an expressly non-political guy. His mission was orthogonal to government.

Yes indeed.

“Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him. (Mark 12:17)”

TerriW said...

Funny, when you actually know Evangelicals, you discover they are actually real people with differing thoughts and feelings and political persuasions.

(I am not Evangelical, but I homeschool, so I'm soaking in them. So to speak.)

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Nice people can believe dangerous things.

But/and? it's possible this is news to conservatives?

Martin said...

Sometimes it seems the learning never even begins.

tim maguire said...

Good for her. Shame she married an idiot.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"The rap on evangelical Christians was that they were preachy, judgmental, and morally censorious. They no longer have a monopoly on these things."

Excellent point. The gentle and polite Mormons that occasionally show up on my doorstep actually make a pleasant contrast to the hysterical sturmbannfuhrer's of the Left. The other day, one of the Mormon boys was wearing a poncho that looked like his sister had made it as a Home Ec class project.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

I heard Hitler's mom was nice.

Too bad she raised a monster.

n.n said...

Not nice on principle, but nice as an exception?

Okay. Maybe. State the principle(s).

Otto said...

Blogger The Toothless Revolutionary said...
I heard Hitler's mom was nice.

Too bad she raised a monster.

But in your case it's different.

Your mother was nice and she raised a nice person in you. Go figure.

FullMoon said...

The Toothless Revolutionary said...

I heard Hitler's mom was nice.

Too bad she raised a monster.
11/24/17, 12:16 PM


Same might be said of your mom. Have you ever met her?

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Did you need some more comments of yours deleted today, Full Moan?

mockturtle said...

TerriW asserts: Christianity doesn't break easily along left/right lines. But you'll also note that Jesus himself was an expressly non-political guy. His mission was orthogonal to government.

Yes. He didn't try to change the government but to change people's hearts. Mainly--and this salient point is often overlooked by non-Christians--He taught us that we are all sinners and all need a Savior.

Jim at said...

I don't think liberals ever learn.

Of course not.

Leftists already know everything.
And they don't hesitate to tell you.

Otto said...

@ mockturttle. Amen and amen. I am constantly amazed how the secular world views Christians. The think Christians are holy than thou, but they don't realize we are Christians because we realize that we are sinners.

mockturtle said...

Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Trumpit said...

What nonsense the belief that modern monotheism is superior to ancient pantheism. Wikipedia gives a brief summation: "Egeria, water nymph who gives wisdom and prophecy in return for libations of water or milk at her sacred grove. Fabulinus, the god who teaches children to speak. Minerva, goddess of wisdom and the Roman equivalent of Athena. Apollo, Greco-Roman god of light, knowledge, intellect, and the sun."

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

I like progressives who are fun and humble, and I can't stand progressives who are preachy and judgy.

I like evangelical Christians who are fun and humble, and I can't stand evangelical Christians who are preachy and judgy.

Sadly, one of my oldest friends has gone off the deep end with her religion (progressivism) and is evolved into a total see you next Tuesday. I had to put her in the restricted bucket on Facebook because of her habit of saying caustic shitty things to my other friends in comment threads.

To paraphrase that great snark artist Matthew Inman, if your religion makes you into an asshole, you're doing it wrong.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...


What nonsense the belief that modern monotheism is superior to ancient pantheism.

If you think human sacrifice, etc is just peachy, sure they are morally equivalent.

n.n said...

Judge a philosophy by the content of its principles.

As for the philosopher, yes, it is superior to have one moral authority. With a coterie of assembled [mortal] gods, the best outcome you can expect is a Pro-Choice religious/moral philosophy, selective, unprincipled, opportunistic, and unreconcilable. A religion practiced at the twilight fringe that is ostensibly a "secular" creation, which is prone to conflation of logical domains, diversity (e.g. racism, sexism), abortion (i.e. life deemed unworthy), Planned Parenthood (e.g. Mengele-inspired recycle, reuse, and reduce), "=" (or political congruence), redistributive change (e.g. minority rule), retributive change (e.g. female chauvinism), and social justice adventures (e.g. elective wars, immigration reform/refugee crises, occupations).

Howard said...

IHMMP makes a great point. Jesus is the Deicide/Human Sacrifice to end all human sacrifice. That is a significant human evolution of a religious cult to make it more user friendly.

Phil 314 said...

Along the same lines.

"The long-running organization changed its name [from Princeton Evangelical Fellowship] this year to become Princeton Christian Fellowship, citing baggage surrounding the evangelical label.

“There’s a growing recognition that the term evangelical is increasingly either confusing, or unknown, or misunderstood to students,” the organization’s director, Bill Boyce, told The Daily Princetonian.

Phil 314 said...

PS:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

john 3:16

mockturtle said...

Jesus is the Deicide/Human Sacrifice to end all human sacrifice.

Our Passover Lamb. How could the typology be any clearer?

FIDO said...

Nice people can believe dangerous things.

But enough about Democrats. We were discussing Evangelicals.

Last I checked, it has been several generations since Evangelicals did anything violent. How about Lefty/Dems?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I notice a lot of common traits between leftists and Islamic supremacists. They both turn into offended snowflakes when the hear anything that opposes their orthodoxy.

mockturtle said...

I notice a lot of common traits between leftists and Islamic supremacists. They both turn into offended snowflakes when the hear anything that opposes their orthodoxy.

And they both want the government to dance to their ideological tune.

stlcdr said...

In the limited context, either ‘but’ or ‘and’ mean the same thing.