As mostas costumesand badges, travel preachersare thepartof Comic-Con.Some simply palm out tractsordisplay scripture,while others broach sermonsor pepperstheir signswith accepted references.“Don’tbe Comic Conned!” reads one.“Your hold upisnot fiction.”

The preachershavebeentherefor years, compelling sacrament subsequentto association booths flitting out celebration invitationsor hawkers carrying cansof Coke.Butwhen we initial sawthem, we didn’t comprehendthat wewasaboutto declare the singularofthe ugliest facetsof Comic-Con:the subsetof infamous provocateurswho set outto“win” people overby revelationthemthey’re startingto bakein Hell…andgetthe expect greetingtheywere unequivocally seekingfor.

“They wouldn’t keep you doitifit didn’t work.”

Thoughthe sign-bearers repudiateit,there’s the usual noticethatthey’re protesting Comic-Con,andthey intermittently pull counter-protesters carrying signslike“R’hllor saves!”and“Bring at the back ofthatshow welike.”Other fans tryto discussthe scholarshipof expansionorthe ethicsof homosexuality.But the couple of consternationif, notwithstandingthe ubiquitous insusceptibilityandanger,theymightbe removing results.“How most peopledoyouthink speaktothem?” we listenedwhile sittingin line the singular day.“They wouldn’t keep you doitifit didn’t work.”

My first, short hitwas promising. Aclean-cut teenager land the singularof multiform yellow signs dottingthe pathsaidhe’dhad copiousnessof disastrous reactions,butatleast the couple of people tookthe tractshewas handing out,andhe remained stoicaboutthe rejections. Few people,however, seemedto compensate most courtesytohim.The genuine successwas the spanof prime group stationinthe roped-off intersection in betweenthe gathering coreandthe area next toit. Breakingfromthe some-more usual Biblical exhortations,their signs cursed drunkards, abortionists, atheists,“revelers,”and“general heathens,”andtheir inflammatory, megaphone-amplified speechesmadethem the lightning rod.

This wasn’t Westboro Baptist Church:the summarywasatleast evidently meantto modify people.And the singularofthe men, talland white-haired,was accessibleand some-morethan peacefulto speaktome.“You don’t see the lotof impiety here,”saidthe man,who I’ll call“Mike”for now.“Ifitwere somethinglike Mardi Grasyou’d see the lot some-more sin, the lot some-more drinking.”His pursuit wasn’t precisely the usual one,but Mike seemed,at initial glance, thefairly typical man.

Soon,hewas revelation the immature ladyto‘get at the back ofinthe kitchen’

“Some people omitus,some people screamatusand flipusoff,”he continued.“Some people chuck thingsatus.Butthisiswhatthe Bible tellsustodo.” we felt genuine magnetismforhim—it takes aplombto share something personalwithan unpleasant audience.Aswe kept talking, though,his co-preacher (I’ll callhim“Ronald”)begananangry, usually sharpening quarrelwith doubtful fans.At first, wewasableto balancehim out; soon,hewas screamingat thedark-haired teenagerabout“castrated” Christiansandthe startofthe universe. Fans, meanwhile,were jolttheir headsor jumpinginto await any the single perplexingto remonstratethe preachersthattheir summary wasn’t you doits job.When weasked,neither masculinecould relate the singular certain communicationwith the listener,and both tended some-more towards insultsthan anythingelse. A couple of minsafter we spoketohim, Mikewas revelation the immature ladyto“get at the back ofinthe kitchen,” call ireinher masculine friend.

His evolutionary arguments using out, Ronaldtoldthe teenagerthathewas hexedby the demon. Another con-goer jumped up, gave thequick“A demon? I’vegotthis!”andstartedto perform the ridicule exorcism.The target simulatedto substitute at the back ofandthen carriedhis palmfor the tall five,andthe throng laughed.It expelled the usually ascent tension,butitalso incitedthe stageinto even some-moreof the sideshow.An preacher stationonthe conflicting dilemma seemed softly brokeforthe group at the back ofhim.“If peoplehatewhat wedo, we wishthemtohatethe message,notwho weam,”hesaid.Butlikethe others,he seemedtohavelittleideawhatwould modify people, startingby disastrous reactionsto sign eitherhewas you dotheright thing.“Ifyou demeanouratthe wordof God,the wordof God didn’t capture people,”hesaid.“It detered people!”

Thoughthe complement seemed fatuoustomeat times, wethinkthe evangelists knewwhattheywere doing. Ronalddescribedhis actionsas the“warning,”andthese planwerethe same ones somebodywoulduseto derail the review anywhereelse, sketch peopleinwith the“controversial” evidenceand grippingthemtherewith personal attacksthatwereby turns unintentionallyfunnyand infuriating.The strategy,in fact, wasn’tallthat oppositefromyour usual internet troll,andat timesitwas toughto holdthe groupwerefor genuine—at the singular point, Mike attemptedto spell outhis mutationby really accidentally revelationto rape.

As distantas wecouldtell, though,theywere wholly sincere,andwhattheywere you dowasfairly rational. Emotionally speaking,theywere removing the probabilityto inferto themselvesthattheywere the persecuted minority,hatedfortheir opinions. Practically speaking,theywere removing the lot some-more courtesyfortheir meansthan anybodyelse.These group weren’t trolls.Theywerethe outcomeof the conventionthat’s tangible“evangelism”asthe homogeneousofan internet pop-up ad:as prolongedas somebody seesit,you’ve finishedyour job.

An houror dual later, we met the tiny lady flitting out tracts distantfromthe intersectionsmost preachers occupied.Her self-appointed mission,as distantas wecouldtell,wasto removethedamage caused downthe street.“We’renotlike those Christianswho evangelisehateto everyone,”she positiveme.Thenshe managedtodo something wehadnot seenall day:explainwhy weshouldlovethe thingshewas peacefulto mountinthe San Diego objectfor hoursto share.

Whetherornot we concludedwiththe beliefsofher faith,itmademeangryto seethe probabilityof genuine communication drowned outby self-righteous ranting.At Comic-Con, in all the singularofthe friendliest geeklove-fests around,themost manifest faceof Christianitywill substantially regularlybethe ugliest.Dotheyget results?Notinthe approachyou’dthink,butin the approachthatmakes clarityto any the singlewho’s review the criticism section. Evenifthey’renot trolls,wejustcan’thelpbut feedthem.