Proselytizing (ritual, salvation, beliefs, door-to-door, church)

[Lightkeeper]

Proselytizing means to try to convert someone over to your religion or belief system. We have a "No Proselytizing" rule on the forum so I thought it would help to discuss what it means.

My question is where is the fine line between debating and trying to convert? Many people feel it is their religious duty to spread the beliefs of their religion. If you use the beliefs of your religion to make a judgment of another person, is this a form of proselytizing? If you tell another person they are wrong, because your religion says so, is this proselytizing? What do you think?

[Quoth The Raven]

Bearing in mind that we're all here of our own free will,we must - by the nature of the diversity of beliefs - expect to have people not agree with what we say based on whatever their belief system tells them is right. For instance, for someone to say,'I disagree with gay marriage because my holy book says I should.' isn't proselytizing, because that person is merely giving you the reason behind their stance. They're saying 'this is what I believe,'but not then saying you must believe the same.
Were they to say,'I disagree with gay marriage because my holy book says I should, and while we're on the subject of my holy book, it's really the only relevent holy book to be had, and anyone not of my religion will suffer eternal damnation. Because I'm so concerned about you people and you immortal souls, you should all accept that I'm right and race off down to the local meeting place of my particular sect and undergo the ritual baptism in sump oil, and so be saved.', you could pobably take it that they were trying to drum up some conversions.
It's the doorknockers I really resent...I consider it an invasion of my privacy to have someone rock up on my doorstep and try to sell me their religion like some door-to-door vaccuum salesman.
'Here, have you tried my God? He can suck up 8 varieties of sin...even the inground stuff that you don't even know is there!'

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by lady_lazarus

'Here, have you tried my God? He can suck up 8 varieties of sin...even the inground stuff that you don't even know is there!'

LOL... Well put!

The main objection I have to proselytizing is simply that it utterly bores me to be proselytized! I find it very rude to inflict merciless boredom on people, and it astounds me that most proselytizers fail to recognize just how boring their proselytizing can be to the non-believer, regardless of how many varieties of sin their religion sucks up.

[Ardhanariswar]

ya. totally. when you are commited to one thing, its very annoying to have a family of jehova witnesses ringing on your doorbell asking if you want to go to heaven. well, i want to, but i recognize the hindu path to salvation, so fack off.

or, i would invite them in plolitly and then rage and rage about the wrongs of christian fundamentalism, how its not tolerant, and just plain annyoing.


i dont believe in conversion. its just a pain to go from one organized religion, to another. why not make up your own belief system?

[Scott1]

When I was younger I did proselytize a bit......

Times were tough and I needed the money...... don't judge me.

For the record: I do look fabulous in fish-net stockings.

Scott

[Melody]

Don't forget...it doesn't take faith in God to proseltyze. I've seen a lot of proseltyzing by the atheists on these boards as well so it's not just confined to those who believe in a particular faith....but can be done by those whose faith is "no faith."

[Melody]

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

When I was younger I did proselytize a bit......

Times were tough and I needed the money...... don't judge me.

For the record: I do look fabulous in fish-net stockings.

Scott

Yowza...proseltyzing in fish net stockings "Scott"? The Catholic Church has sure changed since I was a kid!

[Ardhanariswar]

ack thats scary. i like fishnets tho. :wink:

i dont think God calls us to convert each other. every religion is a valid path to the same goal.

[Melody]

Originally Posted by Gerani1248

ack thats scary. i like fishnets tho. :wink:

i dont think God calls us to convert each other. every religion is a valid path to the same goal.

Gerani,
This type of view would not be accepted by the Christian faith because it goes against the believe that it is only by accepting Christ as your Saviour that you are saved. Translation - there is no other valid path.

I've read some of the translated Qur'an and they say pretty much the same thing. If you do not follow the teachings of Mohammed you are not following the one path to God.

For both of these religions (I'm not as familiar with others), there is only one way.

[Feathers in Hair]

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

For the record: I do look fabulous in fish-net stockings.

Scott

*whistles*

It was a hot and humid day last summer when two exhausted-looking Jehovahs' Witnesses came to my apartment door. I was, spiritually, on the verge of rebelling against all organized religion, and didn't feel as if it was right to take it out on these poor guys. I explained "I appreciate that you are spreading a message which you believe is true. At this time, I'm not ready to hear the message, but I've got some cold water and a place to sit down for a few minutes, if you're comfortable with that." They looked relieved, and we all sat around my kitchen table, sipping water and talking about the day. As I waved them away, I realized that they'd done more for me, spiritually, by allowing themselves to be refreshed for their journey than they would have by trying to 'force' their views on me. I love that religion, or spirituality, can have the power to make people walk miles in blistering heat or cold because the joy in their hearts is so great that they want to share it with others.

I don't love it, though, when the message gets corrupted so that they are simply trying to share hate with others!