On Missionaries

One of Roose's big challenges was attempting to evangelize to "spring breakers" in Daytona Beach. As he points out, it is hard to market a product you don't believe in. He, along with the other Liberty Students who go on the mission trip, experience open hostility from many of those they approach, a high frustration level amongst themselves, and virtually no converts when the week is over.

I have been approached at many times in my life by missionaries from the Mormon faith, the Jehova's Witnesses, and Evangelical Christians. I try not to be hostile to those who would interupt my Saturday morning, or my quiet walk, however, I do make it clear that I am not interested to listen to their speil. My dog is a big help with this. Of course, it was hard for me to ignore the pitch the time I willingly walked into a missionary compound in the Amazon. My husband wanted to visit the "American" village there. The conversation started out fine with small talk, but became uncomfortable quickly when I was asked what church I attended. I was informed that the Unitarian Universalist church was "very dangerous" (even though the woman had never even heard of it before she met me) and that I needed to read the Bible. There seemed to be some attempt to make me feel guilty for living in the United States and not being a Christian, when there were people all over the world who didn't even know about Christianity.