The Proselytism destroying Liberty in America
The dictionary defines Proselytize; convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another. Yet, straight definitions in words alone hide the meaning in another word, Evangelize; convert or seek to convert (someone) to Christianity.
It could be easy for a person to confuse the meanings as similar or equivalent words. Their could not be two very different verbs or action words. In the two the actions conveyed are quite different. The difference in meanings are so subtle that it’s usage in recent Baptist sermon, that I attended while visiting with family, allowed the Pastor to use Acts 24:25 and the trial of St Paul to confuse their meanings in his approach to teach his congregation of the actions and justification in Trans-identity opposition. This point has recently moved from the religious podium into mainstream American political legislation, rhetoric and debate.
To understand the definitions as understood by the faithful themselves we examine another Christian Orthodoxy in how they define those similar words. In a homily given on Aug. 5, 2013, Pope Francis discussed the difference, reiterating again and again some of the differences between evangelization and proselytization.
Paul in the Areopagus (Acts 17:15-22, 18-1) proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ among the worshipers of idols. It is the way in which he did this, that is so important: “He did not say: Idolaters! You will go to hell… ”. No, he “tried to reach their hearts”; he did not condemn from the outset but sought dialogue.
Paul, too, was “aware that he must evangelize, not proselytize”. The Church “does not grow by proselytizing, as Benedict XVI has told us, but grows by attracting people, by its witness, and by its preaching”
Proselytism is the strongest venom against the path of ecumenism.
– Pope Francis, Oct. 13, 2016
So using the Roman Catholic definitions we find a small but distinct difference in the two words besides the lay ‘opinion’ definition. We see that Proselytism is a declaration and judgement while Evangelism is a method of listening and letting the message define the conversion. In some Roman Catholic discussion the ‘Holy Spirit’ fills the listener and does the convincing. Pope Francis declares that ecumenism or the principle or aim of promoting unity among the world’s Christian Churches is at stake in the two words
There is a meaning found under the Baptist Pastor’s discussion. “They don’t mind if you proselytize but they don’t like if you evangelize.” The Pastor raised his voice and pushed his bible forward towards the congregation in a forceful manner when he said this. The vision of his imposing figure on the stage moving quickly and thrusting his bible conveys a much different idea of evangelize than that defined by the Roman Catholic leader. It appeared that the Pastor relied on a the definition of a proselytizer as being passive and merely excluding those not listening. He used his forceful movement to emphasize action in the word evangelize to determine an outcome. While he tempered his movement of with words of encouragement in helping someone make a hard decision about their life, he was unable to cover the lesson on evangelizing was not something easily welcomed and needed to be thrust upon the audience.
If one visualizes the scene in the previous paragraph you can determine the definitions from a small town Baptist point of view. Proselytize is to passively try to convert someone and if that fails excluding them. For this small Texas town Baptist Pastor, Evangelize was an active and forceful action albeit with some attempt to help the person to understand why they need to convert or repent. This point of view is almost 180 degrees the opposite of Pope Francis.
This meaning proclaimed from the lectern of that small town Baptist church can be found in the nationwide actions of the religious right in recent politics and legislative actions limiting the liberty of LGBTQ+ and specifically against trans-persons or transgender persons. A transgender person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth. Many experience gender dysphoria, which they may seek to alleviate through transitioning, often adopting a different name and set of pronouns in the process.
A Baptist based school next to the Baptist Pastor’s church states its concerns and in order to enter their children, parents must state that they align with the beliefs as a prerequisite to admission of their child. In the belief on gender the admissions documents declare; “God created male and female with the distinct and biological sex of each person immutably determined and manifested at conception by God.” The use of the term immutably is key to the opposition to any child’s diagnosis of gender dysphoria or unease with one’s birth gender.
Immutably:unchanging over time or unable to be changed
Definitions from Oxford Languages
So the beliefs are condemning trans-children from the outset and not seeking any dialogue. They are declaring that they are predetermined in their psychology since birth. There is no way to change and that it is physically impossible to change one’s sexual orientation from that of male or female at birth as determined by their God. As you can see they are not listening or trying to evangelize with God’s help but proselytizing their feelings declaring it is impossible for someone to seek happiness and peace through emotional and medical change to blend into society.
Both of these acts upon which members of a religious sect are choosing to act as medical and psychiatric doctors of medicine in their diagnosis and declarations against LGBTQ society. They have with this, created a violation of the sacrosanct chasm between government and the right of personal conscience.
The school, as in no manner of opposition, has the right to proselytize and exclude children whose parents do not hold the similar views. The Pastor has the right to proselytize against LGBTQ and even attempt to evangelize to ask the LGBTQ to make the hard decision upon their perceived sins and repent.
Our rulers have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them. …. The rights of conscience we never submitted. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god
Thomas Jefferson – 1783
Thomas Jefferson wrote the above statement to warn against the infiltration of government into the beliefs of conscience found in religions. He later warned of an equal menace of political sermons interference into the affairs of state.
The ominous equal menace of the Baptist lectern has manifest itself into the rapid passage of anti-trans laws in Texas and other conservative States. The destruction of parental rights to seek medical treatment for their trans-child has been a direct result of the Baptists proselytizing the spiritual damnation to their congregation that do not act. The Pastors have taken to preaching medicine rather than lessons in religion. Will they soon turn towards law and other principals of government?
They are imparting injury upon families with their preaching of medicine from the pulpit. Yet, the State Government fails to protect the rights of the individual and has let the Pastors turn their politics into a religious duty. So what will stop any and every branch of human art or science being controlled in this manner?
American personal freedoms so easily taken away with the humble opinions of a Pastor or Priest are not easily won back. There is no dispute of the Pastor’s right to express such opinion nor the congregations right to listen. The rise of these religious ‘Robespierres’ and their influence upon society has not tempered calls of religious rights but imparted political duty manifest upon their congregations. There is no greater threat to Liberty than this. There is no larger reason to oppose such action on the principals upon which our democratic government has been founded.
ABSOLUTA LIBERTAS 