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[Measure_for_Measure]

Friar may want to ask himself who the intended audience is.

Seculars? Wayward Christians? Believers who could use an extra push?

I would submit that the best approach may vary across these different groupings.

[Green_Bean]

I was going to ask the same thing as Measure for Measure. Who is it intended for?

I’m a secular non-religious Jew who never really encounters tracts. (Except for Chick Tracts as linked from the SDMB.)

I found the text baffling.

Maybe it’s because I’m not used to reading this sort of thing, but I really didn’t get what you were trying to say. I mean, it was clear that you were showing that the bible answers some fundamental “meaning of life” questions, but not why I, personally, should care what the King James version of the Christian bible says about such things.

Also, the language seemed very unclear to me. “join in His New Life?” “setting aside the joy of God’s Fullness to endure the Horror of His Absence?” I’m not sure what this means. I guess it’s like some sort of technical jargon. To those who are conversant in it, it makes perfect sense. To the outsider, it is largely incomprehensible.

So, all of this is by way of saying that if you intended this tract to interest the secular and/or the non-Christian person into thinking about becoming Christian, then it will probably be ineffective. If you’re trying to appeal to religious or formerly religious Christians, however, it might well be just ducky.

Good luck.

[JonScribe]

@FriarTed

Chick.com: Missing Day, The

Just for you, Neurotik- an early Thanksgiving present!

Your comment got me wondering if Jack’s done anything new & here it is!

I can’t decide if Uncle Mort looks more like Karl Rove or Dr. Bunsen Honeydew.

[lel]

@FriarTed

2. My “original sin” segment is almost allegorical or Pelagian- The Fall account shows the tendency of people to distrust God & turn on each other. One can see
   the relevance of that while dismissing the literalness of Adam & Eve (tho I do believe in a real original two).

I’m not wholly convinced that even original sin as an allegory is relevant. How vital is original sin to the faith? How vital is it to present man as having a fallen nature? Even within Christianity, the nature of man is contested. Some see man as wholly depraved and utterly worthless without Christ; others see man as wonderful and made in God’s image, but a bit short of the mark. I think it might be worthwhile in an introduction to the faith to leave that interpretation open.

3. How? I decided to leave that vague- Jesus just gave us a batch of commands before flying off- teach all peoples to obey Him, baptize them, receive the Holy Spirit. I think entrusting oneself to Him involves all of this.

Yes, I do too. However, I can imagine being new to the faith and being overwhelmed by the commands of Jesus. What comes first? Second? Third? How important are different things? What is the timeline?

Gotta admit this is more a discussion-provoking intro to the Faith (my copies have my e-mail addy at the bottom), not a “what you need to know/do to be saved” tract. Heck, as staunch a Trinitarian Incarnationist as I am, a JW wouldn’t be upset by my Christology in this tract.

Very well, but I still think it might be best as a little more practical and having a few less assertions on the allegory of man’s nature. Even those who just fall a bit short of the mark need Christ, but we don’t necessarily believe that we are tainted by a sin nature from birth.

@spingears

Friar Ted: This is not to be critical of your presentation or its value as tracts have a place in the scheme of things. It is just my opinion of/on tracts.

Tracts present an intellectual challenge and as such receive little consideration.

It is the Christian’s compassion and love for the unlovely that gets the sinners attention. It is not an instantaneous thing but cultivated over time.

For example James refers to fellow Christian brothers and sisters as follows:
James 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

If a Christian does not show compassion for fellow Christians how can he convert one sinner?

As we are human, we all also operate differently. We all must do things lovingly. However, some will react to the faith in a more intellectual manner, and some in a more interpersonal manner. That does not excuse the more intellectual from being loving, but some people do react to intellectual stimulation.

It’s not a hellfire and brimstone bash-fest like Jack Chick. I find it a worthwhile tract (and if we can substitute it for the Chick tracts, all the better!).

[zoogirl]

I’m another one who finds herself tripping over “torture-killed”. It’s just awkward. “Tortured and killed” seems more effective. Separating the brutality into two componants gives it more weight.

Overall, I think I prefer the prose-poem form.

[Good_Egg]

Were I to read a tract, I would like it to give the writers personal story of how THEY came to know Him.

[Guinastasia]

@BluePitbull

Why would Jack Chick not acknowledge the Catholic priests who have freed him?

Because Jack Chick believes that Catholicism is Satanic, that the Pope is the Whore of Babylon, etc. He seems to think it’s a front trying to win people for Satan.

Yeah, I don’t know where he gets these ideas from either, unless you count the voices in his head.

[FriarTed]

@panamajack

Just wondering, where does “torture-killed” come from?

Maybe it’s only me, but when I see something that uses odd hyphenations, it tends to turn me off. Puts me in mind of crackpots and such that use familiar words in peculiar ways that require some sort of special understanding.

Personally, if they’re being widely distributed, tracts should reach out to people in the simplest language and with the simplest, most important messages. (I think the message in yours is pretty decently stated).

“Torture-killed” is designed to be an attention-getting way to convey what happen to Jesus during the flogging & crucifixion. If I said “He suffered and died”
or “They flogged and crucified Him”. it wouldn’t have the same impact or shock.

Btw, they were designed with a college-type audience in mind.

[FriarTed]

@Guinastasia

Because Jack Chick believes that Catholicism is Satanic, that the Pope is the Whore of Babylon, etc. He seems to think it’s a front trying to win people for Satan.

Yeah, I don’t know where he gets these ideas from either, unless you count the voices in his head.

NOT that I agree with Chick on this, but there were times in the RCC’s history that some of its practices did live down to the picture painted for us in Revelation 17 of Mystery Babylon.

[FriarTed]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I’ll think about them & try rewriting it to incorporate them. RIght now, of course, I’ll use up the first run I’ve printed.

I think I’ll write up some new ones too, and ask for feedback BEFORE I run off a bunch of copies L

My appreciation to you all!