"Jesus, Bastards, and Bad Burritos"

[Josh]

Being educated in a Christian school for most of my life, and having been exposed to more manipulative evangelism tactics than I can count, I'm always a little weary about dramatic, druggy-to-pastor-overnight conversion stories.

Andy Whitman weighs in on the subject at hs blog in this honest, insightful piece.

[murlough23]

Wow. Excellent article. It's true that we can't know the intentions of someone who recently converted (or really anyone, for that matter), and while I don't think we should go around casting doubt on the genuineness of someone's conversion, I also don't think it's wise to suddenly put them in this position of authority where they can preach to us, either. They're still new converts. They're still spiritually immature in a lot of areas and need time to be taught and to grow. We can hear their stories and learn from them, but we have to keep in mind that they're susceptible to the temptation to turn back to the dark side (we all are, really, but it's probably more pronounced for someone who's just come out of it so suddenly).

I'd venture to guess that your average altar call at a Kutless concert or, heck, even a Billy Graham Crusade, causes a lot of these "bad burrito" types of conversions. Not that people don't genuinely convert, but I think a lot of 'em might for the wrong reasons, and it might not stick, because they've converted based on an emotional appeal at a fun-time event, without there being as much in terms of proof and being reasonably convinced that what you're getting into is sound and not just a flavor-of-the-moment way to feel good again. Obviously you have to take a leap of faith at some point, so cold logic and intellectualism will probably never be sufficient to get someone to convert either - but when a careful thought process and time taken to consider what you're getting into is left out in favor of one of those "convert now or you might die tomorrow!" type of spiels, that leads to irrational fear which can lead to hasty conversions that aren't genuine.

Shoot, there are plenty of times in my life when I've promised God that I'd do dang near anything if He'd just get me out of whatever situation I was in. When I came back from Hawaii in January, I had really been struggling with something that I knew was weighing me down spiritually. There was a lot of turbulence on that plane, to the point where I feared for my life (though more frequent fliers assured me it was normal and nothing to be worried about, but I have a bit of a phobia about these things), and I remember praying desperately that I wanted to be free from the thing that was holding me back, as if that would somehow make God decide that the plane shouldn't come plummeting out of the sky. We do funny things when we're scared. That same week, I was right back into the same sin that was dragging me down. It didn't stick. Things motivated by fear usually don't stick with me. I'd venture to guess that they don't with most people. Once we think we're safe, we forget all about it.

God didn't let my plane crash, not because I said a good enough prayer to get me out of it, and certainly not because He knew I would actually make good on my promise. It just wasn't my time to go, or anyone else's on that plane. Similar thing with the kid who didn't come to the altar at the Kutless concert. Maybe he did stop to think about his life and whether he needed God. Maybe that process was initiated there, and some seed of truth was planted despite the manipulative emotional appeal. But I believe that if God wanted that kid to be saved, God would want that kid's conversion to be done in spirit and in truth, not just as a bargain to make him stop feeling scared. And maybe other people at that concert did convert in spirit and in truth; I don't know. The point is that my personal belief is that people need to understand what they're signing up for when they become Christians. It makes life better, but it also makes it more challenging, and for it to be peddled as this quick fix to our problems really cheapens it.

[RedcoatJones]

Great thoughts Murlough and Josh. I'm kind of the same mind, partly since my confirmation of my faith was a long process (as a teen). Yet, working with recovering addicts, I've seen some amazing changes. Of course, while the conversion moment sometimes comes suddenly, being in a long-term program gives them the support and instruction to help mentor that new faith.

This is from an interview I conducted with a graduate of the program (and published in our newsletter), that supports my thoughts on giving support to a sudden conversion:

"I was very anti-religion," Don said, "but I needed a place to go, so I called The Potter's
House and spoke with a counselor.Yet in my head, I pictured a monastery. I never called
back."

This time, he committed to go, yet he did not like the religious element. Don said, "I was
not looking for religion. I was looking for a bed and a meal."

Upon arriving at The Potter's House, Don learned he would be responsible for chores,
and he worried he would not make it through the program.

Don realized, "I have nowhere else to go. I have to stay." Convincing the counselors he
could do the work, Don worked as hard as he could. Eventually he even made some
friends who helped him out with some of the physical chores.

Even though Don was opposed to religion, he slowly became aware of a growing spiritual
presence in his life.

"I reached a point where the only time I thought about bad things was in chapel," Don
said. "I wasn't looking for Christ, but I felt I should be more respectful in chapel."

Don had been struggling with his thoughts in chapel for six weeks when Potter's House
Director Jay Cory made a public invitation to accept Christ.

Don smiles as he describes that day, "I realized my hand was in the air, and I thought,
'How did that happen?' Yet I went up to the altar and prayed." Don said his evil thoughts
came to an end that night. He slowly began learning about, and accepting, Christ.

If you're interested, you can read the whole story here.

np: The Concretes - You Can't Hurry Love