Should Christians try to convert non-Christians?

I remember when I was not a Christian; I resonate with both of the speakers below.

Two videos here, both speakers are not believers in Jesus (or one of His followers). Both with different perspectives on this question … or, perhaps just different on the surface. What do you think? (

“I’d like to say something about Christians trying to convert non-Christians.”

At the end of an interview for a series we were doing at The Journey Church (St. Louis), Pastor Jonathan McIntosh’s good friend Aaron turned to him and said, “I’d like to say something about Christians trying to convert non-Christians.” This is what he said… (3:21)

(originally found here)

Penn Says: A Gift of a Bible

“How much do you have to hate someone to not want to convert them?”
Noted atheist Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) recalls a time an attendee of his show stuck around and gave him a Bible with a personal note. The story starts off a bit slow, but listen to his first-hand account (5 min). A portion of his words transcribed below.

“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me along and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?

“I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

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Update: wrote this post a a few days ago but the Penn Says video was highlighted here by JT as well. (Thanks to JT for typing out the transcript.)