Say No To Tract(s)

Speaking of Jack Chick,did anyone here ever read about him in Brill's Content? The magazine, which is no longer published, described Chick as being the unseen best-selling author on the level of Stephen King.

It would be interesting to actually see the face of the guy. Just to know who he is.

Roscoe

 

The answer is well-meaning folks who want to see people saved. They feel that Chick tracts are a good method.

I disagree with that and am squarely with you, friend. I find them offensive, scarey, inaccurate (often giving false or perverted information to sway the reader) and would never use them.

But people who do are not "bad". Just misguided. </font>[/QUOTE]I have come to the same conclusion about Chick, even though "This Was Your Life" was instrumental in my conversion.

I still find his work entertaining. The drawings are great. But I hesitate to share the work with others. Some years back, when I served in the Army as a chaplain's assistant, Chick tracts were banned on certain military bases. The same has been true with jails and prisons.

Besides the inaccuracies, Chick is also unrepentant about the errors he publishes. He also has become a KJV extremist.

Too bad. So much talent.

Roscoe

 

Oh, yeah, the illustrations are great. It's just what they represent that stinks.

 

Thank you for the nice compliment, Roscoe.

Aand welcome to BB!!

 

You are welcome.

I can picture your remarks being published as an article in one of the fine Christian magazines.

BTW, besides being a "tractster," I'm also a writing addict. I get excited when I see something with so much potential.

Roscoe

 

Something else on Chick...

I hear that while his face has never been photographed (at least not in the last two or three decades), he does make a cameo in his tracts. Sort of like Stephen King appearing in his own movies and Toulouse-Lautrec in his own paintings.

Also, I've noticed that the little dog and cat have recurring roles in most (if not all) of his tracts these days. I wonder if they're pets of Chick.

Roscoe

 

I think gospel tracts are great. I love to give out the "Chick" tracts. The Lord has called us to fulfill the great commission. Some like to give out tracts, street preach, hold up signs, door to door; whatever it takes. Jesus is Lord.

 

I'm for going into all the world and telling people what God has done. I'm not however for manipulating a desired effect with fear tactics. Who can make a genuine decision about God under duress?

A person will confess to a crime if their manipulated with fear tactics. Should we then assume that their confession is somehow genuine. I would worry about a person who made a decision to be saved because of a chick tract.

Chick tracks are very simply emotional terrorism.

I think that anyone that thinks their "good" is probably desensitised to there horrors. Kind of the way people get from watching too much violence on T.V.

 

I must agree. If you're gonna hand out religious literature, there's much better material than any of the excreted material that leaves Jack Chick's pen.

 

I must agree. If you're gonna hand out religious literature, there's much better material than any of the excreted material that leaves Jack Chick's pen. </font>[/QUOTE]As I read this, there seems to be a theme that Chick tracts aren't good tracts. I don't have an opinion one way or the other since I haven't seen any of them, but I did have a question.

If Chick tracts aren't any good, what do you guys suggest? Which ones are good? Where can I find them? Do you have a list of your favorite ones that seem to work well?

I ask this because I have often thought about going downtown (I live in a small town 100,000) and walking the main street sharing my experience as a Christian with other people. So this thread has me thinking about having something to hand the person while I talk to them. A Bible would be nice, but the cost would be a factor. So I thought tracts would be good.

Any pointers would be appreiated.

Jamie

 

We make much use of tracts here in Ghana. When we do mass distribution on the streets of the markets we are swarmed by children and adults for them. Fellowship Tract League espouses a statistic that they estimate as many as 10 people read each tract. There is no way for this to be proven or disproven. I will say that I know that most of the tracts make their way into homes where it gets passed around. Soul winning is like casting wheat seeds in the field. If you spread enough some will fall on good ground. Are some wasted? Surely so. Praise the Lord for the seed that finds good ground, germanates, and bears fruit! Keep using tracts!

 

there was an online museum to chick tracts that pointed out which one was (suppose) to be him

 

Jamie, one of the best and most used tracts of all time is "God's Simple Plan of Salvation," by Ford Porter. You can read it and order it at: http://www.godssimpleplan.org/gsps-english.html.

God bless!

 

I don't care what anyone says CHick tracts are great. God bless.

 

I think tracts are probably most effective when used along with a soulwinner's witness. I think its a better use of the tract to hand it to the person individually and see if they will allow you to go over it with them.

Obviously, there will be some who read it alone and are convicted, but I think more often than not they are most effective when a person is there to explain it and to answer any questions the reader may have.

 

I would be interested in hearing about these inaccuricies in the chick comic books. God bless.

 

The main reason I don't use Chick tracts is I have real doubts as to whether the majority of people will actually sit down and read such a "long" tract. Perhaps my concern is unfounded, I have no real data, it is just my opinion.

However, we've also found its easier to just print out our own tracts at our church. That way we know what's going into them, and we can easily personalize them. We use all Bible verses, not a storyline, as it is hearing the Word of God that brings faith.

Just a thought.........other than that concern of my own, I don't know of any outright inaccuracies in the Chick tracts. I do believe he goes rather far afield and can seem to have some far-fetched ideas in his larger comic book sized pamphlets.

 

Well actually the tracts are not very long I have seen many people read them even kids will sit down and read the whole tract. And though some may believe the things he believes about the RCC etc are false does not mean they are. I don't seen any thing wrong with what he believes. God bless.