question for proselytizing christians?

Question

do you believe in freedom of religion? if so, why do you spend so much time trying to convert people that are already content with their own religion?

and shall i add...instead of assuming everyone is searching and needing guidance, ever think of asking if they actually want to hear your religious rap before giving it to them?

i'm tired of people who think they possess all the answers. isn't it just simply respect of another's belief not to invalidate it just because it doesn't match your own? how would you like it if someone were to do that to you?

i narrowed this questions to just christians because i have to deal with them directly in my life. justifying the matter by saying it's not as bad as what another religion may do doesn't make what some christians insist on doing any less harmful (especially emotionally).

Answer 1

Some comedian said, "People who are eager to tell you about their religion never seem to want to hear about yours." Was that George Carlin? Steve Martin? I forget.

The big problem I have with Power Proselytizing is the position that fundies take. Which is (stated from their viewpoint): "I am right and you are wrong." Here is what one of the answerers below wrote:

"Think of it this way:
Everyone around you has a horrible disease.It is very dangerous,and there is only one cure for it.You used to have this disease,until you found the cure,so you know the cure works.Because you want everyone to be cured,you try and tell others about it. If the cured person had the very thing that would fix the others,they would be quite a horrid person if they refused to share it..."

So everyone has a horrible dangerous disease, and the fundie xtians are kind enough to give us the cure? There are major problems with this analogy.

1) The perception of the horrible disease is your opinion. It is not fact. This inability to distinguish between opinion and fact is what irks me about the 'reasoning' that is behind much of 'christian' witnessing. Statements are offered as fact, backed up by the 'authority' of the Bible. But it is all nothing more than opinion. YOU may believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, but most of the rest of the world sees the Bible as, at best, a flawed collection of human writings. At worst, the Bible has been used to justify some of the most bloody and horrible injustices in human history. (Crusades, slavery, the Holocaust) Believe what you believe: that's great. But when you start saying that YOUR truth is THE truth, then that's when you step from the real world into La-la land.
2) The 'cure' looks to me as being a heck of a lot worse than the disease. That is to say, if fundie xtians are the ones who are 'cured' then I'll remain sick, thank you all the same. I know there are Christians who take the message of Jesus sincerely, and actually appear to be serene people, who are truly in touch with God. But, sad to say, these are not the 'Christians' I see the most. Just the other day I was at a rally on the Capitol steps. 20 feet away stood a knot of 'christians' holding up signs saying: YOU DESERVE HELL. I look at them and I think: is this supposed to inspire me to follow their God? They look like angry, unhappy people. I don't want what they have. Any system, person, deity or presidential that uses fear to bolster its platform is on sinking ground.
3) The smugness that fundie xtians exude (I am right and you are wrong) strikes me as not only intellectually limiting, but as a strange sort of pride. It's one thing to feel comfortable and peaceful in what one believes. It's quite another to seemingly take such delight in the knowledge that the rest of us 'horribly diseased' people are going to fry in hell.

I prefer a stance of always being open to more truth.

Answer 2

You clearly have no idea what freedom of religion means. Christians have every right to attempt to convert you, and you have every right to decline to convert.

Would you ask the same question to someone who tries to convice a christian that there is no g-d? Does that person not believe in freedom of religion? Got to work both ways, my friend.

Freedom of religion is a concept having to do with THE GOVERNMENT. On the contrary, if congress were to pass a "no proselytizing" law, THAT may run afoul of the establishment clause of the constitution, since attempting to convert others is a part of the religion in some sects of christianity.

And, for the record, this is all coming from an orthodox Jew.

Answer 3

if this is what you believe, my goodness what do you think of the Muslims? They want you to believe the same as they do or they want to kill you. You question infers that Christians who speak of the Bible are out to change your thinking. I am sorry to disillusion you but the only ones that come to my mind are Christians fundamentalists and a lot of them have decided that every one is going to hell but them,.......to bad they haven't read enough of the Bible for if they had they would know that they aren't suppose to judge others. They feel like God wants them to spread the word of Jesus Christ having died for them and you too.

Edit note; By the way I am Catholic and I get the Baptists always preaching to me that I am going to hell, and they really want to go to church with me next Sunday. I ask them what time do they want me to pick them up for mass? The 9:00am, 10:15 am, or 11:30 am. They usually leave me alone after that, and when they don't I just do the same thing again. I have never had one try that same stuff again a third time

Answer 4

No,that's two seperate things.
Freedom of religion means the freedom to practice a religion,without it being outlawed,or you being disavataged because of it.
Evangelizing has nothing to do with freedom of religion.Think of it this way:
Everyone around you has a horrible disease.It is very dangerous,and there is only one cure for it.You used to have this disease,until you found the cure,so you know the cure works.Because you want everyone to be cured,you try and tell others about it.
If the cured person had the very thing that would fix the others,they would be quite a horrid person if they refused to share it.

Answer 5

Yes I belive in freedom of religion, the question is why don't some other religions proselytize? Some do, and I commend them for it, other do not, and I wonder why?

I have no problem with devout people who are content with their own religion. Its the non-devout people who don't care that need to change.

Answer 6

I do believe people are free to believe what they wish. But do not the other religions try to convert others to their way of thinking? Some would convert you or kill you! We are to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, that is our job above all else. Why are you offended because we don't want you to go to hell? Just because we try to convert you doesn't mean we try to force you to convert as some others do. How is it against freedom of religion for me to try to convert you?

Answer 7

Great question. How would they feel if someone put pressure on them to convert?

Answer 8

because people who are searching don't wear signs, so we have to ask everybody until we find the ones who are searching.

Answer 9

I can only point the way. You can either choose to listen or turn away. God tells us in the Bible to share the Good News.
http://www.chick.com/information/general/salvation.asp