A Vestigial Mote
Well-Known Member
This question has developed over time via a rather large array of attempts made at my conversion that have never once seemed humble in origin to me. And I thought to start this thread today after a particularly interesting attempt at proselytizing that happened just yesterday as I was walking my dogs. If you care to read about it, open the "spoiler" below.
TLDR: The guy turned to (mild) insult when confronted with the idea that I wasn't going stock-accept his preaching, and that I had ideas greatly alternative to his own that I was just as fervent about. This sort of thing has happened so often (in "real life" as well as online) that it is definitely not limited to just a one-time anecdote. I literally can't remember a single attempt at proselytization that didn't end in the proselytizer telling me, or at least strongly hinting at the idea that I was arrogant, debase, going to hell, or "vile." And it seems very likely that, in their minds, I HAVE TO be some of those things to deny God - which is a complete load of crap. Good luck selling your worldview with a mindset like that! "The customer is ALWAYS WRONG." Nice.
So what does anyone else think? Is it even possible to come off as humble (and therefore not in any way superior) to your chosen target when actively proselytizing your religious belief system? If so, what would that even look like?
A mildly unkempt man in modest attire and a backpack approached as a few girls stopped to admire the puppy I was walking. I was attempting to keep my larger dog (a lab-pit mix) away because she is a rescue dog and tends to be unpredictable around people when outside, due to who knows what from her past. My big dog ended up barking at one of the girls (no biting, mind you), and the man proceeded to inform me that I should carry around a rod to beat the dog with when it gets out of line. When I told him she was a rescue, and was in all other respects a complete sweetheart, he proceeded to let me in on the idea that carrying a rod to subdue animals has Biblical origins.
That's when we got into real discussion, and I was not the least bit shy to tell him that I don't believe that The Bible is a universally accepted authority, and used many of the arguments/questions/points I have honed over time here on this site to head him off at every (predictable) objection he felt compelled to make, and every piece of scripture he seemed to expect take up permanent roots in my psyche.
Ultimately, as tends to be the case very often when proselytizers have run out of steam, he turned to an ad hominem-type statement, saying that if I took his prescribed advice regarding belief and study of scripture to heart I "would realize how vile I actually am." Mind you, I had not once insulted him. The closest I may have gotten was when he made some remark about believing fantastical things and I remarked sarcastically that "Yes, and witches can do magic, and deserve to be burned at the stake." to which he immediately, and with all honestly replied "Yes, they can." Then proceeded to ask me how I could explain the claims of some woman a town or two away who claimed to have received a necklace from a demon. I told him she was very likely delusional. And THAT is the closest I ever got in the entire conversation to saying anything about this man personally... and it wasn't even about him. Otherwise I was nothing but civil the entire time, rational through and through, not even raising my voice at any moment.
Observing his mannerisms, and the way he wielded scripture, I pegged him for one of those types who believe themselves either the second coming of the messiah, or at the very least a contemporary prophet. He was outspoken against modern church organizations, and very much eschewed separated factions/sects/denominations of Christianity - basically also one of those types who claims that no one (except themselves obviously) is "doing Christianity right." My suspicions were confirmed when later my wife posted about the encounter online, and someone replied that they saw us talking to him, and that he frequently walked his way all over town spreading his message, and had only recently started wearing shoes on his treks - where before he wore none purposefully in order to "be more like Jesus."
That's when we got into real discussion, and I was not the least bit shy to tell him that I don't believe that The Bible is a universally accepted authority, and used many of the arguments/questions/points I have honed over time here on this site to head him off at every (predictable) objection he felt compelled to make, and every piece of scripture he seemed to expect take up permanent roots in my psyche.
Ultimately, as tends to be the case very often when proselytizers have run out of steam, he turned to an ad hominem-type statement, saying that if I took his prescribed advice regarding belief and study of scripture to heart I "would realize how vile I actually am." Mind you, I had not once insulted him. The closest I may have gotten was when he made some remark about believing fantastical things and I remarked sarcastically that "Yes, and witches can do magic, and deserve to be burned at the stake." to which he immediately, and with all honestly replied "Yes, they can." Then proceeded to ask me how I could explain the claims of some woman a town or two away who claimed to have received a necklace from a demon. I told him she was very likely delusional. And THAT is the closest I ever got in the entire conversation to saying anything about this man personally... and it wasn't even about him. Otherwise I was nothing but civil the entire time, rational through and through, not even raising my voice at any moment.
Observing his mannerisms, and the way he wielded scripture, I pegged him for one of those types who believe themselves either the second coming of the messiah, or at the very least a contemporary prophet. He was outspoken against modern church organizations, and very much eschewed separated factions/sects/denominations of Christianity - basically also one of those types who claims that no one (except themselves obviously) is "doing Christianity right." My suspicions were confirmed when later my wife posted about the encounter online, and someone replied that they saw us talking to him, and that he frequently walked his way all over town spreading his message, and had only recently started wearing shoes on his treks - where before he wore none purposefully in order to "be more like Jesus."
TLDR: The guy turned to (mild) insult when confronted with the idea that I wasn't going stock-accept his preaching, and that I had ideas greatly alternative to his own that I was just as fervent about. This sort of thing has happened so often (in "real life" as well as online) that it is definitely not limited to just a one-time anecdote. I literally can't remember a single attempt at proselytization that didn't end in the proselytizer telling me, or at least strongly hinting at the idea that I was arrogant, debase, going to hell, or "vile." And it seems very likely that, in their minds, I HAVE TO be some of those things to deny God - which is a complete load of crap. Good luck selling your worldview with a mindset like that! "The customer is ALWAYS WRONG." Nice.
So what does anyone else think? Is it even possible to come off as humble (and therefore not in any way superior) to your chosen target when actively proselytizing your religious belief system? If so, what would that even look like?
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