Walking through Tangletown early last week I noticed what initially looked like a DVD case on a house’s front sidewalk. I didn’t think too much about it until I found the same things in front of other houses. Turned out they were books – two different books in fact. I was intrigued, not enough to pick up one of the books, but enough to while away at least an hour in cyberspace once the dog and I got home from our walk.
The author of the book is the member of a religious group, fairly fringe. The books are proselytizing products; apparently this guy is filthy rich and has blanketed other neighborhoods and cities with these tracts. His world view is fairly unappetizing and some of his beliefs are pretty unpalatable (to me anyway). I read a few excerpts from the two books and I can’t believe that they would convince anyone to join their organization.
But what intrigues me the most is the lackadaisical way the books are distributed, especially considering how much money is being spent on the effort. Most of the homes in this neck of the woods are on alleys; people tend to go in and out of their backdoors way more than their front doors. In addition, the books seem to be tossed willy-nilly on front walks, not closer to the homes nor on the front steps or stoops. It could be a long time before some of these tracts were discovered by their home owners. In fact, just yesterday on our walk, Guinevere and I saw several of them still sitting out, clearly ruined by the various rains the last two weeks. I don’t know all that much about marketing but this doesn’t seem to be a good ploy. Not that I want to encourage this guy by suggesting better methods!
What do you call a sidewalk that swindles you out of your money?
Trail Baboon 
One damn clever sidewalk. 😉
Chris in Owatonna
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A sociopath?
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Outstanding response! JacAnon
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Out standing on the sidewalk, that is.
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Winner!!
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I am thankful that we have had zero religious groups coming to our door for years.
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I’ve had the occasional Jehovah’s Witnesses. You can see them coming. They’re the only people all decked out in suits and dresses, carrying black briefcases.
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You’ll find that is no longer always the case. Dignified but casual dress is acceptable. Also tablets or cellphones are more commonly used.
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I saw the more traditional type not too long ago. I was walking Pippin in the park and noticed them canvassing the neighborhood.
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Rise and Shine, Baboons, from JacAnon,
Understanding the tactics of proselytizers is something I cannot manage. This includes sidewalk tracts.
Warning. Warning. Rant approaching!
Whether it is religion or politics, people who become obnoxious about touting their beliefs just drive me nuts. Why would I want to adopt your beliefs when they cause you to become completely unreasonable and unpleasant to be around? Further, your behavior ruins holidays and relationships. Throwing tracts on sidewalks would be the best of this particular practice.
OK, it is safe to come out now.
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Just remind me of the story that comes up during talk like a pirate day where you see a pirate with a large steering wheel that the ships captain on the longboats use the steers ships and it is on a post that goes down his pant leg
When asked about what’s the deal with the wheel he responds
Arggg. It’s driving me nuts
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Snort
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Evangelism has always annoyed me. It’s strikes me as extremely arrogant to approach another person with the attitude that your own beliefs are superior to theirs. It’s a big part of the reason I stay away from organized religion.
Extortion path?
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The concreto bandito
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Project 25 is an organized high dollar whack job offering at stealing our lives in the name of right wing beliefs
I hope we survive
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Coupled with Seven Mountain Mandate Theocracy and King Donald The First. Sad.
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Several weeks ago there were religious leaflets left on the lawns in some Winona neighborhoods – they were in ziplocks and weighted down with pebbles… I should have saved one – some far-out religious cult demanding some change.
And I have no idea about the sidewalk…
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The psychopath.
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I would call such a sidewalk, “poorly executed home repair.”
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The Trail of Fears?
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Well, someone had to!
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Proselytizing is more a passionate search for something not yet found than a desire to bestow upon the world something we already have. It is a search for a final and irrefutable demonstration that our absolute truth is indeed the one and only truth. The proselytizing fanatic strengthens his own faith by converting others. The creed whose legitimacy is most easily challenged is likely to develop the strongest proselytizing impulse.
– Eric Hoffer
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Did Jesus and the first century disciples possess the “strongest proselytizing impulse?”
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Apparently.
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Well, yeah. In Jesus’s time, I would say he was easily challenged. If that wasn’t the case, it’s notl likely he would have been crucified.
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