How Evangelicals Use Digital Surveillance to Target the Unconverted

[Nevilledog]

https://newrepublic.com/article/179397/evangelical-app-targeting-immigrants-surveillance

No paywall link
https://archive.li/dSpjI

The future of proselytizing—and surveillance—has arrived. An app called Bless Every Home, which has been backed by some of the biggest names in evangelical circles, is mapping the personal information of immigrants and non-Christians in a bid to conduct door-to-door religious conversions and “prayerwalking” rituals through their neighborhoods.

The app boasts influential supporters, including the former leader of the Southern Baptist Convention, Jim Henry, and controversial Christian data-harvesting firm Gloo. It puts a lot of features at the fingertips of the faithful, including the ability to filter whole neighborhoods by religion, ethnicity, “Hispanic country of origin,” “assimilation,” and whether there are children living in the household.

Naturally, the app also comes bundled with less attractive bells and whistles, including a range of serious privacy and data security concerns. Nevertheless, it highlights how a network of evangelists, determined to bring back the Lord to an America that has seen Christian beliefs and church attendance steadily receding, plans to reverse these trends—whether its targets like it or not.

Published by nonprofit missionary group Mapping Center for Evangelism and Church Growth, the Bless Every Home app describes itself in its own promotional video as a “harvest tool to reach souls for Christ.” Its core function is to produce neighborhood maps and detailed tables of data about people from non-Anglo-European backgrounds, drawn from commercial sources typically used by marketing and data-harvesting firms.

*snip*

[gay texan]

1. PLEASE, OH PLEASE

Show up on my door step!!!!

[LakeArenal]

2. Ya beat me.....

Mr Lake once trapped some missionaries in our barn garage for over an hour rebutting their arguments. When they tried to leave he’d say: You came here uninvited so you need to listen to me preach to you.

Proceed……

[MattBaggins]

10. While I appreciate his goal

That's probably illegal depending on your state. He has to let them leave if they want.

[LakeArenal]

13. That was actually hyperbole. He used dialogue and debate.

[canuckledragger]

3. If these judgemental assholes show up in Canada in my neighbourhood

... they'll earn a heartfelt, creative 'go fuck yourself' if they ever tried to harras me on my doorstep.

[NanaCat]

4. The reason they stopped coming to my house

When I lived in the South was after I told the various cult members that the reason I didn't and would never belong to their cult is because people like them had convinced me of only one thing: They were too stupid and uncivilized to associate with. So mind your own business for a change, and piss off.

[MattBaggins]

11. I think Jehovah witnesses have a do not disturb list

They haven't bothered me in decades

[tanyev]

5. Honestly, door-to-door isn't safe anymore now that so many people

are paranoid, locked and loaded. But I bet most of the people using this app also supported that.

[Alliepoo]

8. They've started writing letters

Here in my area. Have no idee how they decide who to mail them to but I’ve gotten them.

[ThoughtCriminal]

6. One of the few good things about the pandemic

They quit coming by.

I'm not sure if they are back into it, but I've moved to a more remote neighborhood.

[TlalocW]

7. When I lived in Tulsa

I was futzing around my garage with the door open, and some kids came up to give me a flyer for their church's Harvest Festival (this is an issue with me - see below). I looked at it and asked, "Why don't you call it a Halloween Festival?" "Well, that name has a negative connotation to it." "How? It's a word created from the words All Hallow's Evening. All Hallow's Day is November 1 so October 31st is its eve like Christmas Eve. Look, you're having everything a Halloween party is - costumes, treats, games, apple bobbing, hayrides. You're having a Halloween Party. You're just being pussies about the name." They left soon after that.

I twist balloons and do kids magic. When I lived in Tulsa, I would have a lot of phone conversations like this:
Hi, we'd like to know if you're available to twist balloons at our Harvest Party.
Sure, give me a second to open my calendar. What day is your Halloween Party?
Harvest Party. It's on October 28.
And what hours were you wanting me at your Halloween Party?
Harvest Party. We were thinking from 2 to 4.
Yep, I'm open. I'll put you down. Did you need an invoice for my twisting at your Halloween Party?
Harvest Party. That would be great.
Etc.

[keithbvadu2]

9. Witnessing for their faith

[Bundbuster]

12. One early morning 50 years ago my doorbell rang and woke me up

I figured that anyone doing this deserved their just reward. I opened the door and enjoyed watching a young couple of Jehovah's Witnesses almost screaming at the sight of me full frontal totally naked. Was never bothered again.