Street Preachers Who Shout in Shopping Areas

Mike

Mike

Well-known Member
Location
London
I don't know what you feel about these people, who stand
with a small Bible or Prayer Book, and call down the wrath
of God on sinners, I think that they should keep quiet, if I
want religion, then that is down to me, he shouldn't be loud,
when people are just going about their own business, "Noise
Pollution", is what they are causing.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the town centre to buy a coat
and in the street was one such man, I let him be as there are
lots of them trying to convert us all, a few yards past him three
other men, building a portable gazebo to put on to a square
of tables, around the top was printed, "Welcome to Islam Your
Birthright", then another few yards, two other men were trying
to sell, the "Quran", English Translation, I think that I need to
move, to get away from all this!

I don't know if any of them had begging licences, or if religious
people, don't need one.

Maybe I am wrong and need to get out.

Mike.
 

Any street hawker is annoying, whether they are selling religion or raising money for charities. I was approached by one such fellow who was selling tickets to a Veterans Art Union with the winning ticket, a block of units on the Queensland Gold Coast. He said our government doesn't help these veterans and many end up on the streets. I was taken in by him and agreed to buy a book of tickets.
When I got home, I read the literature he gave me and on reading it closely I had signed up for buying a book of tickets each month to the tune of $30.00 month. I immediately rang the phone number on the literature and said i didn't mind buying the first book but no more. They were very understanding and have taken my name off their list. Lucky, I checked the small print.
 
I remember fifty years ago the sidewalk preachers would rant and rave at the people waiting at the bus stops in center city.

I was one of those folks and remember trying not to make eye contact or show any emotion until finally my bus would come.

I believe that many of these folks have taken their message to the internet.
 
I made the mistake of looking a "preacher" in the eye, briefly, on a New York City subway car.

In my defense, I was a noobie....

For three more stops, my soul was being saved, loudly, and I was being invited, repeatedly, to fall to my knees right then and there and get "right" with my conscience.

The only thing I wanted to do was to get "right" out of there....
 
Mike said:
I don't know what you feel about these people, who stand
with a small Bible or Prayer Book, and call down the wrath
of God on sinners, I think that they should keep quiet, if I
want religion, then that is down to me, he shouldn't be loud,
when people are just going about their own business, "Noise
Pollution", is what they are causing.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the town centre to buy a coat
and in the street was one such man, I let him be as there are
lots of them trying to convert us all, a few yards past him three
other men, building a portable gazebo to put on to a square
of tables, around the top was printed, "Welcome to Islam Your
Birthright", then another few yards, two other men were trying
to sell, the "Quran", English Translation, I think that I need to
move, to get away from all this!

I don't know if any of them had begging licences, or if religious
people, don't need one.

Maybe I am wrong and need to get out.

Mike.
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I just think of them as being unhinged ..... .. and pay them no more attention than I would a child screaming because it doesn't get its own way...

I don't mind them if they're on a podium in Hyde park for example..because it's your choice to stop and listen to them but just yesterday I was a watching a Youtube Video ..a simple walk through cardiff.. and in their walk they made the mistake of just wishing a Street preacher ..a good day.. and they were subjected to Biblical rants.. most of which made no sense..
 
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mrstime said:
I wish folks would understand what their constitutional free speech really means. It means you can criticize your government, it doesn't mean you can say anything you want anywhere you want!
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Are you referring to the Canadian Constitution or the U.S. one?
 
mrstime said:
The American constitution.
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Interesting - can you tell us what the differences are between yours and mine regarding free speech?

And for the record, I've never heard or read of anyone in the US suggesting that they could say "anything they wanted anywhere they wanted". But street corner preachers (the topic of this thread) in America are within their 1st amendment rights to preach what they believe. Our free speech here is not limited to just "you can criticize the government". Can't say about yours. Or in London.
 
jujube said:
I made the mistake of looking a "preacher" in the eye, briefly, on a New York City subway car.

In my defense, I was a noobie....

For three more stops, my soul was being saved, loudly, and I was being invited, repeatedly, to fall to my knees right then and there and get "right" with my conscience.

The only thing I wanted to do was to get "right" out of there....
Click to expand...

I think in this type of captive situation I would have invited him to demonstrate the method of doing this, then keep asking questions about the method to show I wanted to get it just right. I think there would be a good chance of him getting bored with my questions before I did. Then I would get off my seat and off at my stop.
 
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While in the Navy, stationed aboard my first ship, homeported in Norfolk Virginia, there was a shipmate who was a street preacher. He pursued that activity mostly on weekends when in port and he didn't have duty. Along with his street preaching, he handed out religious literature. Everything done with his own out of pocket money.

He didn't preach to those of us around him serving onboard the ship and never mentioned it unless asked about stuff. But we all knew he was a part time street preacher. I was somewhat fascinated by his behavior and spoke with him about it from time to time, and his experiences while street preaching.

Turns out that in Norfolk at that time in the late 80's, the street preachers had a regular church of their own where they sought sharing and fellowship with each other as street preachers but didn't actively seek membership in their church from just anyone.

The guy invited me to his church one Sunday evening. I decided to go check it out for no other reason than I didn't have plans and basically just wanted to get off the ship. Being entertained with a whole congregation of street preachers was something to do.

There was a pastor giving a sermon but I think several people shared pastor duties on a rotating basis. During the sermon, someone entered the sanctuary from an adjoining office, interrupted the sermon, and spoke quietly with the pastor.

The pastor appealed to the (small) congregation on hand to stand in their pews, turn around, get down on their knees and pray for one of their church members, without explaining why. Many in the congregation were puzzled why the guy the pastor had named, who was a street preacher like them, wasn't there that night. It was mentioned that he seldom if ever had missed a church service. They pressed the pastor to explain the nature of the missing member's circumstance.

Finally the pastor realizing I suppose that it would come out sooner or later, explained that the guy was currently at that time in a stand off with police. He'd barricaded himself in his home and apparently presented himself as holding his family hostage.

After sometime had passed, with fervent praying by the congregation during which many vocally prayed out loud at the same time, the service came to an end while the pastor never finished his sermon and the service was concluded.

As far as I know, I was the only person there who wasn't a street preacher, or a street preacher's spouse and family.

I didn't find out what happened with the stand off situation. I didn't later ask my shipmate about it and I never went back to that church. Just the way things worked out more than anything.
 
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The are a couple Hispanic ladies that regularly stand by the roadside near the gym I go to. I'm guessing they are from the Iglesia de Dios(a Pentecostal Church of God). They don't shout, they are just there for people that want to talk. Years past, there was a Korean lady that would come by to chat, I think was affiliated with the local Jehovah's Witness Church. I enjoyed talking with her. I applaud those that answer God's calling, and respect them for their commitment and courage.
 
Nathan said:
The are a couple Hispanic ladies that regularly stand by the roadside near the gym I go to. I'm guessing they are from the Iglesia de Dios(a Pentecostal Church of God). They don't shout, they are just there for people that want to talk. Years past, there was a Korean lady that would come by to chat, I think was affiliated with the local Jehovah's Witness Church. I enjoyed talking with her. I applaud those that answer God's calling, and respect them for their commitment and courage.
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the jehova witnesses who sit on the benches in our shopping area, don't accost anyone.. they don't shout, they just let people start a conversation with them, if they wish to....

Unlike the damn JW's that knock on my door at 8am on a Sunday morning, mob handed...:mad:

Mormons are a PITA.. they're always Americans, and they will always stop us in the shopping precincts.. however there's no screeching from them.. and they are always immaculately turned out, and extremely polite...
 
Oh wow does this bring back a happy memory. In the early 90's I was drawing cash from an ATM and there was a street preacher nearby. It took a while to get my turn and pull the cash, safe to say I was pretty well over the babble by then. Just as my wife came out of the mall I was was in the process of using a traffic cone as a megaphone and giving him a B BLA BLA BLAAAA.
I set the cone down and we walked away laughing, it was a very unchristian look that he gave me.
 

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