Forum Overview :: Motherfucking News

Saddest Christian ever. by Zseni 01/17/2007, 9:19am PST Evangelicals Behaving Badly with Statistics A Christian sociology professor named Christian gently scolds televangelists and megachurch pastors for being hysterical, stupid, and inflammatory. In a document about statistical misrepresentation, the author provides 1 (one) example and extrapolates without further evidence that evangelicals have a problem abusing statistics. Choice quotes: "Why do evangelicals recurrently abuse statistics? My observation is that they are usually trying desperately to attract attention and raise people's concern in order to mobilize resources and action for some cause." "Anyone who gives this claim a moment's thought should realize immediately that it is preposterous. Unless we act now, U.S. Christianity will be dead in ten years? Please. I hope somebody will let God know." "Older Americans are then said, based on another similar "informal survey," to have accepted Christ at higher rates. The conclusion: "According to present trends, we are about to lose eternally the second largest generation in America's history."" (By the way, we never get the money shot: the author's name and the title of this book. No sources?!! No referenced sources??!?! EVEN THE AD HAD REFERENCED SOURCES.) "...Thus, the book's author is guilty of making some unwarranted inferences about national representation and future events based on limited data and faulty logic. This is not a crime. But it has problematic consequences. Namely, based on such erroneous conclusions, a national movement is now being organized to re-educate 20,000 youth pastors in 44 cities around the nation. Tickets for the three-hour event are $39 each, $99 for a church's entire pastoral staff." Hahaha. That's about a quarter of a million dollars. And who endorses this quarter of a million dollars? "Plus, the ad shows a lineup of evangelical heavyweights endorsing this summit, including Chuck Colson, Ted Haggard (before his fall), Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Jack Hayford, and many more. Not only was the president of the National Association of Evangelicals (Haggard) backing this, but a recent official nae resolution on youth ministry is also reprinted in the ad, suggesting a general nae endorsement of this program." "The problem is, it also often distorts, misrepresents, or falsifies what actually happens to be true about reality. And to sacrifice what is actually true for the sake of immediate attention and action is plain wrong. It should be redefined as a very un-evangelical thing to do."

Saddest Christian ever. by Zseni 01/17/2007, 9:19am PST     Re: Saddest Christian ever. by Mischief Maker 01/17/2007, 12:05pm PST