A person hiking on a remote trail was baffled when they found something they did not expect: a piece of paper compelling them to accept salvation through Jesus Christ.
They posted a photo of the pamphlet on Reddit, writing, "What is this? I keep finding them along hiking trails in Australia."
One commenter joked, "It's trail toilet paper."
Another said simply: "It's litter."
Fellow commenters echoed the sentiment. One wrote, "Someone decided that proselytizing justified littering (it doesn't)."
"That's evangelical Christian material from a North American organization," another clarified, referencing the Ohio mailing address, making it all the stranger they ended up strewn about Australian hiking trails. "Whether it's all right to leave pieces of paper on hiking trails is another question; where I live, cleaning it up would be considered more helpful."
And while it's unclear whether or not the paper was purposefully left on the trail, the fact that the OP found several of them while hiking seemed to suggest that it may have been. Given that, many commenters wondered at the questionable approach.
"People who like hiking trails are famous for their love of litter, after all, so I can see why someone would think this is an amazing way to gain converts," one person said sarcastically.
Proselytizers are not the only people who leave litter where it's least wanted. Hikers have documented instances of campsites strewn with trash, dog poop bags left on trails, beer cans clogging up waterways, and much more. Even in public parks, people have been witnessed leaving thousands of pieces of confetti after a baby shower or releasing birthday party balloons when the celebration is over.
Not only does leaving behind garbage diminish the enjoyment of beautiful natural places, but it also damages the ecosystem, particularly when materials like plastic are left to disintegrate into the surrounding environment. As they break down, they release chemicals into the soil and water that can harm the animals that live there. Many animals are also drawn to the bright colors of garbage and end up accidentally ingesting it, which causes them to starve with stomachs stuffed full of plastic.
And when it comes to faith, it's much easier to believe in the best of humanity when you see people choosing to keep areas clean — not trashy.
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