The fear of God is the title of the tenth episode from season two of Way of the Master. Basically this episode is about evangelising through gospel tracts.
Episode walkthrough
The episode starts with pleasant music and films of people travelling through a major railway station but since this is from Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron we know that before long there will frightening, depressing material about death and hell which the title confirms. The people at Grand Central Station New York are enjoying themselves coming home from holiday and the like, they aren’t currently upsetting themselves over Christian fundamentalist concepts of divine retribution. Ray and Kirk think the correct type of gospel tracts can get them to start “thinking about eternity”.
As with most of what Ray and Kirk do this is about increasing suffering in the here and now in order to save people from worse suffering hereafter.
If the improbable is true and any God exists that God could just as well punish Ray and Kirk together with other Christian evangelists for upsetting people to the extent that they do despite there being no positive evidence whatsoever for what they preach.
Kirk tells a story about how he was in a restaurant with his wife and the waitress was very sweet and kind but Kirk could tell from some of the things she said that she, “was not a Christian” Kirk wanted to evangelise to her because if she “died without Christ” she was going to spend eternity in hell”.
A loving, caring God gets angry and sends a sweet, kind person to hell, alternatively allows such a person to go to hell just because that person doesn’t fit the complex and tricky concept of being a true Christian that Kirk and Ray preach. A loving, caring God creates somebody foreknowing that person will become sweet and kind but will not become exactly what a true Christian should be. Is that likely?
Next Kirk and Ray describe fun tracts like fake million dollar bills and optical illusions with gospel messages printed on them, basically Living Waters Ministry gives people a bit of fun first and frightens them later. Ray Comfort shows one tract has a slot where the evangelist should put a one dollar bill. This apologises for all the times people have asked for money in the name of Christianity. Ray Comfort says Christians should be giving.
This looks a bit ironic, see Partner Support where Ray Comfort’s website tells people how to give his ministry financial support.
Next Ray Comfort goes out on the street with what look like IQ tests and a photo of Einstein. A young man, we later learn his name is Adam takes the test and Ray makes him feel inferior when Adam overlooks that some words have been written twice. At that stage Adam is prepared to see it as fun part of the time though Adam looks like a nervous person. Later, after Ray has lectured him about hellfire religion and taken him through Are you a good person? Adam becomes frightened and fears he will go to hell, ”Jesus paid your fine” gives Adam no reassurance, Adam goes away quite upset.
Next a few regular evangelists are interviewed and all say they use gospel tracts for various reasons. Gospel tracts are recommended as conversation openers, for shy evangelists, when saying something oneself is difficult, when the listener has not got time just then.
External links
- The Way of the Master - The Fear of God - Episode 23 As of 16th Nov 2011 this doesn’t deal with gospel tracts as stated above.
