Pagans: How do you deal with conversion attempts?

[Beck63Don]

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm not the least bit interested at this time."

 

[Isabella Lecour]

To door knockers and pamphlets givers: "Thank you but no thank you."
To button holders and door space invaders: "Get your foot out of the door before I break it." or "Stop following me or you'll be eating your teeth."
To well meaning friends: "Lets get together and talk about religion. I'll bring the soda, you get popcorn?" Most times I never manage to get to share.
To fire and brimstone preachers and street corner screamers: "Get the bleep...off the road. Your being a driving hazard!" Yes I'm not so nice to them.
To well meaning co-workers who can't help themselves: Politely listen if I can, work comes first; and to never comment. Tends to shut down the whole conversation. Religion in the workplace is a bad combo.
To those who do nothing but stare holes in ya: I stare one right back at them and smirk.
To invitations to visit a church that arrives in the mail: Goes right into the trash can.

So, yea. It does depend on how the conversion is attempted.

 

[Super Universe]

Who do you talk to when you are alone, what provides that voice in your head? Your conscience. Do you think it's just a strange accident of evolution that humans have a conscience while the rest of the animals on the planet don't? Does a lion share food?

Look at a young child and tell me, do you think they have a soul?

Where do you think that everlasting sentient energy (soul) comes from?

 

[Solon]

" The soul is not born, nor does it die. That self has not come from anywhere, has not become anyone.
Unborn, changeless, primeval, everlasting, that self is not slain when the body is slain."

Katha Upanishad

 

[Super Universe]

How do you reconcile your belief in an everlasting soul but disbelief in a Creator of the universe?

 

[Majikthise]

A census taker once tried to test me.......... FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.

 

[Solon]

How do you reconcile your belief in an everlasting soul but disbelief in a Creator of the universe?

They are quite independent of one another; however that's only my personal feelings, I cannot prove it to be true, and neither can anybody prove their particular stance.

S

 

[Super Universe]

Prove? No, I don't think so. I was an angry athiest for many years. If God truly existed, I thought, then I hated Him for the religion he forced upon me and the cruel world that He abandoned me to.

Then He gave me a push and I knew instantly that I was wrong. What a difficult journey it has been.

God gets the blame for so many human mistakes.

I'm not trying to convert you, well, that's not completely true, but I would like to find out where you are. You visit this place so I think you are farther along than I was before I got my 'push'.

So if you believe in a soul, what do you think happens to it after death?

 

[Mike182]

For any of the pagans that inhabit the board.. how do you deal with it when people from other religions (not necessarily Christianity) attempt to convert you to their religion? What do you think the most appropriate response to conversion-attempts is?

Also, do you feel it's appropriate to attempt to convert others to paganism (well, whichever sect you fall under, since paganism isn't techinically a religion)? If not, why?

I haven't had to deal with any direct conversion attempts, though I have had pressure from friends and family to go back to Christianity. Nothing big, and it doesn't bother me too much, since I know they're genuinely concerned with me and not attempting to be a Bible-thumper. (On that note, how do you convince your friends and family you're not misguided or in trouble spiritually?)

I think possibly the worst thing to do is attempt to use whatever holy book they use as their guidelines to make them look like idiots. I've heard of some people BRAGGING about using the Bible/Koran/OT to make door-to-door (ack, I'm having a brain fart. What's the word for people who go door-to-door and ask if you're part of their religion?) look like idiots. That does nothing but breed strife, which is the last thing that needs to be done.

I don't feel conversion attempts are appropriate for pagans. I think we should live as an example, not just try to drag as many people to our side as possible. In my opinion, if the Lord and Lady call them, they'll come, and we don't need to worry about it.

Thoughts? Comments?

an interesting question, i mostly just tell people that i am fine walking the path that i do, but thankyou for their concern

if they push me and push me, i highlight a few of the problems i would have with their religion, and then tell them again that i am fine walking the path that i already do, and no one has pushed past that point, except one poor JW, but thats another story

do i try to convert people to my religion, no, but if people ask about my religion i am always open for talking about it, discussing it etc

my friends and family, well, they all knew i did not have conservative christian beliefs, and after assuring them that paganism is not devil worship or evil, and explaining it abit to them, they have been quite understanding.

i think we should just do as we are called to do, respect nature, respect the god and goddess, and the other various deities etc. i think we (as a general religion) should become more active in campaigning for saving the environment, do our bit to help the planet etc, but these are just my thoughts

blessed be

 

[Solon]

Prove? No, I don't think so. I was an angry athiest for many years. If God truly existed, I thought, then I hated Him for the religion he forced upon me and the cruel world that He abandoned me to.

Then He gave me a push and I knew instantly that I was wrong. What a difficult journey it has been.

God gets the blame for so many human mistakes.

I'm not trying to convert you, well, that's not completely true, but I would like to find out where you are. You visit this place so I think you are farther along than I was before I got my 'push'.

So if you believe in a soul, what do you think happens to it after death?

It floats free in the cosmos, unless it's recycled, Hindu style, but eventually it's goal must be Mosksha through Samsara. In other words, never to return to the Earth plain.

S

 

[Super Universe]

Bouncing from life form to life form, planet to planet, learning, experiencing.

Maybe the souls could meet other souls and together they could discuss ways of improving the universe? They could teach each other about the physical laws, energy vs matter, the true source of gravity, and how to move quickly over vast distances. They would need a common language. And some would have to be in charge. They could do a lot of good but they would not be accepted if they forced their beliefs and ways upon the lesser beings they intend to help.

It's an interesting idea.

 

[DTrent]

I just tell them that I'm very sorry but I believe that proselytising is morally wrong and explain why I think this if necessary. They never seem to have an answer to this one.

"Morally wrong"?? Yes, please explain that one!

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I think the explanation might be simply sarcasm. If one wishes to debate it though, I'd be happy to create another thread in the "Religious Debates" forum.

 

[enchanted_one1975]

For any of the pagans that inhabit the board.. how do you deal with it when people from other religions (not necessarily Christianity) attempt to convert you to their religion? What do you think the most appropriate response to conversion-attempts is?

I tell them that I do not believe their religion is based on the truth, but if it works for them that I am happy for them. I then tell them that my religion makes me happy and that is what matters to me.

Also, do you feel it's appropriate to attempt to convert others to paganism (well, whichever sect you fall under, since paganism isn't techinically a religion)? If not, why?

No. I feel that Paganism finds those who are right for it rather than us finding Paganism.

I haven't had to deal with any direct conversion attempts, though I have had pressure from friends and family to go back to Christianity. Nothing big, and it doesn't bother me too much, since I know they're genuinely concerned with me and not attempting to be a Bible-thumper. (On that note, how do you convince your friends and family you're not misguided or in trouble spiritually?)

Tell them that you are happy in ways that Christianity could never do for you.

I think possibly the worst thing to do is attempt to use whatever holy book they use as their guidelines to make them look like idiots. I've heard of some people BRAGGING about using the Bible/Koran/OT to make door-to-door (ack, I'm having a brain fart. What's the word for people who go door-to-door and ask if you're part of their religion?) look like idiots. That does nothing but breed strife, which is the last thing that needs to be done.

I agree. When they say or do something stupid I may ask them where their bible tells them to do such a thing. Aside from that, if they start quoting from the bible at me, I let them know that I feel that their bible is a book of fiction and that it not my holy book. I let them know that if they wish to know the Word I live by that they should read (insert Wiccan or Egyptian Mythology book title here).

I don't feel conversion attempts are appropriate for pagans. I think we should live as an example, not just try to drag as many people to our side as possible. In my opinion, if the Lord and Lady call them, they'll come, and we don't need to worry about it.

Seems like you feel the same way I do (see text below second quotation block above).

 

[MoonWater]

For any of the pagans that inhabit the board.. how do you deal with it when people from other religions (not necessarily Christianity) attempt to convert you to their religion? What do you think the most appropriate response to conversion-attempts is?

I haven't really encountered this sort of thing in real life, though I did so occasionally when I would ask Pagan related questions on yahoo answers. I just ignored them. When I got visited by some jehova's witnesses I was very polite and respectful, I accepted the booklet they gave me as I was curious about their views and when they asked me about my views on the bible I said simply that I do not believe in it personally be do find it to be a great source of wisdom. We shook hands parted on friendly terms and that was that. As for an ACTUAL conversion attempt well I don't know because I've never actually dealt with one.

Also, do you feel it's appropriate to attempt to convert others to paganism (well, whichever sect you fall under, since paganism isn't techinically a religion)? If not, why?

I don't feel conversion in general is appropriate. Just like Christianity wasn't right for me so Paganism isn't right for everybody. If there was one religion that could fit everyone then we wouldn't have so many to choose from.

(On that note, how do you convince your friends and family you're not misguided or in trouble spiritually?)

I'm one of those lucky ones who doesn't have to. I was born into at least an immediate family that doesn't really care about what religion I follow. I don't know so much about my extended family, their more conservative than my parents, but then I don't think they know I'm Pagan, I certainly haven't told them. I doubt they would try to convert me but I do imagine they would likely be more accepting and more comfortable with it if I had decided to take up say hinduism or buddhism or some other religion with less of a stigma on it.

[quote
I think possibly the worst thing to do is attempt to use whatever holy book they use as their guidelines to make them look like idiots. I've heard of some people BRAGGING about using the Bible/Koran/OT to make door-to-door (ack, I'm having a brain fart. What's the word for people who go door-to-door and ask if you're part of their religion?) look like idiots. That does nothing but breed strife, which is the last thing that needs to be done.[/quote]

I agree, that is atrocious. And also hypocritical in a sense when you consider that someone could turn around and do the same thing to us just as easily with any book written on paganism, after all to an outsider a lot of the stuff in those books must seem a bit kooky

I don't feel conversion attempts are appropriate for pagans. I think we should live as an example, not just try to drag as many people to our side as possible. In my opinion, if the Lord and Lady call them, they'll come, and we don't need to worry about it.

I agree, if people allow themselves the freedom to search and think for themselves then they will find the path best suited for them, whether that be paganism, christianity, atheism or whatever else may strike their fancy. It's not our business to drag them down our path. We can show them our path if their curious and guide them down it if they wish to accompany us, but that is all.

 

[The Neo Nerd]

I tell them i am pagan and wait.

I've never had one continue to try and convert me so i guess i havent had the pleasure of a full blown debate.

Actually the last person who tried to convert me was really great he asked me about paganism and we ended up talking for about a half an hour about religion. It was great to see an open minded bible thumper for a change.

-Q