I must say I disagree about the tracts. It's fine to have them on a pamphelet rack at church, or on a table for interested parties to pick up at an event, but I've seen so many people on street corners handing out tracts to know how little actually is accomplished by them. 3/4 of people who pass by the tract guy refuse and the ones who take them usually are only being polite and throw them away. I take them just to see what tomfoolery the publishing house is up to. Not even to mention people who leave them in phonebooths, public restrooms, tucked in library books, etc. To me it is phony evangelism; instead of living a Christian life that can point to Christ and not even knowing about one's own faith to enter into a discussion with someone many feel they are every bit as "justified" by handing out or strategically placing these tracts. All that usually ends up happening with them is you see them on city streets as garbage. Is this how we want pamphelets detailing Orthodoxy and even reprinting holy icons to be left?
Having pamphlets that explain certain things are a good tool, and I think that is what everyone here is referring to, but they are a very very different thing from tracts.
