Marjoe Gortner

[GNC]

Interesting little refresher here on Marjoe Gortner:
Article

He's a forgotten man these days, but made his name as a small child when he was horrendously bullied by his Christian fundamentalist parents into being a child preacher. He grew up, and exposed the tricks of evangelism in a popular documentary named after him, which he forged an acting career with (he was in the Kojak pilot, Earthquake and hammed it up in a bunch of of offbeat low budgeters). He's now long retired, but I think he's earned a small place in history for good works, and I don't mean the child evangelism.

Despite his exposé, evangelism continues.

 

[brownmane]

Creepy life

 

[GNC]

Creepy life

Unnerving kind of guy, too, at least in his movies. And that Marjoe documentary.

 

[Coastaljames]

Interesting read, thank you.

 

[maximus otter]

Despite his exposé, evangelism continues.

“In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelism

Let’s draw a definite line between the abuse inflicted on Gortner, and the activities of a lot of sincere people.

maximus “Atheist, if it matters” otter

 

[Coastaljames]

Let’s draw a definite line between the abuse inflicted on Gortner and the activities of a lot of sincere people.

Thank you for that.


I consider myself an evangelist.

Gornter was not an evangelist. He was a little boy exploited by abusive parents to make money.

 

[GNC]

There's a big difference between the dictionary definition of evangelism and what is practiced across the world to fleece followers and line the evangelists' pockets.

 

[bugmum]

I hung with the evangelists for a while to get my daughter into her school (yes, sometimes I'm a helicopter parent). I was okay whilst they were discussing the book of Kings in great detail, but I got really uncomfortable when they got started on bigging up missionaries. Let the indigenous people follow their own belief systems!

 

[Mythopoeika]

I hung with the evangelists for a while to get my daughter into her school (yes, sometimes I'm a helicopter parent). I was okay whilst they were discussing the book of Kings in great detail, but I got really uncomfortable when they got started on begging up missionaries. Let the indigenous people follow their own belief systems!

Missionaries are one of the by-products of evangelism. It's a bit like pyramid selling - they need to keep recruiting.

 

[Coastaljames]

It's a bit like pyramid selling - they need to keep recruiting.

That's one way of looking at it yes. Another is to consider that Jesus explicitly commands his followers to spread the word wide and far. A foundation of the early Church was upholding this command. Biblically, missionary work is encouraged to be fundamental to your personal faith. Good News. The sharing of the Good News is seen to be an act of love to the people you meet.

Most (any?) don't see it as recruiting. I would suggest if they did they've got it wrong. It's about loving other people.

 

[Nosmo King]

That's one way of looking at it yes. Another is to consider that Jesus explicitly commands his followers to spread the word wide and far. A foundation of the early Church was upholding this command. Biblically, missionary work is encouraged to be fundamental to your personal faith. Good News. The sharing of the Good News is seen to be an act of love to the people you meet.

Most (any?) don't see it as recruiting. I would suggest if they did they've got it wrong. It's about loving other people.

I think the main issue, especially a few hundred years ago, was missionaries thought it was their duty to convert everyone, whether they wanted it or not, and often with coersion or force, im talking S. America, Africa etc, which in itself has had unforseen circumstances.

 

[Coastaljames]

I think the main issue, especially a few hundred years ago, was missionary thought it was their duty to convert everyone, whether they wanted it or not, and often with coersion or force, im talking S. America, Africa etc, which in itself has had unforseen circumstances.

Absolutely and of course.

That is, by definition, sinful. Christians believe that God gave people free will so they were entitled to make a totally conscious and totally free decision as to whether they decide to aceept Jesus Christ as their saviour.

Which is sensible...because you can't force anyone to believe in anything without threats or violence. Which is hardly the done thing! But, as you say, many crimes have been committed in this field who believed religion more important then what the Bible says. Oh, and who were awful, muderous butchers and exploiters.

 

[Dinobot]

When all is said and done, he was brilliant in Star Crash! And so was his man perm! Star Crash needs a sequel (and I don't mean Escape From Galaxy 3, which only reused the battle scenes, a proper sequel!)

 

[GNC]

Perm?! Those surely were natural curls!

 

[ChasFink]

Personally, I feel Marjoe's cinema masterpiece was Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw. Without that film there wouldn't be so many images of Lynda Carter topless.

 

[Dinobot]

When all is said and done, he was brilliant in Star Crash! And so was his man perm! Star Crash needs a sequel (and I don't mean Escape From Galaxy 3, which only reused the battle scenes, a proper sequel!)

View attachment 41254

Perm?! Those surely were natural curls!

I know as man perm when I see one...

Personally, I feel Marjoe's cinema masterpiece was Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw. Without that film there wouldn't be so many images of Lynda Carter topless.

The alternative was Marjoe topless...

 

[ChasFink]

The alternative was Marjoe topless...

To each his own.



(Where's that leather guy coming out of the closet emoji when you need it?)

 

[Dinobot]

To each his own.



(Where's that leather guy coming out of the closet emoji when you need it?)

The nearest I could find...