I'm hoping for more trail magic!!!!!
So you have decided that those without your religous beliefs need help and use a hiker feed as an opputunity to implement your propaganda. Thats not trail magic, it's religious spam disquised as trail magic.Originally Posted by bpitt
Serving someone food in the name of Christ (especially as a hiker feed) is a fairly low percentage way of evangelizing. If it happens to convert someone, great, but most just do it to show love to their fellow man.
We do a kind of feed while doing field evangelism in poor villages of Mexico. But we also give them stuff they can actually use, like shoes, clothes and groceries.
The more that’s done for hikers in the forests and woods and mountains, in that far
do they fail to get the most out of it…. We must retain the challenging character of
the wilderness.
—WALTER O’KANE, guidebook writer, 1935. I thnk Walt may be a guy that won a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation award in 1951 for his work in the nature of wild places and native American culture. The Guggenheim is about the most distinguished award issued for a broad range of social science subjects.
Last edited by weary; 04-17-2011 at 18:18.
It is difficult to engage in debate with folks who won't answer direct questions.
I ask again: Where is either the wildness or the wilderness in a parking lot, and what is objectionable about having a picnic or cookout in a place that was planned,built,and furnished for that precise purpose?
Yes. Those who do not worship the one true God DO need help. YOU can call it propaganda or spam or whatever. However, the correct term is the Gospel. You don't have to believe, you don't have to listen to it, God gave us free will. I am but a humble messenger.
"You hiked up a mountain? Why would anyone want to do that?"--question posed to me by friend
Thanks for sharing that, Weary.
The idea that making the Trail "better" actually takes away from it, is a real paradox.
From feeds, to new and better shelters, to paint by numbers guidebooks, to constant communication from home, to prepaid transportation across the Kennebeck, the AT is changing.
I can only hope that those who really make a difference will always strive to protect the spirit of wildness one still finds along the Trail, whenever and wherever they have the chance.
I fear the momentum the momentum is against them.
The problem is, it is only the one true god to the people that believe it. I hate to bash your religion, but not everyone believes that. I was raised Southern Baptist, well, brainwashed is more like it, and once I got old enough to start studying biology, chemistry, ect, I realized there was no way most of the stuff in the Bible could be true. I knew it at an early age, I just didn't have the evidence to verify it. Now, I do believe that there is evidence for a higher power, but I don't think it is anyone's particular "god".
I had to listen to enough of that stuff as a kid, I don't mind someone saying a blessing before I eat, but I would resent having to listen to a long sermon first.
Well that's not how it works. Everyone is free to eat without any obligation. and I've never heard of anyone ever even breaching the subject the subject of religion except to invite the attendees to a completely voluntary worship event.
Dred Scott, anyone?
Although what the supreme court has to do with hiker feeds and/or trail magic is above MY pay grade!
Old Hiker
AT Hike 2012 - 497 Miles of 2184
AT Thru Hiker - 29 FEB - 03 OCT 2016 2189.1 miles
Just because my teeth are showing, does NOT mean I'm smiling.
Hányszor lennél inkább máshol?
That's fine, then.
Yeah, was thinking more of Roe v Wade, but I get your point.
Well, there's this guy who said, "I learned early that the richness of life is found in adventure. Adventure calls on all
the faculties of mind and spirit. It develops self-reliance and independence. Life then
teems with excitement. But man is not ready for adventure unless he is rid of fear. For
fear confines him and limits his scope. He stays tethered by strings of doubt and
indecision and has only a small and narrow world to explore."
—Supreme Court Justice WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS.
I think independence is helped by freedom from intrusive groups of people catering to the hiker at shelters, stream crossings, and parking lots.
Last edited by weary; 04-19-2011 at 15:03.
Weary:
I realize the futility of getting you to ever change your mind on anything, but two things come to mind:
A guy sitting in a parking lot greeting passing hikers with a friendly hello and the offer of a cold soda pop is hardly intruding on anything.
And as for those very few individuals who would take umbrage at such a shocking violation of their privacy, well they can demonstrate "independence" by either ignoring the guy or simply saying "No thanks!" and then go about their business.
It's not that difficult and it amazes me that every year people make such a big deal about this entirely insignificant "problem." How fortunate these people must be if this is one of the main hardships in their lives. I've dealt with 40 people the past few weeks who've had their food stolen or their property seized or damaged by bears.......now THERE'S an intrusion on one's hike worth talking about.
From everything I have heard and read hiking the AT is also just as much a social experience as it is a hiking one. I mean seriousely, if you want the "spirit of adventure" and you want to develope the "skill of independence", then why not hike a more remote and less traveled trail such as the CDT. I mean, as other's have said if you do not want to be offered cold or hot drinks, some food, good conversation, etc...then just graciousely refuse and/or move on. There's also a guy who said: "That best portion of a good man's life, His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love".-William Wordsworth
...tuck the sting back in and keep a walking, maybe some Midol will help? Instructions on how to understand good will.. (shaking my head)... Need ye be commanded in ALL things?
The AT is in fact a social experience. But that social experience is a result of hikers talking to and relating to other hikers.
Trail feeds are essentially a distraction, a distraction that decreases the spirit of adventure that most of us seek as we start on a long distance hike.
The spirit of adventure begins alive and well in most AT long distance hikers. Its gradual diminishment is a direct result of hangers on, seeking to live vicariously with their alleged trail magic -- their offers of food and goodies.
Most long distance hikers, including me, I'm sad to say, participate in alleged trail magic from time to time. But sadly, only the wisest of us, recognize the destruction that these planned charity events have caused to the goals that we sought when we dreamed of these hikes.
If someones wants to cook me a free hamburger, go for it.
Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. - Steven Wright
A very worthy expenditure of fossil fuel; I can't think of anything more worthy
i'd rather have a steak.
So in just one night, trail magic has gone from being "intrusive" to "destructive."
What will it be termed tomorrow......."life threatening?"
Honestly,people. It might do well to remember this: In the entire history of Trail Feeds, neither attendance at the event or subsequent feeding of the attendee was ever forced on anyone. For those seeking independence from these events, there's a simple remedy: Skip them.
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