Why is 'Evangelical' an insult in the UK?

[Flangelica]

I've lived abroad for a few years now, but from what I've seen online, 'Evangelical' seems to be a very loaded word, which i only see used as an insult or in a negative way

Can anyone tell me why?

Especially keen to hear from people who belong to this type of church, their feelings about this.

Lapsed, mainly due to the deeply homophobic views of the Church and the abuses endemic in organised religion. I still believe in God. The Church not so much.

lots of interesting points raised but to answer your question most (but not all) evangelicals fall into the category of Conservative Evangelical which means they don’t support the LGTBQI+ community and in some cases don’t believe in women should be ordained.

I am a Christian.

Because evangelism involves a huge element of compulsion and persuasion. That's why it's pejorative.
I do not want to be persuaded into believing someone's skewed view of the world, the matter of my existence and what is considered a 'sin' thanks. Whether it's religion, veganism or whatever.

I wanted to add all Christians evangelise and all are born again. How they believe they should express that is different. Lots of people putting evangelism and evangelical in the same box which is interesting.

Also I don’t agree it should be used as an insult by the way. I can go into the theology but there are plenty of books written on both subjects. I don’t agree, and all four churches I’m involved with (some work related, some personal) do not feel that way.

What's wrong with "happy clappy"?
Genuine question.
Not my cup of tea but I appreciate some do like it
I'm a Christian and have been tremendously hurt by Evangelical Churches.
But churches are full of people and that's what we do to each other.
Doesn't affect my faith though.
God didn't hurt me, pastors did.

I think the issue with "happy clappy" is that it doesn't feel at all authentic, it seems very put on.

Are you writing an article?

People have every right to like happy clappy but it’s loud & repetitive & gives me a headache, especially when accompanied by drums. So I avoid.

You have summed it up just there. The assumption that 'your' beliefs are right and others are wrong. They believe in the 'wrong' gods, if they believe in gods at all.

In my opinion, each to their own. Live and let live.

Questioning why others don't believe the same things as you. Answer, they just don't. And people don't appreciate others trying to foist their opinion on them.

I don't believe in God, it's all nonsense to me, but if someone else does and it makes them happy, fine. We will never know who is right and who is wrong.

Some people don't like being told about Jesus at all for personal reasons.

Are you including in this the misogyny because this isn't something I think you should skate over. I'd imagine the majority of mumsnetters are women, so this is important. How many religions equally provide women with a secondary role? This is not accidental in movements created by men to benefit men.

Also the fact that some people have been profoundly affected negatively by a religious upbringing. This is not a minor issue either.

As to another of your points, literally no one follows the Bible in its entirety. So whoever follows it has picked and chosen the bits of it that fits their particular beliefs (or self interest), while telling others they have to behave in certain ways because it says so in the Bible. It just makes no sense.

It's not people trying to convert them it's the way that they try and shame them into following their beliefs, and the way they don't take no for an answer. But primarily for me, I believe that religion does more harm than good. My experience of religion was that it provided no comfort, just shame. That's what I notice in many others with religious backgrounds.

The issue of Hell is not down to one thing. Firstly it's a ridiculous concept. Secondly, it was created to control people by fear. Thirdly, it makes no sense in relation to Jesus's teaching (if you believe that he existed and that the things he supposedly said were written down decades later by people who never met him); for example the Good Samaritan. Can you believe that the same God who preached about those of a different religion who helped someone in peril would then reject them from Heaven?

So from these replies it seems that for some people the dislike is connected to Christianity, whereas for others its a dislike of being preached to about anything.

I think it's arrogant and rude to try to impose your beliefs on other people. I think all religion is utter nonsense. If people want to believe it, that's up to them, but if they try to get others to believe, I honestly feel a bit embarrassed for them.

As for the happy clappy side of things... aesthetically (in terms of music and all the trappings of Christian churches), I much prefer the more high church stuff (I sing in a choir, including lots of religious mysic) and find the happy clappy style a bit cheesy and cringe tbh. Tbh it's probably partly that it's very.... unBritish

A couple of people said that the gospels were written years later and not by eyewitnesses. I'm not sure where you are getting that from, but I'm guessing you've never read them? John was Jesus closest friend and Matthew was another disciple. Mark and Luke collected eyewitness reports to write their accounts.

Honestly it’s because nobody really wants to be “evangelised” at. More power to you if it makes you happy or brings you peace or whatever, but I always find attempts to convert very condescending- as if those people think I clearly haven’t thought about my own beliefs hard enough. Christian or otherwise, it’s not welcomed from me.

As for your other questions, I don’t find people saying I’m going to hell upsetting, just a little offputting. It’s like an adult very seriously telling me I won’t get presents from Santa, or that their invisible friend doesn’t like me.

As for literal interpretations of the Bible, either follow it all (almost impossible), or don’t. Cherry picking to reinforce already-held views (abortion, homosexuality, divorce whatever) is just transparent.

I think if a bunch of people in a religion want to gather together and be super excited about it that’s grand, just leave me out of it, I don’t want to be yelled at about it when I’m walking down the street or have it knocking on my door.

I'm not going to tell you if I'm Christian, because that's the whole point isn't it? I don't feel I should have to, I'll just quietly get on with doing what I do.

I've worked for an evangelical organisation, by accident, I was interviewed by one nation's wing and employed by the US arm which had an entirely different hard-line stance. I 100% disagree with putting any religion front and center of anything. The key universal tenets of looking after each other, and having faith/hope for the future etc. I can agree with, but that should not on condition of subscribing to a particular dogma.

Evangelicals offend me in the extreme.

It was t tongue-in-cheek post, sorry; these are two of the areas where Catholics disagree with Protestants.

- some people are offended by is the claim that Hell is for everyone who doesn't accept Jesus. Is this because you find it upsetting/insulting or because you think it is wrong, or both?

I'm not 'offended' by the concept of hell. I think it's utterly disgusting that people believe and adore in the concept of a 'god' who will send people to a supposed fiery pit for all eternity for not 'believing'. That's the behaviour of a narcissistic, self centred, angry, vindictive being and I'm frankly horrified that anyone thinks it's reasonable to believe in such vile hogwash. Especially when it seems to be the everyday actions of women, how they dress and who people chose to have sex with that really gets 'him' fired up. 'He' and his followers can therefore get fucked.
And yes whether we are talking about Christianity, Islam, Judaism or whatever.

@HairyMcLarie very well put. I grew up in a Church of England household and, as another PP suggested, have been very adversely affected by it.

I'm entirely convinced this thread is as innocent as the OP wants us to believe.

Not entirely convinced that should say

I am a "post evangelical" Christian so I have thought about it a lot.

Being evangelical about anything, whether about a religion or anything else, means being certain that your own understanding is the one correct truth and that everyone else will agree with you once they have the same information aa you.

This is totally opposite to the usually unspoken British cultural values of pluralism and respect for a huge variety other people's individual understanding and interpretation.

There are a great many wise proverbs and sayings about the certainty of fools vs the wisdom of doubt. Generally in Britain we prefer our religion to be fuzzy and open to interpretation and uncertainty. Obviously there's a great deal that is attractive when you hear a message that it's all really very simple and easy, and there really is one simple truth that you can get to know and understand. That attractiveness is dangerous. It can (although doesn't always) lead to cultishness. The path of doubt is more difficult to navigate but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

I'll stop saying how much better my tofu is when you stop paying for the abuse and murder of sentient animals who don't want to be reduced to a bacon butty.

In England, people are quite reserved generally, about their beliefs - religious, political, how to raise children or manage miney etc.

The modern kind of Evangelism where God is shoved down the throat of any unsuspecting person who wanders into the path of the over-eager Christian is really off putting. I say this as a Christian myself. No one gets converted by being badgered and harangued.

Personally I believe in the Evangelism of the Rose theory. It worked on me since I was a pre-schooler in an atheist family. People discover God through their wonder at creation, in their own time, under their own will. Anyone who tries to bore you into submission is doing God a disservice.

'No one likes us, no one like us, no one likes us, we don't care'

(Words of Millwall)

😂🤣😂

some people are offended by is the claim that Hell is for everyone who doesn't accept Jesus. Is this because you find it upsetting/insulting or because you think it is wrong, or both?

Both? I don’t believe in hell (and as you know, neither does the Bible), so being told I am going to burn in hell because I’m not going to your specific church service this Sunday is a very ineffective threat.

And secondly, anyone who makes threats because you don’t want to go to their social gathering (and Evangelicals will try it on with Church of England christians, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, it’s not just atheists) is wildly rude. Can you really not see that?

No, the writers of the gospels aren’t Jesus’s disciples and contemporaries, they were written decades after his death. The only one who might possibly have been alive at the same time as Jesus was Mark, but he’d have been a child.

OP, good effort, but people aren’t buying what you’re selling. You don’t believe in a literal interpretation of the bible, it would present rules that are impossible to follow. So you probably have some weak caveat that gives you loopholes, just like every other denomination and religion does.

As for whether I would criticise people from other denominations or religions for trying to convert me - no I wouldn’t, because they don’t.

Thank you for all the replies! It's really interesting to see different points of view in the UK at the moment.

I'm not writing an article no (I'm a teacher! Sorry. I just write like this because it helps me organise my thoughts). I'm just curious about the different ways that Christianity is viewed in the UK as opposed to where we live now (abroad). It seems like there are some big differences, so it's really helpful to hear your thoughts!

I grew up in the UK but have been abroad for many years and my religious life really started when I was abroad so haven't much experience of life as a Christian in the UK. Considering a move back at some point so there are lots of things to take into account, including attitudes towards religion 😊