Evangelism Options

[yummy_delight]

A good friend of mine and I recently got into a heated debate about evangelism. We're both Christians, but we have very different ideas about evangelism. When my friend started getting really involved in church a few years ago, he also became a rampant evangelist. He believes that by bringing more people into the church he is not only saving them from eternal damnation, but also doing his duty as a Christian. He has often quoted Charles Spurgeon, saying "Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter," essentially stating that you can't truly be Christian without evangelizing non believers.

I, however, don't like the idea of evangelism at all. Although I'm a devout Catholic, I dislike the idea of evangelism because I don't believe that anybody, myself included, has the right to force his or her beliefs on someone else. I think that everybody has a right to be whatever the religion they choose. Perhaps it's because I have a different idea about God than other people. I don't think that God sends honestly good people to Hell just because they don't believe in him. There are such things as Christian people who are hypocritical, paying lip service to God at church on Sundays, and still go about causing harm to other people. In my opinion, these people are less deserving of heaven than the good-hearted people whose only "fault" is that they don't believe in God. I think that my duty as a Christian is to be a good person and have a positive impact on the world, which doesn't necessarily mean that I HAVE to be an evangelist.

I'd just like to know what everyone else's opinion is on this, not merely from a Christian standpoint, but from another religion's or atheist's perspective as well. Do you approve of evangelism? Are you an evangelist? Do you think that evangelism is a necessary requirement for all good Christians?

[rorhinna]

I would like to just define something. I have been noticing that some people think
that if you are a catholic or just believe in God that you are a Christian. Well....
This isn't that case. In order to be a Christian you must have accepted Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior to forgive you of your sins.
"For God so loved the world that He have His only begotten Son that whosever believes in Him shall not die, but have everlasting life" -John 3:16
So, it doesn't matter whether you're a good person or not, you're not going to heaven
unless you have a personal relationship with Christ. (oh and to all those people who think this stuff is dumb or whatever, well, sorry, to bother you). So, I'm sorry, but those people who say they are Christians but are hypocritical and do bad stuff and supposedly don't deserve to go to heaven.... well, no one deserves to go to heaven, but that's why God forgives. However, the people who just do bad, because they know they'll be forgiven, well, if they act that way, then they probably don't have that relationship with Christ and don't wish to follow Him. --okay, so that was one of the points about undeserving people, ya?

Then, about the main topic at hand. Ya, you totally don't have to be an "evangelist" or "missionary" for God to be a real Christian. But if you were to argue that point, you might as well say that you are an evangelist for Christ, merely by going about your day being a good example, and that's ministry in itself, when people can tell that you have things more together or what not.
Plus, just from the replys to this post, its obvious that getting in peoples face and saying "YOU NEED JESUS AND YOU NEED TO BE SAVED!!" well, that can get annoying and
after awhile...or even right away, people begin to resent christianity. which, honestly I can't blame them, I mean, I wouldn't want people doing that to me... and actually its happened, but I just say that I'm a christian. ANYWAYS, erm, I think I addressed everything...

but ya, me personally, I don't force my religion on anyone, cuz that's just not cool. however, since this is a forum and more specifically the debate section... well, I'm a bit more opinionated here. :)