Generally I don't care how people observe their faith. Want to stand on a street corner and shout about it? Fine by me. Want to clang cymbals or speak in tongues? Fine by me. Want to pronounce your faith to everyone within shouting distance? Annoying, but okay. That said, this post by a minister in Lewisville really bothered me when I read it. It starts:
We need your help. A couple in our church has been sharing Jesus with a woman who is near death in Hospice. Her name is — —-*. She is a Buddhist and if she dies without Christ, she will go to Hell. Will you please take a few moments right now and pray for — to receive Christ?
* I wasn't comfortable using her name in this post.
I do understand that he and the members of his flock mean well, and I also think they sincerely believe that they're endeavoring to save this woman from an eternity in hell, but man I cringe when I think of someone who is in the final stages of life, who is likely in extreme discomfort, being proselytized and told that her own religious belief is going to condemn her to hell.
Personally I think they should pray for her just as they should pray for the well being of anyone, but I don't buy the need for the deathbed proselytizing. I used to get a similar feeling when I had some pretty heated debates with the (very conservative) principal of my Lutheran high school. He just couldn't convince me that God would condemn any good person to hell, no matter their faith. I guess that's one opinion I haven't changed at all over the years.