I Want To Convert To Your Religion...

[Secret Chief]

I'd simply suggest a source or two to look into. What they do with my suggestion is of no concern to me. If they come back with questions I'd try to answer (haha) or point them to an appropriate source to provide an answer. I'm happy to do this but notions of sincerity, flip-flopping or whatever don't concern me.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I would say to such a person, "you convert to my religion, I'll convert to yours, and we'll meet again a year or two from now to compare notes."

 

[Riders]

Well, I don't really, but I thought it would get your attention.

But how about somebody else? If someone tells you(for sake of conversation, we'll say someone you know at least a little bit)they want to convert to your religion(or abandon the one they have in favor of your disbelief), how would you take such a comment?

Its easy if you can tell the person is sincere, and has been heading that way for years, but what if you're doubtful? Does this person often 'religion shop'? Would you be offended for that person to adopt your religion if it may be temporary or self serving?

What if you feel its insincere? I knew someone that was a Catholic when he felt good in life, and an atheist when he felt things were going wrong. Would it be troublesome for you to watch the person flip-flop back and forth depending on mood?

Perhaps the person is unaware of what it really means to be (insert your religion here). Do you educate them, or encourage them to do more research?

Or do you jump up and down in joy and open them with open arms, and toss any concerns to the wind?

If the person merely is considering it, do you tell them just the more positive aspects in hopes they'll convert, or do you make sure they understand any difficult aspects of your religious beliefs?

I don't know but my Jewish guy friend said they don't allow people to just convert like that. They have to study and ask a leader in their community 3 times or more if they can convert before they can.

 

[VoidCat]

I am a pagan witch...its a very flexible religion and each person has their own path with it. It's very individualistic. I woukd tell them this and invite them to do more research. I would warn them witchcraft and paganism is a lot of research. Most of my time I am doing research. And more research. And even more research. But even with research you have to know yourself. A lot of witches practice shadow work which isn't pretty for anyone. It's depressing and hard doing shadow work. Lots of crying when you confront the parts of yourself you hide. But that's the thing with witchcraft- the most important part of it is to know yourself. What works for me may not work for you. I would tell them my path is my own and advise them to go do research make their own. To ask questions if needed. Advise them not to work with deities early on. it's fine worshiping them tho. Give them a list of topics to start with. Examples: deities, paganism, Wicca vs witchcraft, what is magick and how does it work, invoke vs evoke, how to cast protection and how to do meditation. Suggest books. Tell them don't do any magick without knowing what theyre doing. Whether they stay or not isnt my concern as witchcraft and paganism isn't for everyone. But they do need to know how to be safe practicing magick. And they cant do that without proper research.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I would tell them I can convert them and make them an official Hindu for only 12 easy monthly payments of $39.95.

 

[SalixIncendium]

But in all seriousness, I think the first thing I would do before I went any further is ask why.

Then I would tell them to feel free to ask me any questions.

 

[Clara Tea]

Well, I don't really, but I thought it would get your attention.

But how about somebody else? If someone tells you(for sake of conversation, we'll say someone you know at least a little bit)they want to convert to your religion(or abandon the one they have in favor of your disbelief), how would you take such a comment?

Its easy if you can tell the person is sincere, and has been heading that way for years, but what if you're doubtful? Does this person often 'religion shop'? Would you be offended for that person to adopt your religion if it may be temporary or self serving?

What if you feel its insincere? I knew someone that was a Catholic when he felt good in life, and an atheist when he felt things were going wrong. Would it be troublesome for you to watch the person flip-flop back and forth depending on mood?

Perhaps the person is unaware of what it really means to be (insert your religion here). Do you educate them, or encourage them to do more research?

Or do you jump up and down in joy and open them with open arms, and toss any concerns to the wind?

If the person merely is considering it, do you tell them just the more positive aspects in hopes they'll convert, or do you make sure they understand any difficult aspects of your religious beliefs?

There is a person in my neighborhood who tells the police that he works as a security guard at the church. He wears a T-shirt that says "Security" and he has been arrested many times for various crimes. The pastor of the church says that he never heard of him, and that there is certainly no one by his name who attends his church, and the pastor claims that he knows all members. The pastor also said that his church doesn't have a security guard. This person has burglarized our neighborhood for years, and is a well known drug pusher and drug user. His voice sounds like Ignitowski (from the TV show, Taxi). His mind has been blown away by a lifetime of hard narcotics. He often has been found in open garages, and if anyone let him sleep it off, he gets into everything and tracks paint and other substances around the property.

He often rides around the neighborhood with his drug pushing buddy on a two wheeled personal transporter. They seem to have every luxury. He steals clothes off of clothes lines. He breaks into homes, duplicates house keys, then multiply burglarizes people. He threatens people. He shouts at people that they are picking on him because he is handicapped (plays the victim, but is the victimizer).

Helpful policemen sometimes help him carry big loads. For example, late at night, there are sometimes heavy bags of money in bank vaults that the owner of the bank would liked hauled to safety, so the police officer, being helpful, lifts the other end.

Maybe we could introduce him to people who need security protection to guard their valuables?

Maybe we could have him teach others religion?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Ah........ the Earthling bit is more important than the Deism bit.
Conversion to Earthling belief is fairly simple, please just go outside and try to leave Mother Earth without Nasa's help ...... jump! Now jump higher!

Now go inside and rest, 'cos jumping is tough..... well it is for me anyway.

I can leave Mother Earth without even getting out of my chair.

Salix,
Doesn't jump

 

[Clara Tea]

Sure, Buddha was much wiser for the time when he lived. For many Hindus he is the ninth and the latest avatarqa of Lord Vishnu (Buddhists differ, Buddha also would not have accepted that). But the concept that you mention is not an exclusive Buddhist concept, it is an Indian concept. Mahavira of the Jains even abandoned wearing clothes and walked barefoot. He was the Che Guevara of religions, practiced what he preached. Lord Krishna said in Gita:

"yaḥ sarvatra anabhisnehas, tat tat prāpya śubha aśubham;
na abhinandati na dveṣṭi, tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā." BG 2.57

In the material world, one who is satisfied with whatever good or evil may come his way without desiring, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.

Digambar (sky-clad) Jain Monks walking barefoot. The only things that they carry is a gourd for water and a broom for clearing the insects from the place where they put their feet so that none is killed. They beg food only at one house-hold and accept as much as comes in their palms and no second helping. Jains are some of the richest people in India. Many abandon their family, worldly riches, to become monks:

About "Me Tarzan, you Jain." Somehow they seem to have irreconcilable differences.

 

[Colt]

Well, I don't really, but I thought it would get your attention.

But how about somebody else? If someone tells you(for sake of conversation, we'll say someone you know at least a little bit)they want to convert to your religion(or abandon the one they have in favor of your disbelief), how would you take such a comment?

Its easy if you can tell the person is sincere, and has been heading that way for years, but what if you're doubtful? Does this person often 'religion shop'? Would you be offended for that person to adopt your religion if it may be temporary or self serving?

What if you feel its insincere? I knew someone that was a Catholic when he felt good in life, and an atheist when he felt things were going wrong. Would it be troublesome for you to watch the person flip-flop back and forth depending on mood?

Perhaps the person is unaware of what it really means to be (insert your religion here). Do you educate them, or encourage them to do more research?

Or do you jump up and down in joy and open them with open arms, and toss any concerns to the wind?

If the person merely is considering it, do you tell them just the more positive aspects in hopes they'll convert, or do you make sure they understand any difficult aspects of your religious beliefs?

If I perceive that someone is a real truth seeker rather than a doctrine preserver then I mention the Urantia Book revelation to them and let them search it if they desire. I've given out many UB's over the years. Its like planting seed, very few grow but those that do are amazing to watch.

But the UB isn't a religion its a revelation so its not so much a matter of "converting" someone as it is providing answers to questions they have always had.

 

[Marcion]

If someone tells you(for sake of conversation, we'll say someone you know at least a little bit)they want to convert to your religion (or abandon the one they have in favor of your disbelief), how would you take such a comment?

I would tell them that there is no need to leave your religion in order to start practising my type of tantra-yoga. In fact I have known Christians who joined but remained Christian. Of course tantra-yoga is no religion, so it does not really fit the question well.

 

[Clara Tea]

If someone genuinely believes Baha'u'llah to be a Prophet or Manifestation of God, they are already a Baha'i. Enrolment is just a formality. The Baha'i Assembly would want to have some assurance the declarant is sincere in their belief and has some basic understanding of what it means to be a Baha'i. On the whole we don't make it hard for people to enroll as Baha'is and we're always happy to have new members.

God has had many prophets in modern times. Those prophets are amazed at the powers of ESP that God has bestowed upon them, but they know that they are not allowed to brag (God is the source, and God is the one that should be admired and worshiped, and they should not be worshiped just because they have divine insight from God). At first, it was scary for them to have met on the internet, since they are dealing with "things that go bump in the night." But, they quickly came to the realization that they, too, are "things that go bump in the night." The only difference is that they were vastly more powerful than some ghost.

These prophets of God didn't want to believe in God, nor in psychic abilities, and they just wanted to lead normal lives. But, God gave them proof that their psychic visions would come true. This proof consisted of other visions of things that would, eventually, come to pass. After predicting the future, then watching as that future unfolds (exactly as they predicted it), even they had no alternative but to wholeheartedly believe in ESP and believe that God has given them the gift of psychic abilities.

No longer do they have to wonder if they are losing their minds, because they met other psychics of God online, and they, too, feel the same way, and they too can predict future events.

Sadly, one thing that God let some of them know was that their lives would be short.

 

[thomas t]

If the person merely is considering it, do you tell them just the more positive aspects in hopes they'll convert, or do you make sure they understand any difficult aspects of your religious beliefs?

great questions.
Actually, I tell them the good things.
I tell them what happened in my life before and after the conversion on April 21st in 2002.
I also tell them about the churches. Risks and challenges but also the opportunities.
And I tell them where I see the weaknesses of Christianity today.

When they are converted I won't do anything for 3 months but let their heart show them what to do next.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Some convert to Judaism as part of their commitment to forge the foundations of a Jewish family.

As for the rest, I would note Tellushkin's Jewish Literacy while suggesting that conversion is most likely an unnecessary bridge too far.

 

[Aupmanyav]

About "Me Tarzan, you Jain." Somehow they seem to have irreconcilable differences.

Differences, yes, even irreconcilable differences, we have that in Hinduism itself. The two religions have their own philosophies. But no Indian religion slights any other Indian religion. We have utmost respect for Indian religions other than ours. I am a fan of Mahavira of Jains. See his courage. To what extent did he go to do what he preached. Mahavira was a rebel in true sense. I would have been happy if Hindus had accepted him as an avatara of Lord Vishnu as they did in case of Buddha. 'I believe this and you believe that' is never considered a bad thing in Indian religions. Excuse me, but we are not Abrahamic religions.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I would tell them I can convert them and make them an official Hindu for only 12 easy monthly payments of $39.95.

You intend to start a side-business.If they have questions I will answer (absolutely free). I would never ask them to convert, it will be their wish if they want to do so. But for me, it would be disgraceful to ask anyone to convert to Hinduism.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I can leave Mother Earth without even getting out of my chair.
Salix,
Doesn't jump

I do not think one can. I do not know of a scientific process by which our atoms / molecules / energy can leave Mother Earth (Seriously). If any one knows, please enlighten me.

 

[SalixIncendium]

You intend to start a side-business.If they have questions I will answer (absolutely free). I would never ask them to convert, it will be their wish if they want to do so. But for me, it would be disgraceful to ask anyone to convert to Hinduism.

The post you quoted was intended to be a joke.

And of course I don’t think anyone should be asking another to convert to Hinduism ( or to any other religion, for that matter). But this thread is about being approached by one who wants to convert, not asking people to convert.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I do not think one can. I do not know of a scientific process by which our atoms / molecules / energy can leave Mother Earth (Seriously). If any one knows, please enlighten me.

But you said you already are enlightened.

 

[metis]

Within Catholicism, much learning is required prior to any attempt of a person converting, thus the program we use is months long with literally no pressure whatsoever placed on a person other then for them to think and pray over whether they'd be making the right move for them. I've been involved as a teacher within that process for 15 years now.