guno
Gold Member
- Banned
- #1
ASSUMING SUPERIORITY
Missionaries may attempt to elicit as many "I don't know" responses as possible in order to establish their superiority and credibility. Bear in mind that they are not interested in a genuine exchange of ideas. Missionaries are driven by their agenda of attempting to sway you . Their "questions" are not really questions seeking an answer, but set-ups to their sales pitch. You can simply state that you would prefer to learn about Biblical concepts from someone who doesn't have a hidden agenda.
DECEPTION
Missionaries may claim to have traditional Jewish backgrounds with a solid Jewish education. All too often, this is an exaggeration or outright fabrication designed to establish their credibility.
The implied message is that this Jew for Jesus came to accept Christianity after knowing and overcoming all the Jewish objections. Some missionaries may even present traditional Jewish objections to their position and then demonstrate how these objections lack substance.
LOVE BOMBING
Salespeople often flatter and charm potential customers to prime their receptivity and clinch the sale. Someone's warmth and friendliness has nothing to do with the validity of their ideas or sales pitch.
COVER-UP
Missionaries may focus on issues where there is little resistance and may avoid revealing beliefs that are less palatable. For example, they may stress the idea of Jesus as the Messiah while avoiding the bottom-line Christian doctrine that Jesus was actually god incarnate. Missionaries may also gloss over their conviction that good people who don't accept Jesus will be consigned to eternal damnation in hell.
THE NUMBERS GAME
Some missionaries may inundate you with endless lists of verses from the Bible. Of course, truth is not determined by volume. They may claim that there are over 300 Biblical "proofs" for their position. A careful examination of the passages - in context - will immediately refute their presentation. They may hide behind the numbers and say, "You may be right, but if you look at all the 'proofs' together, they are pretty impressive." It's important to remember that numerous weak pieces of evidence don't become stronger by combining them. 300 x 0 is still 0!
MANIPULATIVE LOGIC
Occasionally, missionaries may try to force you into accepting a proposition with false premises. One popular example is the assertion that "Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar or the Messiah." Missionaries assume that you won't feel comfortable with the first two options, and you'll accept the third. Of course, there are other possible explanations, such as Jesus sincerely believed he was the Messiah, but he turned out to be mistaken. This scenario is consistent with Jesus' dying words related in the Christian scriptures, "My G-d, my G-d, why have You forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).
EXPLOITING AMBIGUITY
We live in a confusing and frustrating world where reality is more often gray than black and white. Sometimes, missionaries may attempt to intensify your anxieties and insecurities by focusing on issues about which you feel powerless, such as terrorism, war, rampant immorality, illness and your own mortality. Or, they may play on the guilt you feel over a personal failure. Then, they offer simplistic answers to these critical problems. The lure and comfort of certainty can sometimes interfere with our normal instinct to verify their claims.
SHORT-CIRCUITING THOUGHT
Some missionaries may denigrate your desire to carefully analyze and evaluate their claims by stating, "You rely too much on your head you have to open your heart!" The Torah never tells us to base our critical decisions upon emotions. Torah always warns us to think and use our minds because our hearts can often lead us astray. Another tactic the missionaries use is to pressure you for a quick commitment, such as, "What is preventing you from accepting Jesus into your heart right now?"
PRESUPPOSITION
A common technique employed by missionaries is to throw out the challenge, "Why don't you pray to Jesus and ask him to reveal himself to you, or give you a sign?" This is a manipulative tactic to preempt thoughtful consideration and maneuver you to tacitly accept their position. And, of course, missionaries will interpret virtually anything that happens to you as a divine sign, as something "meant to be."
Missionaries may attempt to elicit as many "I don't know" responses as possible in order to establish their superiority and credibility. Bear in mind that they are not interested in a genuine exchange of ideas. Missionaries are driven by their agenda of attempting to sway you . Their "questions" are not really questions seeking an answer, but set-ups to their sales pitch. You can simply state that you would prefer to learn about Biblical concepts from someone who doesn't have a hidden agenda.
DECEPTION
Missionaries may claim to have traditional Jewish backgrounds with a solid Jewish education. All too often, this is an exaggeration or outright fabrication designed to establish their credibility.
The implied message is that this Jew for Jesus came to accept Christianity after knowing and overcoming all the Jewish objections. Some missionaries may even present traditional Jewish objections to their position and then demonstrate how these objections lack substance.
LOVE BOMBING
Salespeople often flatter and charm potential customers to prime their receptivity and clinch the sale. Someone's warmth and friendliness has nothing to do with the validity of their ideas or sales pitch.
COVER-UP
Missionaries may focus on issues where there is little resistance and may avoid revealing beliefs that are less palatable. For example, they may stress the idea of Jesus as the Messiah while avoiding the bottom-line Christian doctrine that Jesus was actually god incarnate. Missionaries may also gloss over their conviction that good people who don't accept Jesus will be consigned to eternal damnation in hell.
THE NUMBERS GAME
Some missionaries may inundate you with endless lists of verses from the Bible. Of course, truth is not determined by volume. They may claim that there are over 300 Biblical "proofs" for their position. A careful examination of the passages - in context - will immediately refute their presentation. They may hide behind the numbers and say, "You may be right, but if you look at all the 'proofs' together, they are pretty impressive." It's important to remember that numerous weak pieces of evidence don't become stronger by combining them. 300 x 0 is still 0!
MANIPULATIVE LOGIC
Occasionally, missionaries may try to force you into accepting a proposition with false premises. One popular example is the assertion that "Jesus was either a lunatic, a liar or the Messiah." Missionaries assume that you won't feel comfortable with the first two options, and you'll accept the third. Of course, there are other possible explanations, such as Jesus sincerely believed he was the Messiah, but he turned out to be mistaken. This scenario is consistent with Jesus' dying words related in the Christian scriptures, "My G-d, my G-d, why have You forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).
EXPLOITING AMBIGUITY
We live in a confusing and frustrating world where reality is more often gray than black and white. Sometimes, missionaries may attempt to intensify your anxieties and insecurities by focusing on issues about which you feel powerless, such as terrorism, war, rampant immorality, illness and your own mortality. Or, they may play on the guilt you feel over a personal failure. Then, they offer simplistic answers to these critical problems. The lure and comfort of certainty can sometimes interfere with our normal instinct to verify their claims.
SHORT-CIRCUITING THOUGHT
Some missionaries may denigrate your desire to carefully analyze and evaluate their claims by stating, "You rely too much on your head you have to open your heart!" The Torah never tells us to base our critical decisions upon emotions. Torah always warns us to think and use our minds because our hearts can often lead us astray. Another tactic the missionaries use is to pressure you for a quick commitment, such as, "What is preventing you from accepting Jesus into your heart right now?"
PRESUPPOSITION
A common technique employed by missionaries is to throw out the challenge, "Why don't you pray to Jesus and ask him to reveal himself to you, or give you a sign?" This is a manipulative tactic to preempt thoughtful consideration and maneuver you to tacitly accept their position. And, of course, missionaries will interpret virtually anything that happens to you as a divine sign, as something "meant to be."
