Street Evangelism: Christian Manipulation And Predatory Tactics

[@loriw2661]

Wow, this reminds me of when I was on probation (house arrest) 30 years ago. I had violated that probation & told my PO about it. She had a cross on her desk & without missing a beat I said, “I hope god will forgive me”. I wasn’t very religious but I knew it would work. It did. She told me about her church & I went that next Sunday so she would see me there. I went up front when they called for people to be saved, just for her benefit. And as it was happening, I started crying. THAT is the power of the music & environment. I was so surprised at my reaction. Here’s the result……she asked the Judge to release me on my own recognizance which rarely happens when you violate house arrest. She also asked that I not be violated and continue regular supervision. It was granted. I used her huge god belief to manipulate her. Something I’m not proud of today but I’m just being honest about what happened. It showed me how easy it is to manipulate someone who has already formed a belief in something that isn’t true. It was another decade before I became an atheist and it wasn’t until that point, that I saw exactly what I had done. I knew it at the time but just didn’t think about it. I was just trying to stay out of jail. Lol. Sorry this is so long.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

well christianity is all about staying out of the big jail that lasts forever, so you were right in step lol. It is amazing how its designed to elicit big emotions and also so interesting to see the favoritism play out. There have been studies on judges and sentencing with these in mind. I'll be doing a video about it.

[@Nocturnalux]

You did what you had to do, I wouldn’t feel too bad about it!

[@onedaya_martian1238]

Great life lesson. There is likely more to your story that would be fascinating to understand...how was it that someone who sounds mature and rational today, do something that caused them to go to jail ? How can that be prevented ? Was it something dumb like "smoking" and now the law has figured out how that has not been a good ide. Anyhow, best regards and thanks for participating in the great conversation we are all listening in on to find out more about this concept of being alive.

[@jmg94j]

That is why you have to take the numbers of Christians in jail with a grain of salt, unless the numbers came from an anonymous poll. If I was in jail, you had better believe that I would become born again. If I appear before a five person parole board, the chances of at least three of them being Christian is almost 100%.

[@Krikenemp18]

​@@het53 The OP literally said they're not proud of it lol. How hard do you have to deny what is right in front of you?

[@utubepunk]

Street evangelist got up that morning & said, Let us prey.

[@irinasolomina1800]

Profound man

[@whitemountainapache3297]

A lot of these street evangelists are narcissists. They have little empathy or compassion, they are simply trying to score points, to win people. It's very empty. And sad. And they never want to interact with people who aren't convinced.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Exactly. Just a self centered numbers game to them

[@gusgrizzel8397]

@@MindShift-BrandonAgree. I think they feel superior to others if they can win someone over. Some say to just believe them, to listen to them, as if they have some special key to information.

[@snooganslestat2030]

​@@gusgrizzel8397Well being an xtian is based on just believing. Believing without evidence is faith & believing without questioning is blind faith & that is viewed as a positive, its also necessary to follow the bible.

[@DannyS177]

Maybe I was always just a "bad Christian" but back in the day, I hated doing street evangelism. I always felt like I was trying to manipulate people when I did it. Now, I realize that it is very manipulative and I was right to feel that way.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes i think many of us knew better deep down, but who are we to argue with god?

[@utubepunk]

Same. I did it once in our youth group. I don't remember all the specifics. The main guy doing the preaching wasn't from our church. He was waaay to pushy. He'd encroach on people's personal space & just aggressively talked at people, even making people pray with him. It did not sit well with me at all.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

@karldubhe8619 lol! Indeed

[@curiousnerdkitteh]

Same!

[@20july1944]

Danny, you POS -- if you didn't like doing street evangelism you shouldn't have done it. I love doing evangelism right here on YT.

[@Viekoda]

My old church taught me to be prophetic. Years later after my deconstruction, I came across a video on how to do hot/cold psychic readings. They are identical.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Exactly! Gross

[@saulmighty]

Our church did a prophetic school years ago and one of the methods we tried was blindfolding the student and then having a line of people go in front of the prophet-in-training and then ask him/her to ask God for a word for each of them, IF there was any. Now that's the kind of thing I can get behind, no clues at all, if it's from the almighty God then it should pass ALL scrutiny and can't be mistaken for any method such as cold reading. People should try this kind of empiric testing in churches... like, blindfold a bunch of people, ask the person praying for people to be completely silent and let's see what happens then with "powerful prayer" or no person in front of them at all. I bet God, if real, would want people to give him credit for things he's ACTUALLY doing and not something that's fake. So Christians (and other faiths as well) honestly need to vet these so much better and improve their methodology.

[@aubreyleonae4108]

I really hate the manipulation. When I was 8 years old a missionary malipulated me into vowing to God to become a missionary. I grew up thinking I never had a choice, or I'd risk hell. Kinda like Matt Dillahunty's story. I carried that and kept trying to make it happen, in some way, until a few years ago when I was nearly 60. I belive they call that child abuse. It lasts a lifetime.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thats horrible. I am so so sorry. What a terror.

[@billsmith8381]

This happened to me. I made friends with a guy who is a hardcore Christian. He convinced me to come to church and we sat with his family. He made us feel very welcome for a few months. However, as soon as I was saved and baptized he stopped talking to me altogether. It became just a hello in passing type of thing. It was obvious he had only recruited me and been friends with me until I was "saved" then he moved on. I have been done with Christianity for over 2 years but just found your channel this week. I think your video's are terrific!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Oh man. Its awful to hear but not surprising. Glad you made it out. And thanks so much!

[@shanederry2691]

I've experienced that with people in bars or work. One man I knew from a bar would talk my ear off for a few hours. I saw him at church maybe a few years later. He was totally avoiding me. So I made him acknowledge me by putting my hand on his shoulder. What weird behavior. I had a boss that was acting extra friendly for about a week or two. Then after that he acted like I wasn't there and didn't talk to me. Another time a man in my apartment building was into the same music I was and asked if I wanted to come over later and jam. I got really excited and called him later. He didn't answer so I left a few messages. He never got back to me. Then I saw him in the elevator a few days later. He acted like he never talked to me before.

[@norrecvizharan1177]

Yea, really is unfortunate how some people only care to interact with others when it involves something they're passionate about. Really seems self centered of them in a way.@@shanederry2691

[@MrMattSax]

I love that when you become a Christian you suddenly become an expert in every field. Particularly psychology, cosmology, and biology. The first preacher was even able to predict that a young man in his 20s was having sex and smoking weed. Amazing!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol. Right?

[@riluna3695]

Funnily enough, if this were LITERALLY true instead of sarcastically true, it would actually make for some pretty good evidence of the validity of their religion. "If you join this one, you find you have factually-confirmable knowledge that can't be naturally explained. Everyone who joins does." And then for all the other religions in the world: nothing. That would catch my attention in a hurry. Instead, when you fact-check them on their checkable claims, they turn out to be just confidently incorrect. Exactly what we'd expect if it weren't real.

[@MrMattSax]

@@riluna3695 well said

[@20july1944]

No, I only have command of two topics, douchebag. Shall we chat?

[@Explodington]

@@riluna3695 Yeah. A true religion shouldn't even need evangelists or apologists.

[@kayew5492]

Two of my sons got involved in an Pentecostal church in their teens, and they used to go out street preaching. They were even sent to ''counsel'' a man who was ''backsliding'', he was obviously much older than them, with real world problems. They were 14 and 19 at the time. In what universe is it appropriate for a couple of know-nothing teenage boys to be harassing a troubled adult in his own home? Thankfully my younger son got out, but the older one is still involved, and now raising my grandchildren with the same beliefs. All I can do is be there to provide an alternative worldview someday, if they need me.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Oh man. That must be so hard to watch. Hopefully someday they will wake up or come to you

[@AnitaSmile4]

I'm sure you didn't intend for that to be funny …two teenagers "counseling" a grown a$$ man. No life experience outside of Mommy and Daddy's roof but somehow has wisdom fit for an adult🤣

[@gusgrizzel8397]

There is a real lexicon. They say the same things. "Walking in the Lord", "Get in the Word", "Not equally yoked", etc. If you don't talk that way, they'll say you're not "a real Christian".

[@snooganslestat2030]

Kayew - I'm just curious & please feel free to ignore this is you want. I wonder how your sons got involved as it clearly wasn't through your influence & if you know what led your younger son to end his involvement? Partly family history but also a more general interest In what leads anyone to become a believer if that isn't what they grew up with.

[@kayew5492]

I know that the church used to approach people in the main shopping area of town, and invite them to regular revivals and ''christian rock/rap'' music events, and that is how the older one got sucked in, and took his brother along. I'm not sure how exactly my younger son became disillusioned by it, it may have been an intellectual decision but I do know that he was a bit of a party animal for a while in his 20's. I've never really asked him, it was a turbulent time for us all, I'm just grateful that both of them seem to be happy and settled in their lives and relationships, and we can all get along as a family. @@snooganslestat2030

[@edmacon3264]

I was the guy in the second video. I was part of a radical church group back in the 80’s that believed in being aggressive preachers of the gospel. We went witnessing and street preaching 3-4 times a week. I was such a judgmental douche bag that 40 years later it still makes me cringe.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

I had my days out there too. Its embarrassing but at least we know better now

[@christophergibson7155]

What happened to your love for Jesus though?

[@annemurphy8074]

@@christophergibson7155 What does that have to do with anything? They said they know better now and are no longer behaving the way they used to. A person doesn't have to Love Jesus to be a good person or to be accepted.

[@christophergibson7155]

@@annemurphy8074 No one is a "good person". A proper definition of "good" is more excellence. You may think you are "good" if you have not raped or killed anyone, but God's standard of good is perfection, (not being somewhat good as the standard). " As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12) We are not good, because we all have sinned...(lying, stealing, blaspheming God, sexually lusting, dishonoring parents, hating someone, etc...) And because YOU have sinned; YOU are a sinner. And only The Lord Jesus Christ can forgive, cleanse, and save your from your sins. Repent, (forsake your sins) then totally trust Jesus. Call upon His name. He is ever so faithful !

[@depressedphilosopherbitch7581]

​@@annemurphy8074Or be aggressive and judgmental to love Jesus :)

[@damianwhite504]

they have often asked me where do I think I will go if I died tonight and when I say "The morgue." I usually get a blank look

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ha!

[@njspencer79]

This the way. Figure out their script. You can find them pretty easy like in this video. Then troll them and knock them off of it. The reaction is usually pure gold. That is assuming I am on the mood and have the time. I also as I explain to my 17 YO you don't owe anyone an answer to personal questions.

[@anya-qt1ec]

had the misfortune of a street evangelist coming up to me in my first year of college whilst i was studying alone one day. i was asked fairly normal questions: "is this your first year?", "what's your major?", and so on. he had just done this to the girl at the table across from me, so i knew exactly what to prepare for as he started his 'testimony'. when he asked me my thoughts on Christianity, i wasn't rude but i was bluntly honest. i said, "my whole life my family forced it onto me, and they did it in pretty abusive ways, so i dont really associate with it now.", hoping he'd take the hint. ironically enough, he proceeded to spend the next thirty minutes talking in circles and trying to force Christianity onto me. what made me especially angry was when he told me that my family's behavior wasn't forceful or abusive, but that i just wasn't cooperating with God. i had just come straight out of a conservative high school into a college that prided itself on "respecting different opinions and people". safe to say, i felt very uncomfortable afterwards and no longer studied in public. i was reminded of this experience while i was watching the last clip, specifically the total disregard for thaoe people who were clearly hinting at having severe trauma. these people have zero care or consideration, they just see you as another soul to win over. it's cruel and dehumanizing

[@njspencer79]

That is nuts. I wish I could say I am surprised. Amazingly here in rural Texas I have not seen much of that. The Alamo on a Sunday is only time I have seen it. College for me was over 2 decades ago.

[@brightargyle8950]

The ability for christians to put a positive spin on practically ANY outcome is mind boggling, the mental gymnastics on display are bizarre. I was christian for 25 years but I'm grateful I never got so deep into the faith as many.

[@Ex_christian]

It’s how Christian’s Justify!

[@abanks9591]

It's a gift 😅😂

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Welcome, all!

[@ddrse]

They're Bible cosplay street performers. Just people in a bookclub playing bible. Calling them Street evangelist plays into the narrative/cosplay. Hope that helps!

[@avi8r66]

These tricks work for pretty much anything you want to sell a person on. It's classic and manipulative sales tactics.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

100%!

[@sunnyday6465]

I am a senior woman currently living out of my car. My retirement doesn't give me enough to rent a safe place. I am in my late 60s though to some people I might look like a worn out 40 year old as I am healthy and fit. I have attracted a few of these manipulators, one man kept insisting that I could not be good without Jesus's help. I am a pretty civil and polite person so did not immediately shoo him away. He was with two woman and I figured I would see if they would really help me by giving me some money. They hesitantly came up with 10 dollars between them and soon left. I decided I did not want any more of these encounters though it might be fun to find some scriptures to counter them and have some fun. Instead I got a bumper sticker that says "tree hugging dirt worshiper". I have not been bothered since but figure I can always ask for money if any return. By the way other people have given me twenty or more simply saying something like " can you use this?" and then walking away. It is these people that help me not loose hope for humanity.

[@mariavaleriagiacaglia8974]

I had an experience with a street evangelist about 3 or 4 months ago. The man got on the crowded bus and started preaching, screaming at the top of his lungs. Some minutes later, when I could no longer stand all that nonsensical noise (I am 67 years old and was riding that bus to go to the doctor because I was ill), I asked the man to please stop preaching because that was a public bus, not a church. He didn't care a cent and went on with his scream-preaching. And in the end, still screaming, he started asking God to have mercy on those on that bus who were possessed by Satan (he meant me, of course).

[@lifeofamanda1031]

wtf 😭

[@Lightman741]

Finding this channel and discovering all your previous videos is like winning the entertaining intelligence lottery

[@MindShift-Brandon]

ha! what a great compliment. Thank you so much for being here!

[@EarnestApostate]

Only downside is there isn't already more.

[@riseofdarkleela]

If someone said something to me about fornication, I would remind them that I’m not property, therefore a dusty old property crime where someone vandalizes my father’s “property” is completely irrelevant.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Right on. This shit is sick

[@heathermckillip742]

I took my youngest to their first Pride Parade this year. It was in our hometown and I wanted us both to have a good experience. As we approached the parade route, we noticed an open spot that we thought might be a good place to stand and watch the parade. As we got closer, we learned why no one was standing there: a street evangelist was shouting through a bullhorn that “God doesn’t send you to hell. You send yourself.” Good times. We walked on by and found a great spot further down the parade route. Funny enough, there were several Christian churches in the parade that were affirming and positive. We had a wonderful time despite the evangelist’s warnings.

[@heathermckillip742]

Also, subtly, or not so subtly, letting that young woman know that her “same sex attraction” is sinful makes me so incredibly angry. As if queer young people don’t face enough adversity, let’s pile on a little self hatred. That clip really angered me.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes this one was the worst to me too. And man alive. The frustration about your parade. It bugs me so much

[@christophergibson7155]

"Christian Churches" in a Pride Parade?? These are the compromising "churches" who do not believe in the Word of God, The Holy Bible. There are many of these falling into the world now. Instead of letting the Word of God influence the culture, they are letting the culture dictate how the "church" should be. So awful, it's shameful. Jesus talks about these who have denied the faith and our hypocrites.

[@Will-fm7xx]

The same thing happened to me when I went to my first pride parade there was some idiot dressed like a type of John the Baptist and kept walking around like that. I think there was a whole group there trying to to do the same but the police escorted them out of the area and everyone clapped that they were escorted out.

[@danijel099]

Supporting homosexual type of living will lead many to hell, and Jesus was telling people to repent from this stuff, and you are all lying, no HolySpirit,when you met Jesus you won t speak like this anymore but would publicly repent...And i speak about real encounter, and about real evangelism through Spirit of Jesus when you are sent.

[@cyberneticbutterfly8506]

I remember the day I started doubting for real was after reading a book that my cousin had given me about this person who went to jail after working abroad as a bodyguard, going to prison in a foreign country innocently, and after the bad prison experience some people from his homeland came to that prison and started to talk to him about jesus. At first he writes about being skeptical, over time he warms up to it, has an 'experience' etc. He was supposed to convince me by giving me the "I was skeptical but after a while I had an experience" story. Instead it made me think: "HOLD UP! They come to him in the most emotionally vulnerable state, when they are his only light in life, so why would I be surprised if that messes with his mind and causes him to have an 'experience'. It's already likely to hallucinate in prison due to the sterile environment and physical abuse and depression a bad prison gives you." This made me think further that if the whole message of evangelical spreading of the gospel is like that, it didn't seem divinely inspired but rather designed to exploit people's most vulnerable mental state. This lead to looking for other people who had skeptical thoughts, then to George Carlin, then to whywon'tgodhealamputees, and in the course of a day the yoke of faith lifted from my shoulders like a bad habit. It's not like I'd have had no doubts before, but they'd been overshadowed by the emotional connection and the rationalizations.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad you made it out. its always interesting what does us in finally!

[@timbertome2443]

A guy I follow on social media once said: Predators usually go after the weakest in a herd; this is why you'll find preachers in jails and soup-kitchens and mental wards...

[@jaclo3112]

@timbertome2443 ....and schools where they have access to vulnerable, easily manipulated children.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

Jesus knew the man was innocent before he sent him to prison.

[@cyberneticbutterfly8506]

@@timbertome2443 Well to be fair, if we were going to actually help people we would also go after the weakest right? I usually just come back to 'it isn't true' and ignore all the mind reading indictments of their motivations.

[@salort2934]

I used to attend church for about 30 years, now I’m trying to deprogram myself. 2 weeks ago a street evangelist invited me to a theological seminar, I was going to give him an excuse not to go, but I just said, “honestly, no”

[@cyberneticbutterfly8506]

I've met a street preacher once in Norway. Of course he was from America. Of course he was a creationist.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ha, well stereotypes sometimes fit

[@Nocturnalux]

I saw Mormons being ignored in Akihabara.

[@robertmoore2049]

Probably a young Earth creationist of the Ken Ham persuasion…

[@cyberneticbutterfly8506]

@@MindShift-Brandon Funny thing is I learned science from an old earth creationist book when I was little, but what stuck was the science part. I found it so cool to see the chemistry of amino acids.

[@20july1944]

@@cyberneticbutterfly8506 How did living organisms arise?

[@somersetcace1]

Clip 4 is an example I've had some experience with. I engaged a street preacher in SC about 30 years ago under similar circumstances. Remember, they have the microphone and PA. They control the narrative unless you raise your voice to get over them, and that is immediately seized upon as being angry or frustrated by their words. "The demon inside of you is furious!" 🙄I thought about coming back with my own microphone and pa, setting up directly across from him with a sign that says "Why that guy across the street is full of crap," but that would of been basically reducing myself to that level and nah. Not worth it.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

it is a win/win for them no matter what. They love to save souls and love to be oppressed.

[@pansepot1490]

Reminds me of that quote “Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”

[@chrishollandsworth6700]

"Why that guy across the street is full of Crap" could have been a little pamphlet I would have cherished for its cleverness. Lol

[@Miraclechild17]

I used to preach in the streets with my dad. Ever since I left the church, I had to apologize to people I hurt with my spiritual abuse regarding heaven and hell.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Good on you man! Thats a tough pill to swallow

[@mikebartling7920]

These evangelist are on a power trip. Controlling another gives a sense of power. This is exactly what my former minister did to me. I eventually lost my sense of self because of him and I'm still struggling getting myself back together.

[@adamrspears1981]

On the 3rd street preacher telling that girl "He's touching you..." -I think that's the absolute worst way of conveying that. Obviously, she's broken because she WAS touched by a guy. "He's touching you, he's tkuching you..." -Dude are you f'ing serious?? AND I bet this pos didn't even get their consent to film them! There should be a law requiring Street Preachers to only be allowed to film, when their audience first agrees & gives consent...especially when the audience is a minor. Why isn't this law??

[@SuperChicken666]

How can Christians think this is good? When you're a child in a 'dysfunctional' family, often what is "good" is whatever prevents your father from beating you. Same mindset.❤

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Indeed. Sad

[@miaomiaochan]

Both the human father and the "heavenly" one.

[@ProJMFPWT14]

Truth!

[@ClaireRosemary]

My freshman year of college, I was approached by a street evangelist (a fellow young woman < 25, I was 18) while I was walking to class in downtown Chicago. I was a theist at the time, but I wasn't in a hurry so I gave her some time. (Sidenote, as someone who grew up evangelical, I never knew what to say to these people because they never believed me when I told them I was already a Christian.) I don't remember what I said to her, but at some point I had to leave for class. Two days later, I'm on my way to the same class, and the same woman comes up to me and tries to give me her spiel, as if we hadn't talked 2 days ago. I recognized her and was so dumbfounded that I didn't know what to say to her. This really stuck with me and planted this seed that some Christians just want to be the loudest person in the room and force their message on anyone who will listen. I was already questioning (called myself a theist, not a Christian), but this experience pushed me into questioning more, and in less than a year, I'd be an atheist for good.

[@Nocturnalux]

It’s like a MLM pitch.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

thats a great example. where was the witness of the holy spirit for her to recognize you and have that work in the lords favor. just a numbers game to these people.

[@sonochamp]

I love how they only ever seem to target college-aged kids here. As if it's not predatory behavior to go after these kids because they are, legally, adults and get them while they're away from their parents for the first time, free to explore and question things. Why don't they ever go for the 40-something divorcee drinking alone at a bar or the mid-life crisis dad desperate to find some meaning in the later half of their lives?

[@njspencer79]

They love to preach outside of bars. Going in? Probably not. Most of these people preach Wine == Grape Juice.

[@bendfocuspro]

So cringe. Mostly because I remember doing this garbage. It never sat right with me. I would go out with the evangelist pros and it just felt so used car salesman. Even when I was very involved with Christianity. This topic is just so embarrassing for me now.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

oh man, i hear that. Embarrassing is the right word.

[@lancemarchetti8673]

Sounds like you're a lot happier now that you've arrived at the full knowledge of all Truth that could possibly be known about Life, The Universe, and God. 🎉😊 Well done!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Never claimed any of that at all. But love that christian sarcasm

[@dennisduncan7561]

Other religions make the same claim so what makes your pitch different Lance?

[@chrishollandsworth6700]

@bendfocuspro dont worry, man. Alot of us regret stuff we preached while still under the sway of Christian theology. It is never too late to correct a mistake and do things differently. A 'mind shift', if you will. Im sure you were motivated by love for your fellow person when you tried to spread the news/gospel etc. We really thought we could help people get to some kind ofheaven, right?

[@salvadormartinez1965]

Completely agree with your explanation. It is a professional sales pitch with manipulation tactics. The scary thing is that many times the preacher is also deceived.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Right! Id even venture most of the times.

[@The-Black-Sheep666]

I was "healed" once. Ok, so my friend and I was talking in the streets, and she said that her hand was hurting. A random guy came up to us because he had overheard her talking about her hand. He asks her if he could pray for her. So he prayed, and she was amazed because she no longer had pain. She became a christian after that. I was already a christian, but didn't thought prayers worked (because god never answered my prayers). So I was also amazed by this, and asked him to pray for my foot after hurting it in a soccer game. Right when he touched my foot and said "Jesus, heal this foot." I felt a stream came down my leg and into my foot, and then I had no longer pain! And I just yelled "WHAT?!" But then, after 1-2 minutes it came back, and I was really confused. Did god take it back? Was it just for the lols? God: "JUST KIDDING, LMAO!" This is many years ago. Now, I'm thinking it was just placebo.

[@chubbyslimee]

The video with the 2 girls made me so angry, I was immediately like " You did not just made a teen cry , most people experience that'' just coming to them pointing out things they might struggle with is just horrible. I heard u say asmr, and i'm one of the people who watch a lot of it, and damn you're so right, the experience is kinda similar, never thought of it that way

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Right! and yes just manipulation of our human condition.

[@Krikenemp18]

Not to mention how tone-deaf it is to say "He's touching you" like that to someone who admitted to having trauma relating to men. It's really weird how creepy and gross Christian phraseology can be. As for the guess that they have attraction towards women, maybe he was trawling an area known for having a higher than average LGBT population. There are so many ways to improve the accuracy of educated guesses, such as sample manipulation.

[@rd6203]

​@@Krikenemp18Also, a lot of teenage females are attracted to females. I don't know how many women grow out of it, and I don't know if it's natural or the obvious result of the over-sexualization of the female body, but it's common enough to be a good guess and it's utterly shameful that this person chose to use it as an attack. May he rot from his awful innards, out in this life.

[@gusgrizzel8397]

They never have any proof, so they have to try to appeal to emotions.

[@BrentARJ]

When I was about 10, a guy cornered me by a fence in an apartment complex and asked me if I thought I was going to heaven and when he asked me why I thought I was, I told him I did volunteering through Cub Scouts and I was a kind person, I didn't steal or bully kids, and he said that wasn't good enough and if I died tomorrow without accepting Jesus I'd go straight to hell. He wasn't a raving lunatic, he was an average-looking boring guy in a suit walking around with his son carrying a bag of what I assume were bibles. It was the first time I'd ever heard a Christian talk like that and it scared the crap out of me so I ducked around where he'd boxed me in and I ran to my aunt's and she called the police on him. The way he cornered me and the casual way he said what he said gave me nightmares for weeks. Didn't make me seek Jesus, though, that's for sure.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

its just terrifying. People that do this to children especially should be seen no different than a man exposing himself to kids. They are predators that prey on the young and weak for their gain at usually the emotional harm of the victim.

[@BrentARJ]

100% agree. I mean, think about it. I'm 42, I have probably a couple dozen really clear memories still kicking around in my brain from the late 80s, and this is easily one of the most vivid of them all. The whole interaction lasted no more than a minute or two and I can still remember the confusion and shock and how I was looking for a way out and his imposing stature blocking me into this alcove in the fence. That any otherwise rational person would think that that's how you spread the gospel is beyond belief.

[@sco145]

It still blows my mind when people confidently say God is talking to them. He is simply not.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

right, and he never says anything unique or specific or verifiable. What a sham.

[@nicolasandre9886]

The very existence of conflicting christian denominations is practically proof that god does not talk to them. Or god simply enjoys misleading people 🤷‍♂

[@neuroisis85]

​@@chadtyroneHard for a person who didn't actually exist to be mentally ill.

[@wickedcabinboy]

@sco145 - I like to ask them if God has an accent.

[@edmacon3264]

You’re doing a great job Brandon! Your channel is growing really fast !

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much!

[@RomanJockMCO]

I got to the 8:30 mark and just couldn't watch anymore. I used to have these people raid my neighborhood testifying and asking everyone to come to their church. I was raised Christian but never felt right about it. Im 50 now and began questioning in my late 20s. Fully deconverted by my mid 30s. I was polite and asked several pointed questions. They always refused to answer but told me they would be answered in church. I told them when they were to come back and provide the answers. After the third attempt i never heard back from them.

[@vanosaly4]

One of the major things that shook me was on a mormon mission finding myself in a place with dirt poor people who are just trying to live and I’m telling them that god will only help them if they give an already obscenely rich church money. All this after I told them that their suffering was because they had offended god and needed to repent. So bad, manipulative and messed up. It was so hard to believe that a real loving god would send his followers to guilt starving people into giving them money instead of actually doing anything to relieve suffering.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Man, no doubt! This religion is predatory and takes otherwise good people and corrupts their minds. So many of us were there.

[@kerishannon775]

Hello Brandon! I have seen Ray Comfort doing this exact thing and it makes me so angry. He has his plan of attack already planned out and then goes up to unsuspecting people ,who are only minding their own business, and then starts asking them loaded questions that they can only answer the way he wants them to. It is so deceptive. I only wish he would try that with me. Instead of answering his questions, I would ask him questions, and I have plenty of them

[@Trigger-xw9gq]

And it's so telling that Comfort (et al) will never ask a biologist about evolution; no, they will only ask young students who don't know much.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

he is one of the worst, might have to get his own video.

[@arieraaphorst1998]

Was thinking of RC too, he’s horrible!

[@christophergibson7155]

Ray Comfort asks those questions because you engage with people in conversation through their intellect. But when the moral law of God is presented it brings the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20) And that awakens their conscience where that moral law is written. That is why a person knows inwardly that it is wrong to lie, steal, blaspheme God, sexually lust, hate someone, etc...Most people think they are "good" if they have not raped or killed someone. But God holds everyone accountable for breaking His moral law, the 10 commandments. Guilty as charged. And then Ray gives the good news of the gospel, to let them know they are not left in a helpless state.

[@OnlyTheBest345]

In a couple of experiences I had, nobody was touching me. Or I was touching somebody else and I was doing the praying. They weren't born again, they were mere Catholics. 😅 After praying and fasting for my ex-husband I became extremely depressed and cried all the time. It was unlike me. It was getting in the way. So some people prayed for me, but nothing happened. The following Sunday I went with a friend to her church. It was during the beginning when he started speaking and I don't even know if he was prophesying or praying in tongues. That was so long ago I can't remember. But we were standing up and all of a sudden something hit me and I began shaking. So I grabbed my friend on the side and she let out a scream because it was like a bolt of electricity went through and we both had to sit down to keep from falling. That heaviness, depression, crying, completely stopped and I was back to normal. Another time I was in class when something I'd been praying about, my children's possibly injured and missing cat, appeared in my head. We didn't know where he was, but that vision showed me exactly where he was. When I got home, I told my dad and he was so aggravated with me that he was going to have to cut a hole out of the bottom of a trailer. Thankfully, he cut it and out ran the cat. I don't know how to process this. My opinion is there possibly is something out there. What it is, I have no clue. I just know those words in the Bible are lies and, at a minimum, make the god of the Bible a sadist. I'm in trauma therapy from having c-ptsd. The ones responsible for my trauma AKA abusers? My christian family members. My mother was a narcissist and so is my sister. My mom probably had mental illness and my sister definitely does. So when I read the scripture that says, I knew you before I formed you in your mother's room, I am livid. That's just one of the many that pissed me off. I'm supposed to worship somebody who thought it was a good idea to make my life a living hell by putting me in that woman's womb?! Since I kicked Jesus off the throne, several years ago, my life has only gotten better. I became my own savior and have significantly healed myself. I finally have hope.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

love this story you shared. its amazing what we can be a part of. So glad you are in a healthier place.

[@20july1944]

Really? Are you going to give yourself eternal life?

[@chrishollandsworth6700]

@20july1944 Dude, I've seen your Christian comments all over- but this one was just wrong. She said she struggles with PTSD, man. Why would you troll here? How can you be rude and hurtful, and think that Jesus is proud of you for this? I wish all theists were as lousy at witnessing as you. If I sound upset, it is for her sake. One of us should be concerned for the hurting person- shouldn't that be you, the Christian, according to your scriptures? I am supposed to be too busy "supressing the truth in unrighteousness" to do what is supposedly only your job, Mr. South Park avatar

[@20july1944]

@@chrishollandsworth6700 Her PTSD is no excuse for her disrespect for God. She could have PTSD and respect God.

[@OnlyTheBest345]

@@chrishollandsworth6700 thank you for that. That's certainly more compassion than I received from most Christians. They automatically think you must be in sin. My friends who are non-believers truly have been the best friends. They never judged me, never blamed me, never abandonned me. They showed the most compassion or "love of Christ." Cptsd is worse than PTSD, it is caused by people and, in my case, my 2 main perpetrators were highly religious. One, my sister, can be seen sitting in the front section of her full-gospel (do they still use that term or has it been replaced with something more "progressive"?🙄) church led by a very well-known pastor. Another one, my mother, never missed each week's dedicated mass (if we're going to talk about keeping the sabbath holy, certain Christians would probably think she did it right, despite being catholic). She didn't protect me from bullies at school and my mentalyy ill, schizophrenic brother who used to beat the crap out of me and throw me out the house so much so that I had to go live with another family when I was in high school. Of course there's more, not just that, if that isn't bad enough. My poor brother (70 years old) is the one who probably received the most abuse and neglect. He's finally now living in a halfway house and goes to behavioral "school" as he calls it. And yeah he's still believing Jesus is going to heal him. 😢 C-ptsd comes from trauma, abuse, and/or neglect beginning in childhood, before the brain is fully maure/developed; it often continues through adulthood (even if you're no longer associated with those initial abusers). We tend to gravitate toward narcissistic relationships, because that's normal for us. Certain pathways in the brain are closed. We live in a survival state and critical thinking is not really a thing with us; you can still have a high IQ. So no, I don't want to worship a God who proudly boasts that he placed me in my mother's womb.

[@Nickelini]

Great video yet again. Btw I work in a job where I see medical insurance claims. Most include “anxiety”, more severe with people under 30. Yes, life in 2023 is anxiety-inducing. It breaks my heart when I see evangelists exploiting this

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you! And yes its so very sad

[@njspencer79]

As a Gen Xer. I have way more compassion for the Millennials and Zoomer than I do the Boomers and some of my own gen. And none for people like in this video regardless of generation.

[@martin2289]

On rare occasions when I bother to engage with these insufferable sidewalk evangelists, I tend to ask them to explain the trinity, the problem of evil, or why 99% of the species miraculously created by their "intelligent designer" have gone extinct. That usually puts an end to the conversation in short order.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

man, they must be the worse ones, these wouldnt have stopped me lol. I had plenty of excuses for each at the ready.

[@utubepunk]

​@@MindShift-BrandonThey don't make'em like they used to. 😉

[@FakingANerve]

It's been quite a long time since I've run across one, but given current events, I'd engage with them about book bannings and how kids shouldn't be exposed to pornographic materials, and then I'd give an example of what we shouldn't let kids read... and quote Ezekiel 23:20. I'm curious how they'd square that circle.

[@Alltime2050]

I just ask them about the end times. After that, the rest is easy. Forcing an ancient Bronze Age deity onto the rest of society is bad enough, but their end-time theology makes them the most dangerous manmade threat to the survival of our species in human history.

[@johngrimkowski598]

@@MindShift-Brandon I have a question what do you believe about God ? Some atheists believe God is energy. Do you believe that?

[@jeffrutan2344]

Really look forward to all your videos. Love your temperament/style and especially your Bible Study Book Reviews - those will be a treasured playlist as long as they exist!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Oh man. Thats so nice to hear. Thank you!

[@18471902]

Back in my young days when I was a devout christian, one did not have to go on the streets to be confronted with such. It went on right in the church I grew up in, though not quite as "high pressure" as depicted in these video clips. The adult preachers, adult Sunday school teachers, and Sunday school lesson books, without asking us about it, constantly made blanket assumptions that certain "bad" things were going on in our young lives, or that us young people were being tempted to commit certain specified alleged sins, and then they lectured us to turn away from doing those "bad" things and to otherwise pray to god to give us the strength to resist the alleged temptations. The funny thing was that for almost all of the enumerated "bad" things and temptations, I did not do them, had no desire to do them, and never felt any desire to do them. Nevertheless, I felt god was speaking through the preachers, Sunday school teachers, and Sunday school lesson books and that I would eventually be tempted to do the things enumerated, so I prayed to god that he would give me the strength to resist the temptations which I was sure would eventually come along (I enumerated those bad things and temptations to god in my prayers). Another funny thing was that even though I was a devout christian, I could not, for the life of me, see that the remaining "bad" things they ascribed to us (again without asking us about it) were bad at all--at least I could find nothing in the Bible that labeled them as being sins, or that mentioned them at all. For example, they admonished us not to listen to music by the Beatles and Elvis Presley, and to stay away from "hippies", because they were not christians and would lead us astray from god (I grew up in the 1960s). The doubly funny thing about this for me personally was that I had never cared that much for Elvis or the Beatles, and, as far as I was concerned, some of the most wonderful people I knew were "hippies"; and I still feel that way. Something that dumbfounded me when I was a christian was I would attend other churches and meet people in them for the very first time. They knew nothing about me other than what they gathered within a few short minutes of causal conversation; yet, sometimes, they would start lecturing me that I needed to be a christian (which I was), and they would instruct me on what I needed to do to achieve salvation. It has been more than 40 years since I de-converted. I am still waiting to be tempted to do the bad things the preachers, Sunday school teachers, and Sunday school lesson books, more than 50 years ago, accused me of doing or being tempted to do. I guess my praying paid off, except that I strayed completely away from god as a result of what I read in the Bible and encountered in church.

[@OldMotherLogo]

True story: once I was walking down the street with a black South African. A young couple, obviously evangelists, stopped us and asked, “Excuse me, are you a Christian?” He shot back, “No, I’m a Zulu!” and kept walking. I have a feeling they were not expecting that. 😊 That is so powerful what you said at the 12:45 mark - “Hey, man, I hope you go to heaven.” Beautiful! I have traveled in Nepal. There, it is illegal to try to turn someone away from their religion. As a result, there is very little missionary work outside of a very few medical missionaries who are not allowed to evangelized. Is it my confirmation bias or does it seem most of these evangelists are men? As for him hitting on the same sex attraction - he may have observed some interaction before the video that hinted at it.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

i bet they were not ready for that lol. But if the holy spirit were real, it should have been. just shows how its all manmade.

[@samtheultimateinformant537]

left the faith for a while now but I remember that women aren't allowed to preach. Women that do are very rare and likely in specific denominations. But that's just me

[@Lighthouse6104]

I went to my best friends parents wedding vow renewal ceremony that was held at there extremist Christian church. The pastor walked up to me and as soon as I told him I’m not religious, he went into extreme guilt mode and told me I’m a sinner that needs to repent and become apart of their church or I’ll go to hell! I told him maybe I’ll come back another day and be saved and he said “what if today is your last day and you die before being saved then you’ll burn for eternity and you don’t want that now do you?”I couldn’t believe the audacity of this guy😮

[@TheIronicRaven]

I never did much evangelizing (not in this way at least) but I was very involved in the worship team, and its interesting to see how the end results are so similar. The person on the other end has an experience and they don't realize how much work and setup happened on my end. It was surprising to see how many people would say something like "I can feel the spirit moving in me" during specific songs, which were chosen specifically to get people to feel something. Its so interesting to see how much emotional manipulation there is in processes like evangelism and worship.

[@prins424]

Fascinating. Can you tell a bit more about the preparation of getting people into the "spiritual" stage?

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Emotional priming is a crazy tool. but it is just that a tool. Thanks for sharing!

[@whitemountainapache3297]

That's fascinating, it's just like the mind tricks big stores and supermarkets play on customers.

[@TheIronicRaven]

@@prins424 Oh man, I could talk for a long time on the subject haha. If you want a good video on it instead GMS did a good video on it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZPXq2OlmL13m8ksi=4c5d0FXzh1VJnRt6 But as for me and my experience: We worked with my pastor when selecting our songs for the week (He was the music director for a while too, until we started getting too big for him to do both roles but we learned a lot from him) that way we could try to find songs that would fit well. We had binders that would separate songs into different types, we had Intro songs, upbeat songs, slow songs, ending songs, and undefined (usually background type stuff) Generally we would pick one song from each group, based on sermon or events or other chosen songs. 4 or 5 songs per Sunday was the norm. 1 intro, 2 upbeat or 1 upbeat + 1 slow, 1 ending song. Sometimes it was even start upbeat, then go slow, then back to upbeat. We would try to take the congregation on a journey. Start them out getting them ready to worship with a song, then ramp up with bigger worship, then either ramp up to the peak or drop down for more personal worship. It was understood that we couldn't expect people to have a spiritual experience as soon as they walk in the room, we knew we had to build them up to that, hence the general climb of songs. The first song was like a cup of coffee for the people. Something we could either start loudly, or ramp into very easily. Just something to shake the dust off really and get people prepared. The second song is when we would introduce audience participation (apart from singing) where we would keep it simple like raising hands. Crowd participation was always big for us, one of the many reasons was the solidarity aspect. If you see other people raising their hands in worship it is easier for you to feel comfortable raising your hands. Third song is where we would invite people down to the front for prayer. After having two high energy songs, by the third song nearly everyone would be energized. And considering the constant rise in energy and participation, its not really surprising that people would have high emotions by that point. If we did a slow song as the third it was usually to have someone do a mini sermon, not the pastor. Someone would have a message they wanted to give and we had a slow song that we could play underneath it. We also had a bunch of rules for what could be played as a worship song. Things like the key (I believe we kept everything in or close to C, which is the most common key for the average person) and how difficult it is to sing. If a song required too much skill (really any at all) to sing we wouldn't use it as a worship song (but it could be used as a slow song potentially) and we also couldn't have anything that even had vaguely bad theological ideas. The idea being that we wanted every single song that we play able to have anyone sing along to and not be distracted by the lyrics. So all of this combined, the ramping path of music, songs specifically targeted to the crowd, invitation of physical action and crowd participation, on top of the expectation of what to expect already made a pretty powerful cocktail. I don't think it would be possible to say you didn't have a positive experience during our worship. Which of course, was attributed to god, and not to basic physiology. (Also extra note, went to a few dubstep concerts while on worship teams and was surprised that the "tactics" used there were extremely similar. And noticed how the crowds reacted the same. It was a very interesting experience to realize what we did during worship wasn't any different than what other genres can do.)

[@TheIronicRaven]

@@whitemountainapache3297 Yes! Very much the same ideas! Its amazing when you learn different ways people can be tricked into something, just how many are used by christianity.

[@agingerbeard]

These _exact_ tactics are used by political and radical activists to garner followers from as many disaffected young people as they can, regardless of the fallout for the person: they are disgarded immediately for any wrongthink, as well. Every side of that spectrum is guilty of these tactics, religious or otherwise.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

oh 100% this can be used anywhere on anyone for anything.

[@biale190]

One day, 2 jehovah witnesses came to my door “may we come in and talk to you about jesus?” “Ok, then you will tell me where do you live, and I’ll come to your home and explain to you why you shouldn’t believe what you believe”, with a most sincerely kind tone I was very surprised : they physically recoiled and flew. Immediately. I didn’t even have the time to add that there was no difference between my offer and what they were doing… They showed so much anguish, that I didn’t do it again (I don’t like to inflict anguish on indoctrinated people, and that was not my goal). But I guess they had no problem with themselves preaching, after this - with something like “we just escaped satan” as a confirmation bias

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes. Thats a great example!

[@wickedcabinboy]

@biale190 - I love that move. Can't wait to try it out next time they come to my door.

[@biale190]

@@wickedcabinboy if I ever use that answer again, I would change a little bit my phrasing I’m now aware that during their conventions, jehovah witnesses must watch horrendous jw movies, where armed militias knock at their door, to do them harm - even the children have to watch this… it’s part of their Armageddon stories, that jw will endure unspeakable tortures, at the hands of the wicked worldly people ; only after that can Armageddon happen. when I told them that I would come to their house, they were really panicking ; I don’t exaggerate. I think my words may have remind them of these horrendous stories Now, I would say something along “then you will invite me to your house etc” instead of “i will come” to jw. My goal was to make them think about what they were doing, and their panic couldn’t allow them thinking

[@xtina2189]

Kind of in awe with how composed you remain in your response to those clips... couldn't be me.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ha. Well thanks

[@alflyle9955]

I was sure I was going to have to hear the Banana Man Ray Comfort evangelizing sometime in this video. You have my eternal gratitude for sparing me this! :)

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol!

[@aubreyleonae4108]

I was doing this type of thing in high school in the early 70s. (During the Jesus People revolution, Chuck Smith and all of that. ) After a concert altar call I went away realizing something was so wrong. I was found by some of the people I "led to christ" on facebook a few years ago. I felt chagrined and ashamed. For many reasons, that being one, I stopped going to facebook entirely. They credited me with their lifelong faith and thanked me profusely. I'm still shook up over it, A LOT !

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Oh wow, what a very interesting thing that would be. Hard to process i’m sure.

[@phoenixwildfyre4998]

What is super gross is when they use really little kids to do this. One time I was approached by a kid who couldn’t be more than 10 who said “Jesus told me to tell you…” super creepy. Usually I argue with them but you can’t do that with little kids without looking and feeling like an asshole.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Agreed. But then like you said kids get no pushback or worse people patronizing them and then that only furthers their faith and indoctrination.

[@bobbydobalina]

I’ve been on both sides of the street evangelism fence. I have to admit, when I was in Bible Thump Mode, I wasn’t a fan of encroaching on peoples freedom to be themselves and skewing their self worth.

[@stevenbolin7688]

Brandon, I don't understand why there's only one or two likes when you have well over a thousand followers. Are people that scared. Im with you on so many of these videos and they are sinking the nail. Keep up the amazing work buddy 👍

[@pauld.3940]

As someone who has been subjected to this type of evangelism in the past, it is extremely unpleasant and it's very uncomfortable to watch. That young man in the car, for example. I feel like he went along with it cuz he was uncomfortable. I've been there. That ain't the Holy Ghost. That's just creating awkward situations. Great video.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

exactly, and thank you!

[@brlinds92]

The last clip reminded me of a street preacher I saw a few years ago at the Lincoln memorial. He had his megaphone turned up to 11. There were people there just trying to enjoy the monument and their vacations. So inconsiderate.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Oh man. Its just so annoying

[@michaelhenry1763]

God, that happened to me too.

[@brlinds92]

@@MindShift-Brandon It never occurred to me that they'd see annoying people as a win. I suppose the best thing to do is ignore them. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

[@MrCanis4]

One of the reasons to live in Western Europe is so great. We don't have this BS on our streets.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol must be nice. Thanks for watching!

[@sondorp]

@@MindShift-Brandon oh no, that was all different in my youth the Jesus Army and all sorts of American Christian preach armies were all over the place in Amsterdam! And as this video said, i have been psychologically confused for months after their many sessions of 'being nice and wanting to save me from hell' Man, i was 19...smoking weed and having sex...haha

[@EmissaryOfStuff]

I'll occasionally see a Jehova's Witness Stand, but thankfully those guys are pretty quiet, so it isn't as annoying as I imagine these Street Preachers are.

[@MrCanis4]

I have to correct myself. We don't have this kind of retarded, damaging, abusive, manimative BS on our streets. Our justice system won't allow that.

[@celiand2618]

They most of the time end up in jail for disturbing people.

[@leonticonderoga-h6i]

Thanks for making this video. You are absolutely right in that Christianity sets us up for failure, because God expects us to be perfect even though that is impossible for us. Of course, God is never blamed for creating a bad product, we are always the problem. As a believer, I could never understand how more Christians didn't live in a constant state of fear and guilt, like, have they read the Bible? Oh, and when I talked to fellow Christians about this, I was always in the wrong because I was too scared of God. I was supposed to fear God, but not be too scared. Watching your Secular Bible Study series has helped me realize that I was right to be scared of God and most Christians don't even know anything about him. I was right but made to fell like I was wrong. Also, I was supposed to become more like Jesus in a world that looks nothing like the world in which Jesus lives. Also, I call bullshit on Clip 2- I heard so many times that following Jesus will cause your sin urges to go away, but that's simply not true. Sorry for rambling, but I truly enjoy your content. You have helped me a lot in my deconversion and for that I am grateful.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate your feedback, thoughts and generous support so much!

[@TheHappyCatLady]

The thing is, to really help someone, like a teen, it takes a lot of energy, and time. Lots of calls, lots of doctor appointments, lots of counseling, lots of acknowledging mistakes, tears n frustration.

[@doomofthedestiny8065]

I remeber a devout family took me and my at the time fiance to their hyperdevout church, that had a section set aside in the middle of service to talk to the people beside you, the husband began, in what I can only assume he thought was delicately addressing that she and I werent married even though we had kids. If my kids weren’t in thier daycare i would have stormed off with no care for the scene it caused. Instead i had to act submissive and deflect until we got our kids and i was severely relieved when she told me they made her uncomfortable too.

[@josephcollins6033]

I am always stunned and bewildered at the EGO, the EGO, of these people. THEY are the ones who know. THEY have it. I guess that would be the same with preachers. If you really think about it there is a frightening ego in believing that a GOD has chosen you to KNOW.

[@michaelcreekmore9534]

so glad I found this channel. Maybe later than I should, but nevertheless, here I am. I could listen to you and Alex O'Conner all day long.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Amazing compliment. Thank you!

[@JamesRichardWiley]

An all powerful god who need helpers? A street evangelist hasn't figured that out yet.

[@sasapejcin3568]

Brandon you are the voice of reason in these strange times!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that. One small voice of many

[@sasapejcin3568]

@@MindShift-Brandon Maybe small but powerful!🥰

[@acfirby]

My mom used to work at the local university. Sometimes we get lunch at the food court where the students do. We sat outside to eat and there was a street preacher evangelizing. We all ignored him. Years later, just before my mom retired, I was helping her move some of things out of her office. I decided to walk over to the food court for lunch. That same street preacher was evangelizing again! I was like he's still here? A student over heard me and said he never left. Why doesn't the school get rid of him? Student shrugs. I eat inside. It looked like rain anyways.

[@TheCovertDeconvert]

I used to walk the streets with my church evangelizing and you’re 100% correct about the training tactics used-never saw it that way until deconverting and now embarrassed for having done it

[@MindShift-Brandon]

We all did insane thing when we were indoctrinated.

[@JkobbFoF]

Duuude! A hundred books a year? I can dive into Wikipedia articles for hours on end, all nighters just happened like it's nothing lol. I guess you have a similar experience reading books. I declare you the irl Gorion of Candlekeep. Just don't get killed by an armored figure cause the world needs you. Keep up the good work! Respect

[@MindShift-Brandon]

ha, love this. Thank you kindly!

[@stefantrujillo4664]

I love your work and channel Brandon! You are the voice of millions. Thank you for what you do for us!

[@BookishChas]

Great video Brandon! There are so many ways in which street preaching is toxic and harmful. Thanks for doing this video.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

My pleasure! i have 0 qualms with exposing this side of the religion. yuck.

[@andreanascimento2354]

I know the video is a bit old, bit I wanted to thank you for this one and your content in general. I have been following the channel since your first videos and has helped me in my deconversion a lot. Please never stop with it. This hitted hard on me because around two years ago, in the begining of my deconversion I was approached at the street by a really strange man, I was coming from church with my mom and it was pretty visible we were both christians, he was on a bike and stopped my mom first while I continued walking - at first I hadn't paid any attention to him - then my mom called me back, he claimed to be delivering a message from god, then he pointed to me and said I should read more the bible and pray, because I was chosen by god and Jesus was coming back, then he simply went away. A very vague and ridiculous message but his body language, the way he pronouced every word and my own struggles with religion and prophecies I had received in the church messed up my mind, I really thought it was a sight from god to come back. I didn't came back tough, but I still fightned by his message, this video really helped me to process this traumatic event in a much better away, thanks for this.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that so much. Thanks for sharing!

[@Crispycremes20]

Saw similar process to this growing up with my dad being a pastor but it was often time people who were dealing with mental illness, addiction or homelessness. I watched my dad and other church leaders just give them the same “church” treatment and often times these people would just leave because they weren’t given the actual treatment that they needed. I didnt really realize the level that they were “preying” on these people at the time because I was used to it. Now I’m realizing that it was just treating real mental illness with “Jesus”.

[@broski365]

Awesome video with many powerful points and arguments

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you much!

[@clemfandango6897]

i remember when my older brother got into street preaching, we had been sucking up way of the master videos and boy the rush you get from doing it, surely feeling the holy Spirit and not the adrenaline of doing something outside of what's considered socially acceptable

[@KJDogluv]

As the progressive christian stoner that I am…thanks for your work!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

lol! I'll take it. thanks.

[@uknowme1811]

Progressive you say? What would it take for you to join us and be an Atheist today? You're 3/4 of the way there.

[@bradypustridactylus488]

Re: the scene of the lesbian curious girls. There is a scene in the TV series Leverage about cold readng in which Parker was in an auditorium and was singled out by the speaker and becomes convinced that the conman is a genuine psychic. The team compiled a video from two points of view: This is what he said. This is how you responded. It was very clear that he had manipulated her into telling him her story and then had reflected it back to her as psychic knowledge. So far, so good. But then Parker was asked, "How do you feel about him now?" "I want to cut his balls off." However, that is not how these thing usually work because of a cognitive bias called the fallacy of the first diagnosis. This is most striking in first year med students. No matter how clearly the first diagnosis is shown to be false, the student will tend to defend the diagnosis with ad hoc arguments, however foolish, indefinitely. Many Christians are inductetd into the religion and stuck in the church because of this fallacy. Confirmation bias and the fallacy of the first diagnosis make a formidable pair.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Love this additional info. Thank you very much for adding it into the conversation.

[@saulmighty]

I was part of a group of Christians in Europe going to meet people with a questionnaire type of format try to bring people to talk about God and eventually ask for a permission to explain the gospel in simple terms. We all were trained in a course called XEE from Evangelism Explosion, it wasn't as predatory as these examples as we always asked for permission first and tried not to bother people who didn't want to be bothered. One time we did try Bethel church's "treasure hunting" (which of course wasn't in the course) which means before going to the streets we'd ask God for a place in the city where we'd especially need to go to meet a certain person. Well, I did as instructed and imagined a place, of course one that I knew and that was somewhat nearby. Shortly after telling everyone about "my location" I thought to my self: "What if instead I went to the bathroom before we went to that place via car, wouldn't that mean that THE person we were supposed to meet there would probably have walked past because I made the wrong choice?" And what about all the other people in the group... or... ANY other person there that could've interacted with her somehow during that time, because they have free will as well. Ahh, skepticism... When we went to "my location" we saw an old lady in that street corner who had trouble carrying some items and because we had a car, we asked if we could give her a ride home to help with those items. We did so, and she thanked us. A senior in the group said to her how I had received that vision before. I was flustered by that and tried to downplay the spiritual involvement, I was just happy we could help and didn't want any attention about it. These things really are not for the critically minded at all.

[@TonyLambregts]

That last one was priceless. Oh dear, wonderful. Thank you.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

thanks for watching!

[@kslique]

I am still haunted to this day about basically browbeating a young middle-school girl to pray a damn prayer so I could mark her off as a "conquest" for our weekly evangelism outings. It was so insincere. I really didn't care about her, at least not in the way I was projecting. Makes my stomach turn just thinking about door-to-door and street evangelism and the cottage industry it has created for manipulative charlatans to make tons of money teaching others how to be as smarmy and disingenuous. Disgusting.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

We all did stuff in the name of religion that is awful. At least you can see it now!

[@ceres090]

Funny story: There was a street preacher who really liked my mom, and would always come up with excuses to drive us to church, witness to people together, and visit our house. Eventually, my dad and a neighbor took him aside and told him not to come back... So he started street preaching across the street from our house early on Sunday mornings. I lived in the city, but my street was pretty quiet and I lived across the street from a church. He did it for years. Sometimes I would get up early with a cup of tea and watch him with his megaphone, yelling at people trying to walk to the store or just enjoy their morning. It still makes me laugh.

[@inwyrdn3691]

As neither a monotheist or an atheist, I catch grief from both street evangelists and street epistemologists. About a year ago I read both Koukl's "Tactics" and Boghossian's "Manual For Creating Atheists" back to back. If you had read me a quote from either one and asked me to tell you which book it was from, I probably couldn't have told you. They used the same style, the same model, and the same concepts. I relish talking with either group now. Get them off their script (generally by knowing their playbook, following for a bit, then doing a hard pivot when they think they've got you), and it's a good way spend an afternoon.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

curious. I'll have to check out Manual for creating atheists, not sure exactly how I feel about that.

[@inwyrdn3691]

@@MindShift-Brandon I would definitely recommend it, even as someone who disagrees with him. When you read it (not trying to influence how you read it, please don't take this as such) watch for the savior language Boghossian uses - Liberator, Healer, Doctor, etc. It was very striking to me as I read it.

[@mattbrown5234]

@@MindShift-BrandonThis sounds interesting but it’s unlikely I’ll read it. If it’s interesting you should feature it on your channel!

[@Uryvichk]

"Ah yes, well normally I believe in Zeus, but you're making a compelling case that I should be open to Odin as well. Hmm? Oh this is about Jesus? Sorry, never heard of the guy."

[@franciswalsh8416]

You are one SANE person in an ocean of lunacy! I remember a street preacher from college who seemed to be everywhere at once, and he was a strident as it gets. Finally one day a kid dressed like Moses (holding 2 cardboard "tablets" with the 10 Commandments). The funny thing was that the street preacher TOOK HIM SERIOUSLY!!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

well thank you! and lol

[@duanethompson8770]

I appreciate your response to this topic. It makes sense to me now that these people have undergone specific training on how to watch for certain clues and how to respond. Even when I was a Christian I remember turning my face away from street preachers and walking fast as possible away from them. I guess they thought I was under the control of Satan for I cannot remember being approached by a street preacher.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

isn't that funny. Even believers dont want to have to deal with that crap.

[@Prettyboyred336]

My sister use to do this to me. Till this day it makes me angry, whenever I think about it.

[@hamobu]

Interviewer: "So why you you think you'll be a right candidate for the position of selling life insurance on the street and talking to people about death?" Applicant: "I was a street preacher for many years." Interviewer: "You're hired!"

[@kactusJacko]

😂

[@pavld335]

Your comment section has blown up. Really glad your message is getting out there.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

thanks so much, its nice to see a good little community forming!

[@RJ-lk6qn]

Ugh I have been preached to so much about this generational curse business because my family had a tough time. I tolerated it for a time but now it makes me so angry to hear that

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Its beyond ridiculous

[@James-wv3hx]

I'm glad I found your show. I used to listen to Alan Watts, a former Catholic Priest in the nineteen sixties on the radio. He lectures that - They Made it All Up. And another lecture - What is Reality. And - On Being God.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for being here. Do love me some watts

[@stevewebber707]

Bragging about "sharing the good news" in the process of emotional manipulation, and telling people they need to believe or burn. It's not news to much of anyone, and it certainly isn't good. I've recently gotten to know a street evangelist. He seems like a great guy and I've spoken about a fair amount including evangelism, and various methods of it. He didn't seem to get why I think emotional manipulation is something I strongly dislike.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

I think many just cant or refuse to see it.

[@LolitaBonitaaa]

I really wish street preaching using speakers would be considered loitering. In my home country these people get incredibly obnoxious and loud (they scream, they sing, they run back and forth with "the holy spirit" in them) and people call the police on them. Sometimes they have FULL church services out on the streets. Imagine that. When I lived in NYC, there was nothing that I hated the most than having to endure a train ride with someone preaching. As soon as they opened their mouths you'd hear people sigh and roll their eyes. No one would pay attention to them.

[@GILLARDA1]

Many are CALLED, but few CHOSEN? That means there's a picking process, if after recieving the so-called "call" I still have to get picked by some being. Lol. "Believers" just say words without listening to themselves.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ha. Yup. Sure do.

[@kristenraejohnson]

As always, you NAILED it with this video Brandon! 💯🎯 That young cute guy being witnessed to in the car on the second vid looked so 90s boy band. 🙂 Now I'm hearing the Backstreet Boys in my head all day! Lol 😅

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much and yes he really had that vibe going for him.

[@TheRatzor]

Id be interested to hear a video maybe done on why people are so excited too see the end times and destruction or why this religion make good people turn sop judgmental and angry. as always good video

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Oh thats a good idea. Thanks

[@vincentclark5739]

It was maybe 6 years after I left the church and I went to a former church friend’s 5k run for support(and participated). Later we’re talking and I was telling him about home gf problems and I’m thinking he’s gonna give me some real life tips, but he says “you know, god can save you both and help you with your problems” What a bummer. We had a small debate earlier and agreed to disagree just for him to try and preach to me the moment I showed vulnerability. I definitely never vented to him again

[@The_Other_Ghost]

Reminds me of the hypocrites praying passage.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

For sure

[@unladenswallow43]

This always gave me the most intense ick even when I was a teen in a very Christian community. Tough watch! Also, “Am I right, you smoke weed and talk to girls?” lol yeah man, you got it 😂😂

[@CeliaAWhite]

This really hit home for me. Remember Chick Tracts? My church made us give those out everywhere.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

the comic book ones I think. Yes tracts were how my mom was saved, so she was a big believer in them.

[@presentfuture7563]

Oof, I was crushing so hard on a guy in my youth group who used to go pass those out on the Boston Common. He was one of those hardcore evangelists. I already had social anxiety, so I found the practice unbearable, and even then I felt like I was violating other people's boundaries. Of course I told myself I was weak and a "bad" Christian.

[@michaelpotts4001]

Reminds me of college 1990. A group of christians would protest like this, call all the girls whore, me drunk, drug user, blah blah. Just every one was a horrible people going to hell. And had there little children with them to expose these childrens to the angery college students see we are maryters. Embarrising even as a christian at the time

[@tonygibson7094]

These evangelist are nothing but a salesperson. They try to sprinkle glitter on dog crap and sell it to you. But in the end, it's still dog crap. Thanks for the video.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

my pleasure, thanks for calling it like it is.