Important Questionnaire #26: RF Rule 8

[Revoltingest]

How many of us here find proselytizing inoffensive?
It doesn't insult me.
It doesn't threaten me.
It just rolls on past with no effect.

 

[Vinayaka]

How many of us here find proselytizing inoffensive?
It doesn't insult me.
It doesn't threaten me.
It just rolls on past with no effect.

I'm personally not offended. The reason I'm against it is because vulnerable people get hurt by the occasional success ... conversion. I'm not a vulnerable person. But suppose for some reason you went on some long antique buying adventure, maybe for 6 weeks. While you were gone, your dear wife, out of loneliness, meets some guy from somewhere peddling some religions, and through some kind of process, gets converted, and even becomes somewhat radical in her newfound faith. When you finally return, antiques in tow, she's a new person. And she ain't as pretty. What would you think then? Would it roll on past?

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm personally not offended. The reason I'm against it is because vulnerable people get hurt by the occasional success ... conversion. I'm not a vulnerable person. But suppose for some reason you went on some long antique buying adventure, maybe for 6 weeks. While you were gone, your dear wife, out of loneliness, meets some guy from somewhere peddling some religions, and through some kind of process, gets converted, and even becomes somewhat radical in her newfound faith. When you finally return, antiques in tow, she's a new person. And she ain't as pretty. What would you think then? Would it roll on past?

We should weigh the damage done to the few who convert
cuz of proselytizing vs damage done by sanctions against it.
I'm skeptical that proselytizing gains converts in any number.
And is there really damage?
Is it a victimless crime?
Are we policing this for the sake of policing?

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm personally not offended. The reason I'm against it is because vulnerable people get hurt by the occasional success ... conversion. I'm not a vulnerable person. But suppose for some reason you went on some long antique buying adventure, maybe for 6 weeks. While you were gone, your dear wife, out of loneliness, meets some guy from somewhere peddling some religions, and through some kind of process, gets converted, and even becomes somewhat radical in her newfound faith. When you finally return, antiques in tow, she's a new person. And she ain't as pretty. What would you think then? Would it roll on past?

If she converted to some religion, she'd still be the same person
with the same personality. Were she vulnerable to proselytizing,
if it weren't one new religion, it would be another.
Would her new beliefs be more problematic than those she gave up?
The odds look about even.
So I see no danger.

 

[Heyo]

I'm personally not offended. The reason I'm against it is because vulnerable people get hurt by the occasional success ... conversion. I'm not a vulnerable person. But suppose for some reason you went on some long antique buying adventure, maybe for 6 weeks. While you were gone, your dear wife, out of loneliness, meets some guy from somewhere peddling some religions, and through some kind of process, gets converted, and even becomes somewhat radical in her newfound faith. When you finally return, antiques in tow, she's a new person. And she ain't as pretty. What would you think then? Would it roll on past?

That's a false equivalency. "Proselytising" on a forum is more like the preacher trying to get more converts when everybody is present, not when we are all hunting antiques. A preacher who can convince someone here has earned the new follower.

 

[Vinayaka]

We should weigh the damage done to the few who convert
cuz of proselytizing vs damage done by sanctions against it.
I'm skeptical that proselytizing gains converts in any number.
And is there really damage?
Is it a victimless crime?
Are we policing this for the sake of policing?

I don't think anybody here gets converted, (I think it has the opposite effect actually ... people get turned off) but in real life they do, and yes real harm is done. But I'm privy to stuff you may not be.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't think anybody here gets converted, (I think it has the opposite effect actually ... people get turned off) but in real life they do, and yes real harm is done. But I'm privy to stuff you may not be.

I'm privy to some PMs here which color my view that sanctions
against proselytizing are damaging. I get a strong impression
that most conversions are to atheism. I'm fine with that.

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm privy to some PMs here which color my view that sanctions against proselytizing are damaging. I get a strong impression
that most conversions are to atheism. I'm fine with that.

Makes sense.

The forum is rather different than real life, but you know that.

 

[Revoltingest]

Makes sense.

The forum is rather different than real life, but you know that.

Aye, real life for me is chock full of atheists who were brought up Catholic.
We talk of their conversion, & it was all from within....influenced by learning science.

 

[Vinayaka]

Aye, real life for me is chock full of atheists who were brought up Catholic.
We talk of their conversion, & it was all from within....influenced by learning science.

The forum is the only place I meet folks outside of Hinduism, other than my relatives. Before I retired it was almost entirely Christians at work.

Conversion should only be from within, in my view. I accept that.