What's the point of proselytizing?

[Unveiled Artist]

Say what?!

Sure did. I said it.

His love has conditions. When you have conditions, it isnt unconditional. When you have conditional love, its not thinking of the other person but oneself.

Unless you are equal to god, yes, by definition of his father and son, they think of themselves in relation to others.

But thats going off the bible. Every believer has different personal relationship with the bible so they see it in the way they feel most comfortable. Those who have mixed religions do it if christianity is part of their faith. Bahais do it. Atheists do it.

Its the same book. So, yeah, according to the book, no one is equal to god; its all about god.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I always think of witnessing as “telling my story of faith.” To proselytize is to convert someone to your faith. If, by my actions (which are at the heart of what constitutes “following Jesus”), others also act the same, then they have been successfully proselytized. The Great Commission tells us to make “us” out of “them.” “Us” are people who do what Jesus did, i.e. show mercy, compassion, kindness, etc.

I think the difference is intent and method.

If I came up to you and said The Dharma speaks of rebirth in that we continue to come here until we have full understanding of death. Afterwards we die. So, our best way to live in accordance with The Dharma is for us to watch our actions. For the purpose of no rebirth.

Thats education or witnessing. But the method you do so changes to pry*:

If you dont practice The Dharma, you will go through many rebirths until you finally reach the point you accept death. But that wont happen unless you accept there is no heaven just life after life.

Evangalization is more

If you want to buy the dharma at $5.99 it comes with an extra wisdom for free. Just come down to our temple and let us teach you have to get Free noble truths and a discount on a guru (tax not included).

Its just the way you approach it. Jesus wasnt passive so, I expect some pry* in christianity (as defined above) but not to where it goes over someone elses wellbeing.

Im sure theres a balance.

 

[sojourner]

Sure did. I said it.

His love has conditions. When you have conditions, it isnt unconditional. When you have conditional love, its not thinking of the other person but oneself.

Unless you are equal to god, yes, by definition of his father and son, they think of themselves in relation to others.

But thats going off the bible. Every believer has different personal relationship with the bible so they see it in the way they feel most comfortable. Those who have mixed religions do it if christianity is part of their faith. Bahais do it. Atheists do it.

Its the same book. So, yeah, according to the book, no one is equal to god; its all about god.

Methinks your theology is skewed.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Methinks your theology is skewed.

Lol. Like I say, everyones relationship with the bible is different. Some think the bible is jesus christ. Rarely, I met anyone outside lurtigical faiths that believe he isnt the bible.

My question is, how do you know jesus loves others if it were not in the bible? What is jesus love in your own words and experiences?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Y'all think I'm exaggerating about my environment?

Sometimes I get little notes on my door. Especially during holidays but it's almost ten at night here!

There are well intentioned people but very unknowing of how some things that's harmless (rather) to them can upset others greatly.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

1) “Being nice” was what Jesus asks us to do to follow him. If my being nice causes someone else to be nice, I’ve helped them to follow Jesus’ ex’s,ple.
2) why can’t “being nice” be the default position? Why isn’t that good enough?

It can certainly be good enough in general, but it's not an effective proselytizing tactic.

 

[stvdv]

I would think passive promotion by example would be a much better way to go about it.

What's the point of proselytizing?

Showing the world that you missed the point where Jesus said "Do not judge".....

 

[Fool]

One could also say it's a form of advertising to try to convince people.

There's the rub aside from the practice of bothering people when they're having dinner.

What proselytizing actually does is make a statement that such and such a religion is not capable of standing on its own merits leaving people to try to convince others using various means.

I don't see how people can be entirely comfortable with a religion that requires an active campaign akin with selling products and services.

I would think passive promotion by example would be a much better way to go about it.

Buddhist missions[edit]

Buddhist proselytism at the time of king Ashoka (260–218 BCE), according to his Edicts

Central Asian Buddhist monkteaching a Chinese monk. Bezeklik, 9th-10th century; although Albert von Le Coq (1913) assumed the blue-eyed, red-haired monk was a Tocharian,[41]modern scholarship has identified similar Caucasian figures of the same cave temple (No. 9) as ethnic Sogdians,[42] an Eastern Iranian people who inhabited Turfan as an ethnic minority community during the phases of Tang Chinese (7th-8th century) and Uyghur rule (9th-13th century).[43]
The first Buddhist missionaries were called "Dharma Bhanaks", and some[who?] see a missionary charge in the symbolism behind the Buddhist wheel, which is said to travel all over the earth bringing Buddhism with it. The Emperor Ashoka was a significant early Buddhist missioner. In the 3rd century BCE, Dharmaraksita—among others—was sent out by emperor Ashoka to proselytize[citation needed] the Buddhist tradition through the Indian Maurya Empire, but also into the Mediterranean as far as Greece. Gradually, all India and the neighboring island of Ceylon were converted. Then Buddhism spread eastward and southeastward to the present lands of Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.[44]

 

[Vinayaka]

Sometimes I get little notes on my door. Especially during holidays but it's almost ten at night here!

You have a fireplace than needs some starting paper?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

You have a fireplace than needs some starting paper?

Haha. I wish. Maybe Ill create a bon fire outside with smores and a huge smile on my face....

 

[Vinayaka]

Haha. I wish. Maybe Ill create a bon fire outside with smores and a huge smile on my face....

I have the no soliciting on the door, so I don't get anything. Last night this very annoying sales guy came along, and scammed Boss for awhile. She finally figured it out. I'm not very friendly to people who can't read. You could put up a picture of the devil on your door. Maybe that would scare them off.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I have the no soliciting on the door, so I don't get anything. Last night this very annoying sales guy came along, and scammed Boss for awhile. She finally figured it out. I'm not very friendly to people who can't read. You could put up a picture of the devil on your door. Maybe that would scare them off.

LOL You know.... that sounds like a good idea. I have a dream catcher on the door thats "rainbow" colored. Since there are a lot of elders here, I dont know they picked up the meaning (or did and thats why Im getting these flyers.)

Hmm. Now I gotta think about this. Ima do something, you watch!

 

[Vinayaka]

As a followup to Unveiled Artist, I really don't think many proselytizers realise how annoying they are. I had a Christian colleague at work who wore it on her sleeve, and also had volunteered to be our social co-ordinator. She approached me about my retirement, and what the staff could do for me. I said 'Nothing' in all honesty, as I'm not one for accolades, good-byes, and all that other 'sticky' gunk. So she went ahead and organised a surprise party and lunch. Just an example of a person being annoying, projecting what they want onto others, which is what proselytising does.

 

[Vinayaka]

LOL You know.... that sounds like a good idea. I have a dream catcher on the door thats "rainbow" colored. Since there are a lot of elders here, I dont know they picked up the meaning (or did and thats why Im getting these flyers.)

Hmm. Now I gotta think about this. Ima do something, you watch!

Or ... Find out where they live, and put stuff on their doors.

 

[lukethethird]

One could also say it's a form of advertising to try to convince people.

There's the rub aside from the practice of bothering people when they're having dinner.

What proselytizing actually does is make a statement that such and such a religion is not capable of standing on its own merits leaving people to try to convince others using various means.

I don't see how people can be entirely comfortable with a religion that requires an active campaign akin with selling products and services.

I would think passive promotion by example would be a much better way to go about it.

In a nutshell, the purpose of proselytizing is to foist ones phobias onto others.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Even when sharing after being asked, there has to be a whole lot of tact. The tone should be humble, not condescending, and with a whole lot of 'this is what we believe' thrown in, and never presented as fact. Tone means so much, and is the main reason I object to how fundamentalists say things.

I always enjoy reading your posts as you offer very sound advice and I sincerely thank you for it.