Proselytizing

[lunakilo]

Yesterday I met a woman outside the supermarket from Jehovah's Witnesses.
She was nice enough to want to save me, but I was having one of those I-don't-wanna-be-saved-today-days so I said no thank you and walked on.

I few moments later I walked past the mormon temple i Copenhagen which i live right next to.
Luckily no mormons felt like saving me this day (not the right time of the year I guess), so I managed to reach my apartment without getting to know God.

People who proselytize really annoy me.
People can believe in what they wan't as long as they don't push their belives on me.
If I want to know about their religion I will ask them (or some random people on the internet )

I started thinking about the times people have asked me if I "know God" and I realised that it has mostely been Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses who has done this.
The area of the city I live in has a large muslim population, but I don't remember any muslims ever trying to "save" me.
Maybe they have just decided that I am beond help, who knows ( ) but it puzzles me why there is such a difference between religions.

Why do people from some religion proselytize more than others?

 

[Thief]

Yesterday I met a woman outside the supermarket from Jehovah's Witnesses.
She was nice enough to want to save me, but I was having one of those I-don't-wanna-be-saved-today-days so I said no thank you and walked on.

I few moments later I walked past the mormon temple i Copenhagen which i live right next to.
Luckily no mormons felt like saving me this day (not the right time of the year I guess), so I managed to reach my apartment without getting to know God.

People who proselytize really annoy me.
People can believe in what they wan't as long as they don't push their belives on me.
If I want to know about their religion I will ask them (or some random people on the internet )

I started thinking about the times people have asked me if I "know God" and I realised that it has mostely been Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses who has done this.
The area of the city I live in has a large muslim population, but I don't remember any muslims ever trying to "save" me.
Maybe they have just decided that I am beond help, who knows ( ) but it puzzles me why there is such a difference between religions.

Why do people from some religion proselytize more than others?

This is how it works....picture my last hour...my last breath....

As I stand up from the dust, the angels appear.
They will ask a question and my response makes all the difference.

They will then permit me to follow, or leave me where I fell.

If allowed to follow...they will ask another question.
Did I tell any one else?

Then, they will come looking for you.

In all fairness...the above scenario....
is not thought about by most believers....any religion....take your pick.

 

[Orbital]

Why do people from some religion proselytize more than others?

Some religions need to advertise more than others.

Sometimes the only way a company can survive is through mass advertisement, not the actual product.

 

[Breathe]

Why do people from some religion proselytize more than others?

Some people feel more compelled to do it to save others. Some religions encourage proselytism.
Others just don't give a crap.

Am I the only one in the world who isn't arsed by proselytisers at all, even when they come to the door?

I'm more bothered by people who attack my beliefs and think they know better than someone who is asking me if I'm interested in their religion. I've found "no thanks, I'm comfortable in my own beliefs. I will contact your group otherwise" works fine against preachers.

 

[lunakilo]

Am I the only one in the world who isn't arsed by proselytisers at all, even when they come to the door?

I suddenly remember a story a friend of mine once told me about his father.

I couple of religious people, a young man and an older man, came to the door and wanted to talk to my friend's father about God.
My friends father was a bit bored, so he said ok and invited them in.

They started to talk about God, and my friend's father who was an atheist told them that he did't believe in God. They asked him why, and he started to explain.

The short version of the story is that the after a while the youngest of the two started to listen to my friend's father and say that some of his arguments made sense, and the older man descided that it was time to leave.

So I guess my friend's father also don't mind religious people who ring the doorbell

 

[Reverend Rick]

The mindset is, when people of faith get to heaven they will be asked about the good deeds they have done.

Did you help the poor?
Did you love your neighbor?
Did you bring any souls to God?

Most of these folks do more harm than good.

It's not my job to bring folks kicking and scratching to the Lord whether they like it or not.

It is my job as a Christian to lead by example and plant seeds in folks minds, the rest is up to God.

 

[sojourner]

The Biblical basis for "witnessing" is Matthew 28:19ff. That passage has been misunderstood and conflated by some Xian groups to mean that they should go door-to-door, or stand on street corners and preach. I disagree with that act. I feel as though I do far more by way of living my daily life than by throwing words at people.

 

[ChristineES]

We have JWs coming to our door. They annoy my husband more than they do me. I guess my main problem is that JWs think no one can follow Jesus correctly except for them, which is one of my pet peeves. But, that said, this is what JWs are taught to do, that they have to do it. I personally believe that since people always came to Jesus Himself and not the other way around, that is the way it should be done now. I am sure that nearly everyone in the free world has heard about God (Not counting little children and not even Jesus taught babies, I think He let parents handle their own children until the children were old enough to handle themselves).
I just listen to the JWs, recite some verses for them (they are always surprised that I actually know bible verses, for some reason), and then they go on their way, leaving me with some Watchtower or some other pamphlet.

 

[*Anne*]

I don't mind chatting a bit as long as they don't tell me I'm going to hell. That bums me out.

I will say my experiences with JWs have been pleasant. The only person who managed to get me rattled was a fellow Catholic.

 

[ChristineES]

I don't mind chatting a bit as long as they don't tell me I'm going to hell. That bums me out.

I will say my experiences with JWs have been pleasant. The only person who managed to get me rattled was a fellow Catholic.

JWs don't believe in Hell, they believe that anybody not a JW Spirit will be destroyed.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

When I open the door, I just start undoing my belt like I'm going to take off my pants.

Never had to go all the way.

 

[ninerbuff]

Followers of religions that teach you to "spread" the word do it for ONLY 1 reason...........money. Why does any business advertise? To make more money. More customers means more money. Religion is really no different in this respect.

 

[waitasec]

i once asked for their address so that i can come to their door and share my atheism on their time.
needless to say i never got an address...

 

[Flankerl]

Some religions need to advertise more than others.

Sometimes the only way a company can survive is through mass advertisement, not the actual product.

Haha right you are. That'll win you a frubal

 

[*Anne*]

...they believe that anybody not a JW Spirit will be destroyed.

Yikes. That totally did not come up in our conversation. (Which might explain why I enjoyed talking with them so much. )

 

[ninerbuff]

Yikes. That totally did not come up in our conversation. (Which might explain why I enjoyed talking with them so much. )

They were pleasant to talk to when they came to my door. Of course when I stated that no god existed, their eyes widened.

 

[Breathe]

Interestingly, I've ended up with every Mormon missionary I've ever met shaking my hands even after I've told them I don't believe in Mormonism. Dunno why.

 

[ChristineES]

Yikes. That totally did not come up in our conversation. (Which might explain why I enjoyed talking with them so much. )

I had studied with them for months before I found that out. I decided to go to a Baptist Church later on. The people I studied with, I found out 25 years later they became another denomination as well.

 

[Poisonshady313]

I had a pair of Mormons knock on my door. Had nothing better to do, so l let them ramble on incoherently for a while (they must have been rookies) and invite me to "rely on prayer". I was waiting for them to get to a punchline. I don't think there was one. They weren't very sure of themselves. I mentioned that I'm Jewish, they mentioned that jesus was Jewish, and they asked me why I don't believe in him. I told them "the fact that we're standing here, in Poughkeepsie New York, is proof enough that Jesus wasn't what you say he was.". They asked if they could give their card. I said no. Have a nice day. And that was it.

 

[Poisonshady313]

Then there was the missionary who confronted me at the food court at the mall. Tossed in a few very badly pronounced Hebrew words after learning that I'm Jewish. Thought he might try to impress me.

I proceeded to challenge him to explain to me how Jesus could be the son of David when family lineage is traced through the father yet he believes in the virgin birth. He didn't even try. He said he had to go consult his notes, and that we should continue our discussion online.

Thanks but no thanks, pal.