The stock-ticker of my testimony shot up on Monday night with the elimination of Julie from the Real World/Road Rules Challenge. She was eliminated while wearing a T-shirt reading, "Jesus is Real." (Earlier in the episode she chanted, "The path to God is straight and narrow, the path to God is straight and narrow," just seconds before careening on a motorcycle into a lake.)
Why do people feel compelled to advertise Jesus with their clothing and with their cars? Fortunately, most Mormons don't seem to have this problem (RW Julie excepted). Has anyone ever had a spiritual experience while trapped behind a Jesus bumper sticker? It doesn't seem like a very effective method of sharing the gospel, and probably puts off more people than it interests. For some reason, however, I am less put off by Spanish bumper stickers. Is this my cultural snobbery showing through?
On a related note, my parents were visiting from out of town last week, and we were cut off in traffic by a Jeep with a Brigham Young University sticker in the back window. Obviously, stuff like this happens all the time in Utah, but when you are out in the world, shouldn't you try to drive a little better when you are advertising your religion on your car?
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Although I would expect many people to disagree with me, and I have to evidence to really back this up (so I may be completely wrong), it seems to me that the bumper stickers (and the like) are like praying outloud in the streets--people trying to prove how "righteous" they are because the faith is relatively fragile.
Still, one of my favorite bumper stickers is, "When the rapture comes, can I have your stuff?"
Such things tend to turn the gospel into a club of sorts. Sometimes I worry that our placing too much emphasis on "fellowshipping" is leaning in this direction. There is a difference between feeling the spirit testify of truth and feeling welcomed by good people. Sometimes we blur the line between the two, and not entire by accident.
When I lived in West Texas, I saw a college student with JESUS in huge letters on the back of his shirt. All I could think was, "Gee, he doesn't look Hispanic..."
Well, in Saudia, BYU stickers let us find each other ...
No I've got the worst of the bumper stickers. It proclaimed the importance of bumper stickers regarding religion...
"When the Rapture comes, you'll wish YOU had religious bumper stickers on YOUR car!"
Awesome bllog you have here
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