Chick Tracts

No Swansong · #31 23rd November 2008, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Rhamiel

No Swansong
No one reported this, the mods do not act if people do not report a post.
if I wanted to be mean, i could report any link to Chicks website, because his website has material that goes agianst CF rules, but I do not wanna come in to your forum and mess up your stuff, this has been a great thread and I am interested in learning more of your POV, because I respect all of you as brothers and sisters in Christ

Rhamiel my friend how have you been?

If you want my point of view, which disagrees with that of our friend Mling, I think some Chick Tracts are great ways to simply spread the gospel. I have known many (if I had to guess it would be at least in the dozens) of folks who have found a tract that I left somewhere, contacted me and I was able to lead them to the Lord, or perhaps to a local pastor. They can be a useful tools for outreach. I place Chick Tracts into basically 3 different categories. There are those that I feel are harmless and do a great job of sharing the Gospel such as "This was your life." There are others that while I agree with them substantially would be insulting to others and I avoid using them for that reason, and then there are those which I know to be inaccurate in their portrayal of other faiths and I do not use them because I know their claims to be untrue.

One thing that I do know to be true is that the claim "Chick Tracts get read" is absolutely true. Anywhere I have left them I have found people reading them. Older folks, young teens, gang members, College Professors and Students, Utilities workers etc.

Well anyway that is the opinion of an old man who has given out easily thousands of these little comics. (My son and I once had the opportunity to buy entire Bibles for $.99 a piece. I think we bought like 10 cases or something like that and gave those out for a couple of years. But the Tracts are inexpensive and I know for a fact at least some folks are led to faith in Christ through them.

MoNiCa4316 · #32 23rd November 2008, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by Mling

My general view of Chick Tracts is that they are designed so that people who already agree with them can stand around, read them, and go "Yupyup! We are *so* right."

It comes out most in the tracts that are geared toward specific groups of people, like truckers. The truckers are portrayed as wiry and dirty, and begins with the tail end of a conversation, "And then I threw him through a plate glass window!"

The Christian comes in, buff and beautiful, looking like the blond ideal from Nazi propaganda, and proves how Jesus is the toughest guy around, after the trucker calls him a pansy for letting himself get killed.

It's advertised as "Great for truckers and bikers." Really? Is it really? It first portrays truckers as dirty, violent thugs, then goes on to 'pwn' them. Would that appeal to a real human being, who happened to drive trucks for a living? Would that entice them to look deeper into what the tract talks about? No...that would insult them and confirm the worst stereotypes about Christians. The person it appeals to is the one who already *is* Christian, and thinks that truckers are dirty rotten scoundrels, and likes to read little tracts where the Christian wins.
Others I've read are the same--badly misrepresent the people they are advertised to, and portray the Christian as "I'm handsome, and I'm going to SAVE THE DAY!!" (superman-pose).

If they are used the way they are clearly intended--for Christians to pass around to each other as a sort of comic-cheerleader, then...well...everybody needs a cheerleader, and a safe place to vent about the people they don't like. But...I wouldn't recommend letting them out of that little circle.

based on what No Swansong said, it sounds like not all the tracks are like this, but I sort of see what you mean.

Someone in my family is a trucker and not like this at all. If I saw such a tract, I'd probably be offended too. All people were created by God and should be treated with dignity.

And if I was reading a tract, I'd much more prefer the Christian to be represented as a real, kind person, who isn't arrogant and can relate to others. Not 'showy'. ..but more like how I think the Saints were. Many of them dressed in rags and lived among the poor as one of them, preaching through their love and example.

BereanTodd · #33 24th November 2008, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by Mling

My general view of Chick Tracts is that they are designed so that people who already agree with them can stand around, read them, and go "Yupyup! We are *so* right."

It comes out most in the tracts that are geared toward specific groups of people, like truckers. The truckers are portrayed as wiry and dirty, and begins with the tail end of a conversation, "And then I threw him through a plate glass window!"

The Christian comes in, buff and beautiful, looking like the blond ideal from Nazi propaganda, and proves how Jesus is the toughest guy around, after the trucker calls him a pansy for letting himself get killed.

It's advertised as "Great for truckers and bikers." Really? Is it really? It first portrays truckers as dirty, violent thugs, then goes on to 'pwn' them. Would that appeal to a real human being, who happened to drive trucks for a living? Would that entice them to look deeper into what the tract talks about? No...that would insult them and confirm the worst stereotypes about Christians. The person it appeals to is the one who already *is* Christian, and thinks that truckers are dirty rotten scoundrels, and likes to read little tracts where the Christian wins.
Others I've read are the same--badly misrepresent the people they are advertised to, and portray the Christian as "I'm handsome, and I'm going to SAVE THE DAY!!" (superman-pose).

If they are used the way they are clearly intended--for Christians to pass around to each other as a sort of comic-cheerleader, then...well...everybody needs a cheerleader, and a safe place to vent about the people they don't like. But...I wouldn't recommend letting them out of that little circle.

I agree pretty much with all of what you say. And you say it so well.

JSGuitarist · #34 25th November 2008, 02:28 PM

I haven't done much investigation, though I'm saved because of it. I do remember a time in Sunday School when someone asked me to be sure I was really saved. Perhaps before or after that, I was reading through "This Was Your Life," and I guess the thought running through my mind at the time was, "Well, growing up in a Christian home doesn't count for much." Right then and there I sealed the deal and gave my life to Christ, set it in stone. I do think that tract is probably the textbook-perfect presentation of the salvation, and I could at least say why I was getting saved, knowing that the possibility of hell was as real as anyone else's, and only Christ could save me. I could say a little bit more on it now, but that was the idea.

Rhamiel · #35 25th November 2008, 04:49 PM

someone pointed out how Chick tracts fall into three categories, but since they all go by the name "chick tract" if you are exposed to one type more offten, you will think they are all like this, that makes sense, i have read a lot of them, since I am Catholic, I have read almost all of them that deal with the Catholic Church, I do not like those at all, very dishonest

arunma · #36 26th November 2008, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by JSGuitarist

I haven't done much investigation, though I'm saved because of it. I do remember a time in Sunday School when someone asked me to be sure I was really saved. Perhaps before or after that, I was reading through "This Was Your Life," and I guess the thought running through my mind at the time was, "Well, growing up in a Christian home doesn't count for much." Right then and there I sealed the deal and gave my life to Christ, set it in stone. I do think that tract is probably the textbook-perfect presentation of the salvation, and I could at least say why I was getting saved, knowing that the possibility of hell was as real as anyone else's, and only Christ could save me. I could say a little bit more on it now, but that was the idea.

God often uses the strangest of means to save us. I was saved because a friend of my family gave me a Bible. After I started attending a Gospel-preaching church and was able to distinguish the true Gospel from false ones, I noticed that this person was rather influenced by prosperity preaching (something I find utterly abhorrent). God spoke through the high priest whom he ordained to condemn his Son. How much more a misguided but right-spirited Christian who writes comics.

DeaconDean · #37 26th November 2008, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by JSGuitarist

I haven't done much investigation, though I'm saved because of it. I do remember a time in Sunday School when someone asked me to be sure I was really saved. Perhaps before or after that, I was reading through "This Was Your Life," and I guess the thought running through my mind at the time was, "Well, growing up in a Christian home doesn't count for much." Right then and there I sealed the deal and gave my life to Christ, set it in stone. I do think that tract is probably the textbook-perfect presentation of the salvation, and I could at least say why I was getting saved, knowing that the possibility of hell was as real as anyone else's, and only Christ could save me. I could say a little bit more on it now, but that was the idea.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, some of the Chick Tracts are slanted.

But as you said, "This is your Life" has a very powerful message.

Whenever I take my wife out to a restaurant, I always leave the tip inside this tract.

They may pick it up and throw it away, but in order to get their tip they have to at least pick it up and look at it.

God Bless

Till all are one.

HumbleServant94 · #38 26th November 2008, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by DeaconDean

I have said it before and I'll say it again, some of the Chick Tracts are slanted.

But as you said, "This is your Life" has a very powerful message.

Whenever I take my wife out to a restaurant, I always leave the tip inside this tract.

They may pick it up and throw it away, but in order to get their tip they have to at least pick it up and look at it.

God Bless

Till all are one.

Which ones are slanted in your opinion?

WannaWitness · #39 27th November 2008, 11:02 AM

I have an appreciation for his tracts as a whole. There are several that I really like, such as "Big Daddy" (the anti-evolution message), "The Four Brothers" (they all supposedly got saved when they were kids, but only one turned out to be genuine), and some others.

There are, of course, some points I disagree with, such as the view that all Catholics are unsaved (seems a bit judgmental there), his anti-contemporary music views, and that he seems to be KJVO. Obviously, they are his personal convictions (nothing wrong with that at all), but not every Christian shares these views. I certainly don't. Everyone has a right to their opinions on these views, but Phariseeism is one thing that kind of peeves me.

All in all, he has a pretty decent tract ministry. I guess one should take the good along with the bad. Chick, like all of us, is a mortal, flawed human being, but a brother in Christ who is doing what he thinks is right. It's only natural that we are all going to have different views from one another. And hey, wouldn't this be a dull world if everyone thought the same?

BereanTodd · #40 27th November 2008, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by HumbleServant94

Which ones are slanted in your opinion?

Anything having to do with the RCC, KJO, music, the old ones about role players, the ones about truck drivers ... in fact just about the majority of his are utter crud.