How do street preachers make you feel?

[Lexicon]

Are there a lot of street preachers in your part of the world and how do you feel when you encounter one or a group of them?

I feel a range of emotions between annoyance to anger, its mild annoyance if they seem to be preaching in vague or general ways, quote obscure sources to make even more obscure points which even the schooled are going to wonder about to anger if I think they are doling out a well rationalised sectarianism.

In all cases I'm generally struck about how different they are from their inspiration, in people skills, presentation skills or public speaking alone and on the other hand in their appeal or persuasiveness, they are all exlcusionary rather than inclusionary which bothers me a lot and their good news doesnt seem like good news at all.

I passed one today and the guy made me want to rush into a book shop and bring him out James Hogg's Confessions of a Justified Sinner or Erasmus and Luther's Discourse on Free Will because they were obviously very ignorant of either of them, the guy seemed smart enough too.

Which leads me to another thing about them which annoys me, although this is not restricted to street preachers by any stretch and includes any soap box speaker, when someone is smart enough to have acquired some learning, to be able to regurgitate it, but either arent interested in a more complete learning which could undermine the little knowledge they have already acquired.

I've really only seen a couple around larger cities, like Boston or New York. Typically they're either just handing out booklets, & expounding on their beliefs intermittently. Others are screaming at the sky, on a crate.. but those people haven't appeared to be part of any particular church groups, or anything structured. A few of the latter appear to be homeless, or near it.

I'm not religious, but I respect those who are, and I understand they're trying to spread what they believe in to their fellow man, so I try to be patient when I encounter these people. I'm often pressed for time when I do venture out, so I don't spend much time or thought on what they've said, & can't dissect the actual belief systems/execution of spreading the word adequately. I do think some have more "people skills" than others. Public speaking & persuasion are a developed skill- maybe some don't recognize the importance of honing this. And perhaps it depends on timing, and location. People might be more receptive to street preachers around Christmastime, for example.



Either way.. I prefer them to the door-to-door religious folk. Door-to-door people, whether they're peddling religious beliefs, Comcast, lawncare, Girl Scout cookies, or political crap.. they all = Just.. instant [quiet] rage. Street preachers, I can see from a distance, and avoid.. plus they're not actively coming to my private home, invading my personal space.

 

[cafe]

I feel awkward, curious, hopeful, disappointed, embarrassed, repulsed, and/or angry depending. And sometimes I also feel sad if they are mentally ill.

People don't usually stand on a street corner and yell nice things, unfortunately. My mom might be the exception.

 

[Cellmold]

I have never seen any where I live.

But I imagine I would find it irritating and intimidating. I remember a man came up to me in the street once at a town not far from my own and he asked for 20p but I nearly grabbed my keys and hit him in the mouth because I was so caught out by it.

 

[gromit]

Weird and uncomfortable.

Although one time there were these young Christians hanging out playing some folksy music in Harvard Sq as I was passing through. They sounded good, so I stopped to listen a bit. There was one girl/young woman who was so nice, we were chatting as I was listening. When I was going to go, she asked if she could say a prayer for me and I thought it couldn't hurt. It was a really nice prayer, very loving.

So I guess my conclusion from that story is that it's ok if it's more unobtrusive. But if the person is shouting out at nobody in particular, that makes you sound like a crazy person. I've fortunately only encountered I think 1-2 of those in my life.

 

[Aquarelle]

There used to be young people, college-age, who came to the university campus and preached at passersby about how going to college is "all vanity." People like that are why religious people get a reputation for being willfully ignorant.

 

[Qlip]

I'm mostly saddened. So much energy into doing something the wrong way. I'm not even taking in to account that they're wrong, what bothers me more is how ineffective they are. It's for the best, though.

 

[011235813]

They usually make me uneasy. There's one that frequents a subway stop near my apartment who is particularly loud. I usually cross over to the other side of the street when I see him because his shouting creeps me out.

I don't have a problem with the more restrained kind who hand out pamphlets to passersby. But the screaming and ranting gets me every time.

 

[Lexicon]

They usually make me uneasy. There's one that frequents a subway stop near my apartment who is particularly loud. I usually cross over to the other side of the street when I see him because his shouting creep me out.

I don't have a problem with the more restrained kind who hand out pamphlets to passersby. But the screaming and ranting gets me every time.

The screamers/ranters I've encountered in Boston tend to be.. well.. bonkers.

 

[garbage]

Well, as long as they're not hurting anybody..

.. but are we counting Westboro pickets and the like? Those are bad news. I have family members in the Patriot Guard who show up to act as a buffer between lunatic crowd and vet funerals. (Surprisingly, these family members are not rednecks.)

 

[011235813]

We used to have a resident street preacher in college though, and I wasn't alarmed by him. He'd park himself on the sidewalk near where all the big parties happened and talk about Jesus, but he didn't screech and he also seemed harmless, even friendly, even when he told kids to fear the judgement of the Lord.

It was kind of amusing.

 

[swordpath]

It all depends on the manner in which they're delivering their message. I don't mind people witnessing/sharing, but when it's obnoxious, intrusive and in a judgmental tone, I get annoyed.

 

[Orangey]

Honestly? They depress me. I'll get in a low, cynical mood all day... Sort of the same way one feels when they witness any sort of victimization of others.

 

[Lark]

There used to be young people, college-age, who came to the university campus and preached at passersby about how going to college is "all vanity." People like that are why religious people get a reputation for being willfully ignorant.

Wow, that's pretty mad, like they were opposed to people receiving an education?

 

[Lark]

I'm mostly saddened. So much energy into doing something the wrong way. I'm not even taking in to account that they're wrong, what bothers me more is how ineffective they are. It's for the best, though.

This is interesting, how can it be for the best if its energy going into doing something the wrong way and they're wrong?

Is it for the best that they are ineffective do you mean?

 

[INTP]

never seen any irl, except some that give some "jesus is coming" flayers but dont do any preaching. here they just ask if you have heard about savior or are interested about that and give those flayers. but my opinion is that if they dont yell something like "gays go to hell" or other stuff that might offend people and they behave, i have no problem with them, maybe they can help someone with issues to find a better life, i guess thats a good thing regardless of whether its based on some weird beliefs..

 

[Aquarelle]

Is it for the best that they are ineffective do you mean?

That's what I got out of it.

 

[Lark]

That's what I got out of it.

If their message is wrong I suppose its good that they're ineffective, they're still a nuisance though.

 

[Cellmold]

We used to have a resident street preacher in college though, and I wasn't alarmed by him. He'd park himself on the sidewalk near where all the big parties happened and talk about Jesus, but he didn't screech and he also seemed harmless, even friendly, even when he told kids to fear the judgement of the Lord.

It was kind of amusing.

I know there are probably some people like that in this country, however since I've never encountered any I have always imagined it would be something like:

"Would you mind awfully going to hell please? If it's not a bother or too inconvenient? Oh and have a flap-jack."

 

[011235813]

I know there are probably some people like that in this country, however since I've never encountered any I have always imagined it would be something like:

"Would you mind awfully going to hell please? If it's not a bother or too inconvenient? Oh and have a flap-jack."

Oh, he's just used to say hey and ask us how we were doing and then tell us to make good decisions that night because God was always watching.

 

[Fluffywolf]

No street preachers here. But as for the door-to-door doomsayers. They always make me feel a bit apprehensive and uncomfortable.

Not because I have any doubts or struggle with beliefs myself, which I don't. But because they treat you as someone that really needs their help. Like you have a sickness that needs to be cured and only they have the cure. And these are people that live in the same community as you do.

Brr.