Annoying proselytizing (and preaching)

[Shadow Wolf]

I know that there are several other former Christians on RF, so I was wondering if they've also been confronted by Christians about no longer being a Christian and how they handled it.

After I first left it was shocking. I learned quickly that although the Church screams and wails they are oppressed and persecuted in the name of Jesus, and it happens because the Bible says it will, it is actually Christians who dish out religious bigotry and persecution upon others. Even some I thought were friends actually weren't and cast me aside and renounced me as "demonically possessed."
And I came to challenge them when they'd come preaching, and I'd do it using the Bible. That taught me lots of them don't know the Bible that well to begin with.
But that was in Indiana. The only time anyone has even began to preach to me in California it was over before it began with a polite "have a nice day" from the guy before he moved on. So here I may be getting rusty.

It also makes me feel ashamed because it reminds me that I was once overbearing with other non-Christians and even with Christians who didn't believe exactly as I did.

Whenever I feel anything like that I look at the Christian reminding me of such things and I use the opportunity to see how far along I've grown and developed and moved away from that mentality. And I realize there's nothing to be ashamed of. I learned better, I cut out bad influences from my life, and I have improved as a person.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It took me many years to comprehend that it wasn't all Christians, in fact very few really but enough to leave a bad taste.

I wonder how common such a thing is among us? After I left I hated anything and everything Christian and viewed basically all Christians as guilty as the ones who tormented me.
It took an Episcopalian priest just being friendly and not bringing up religion at all for me to get over such a deeply rooted hatred.

 

[wandering peacefully]

I'm speaking from the perspective of a former evangelical Christian who understands how the game of evangelism is played. Being a former Christian appears to have put a target on my back because whenever some Christians learn that I am no longer a Christian, they seem to resort to immediately threatening me with God's wrath and hellfire. I recently encountered a situation in which several Christians accused me of being a witch and tried to learn personal information about me in order to confront me (read here). Nothing occurred because these Christians were unable to find out any information about me that would have allowed them to confront me.

As a former evangelical Christian, I know that Christians feel compelled to spread the gospel and convert nonbelievers to Christianity, but now that I'm on the opposite side, I find evangelizing by Christians to be quite annoying. It also makes me feel ashamed because it reminds me that I was once overbearing with other non-Christians and even with Christians who didn't believe exactly as I did. I have even apologized to some of these people since I left Christianity. I know that there are several other former Christians on RF, so I was wondering if they've also been confronted by Christians about no longer being a Christian and how they handled it. If you are not an ex-Christian but you've been preached at and coerced by Christians to convert to Christianity, then how did you handle the situation?

You gotta feel some empathy for these folks.

Only knowing what they have been told to believe with no ability to separate themselves from the messages. But some of them are really trying to understand what they are here suffering everyday for. They feel stuffed into a black or white box. Life is so hard for so many, fantastic ideals of afterlife and omnipotent gods must bring comfort to many.

I don't blame or judge then one bit for their situation.

 

[YoursTrue]

I'm speaking from the perspective of a former evangelical Christian who understands how the game of evangelism is played. Being a former Christian appears to have put a target on my back because whenever some Christians learn that I am no longer a Christian, they seem to resort to immediately threatening me with God's wrath and hellfire. I recently encountered a situation in which several Christians accused me of being a witch and tried to learn personal information about me in order to confront me (read here). Nothing occurred because these Christians were unable to find out any information about me that would have allowed them to confront me.

As a former evangelical Christian, I know that Christians feel compelled to spread the gospel and convert nonbelievers to Christianity, but now that I'm on the opposite side, I find evangelizing by Christians to be quite annoying. It also makes me feel ashamed because it reminds me that I was once overbearing with other non-Christians and even with Christians who didn't believe exactly as I did. I have even apologized to some of these people since I left Christianity. I know that there are several other former Christians on RF, so I was wondering if they've also been confronted by Christians about no longer being a Christian and how they handled it. If you are not an ex-Christian but you've been preached at and coerced by Christians to convert to Christianity, then how did you handle the situation?

At any rate, I have come to learn because of my intense Bible study, hellfire is a totally wrong concept of what the word hell means. Yet I am a Christian.

 

[YoursTrue]

In another story.

An acquaintance from another forum is a strega witch. Out shopping one day her amulet became visible. The checkout assistant asked what it was, she explained.

Several days later she was at work, the checkout assistant and a couple of friends broke into her home, armed, presumably to kill the witch.

Her dog did what dogs do to protect the home and was shot. Luckily she was not home or no doubt would have suffered the same fate.

When she returned home ehe rushed the dog to the vet who saved its life.

The culprits were caught, tried sentencd, and imprisoned. The ringleader commited suicide when he learned that he would not be released to spend Christmas with his family.

That is so terrible. While I certainly do not agree with witchery (or the Darwinian concept of evolution, etc and a lot of other popular things), it almost sounds like the crazed killings going on today.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

At any rate, I have come to learn because of my intense Bible study, hellfire is a totally wrong concept of what the word hell means. Yet I am a Christian.

Why do Christians do this? You ignore those who left, you say we weren't real Christians, you say we were wrong. And you say this despite the fact no one can definitely prove their Biblical position--not even after nearly 2,000 years of trying to figure it out--and other Christians will say you speak heresies.
You could learn a lot from listening to us. But, personally, I'm glad you Christians are so frequently so unwilling to do this amd so eager to blame those that leave because it makes you come off as jerks and it does help to inspire more people to leave as you warn those who aren't to stay away.

 

[ChristineM]

I wonder how common such a thing is among us? After I left I hated anything and everything Christian and viewed basically all Christians as guilty as the ones who tormented me.
It took an Episcopalian priest just being friendly and not bringing up religion at all for me to get over such a deeply rooted hatred.

I too blamed them all, after reading the bible it simply confirmed that's how they were taught to act.

It took a few earning my respect before i began to release they are not all nasty hypocrites

 

[ChristineM]

That is so terrible. While I certainly do not agree with witchery (or the Darwinian concept of evolution, etc and a lot of other popular things), it almost sounds like the crazed killings going on today.

There are Christians hounding and killing claimed witches in many countries. The girl i mentioned here was lucky.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I wonder how common such a thing is among us? After I left I hated anything and everything Christian and viewed basically all Christians as guilty as the ones who tormented me.
It took an Episcopalian priest just being friendly and not bringing up religion at all for me to get over such a deeply rooted hatred.

I too blamed them all, after reading the bible it simply confirmed that's how they were taught to act.

It took a few earning my respect before i began to release they are not all nasty hypocrites

I despised all things Christian for a while too after leaving Christianity, but my husband and his parents, who are devout Christians, were very patient with me and helped me get through it. I've told my husband that I'd absolutely loathe Christianity if it weren't for him, his parents, and a couple of other Christians we know. He said he understood and was sorry that I had such a hard time with it.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

At any rate, I have come to learn because of my intense Bible study, hellfire is a totally wrong concept of what the word hell means. Yet I am a Christian.

At any rate, I read and studied the Bible several times during the 30 years I was a devout Christian. I spent almost 5 years helping my nephew earn his Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree, during which time we extensively studied and researched the Bible and Christian theology. Now I know the Bible backwards, forwards, and sideways. I'm sure I know the Bible better than most Christians do.

 

[YoursTrue]

I too blamed them all, after reading the bible it simply confirmed that's how they were taught to act.

It took a few earning my respect before i began to release they are not all nasty hypocrites

They were not taught properly. As I get older I learn more. And I am looking sometimes at judicial decisions when I read about them or watch court proceedings on TV and realize how biased and/or wrong they can be. Even though in this world we need courts, etc. Sometimes I have to look up words and concepts to understand.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Proselytizing does not bother me. It is unfortunate that it is forbidden on this site. I

I think it is unfortunate that a definition has not been agreed on, that is the biggest issue, as how do you judge something that is not defined? Everyone here can be charged under the current guidelines.

It becomes the beastly weapon of each individuals own understanding.

Here would be a good explanation that RF could adopt.

"Proselytizing implies bringing undue pressure to bear upon someone to change his Faith and/or the making of threats and/or the offering of material benefits as an inducement to conversion."

I think that would be easier to moderate.

Regards Tony

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Why do Christians do this? You ignore those who left, you say we weren't real Christians, you say we were wrong. And you say this despite the fact no one can definitely prove their Biblical position--not even after nearly 2,000 years of trying to figure it out--and other Christians will say you speak heresies.
You could learn a lot from listening to us. But, personally, I'm glad you Christians are so frequently so unwilling to do this and so eager to blame those that leave because it makes you come off as jerks and it does help to inspire more people to leave as you warn those who aren't to stay away.

Preach it!

In all seriousness, I think you're spot on. Well said.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Zealous proselytizing is not limited Christians, nor, for that matter, to theists.

 

[YoursTrue]

At any rate, I read and studied the Bible several times during the 30 years I was a devout Christian. I spent almost 5 years helping my nephew earn his Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree, during which time we extensively studied and researched the Bible and Christian theology. Now I know the Bible backwards, forwards, and sideways. I'm sure I know the Bible better than most Christians do.

I guess we all must come to decisions when it seems there are contradictions about concepts in the Bible. In other words, what's figurative and what's real (literal). I do not believe a God who is love would ever torture anyone forever or even a little. The word often translated as hell does not mean torture.

 

[ChristineM]

They were not taught properly. As I get older I learn more. And I am looking sometimes at judicial decisions when I read about them or watch court proceedings on TV and realize how biased and/or wrong they can be. Even though in this world we need courts, etc. Sometimes I have to look up words and concepts to understand.

It's not a point of being taught properly but of how the teacher interprets the bible

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I too blamed them all, after reading the bible it simply confirmed that's how they were taught to act.

It took a few earning my respect before i began to release they are not all nasty hypocrites

When I was a neo-Pagan, I'd often hear in that bunch (lots of queers and women in this group where I was) that the Bible is filled with black magic, with Moses being a very wicked and evil sorcerer and Jesus casting his spells to lure people into spiritual death.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I think it is unfortunate that a definition has not been agreed on, that is the biggest issue, as how do you judge something that is not defined? Everyone here can be charged under the current guidelines.

I won't discuss the rule against proselytizing because it could be considered disruptive by the staff, but I will say that I agree with it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

At any rate, I read and studied the Bible several times during the 30 years I was a devout Christian. I spent almost 5 years helping my nephew earn his Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree, during which time we extensively studied and researched the Bible and Christian theology. Now I know the Bible backwards, forwards, and sideways. I'm sure I know the Bible better than most Christians do.

Sounds like if you go my route you can, as I do, refer to these encounters as Bible lessons as you beat the heads of proselytizers with Bible learning stuff they don't know about.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Everyone here can be charged under the current guidelines.

Not really.