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Friday, February 20, 2009

ATHEIST EVANGELISM

If we drive towards any major city’s downtown or watch T.V. for a half hour, it’s evident that advertising a product HAS to be effective. Why else would companies be willing to spend thousands to millions of dollars to get a minuscule microdot spot in the humongous business-machine world. After some long-term tracking and pretty intense research, big businesses can tell if all their adds payoff.
In London, the American Humanist Association, a group of free-thinking atheist, have put to practice the power of advertising. On over 800 buses, you can find their “product”. The bus ads read, “THERE’S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE.” The media has coined this tactic as Atheist Evangelism.
When I first thought about this attempt to sway people away from a belief in God and to do life without Him, I got kind of frustrated. So I looked into it a little more by checking out their website. Things became a little clearer to me on why they decided to market their belief. This website states, “…the campaign was originally started as a positive counter-response to the Jesus Said ads running on London buses in June 2008. These ads displayed the URL of a website which stated that non-Christians "will be condemned to everlasting separation from God and then you spend all eternity in torment in hell … Jesus spoke about this as a lake of fire prepared for the devil". Our rational slogan will hopefully reassure anyone who has been scared by this kind of evangelism.”
Even though I don’t believe this gives a legit reason to start a campaign of atheist evangelism, I do see how this Christian URL previously advertised can get some atheist frustrated. So what was the reaction of some Christians?
According to a Christian website, JoEllen Murphey, a mother of four from McLean, Va., was one of those who were outraged over the atheist bus campaign. She is part of two Christian groups who have raised $14,000 to run a “pro-God” campaign on the same buses. “After a friend forwarded me an article about the AHA ad campaign, I thought, ‘Enough!’ I am so tired of God and religion being attacked that I decided to start a counter ad campaign,” said Murphey.
This reminds me of a certain time in my life. I remember my sister snatching it from my hands. I in turn, snatched it back. She did it back, and I did it back. This was going on for five minutes while we were screaming and yelling and crying. What was she thinking? How dare she come up to a 4 year old boy and take his G.I. Joe. She was 7 years old. Why would she want it?
Point being: Is bus evangelism really that effective? It seems to be no more then a back-and-forth advertising arm wrestling match. Who’s going to give? Who’s going to win? Who’s going to get the last word?
My question is: WHO’S GOING TO GROW UP?

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

BE LIKE MIKE

I try
Just need to fly
For just one day if I could
Be that way
I dream I move
I dream I groove
Like Mike
If I could Be Like Mike
I wanna be, I wanna be
Like Mike
Oh, if I could Be Like Mike.
The Great Michael “Air” Jordan. Who didn’t want to be like Mike? The greatest sports figure of all times. In 1991, Gatorade realized the impact M.J. had on the entire sports world and created one of the catchiest commercial jingles of the 90’s. They noticed how people of all ages from every country wanted to be like Mike in one way or another. If you loved sports, Jordan was your inspiration to excel.
Whether Christians notice it or not, those that are younger then us look up to us as well. I remember being in 3rd grade and thinking the 6th graders were grown adults. I couldn’t wait to be as cool as some of those grown men in Mrs. Woods’s class. And there was no way I was going to talk to Samantha during recess. She was too much of a “woman”. SHE WAS IN 6TH GRADE!!!
1 Timothy 4:12 says “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” The youth of today must realize the awesome opportunities they have to be an example of Jesus to those younger then them. “In speech, in life, in love, and in purity.” When we speak, let us speak as Jesus, comforting those that are hurting. As we live, let us live a life like Jesus, walking humbly and respectfully. When we love, let us love like Jesus. Being excepting of ALL people and letting them see and feel the love God has for them through us. As we speak, live, and love, let us be as pure as Jesus, letting all see the definition of Christ in you.
The greatest way of witnessing is by living as an example. When you live as examples of Jesus, those that look up to you will see something different, and in their minds, they’ll be singing that Gatorade song about you.