Is this a normal occurrence?

[Aryeh Jay]

.

 

[LordDuncanBurneWilke]

Dutch Reformed, Presbyterian, Methodist, mostly main stream low key Protestant Churches here.

Dutch Reformed and Presbyterians are pretty chill. Methodists too.

 

[Albion]

I don’t know, like I said, I was dressed like everybody else.

Well, I'd still call this a pretty rare occurrence. It's never happened to me, nor have I heard from any friend or acquaintance that it has happened to them.

 

[Robban]

Well, I'd still call this a pretty rare occurrence. It's never happened to me, nor have I heard from any friend or acquaintance that it has happened to them.

The child must have heard it from someone, they say the apple does not fall far from the tree.
It happens often here on CF that some are told where they are headed by others who do not even see them let alone know who they are.

 

[Polytheists/Witch]

Maybe she is homeschooled and got points for class participation?

 

[danny ski]

That used to be pretty common 30-40 years ago in the Eastern Europe among Pentecostals (I think). The theory was that once Jews heard about Jesus, they had no choice but to convert in order to save themselves from the eternal damnation. No more ignorance defense, lol. Pretty silly, really.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I am wondering if she does this to every stranger she meets or if it is something she can’t control. The cashier was also weirded out by the outburst.

There are a number of churches which drill into young people that it is their most important mission to tell people they need Jesus or else they are going to hell.

This was a regular theme at my youth group growing up, that our friends or strangers on the street, if we don't take every opportunity to try and get them saved we will be at least implicitly responsible for their eternal damnation. The line is usually to imagine your friend or family member burning in agony in hell as they scream out, "why didn't you try harder?"

That' screws with your head as a youngster, and conversely you're informed that there are "crowns" of reward, and that if you "led a lot of people to Jesus" you will receive a crown for that as part of your heavenly victory.

These things are pretty exclusive to Fundamentalist and Evangelical groups, but they aren't universal either (not all Evangelicals are like this).

If you're a thirteen year old child who has had it drilled into their head that each person they encounter is a missionary target and they have a divinely instituted mandate to personally tell people to accept Jesus and warn them about eternal torture in hell, then it's going to seem pretty normal for you to do that to a complete stranger. So for this girl and her family, this probably was "normal", but the vast majority of Christians would consider this uncomfortable, bizarre, and horribly off-putting. Rude, inappropriate, and wrong would also be other choice words.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Maybe she is homeschooled and got points for class participation?

Hey, no dissing homeschooling! I teach my children at home, but they would never ever do something like that. I taught them to respect other people, regardless of who the other person is or what the person may believe spiritually, and definitely not to proselytize and push their personal Christian faith and beliefs unto other people.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

An unusual thing happened to me this morning as I was waiting in line at the grocery store to pay for 6 cabbages I needed for lunch (I am a chef at a corporate dining facility). There was a family in front of me paying for their doughnuts and the 12-13 year old daughter proudly exclaimed and told me that I was going to hell. I replied “Well that’s swell”, simply because it rhymed. She then lays into me about accepting Christ or else and letting Jesus into my heart and so forth. As they were leaving and I am putting cabbage on the conveyor her mother congratulates her on her witnessing and sharing the gospel.


Is this normal Christian behavior or did something happen over the last few years that I missed?

No, that's not really Christian behavior at all. In fact, I'd say that it's just ignorance with ridiculousness written all over it. Was there something you wore that perhaps tipped her off that you are of the Judaic persuasion? But, even if there was, that's no reason for them (especially the kid) to be utterly disrespectful.

Peace
2PhiloVoid

 

[Cimorene]

An unusual thing happened to me this morning as I was waiting in line at the grocery store to pay for 6 cabbages I needed for lunch (I am a chef at a corporate dining facility). There was a family in front of me paying for their doughnuts and the 12-13 year old daughter proudly exclaimed and told me that I was going to hell. I replied “Well that’s swell”, simply because it rhymed. She then lays into me about accepting Christ or else and letting Jesus into my heart and so forth. As they were leaving and I am putting cabbage on the conveyor her mother congratulates her on her witnessing and sharing the gospel.


Is this normal Christian behavior or did something happen over the last few years that I missed?

How did she even know you're not a Christian? That's so weird. Rude, yeah, but weird most of all.

 

[ViaCrucis]

No, that's not really Christian behavior at all. In fact, I'd say that it's just ignorance with ridiculousness written all over it. Was there something you wore that perhaps tipped her off that you are of the Judaic persuasion? But, even if there was, that's no reason for them (especially the kid) to be utterly disrespectful.

Peace
2PhiloVoid

I doubt there was anything conspicuous about how he was dressing, or anything he did that would have "tipped her/them off". If I had to hazard a pure speculative guess, evangelism was probably a recent topic at church or a church function--Sunday School, youth group, etc--and so she saw someone in line and felt like telling them about Jesus.

The usual assumption made in this kind of environment is that someone isn't a Christian until proven otherwise, and even if the person was a Christian and said so, that is usually grounds for testing--"When did you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?" "Did you confess that you are a sinner and ask Jesus into your heart?". Speaking personally again this was also drilled into us--just because someone says they are a Christian doesn't mean they are, because most people are just "cultural Christians" who "think going to church makes someone a Christian". Because unless the right salvific formula has been accomplished a person isn't a "Real Christian".

Basic "soul winning" methodology:

Step 1. Assume everyone isn't a Christian.
Step 2. If they say they're a Christian, have them "prove" it.
Step 3. Try and get them to say the Sinner's Prayer.

I remember hearing things like if you see someone with a fish on their car, ask them if they know what it means, and then try and find out if they are "really" saved. Things of that nature aren't uncommon within the subculture.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[seashale76]

An unusual thing happened to me this morning as I was waiting in line at the grocery store to pay for 6 cabbages I needed for lunch (I am a chef at a corporate dining facility). There was a family in front of me paying for their doughnuts and the 12-13 year old daughter proudly exclaimed and told me that I was going to hell. I replied “Well that’s swell”, simply because it rhymed. She then lays into me about accepting Christ or else and letting Jesus into my heart and so forth. As they were leaving and I am putting cabbage on the conveyor her mother congratulates her on her witnessing and sharing the gospel.

Is this normal Christian behavior or did something happen over the last few years that I missed?

No. It's absolutely not normal. At all. I'm a Christian and they aren't preaching my Christ. I'd reject their Christ too.

 

[MehGuy]

An unusual thing happened to me this morning as I was waiting in line at the grocery store to pay for 6 cabbages I needed for lunch (I am a chef at a corporate dining facility). There was a family in front of me paying for their doughnuts and the 12-13 year old daughter proudly exclaimed and told me that I was going to hell.

Honestly if a little girl did that to me, I think I'd have a laughing fit. Where I was the one that ended up making a scene, lol.

 

[brinny]

An unusual thing happened to me this morning as I was waiting in line at the grocery store to pay for 6 cabbages I needed for lunch (I am a chef at a corporate dining facility). There was a family in front of me paying for their doughnuts and the 12-13 year old daughter proudly exclaimed and told me that I was going to hell. I replied “Well that’s swell”, simply because it rhymed. She then lays into me about accepting Christ or else and letting Jesus into my heart and so forth. As they were leaving and I am putting cabbage on the conveyor her mother congratulates her on her witnessing and sharing the gospel.


Is this normal Christian behavior or did something happen over the last few years that I missed?

Why would you wonder if this is "normal 'Christian' behavior"?

Is this the only exposure to someone who claims to be "Christian" that you've experienced?

Even here on this site there are many self-identified 'Christians'. Do you honestly think that i, or any number of others would send our children after you to tell you that you are going to hell?

Where did this come from, that what you experienced, might blanket-ly cover "Christians"?

Seriously?

 

[brinny]

Here is the thing that really gets me; I do not dress like my avatar in public. I have on a blue long sleeve cotton shirt, cotton khaki pants, black shoes and socks and a regular belt. I look like every other corn fed Midwestern slightly balding 40ish dude. There is/was nothing, other than my obscene fetish with cabbage, that would have labeled me as a non-Christian worthy of such attention.

I am wondering if she does this to every stranger she meets or if it is something she can’t control. The cashier was also weirded out by the outburst.

from what you posted about the mom, therein lies the matrix of the mystery of this 12 year old's pronouncement of hell upon you, don't'cha think?

 

[Cimorene]

Hey, no dissing homeschooling! I teach my children at home, but they would never ever do something like that. I taught them to respect other people, regardless of who the other person is or what the person may believe spiritually, and definitely not to proselytize and push their personal Christian faith and beliefs unto other people.

I definitely don't think most homeschoolers are weirdos but I could see why people might think a girl acting like that was. Bc if she went to school no way, no how could she get by with acting like that. Well unless she went to like some school run by loony toons or something.

 

[awitch]

I definitely don't think most homeschoolers are weirdos but I could see why people might think a girl acting like that was. Bc if she went to school no way, no how could she get by with acting like that. Well unless she went to like some school run by loony toons or something.

I don't think it would fly at Acme Looniversity either.

My daughter was home schooled up until last month. Most of the parents we knew from a homeschooling group chose to home school because they were afraid that what they taught in public school would conflict with their religious beliefs.

 

[Armoured]

An unusual thing happened to me this morning as I was waiting in line at the grocery store to pay for 6 cabbages I needed for lunch (I am a chef at a corporate dining facility). There was a family in front of me paying for their doughnuts and the 12-13 year old daughter proudly exclaimed and told me that I was going to hell. I replied “Well that’s swell”, simply because it rhymed. She then lays into me about accepting Christ or else and letting Jesus into my heart and so forth. As they were leaving and I am putting cabbage on the conveyor her mother congratulates her on her witnessing and sharing the gospel.


Is this normal Christian behavior or did something happen over the last few years that I missed?

My daughter is ASD 1, and she tries to be friends with EVERYONE. She is completely oblivious to social cues, and will just engage with anyone who gives her the time of day as though they were an old friend.

The only time I have EVER seen her standoffish towards anyone was when she was about 4 or 5, and we encountered a home schooled kid at the local library, who talked nonstop about Noah's Ark and human sinful nature. Kid was maybe 7 or so. My daughter, the most outgoing person I've ever known, who is pathologically unaware of social cues, and gregarious to the point of frustration... even SHE, was weirded out by this kid and wanted to get away from him.

I get that teaching your kid about your faith is important to you, but I seriously doubt these parents are doing these kids any favours in the long run.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Honestly if a little girl did that to me, I think I'd have a laughing fit. Where I was the one that ended up making a scene, lol.

I am not sure how I would have handled the situation. If it had happened to me and I said something to oppose the little girl and had told her mother off, then they might have insisted they were being persecuted for their faith. I have no doubt that would have only encouraged them to further their crusade and inflate their ego even more.

 

[awitch]

I am not sure how I would have handled the situation. If it had happened to me and I said something to oppose the little girl and had told her mother off, then they might have insisted they were being persecuted for their faith. I have no doubt that would have only encouraged them to further their crusade and inflate their ego even more.

I think when people put their religion on display they should expect criticism. And when they weild their religion in such an unwelcome and unsolicited way in such an inappropriate time and place, I would have no problem calmly and politely telling even a child that I think hell is a silly fairy tale and it doesn't concern me. But in this case, I would probably leave it at that because I wouldn't want to hold up the line.