Avoiding Shady Sales Pitches When Proselyting
Posted on Nov 10, 2012 by Trevor in Religion
My Lovely Home
Maybe I think I have good housecleaning skills. My carpet looks and smells clean. My house is orderly and safe. I’m completely satisfied with the work I’m doing here.
Then a Kirby salesman knocks at the door. “Did you know how much dirt your carpet is trapping that you can’t see? It’s full of germs and will increase the wear on your floor!” “Did you see how many skin cells I vacuumed out of your mattress? How disgusting! Your house could use some help.”
Suddenly I am immensely dissatisfied with the job I was doing. Problems that were previously non-existent are now very obnoxious. I’m even somewhat embarrassed.
Luckily, the same person who helpfully pointed out these problems to me is ready to sell me a solution! With this $2000 Kirby vacuum I can fix all those problems and regain the same peace of mind I had before.
My Lovely Lawn
Maybe I think I do a reasonably good job taking take of my lawn. It seems to be growing well and it’s healthy and green. I’m completely satisfied with the work I’m doing here.
Then a Scott’s salesman knocks at the door. “Did you notice these dandelions over here? They will go to seed and spread to other parts of the yard. Did you notice that patch over there? It looks like it’s malnourished. And see that area over there? Looks like some significant grub damage. Your lawn could use some help.”
Suddenly I am immensely dissatisfied with the job I was doing. Problems that were previously non-existent are now very obnoxious. I’m even somewhat embarrassed.
Luckily, the same person who helpfully pointed out these problems to me is ready to sell me a solution! By signing up for regular servicing by Scott’s Lawn Care, I can fix all those problems and regain the same peace of mind I had before.
…And Religion?
Unfortunately, I sometimes see these same approaches used in religion. We try to convince people are otherwise happy, decent, and contented that they are actually sinful, fallen members of an inherently depraved human family. They need redemption or they’ll be lost forever. Luckily, we know someone who can solve their problem! Convinced of their depravity, these people will now hopefully realize their need for Christ, and we can commence visits with missionaries and they can join our congregation.
Some Asterisks
Now, in each of these three cases, it’s fully possible that the problems being pointed out are very real. Maybe my house really is a dump. Maybe my lawn really is struggling mightily. Maybe I really am prone to sin and in need of redemption. Maybe I really am unhappy and feeling empty. Maybe these problems really do need solutions and maybe those solutions really are readily available. If they really are problems, I should probably be grateful someone is pointing it out to me.
Epilogue
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m uneasy when proselyting and evangelizing techniques mimic shady sales pitches. As it turns out, these techniques can be very effective, regardless of the product being sold. Advertisers and marketers have honed the craft of selling to an astonishing degree. Highly aggressive or manipulative salesman are often successful. But when promoting anything, especially religion, I think it’s highly inappropriate to shame people until the point where they feel unduly guilty. I think it’s wrong to try to convince an otherwise happy, healthy person to be unsatisfied with their lot in life. If it’s ethically questionable to engage in certain rhetoric as a salesman of vacuums or lawn service, it’s an abomination to do so as a religious evangelizer.
“Now”, religion would say, “we are trying to get them to aspire to something even greater than their current happiness.” That’s fine, I think. By showing people something “better”, perhaps they will indeed decide to take steps towards that noble goal. But the shaming, guilting, and degrading of people needs to be eliminated. Furthermore, when the person who’s selling a solution is the same person who’s looking for the problem, there’s a huge conflict of interest: even the honest preacher will be tempted to distort or exaggerate the problem.
If the ideals that you’re trying to promote aren’t sufficiently appealing on their own and can’t be sold without emotional manipulation, perhaps you should consider whether the person hearing your sales pitch is really as bad off as you have supposed.
