amyberthelet;243910 wrote:
Last night a revelation came to me…..I HAVE come across as overzealous…as in a song we sing at DBC…’Zeal for Your house, will consume me.’ I forgot that I am a US citizen who as part of a people who in rebellion broke from England centuries ago, might just encounter some bitterness and oppostition.
this is nothing whatsoever to do with the American war of Independence (which probably isn’t even taught much in British high schools today), nor for being American. there are many American users of this site who don’t encounter opposition, and people here still appreciate things such as the popularisation of the Internet that US investment brought to the UK.
Its simply because any evangelist is viewed with suspicion by a community on the fringes of “normal” society, whatever country or faith they may come from. We get them here, from all the sections of society including reformed crack smokers, some are native British, others come from foreign lands.
There is also already a strong Christian community in this nation for those people who wish to be part of it. The same applies for other religions practiced in this nation, but by and large people give each other space and don’t attempt to convert others – they wait for people to seek their own faith.
Incidentally, abortion in this country was made formally illegal in 1829 – and remained so (with rare exceptions) until 1967. Prior to 1829 women who helped other women procure abortions were often judged and viewed as witches by the locals, and often punished by being burned alive.
England was until the 1960s dominated by a Conservative christian minority with money and power, until a change in power structures meant younger people got more of a voice.
This change led to such things as pop culture, the pirate radio stations, the Beatles, Queen etc and all UK youth culture stems from this… but it means therefore that any attempt to impose conservative christian values on younger fringe communities in this country (or even many “normal” people) will result in conflict.
