Religion in the Restrooms

[ChelsieFrank]

Please remember that whoever leaves these tracts in bathrooms or on tables or benches is doing so in a spirit of trying to help others. They see others as needing the salvation they believe is given to them through their beliefs and want others to have that same salvation. How is that offensive? They may be going about their task in a manner that has little to no effect, but they have good intentions and are not forcing anyone to read the tracts. There is no need to get nasty or insulting toward these people or their beliefs.

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I wasn't trying to bash them. One of the reasons I hesitate to throw them out is because I am a Christian (albeit non-practicing and non-tract-supporting). I just thought it was odd where they chose to leave the tracts as most of the time whoever cleaned up had to throw them out.

Also, the town I work in is largely Christian so I'm slightly puzzled as to why we get flooded with them every Sunday.

[South Texan]

I wasn't trying to bash them.

I did not think YOU were insulting or attempting to bash them. Your original post was a sincere question.

I just know how threads on this board that touch on religion or something associated with it have ended up. There are a few posts on this thread already headed that way.

[Sir Spaniard the 12th]

Is D'n'D one real? Because... I thought it was a parody at first, until near the end... Now I'm not sure either way.

[csdrone]

I understand the mindset the tracters have and their logic but the appropriateness of a tract for bathroom reading? Not so much. I am Christian (practicing) and cringe on the rare occasions I see a chick tract in the women's potty.

[Gurndigarn]

I did have to giggle at the line "Cartoon Tracts make Witnessing Easy!"

Is it supposed to be "easy"?[/I]

Well, that depends on the people you're witnessing to, really. Some groups are more willing to talk-- and listen-- than others.

But Chick Tracts don't help. They have an extremely low success rate (read just one and you'll know why....), and in return, annoy a lot of people who might have been interested in talking about religion at some point in their lives, but don't because they associate religion in general and christianity in specific with a bunch of nutty litterbugs.

[South Texan]

Is D'n'D one real? Because... I thought it was a parody at first, until near the end... Now I'm not sure either way.

I thought the same thing. Whoever wrote it obviously was making up something he/she THOUGHT might happen or based it on some movie or story he/she heard. There is no doubt that the person never played the game. I almost was laughing at the joke of it all until I saw that it is an actual tract.

ANYONE who has played DnD not only will not take the tract's message that the game leads to evil ends (and the notion that the ability of someone to play act well at being a wizard and being able to use the formulas of the game is indicative of the person having actual potential for being a spell-casting witch), they will think the theology that wrote it is full of naive, silly people.

[CancelMyService]

It just seems kind of an invasion of personal space to leave that kind of stuff in a place where you really don't to be bothered. I mean, who's ever had (or would want to admit having) a religious epiphany whilst dropping a deuce?

Not to mention, the Chick style tracts are hardly left with any helpful spirit intended. They aren't the "isn't Jesus a cool dude?" kind of material, they're usually the "whatever you believe in is wrong and you're going to hell unless you accept the correct subsection of Christianity. But mainly you're going to hell" kind of material. IMO that kind of garbage is nothing more than a waste of the raw materials used to make them.

[Pagan]

Anyone read the DnD Chick Tract? (probably one of the more famous ones) Man... It was just completely awful.

Not to mention the fact that if you feel the need to off yourself because you DnD character got killed, well....

And what the hell did the Temple of Diana ever do to them?

[Geek King]

Not to mention the fact that if you feel the need to off yourself because you DnD character got killed, well....

And what the hell did the Temple of Diana ever do to them?

Oh, don't take offense. Chick publications specializes in having a tract for whatever your particular hate is. Hate Catholics? They got several. Hate Jews? They're set for that too. Hate Pagans? Well, they can tell you about baby sacrifices. Clothes too white? I'm sure they have one for that too. I've long been a proponent of just tossing their stuff. Parasites making a living off of hate.

Addendum: Yes I know pagans don't sacrifice babies, but it is in one of the tracts.

[Will-Mun]

Look here... I was not attacking any religion in my post... What I was attacking was Chick Tracts. The things are badly written, rather offensive, uneducated comic strips that preach and attempt to convert to Fundamental Christianity. They don't work, and I feel that most CHRISTIANS would be rather offended if they read them.

Specifically, I was talking about the DnD Tract, which as you can see portrays DnD leading to witchcraft. Which it does not. The man who wrote them, Jack Chick, knows next to nothing about DnD, nor does he know anything about the kids PLAYING it. (see how many girls were playing?)

It also portrays Paganism (whatever form they were showing in that strip), as careless baby stealers, who show no remorse for a child that took its own life. (Which is insulting in itself. DnD players lose characters left and right depending on the DM )

I know better that to talk about any religion in a negative way on this board. But a comic strip that portrays a misinformed, pandering, and offensive message... I'm gonna sit back, point, and laugh.

[Estil]

Chick tracts are nothing but pure HATE SPEECH. Plain and simple.

[IT Grunt]

ANYONE who has played DnD not only will not take the tract's message that the game leads to evil ends (and the notion that the ability of someone to play act well at being a wizard and being able to use the formulas of the game is indicative of the person having actual potential for being a spell-casting witch), they will think the theology that wrote it is full of naive, silly people.

Exactly. As far as I'm concerned, DnD, like any game, real or virtual, is just that. A game. As far as I'm concerned, if you have such a shakey grasp of reality such that you begin to think that the game is a reflection of reality, and then begin to live it, you've got problems to begin with.

I dabbled in it during my college days, and when my grandmother and mother found out, they immediately got all defensive. My grandmother's question? "What do you do? Sit around and meditate?" Had a friend in an old job get upset when I told him I played, because "of what it teaches you." The game doesn't teach anything you haven't heard in history class. Just pull out any book on ancient myths and legends, and you have DnD. The only difference is you portray a character in that environment, and in essence put that character through an interactive play, where you write the lines as you go along. Anybody who's read Shakespeare knows plays are loaded with characters dying. If a person can't shut that off and return to reality when it's time to pack away the dice, they need professional help.

On to the original subject, I've seen those tracts scattered around local parks and such, including the famous 'looks like a $20' pamphlets that trick you into picking them up. My brother and I got into a contest for a bit to see who could rack up the most 'money'.

[SuperDan]

Jack Chick is an idiot that in my opinion does more harm for Christianity than good. That being said, the smart-ass side of me finds the tracts humorous because they're so misinformed and illogical.

My guess is they're placed in the bathrooms because somebody is sure to see them there, and there is relative privacy if someone chooses to read them. I get them in the bathroom in my store sometimes, stacked up on the urinal, as well as in random places on shelves throughout the store. Hey, I guess if it works for the KKK guys with their business cards...

The tract method of evangelism is the religious equivalent of our aggressive selling in retail. Just like a customer isn't going to buy a damn thing (pun intended) if you follow them around the store like a puppy insisting they need to buy your product, they're not going to keep listening if you follow them around telling them they're going to hell. I just be myself and let God handle things and if he wants to use me so be it, and that's been the best method of evangelism ever.

[Pagan]

Oh, don't take offense. Chick publications specializes in having a tract for whatever your particular hate is.

Addendum: Yes I know pagans don't sacrifice babies, but it is in one of the tracts.

Meh, I wasn't taking offense. I have the feeling that he probably doesn't even know that the Temple of Diana really exists! Usually the most rabid anti-whatever has absolutely no knowledge of whatever their anti.

And no, no we don't sacrifice people. (Well, except for that one group of Gauls way back when! )

[Lehk]

Is D'n'D one real? Because... I thought it was a parody at first, until near the end... Now I'm not sure either way.

the DnD one is real, so are the ones saying all catholics, jews, etc. will burn in hell.

chick tracts are made by a bigot for other bigots to distribute.

i have been given things like watchtower at work before, i just thank the person who gave it to me and hang onto it at least until i get home, sometimes i'll read it.

chick tracts (unless i am at work) will get profanities and gestures. they have the right under the first amendment to spread their hate, and i have the right to tell them to choke on a mouthful of shit.