Secret Service Confiscates "Counterfiet" Gospel Tracts
It appears common sense has gone out the window:
Secret Service threatens evangelist
in Texas with arrest for counterfeiting
This story is just crazy. First of all, how can you counterfeit something that doesn't exist? (EDIT: This ministry is not alone in printing fake million dollar bills. Lots of novelty stores make and sell them. I did a Google search for "million dollar bill" and got back 88,500 results!)
Second, even if there really was such a thing as a million dollar bill you could never spend it (can you imagine buying M&Ms at the gas station and asking for $999,999.00 in change?)
Third, this tract is a powerful witnessing tool and it would be a shame to see it "banned". I often hand one to a waiter or teller with a smile and say "Thanks a million!" Their faces light up! I then explain it's a gospel tract and encourage them to read it. It's also a great conversation starter when sharing your faith. Hand it to someone and ask you if they would sell you their eyes for a million dollars (they usually say "no"). Then explain that if our eyes are that valuable, how much more valuable is our soul?
Let's pray that the Secret Service changes their mind, and that in the mean time God would give a spirit of wisdom and grace to the Christians who are being investigated.
(EDIT: Here's some video from a news broadcast about the tracts being confiscated:)
posted by Cedricstudio at 7:18 PM
7 Comments:
The idea of bait and switch as an evangelistic tool just seems to crass to me. I couldn't imagine using those bills/tracts myself, even if I were a fan of tracts. I thought it interesting that the guy in the video felt his ministry was being deliberately targetted. Not that it isn't possible, but that isn't an assumption I think someone should make publically without proof. At least make one side of the tract no look like currency (not that this would make the technique any less crass, but it might make it legal).
If I were the minister making these things, I'd make sure the text on the back was more obviously a Bible tract from now on. I don't think the Secret Service would care if it wasn't black & white as long as you couldnt mistake it for real money.
Susan
This may seem like a law that's going against common sense at first glance, yet on further inspection, I don't think it's all that ridiculous. The nature of law is that it must set precedents that apply to everyone (not some people sometimes, and other people other times).
Example...The excuse that "you can't counterfeit something that doesn't exist" seems valid at first, but what happens if a counterfeiter makes an 18 dollar bill that looks very similar to a 10 dollar bill? Then the arguement that "you can't counterfeit something that doesn't exist" falls apart.
The same type of situation could be applied to the arguement that the counterfeit bill carries a monetary value that is too high to possibly spend. Are law makers to decide on a set monetary amount for counterfeit bills, that when surpased, make the bill no longer illegal? The pitfalls of such a descision are obvious.
So while it's clear that Christians are not trying to actually buy things with these tracts, the same laws that apply to real counterfeiters must also apply to them. If you made an exception for the Christians, we'd have to change the law which would create loop holes for REAL counterfeiters to take advantage of.
Make sense?
Luke
"I thought it interesting that the guy in the video felt his ministry was being deliberately targetted. Not that it isn't possible, but that isn't an assumption I think someone should make publically without proof." -One of Freedom
I agree.
Luke
Typically, I've used these when witnessing to teenagers on the streets afterschool. Generally, I say, "Hey, did you get a fake million dollar bill? There's a message about God on the back." That ways there's no bait & switch. The funny thing is this: almost always they love them and call tons of other students around to get them as well. The result is a good crowd to do some street preaching & witnessing. And they love to talk! Even about God. It's great because our church is right across the street from both a high school and junior high.
We do the same with other tracts and the 10 Commandment pennies. They're good for conversation starting, I think.
I like that Joshua, I think it is important as much how we share as what we share. I had the privilege of working in the food industry as a youth and realize just how important tips are to people earning close to minimum wage. Nothing is more offensive than to give a gospel tract in lieu of a real tip. But a gospel tract could accompany a nice monetary tip sending the message that I both care for your welfare and your soul. Not that I am a tract fan, but I think there are good ways for those who choose to use them to do so. Sounds like God gave you neighbours to reach for Christ I feel like I want to pray into that for you, just to bless your church's impact on that school. Keep glorifying God Joshua!
I totally agree about the tip thing. It's sad that some Christians act like jerks in the name of Christ. I personally try to tip very generously whenever I leave a tract.
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