Proselytizing

[Fool]

Why could proselytizing be considered a negative action?

 

[Deathbydefault]

Why could proselytizing be considered a negative action?

If used in the sense of just going around and explaining your religious standpoint in an attempt to convert others, proselytizing isn't so bad. Annoying, but not quite bad.

Going to Africa and denying food to the starving unless they profess their faith in whichever god, is the bad side of it. Telling other people that they are nothing without whatever god, that they may very well be tortured in the afterlife, or even burn for eternity due to what they do or do not believe, is what's bad.

It's also the bad side that gives the word it's negative connotation.

 

[Vinayaka]

Why could proselytizing be considered a negative action?

It's annoying. What gives anyone the right to think that they have something the other person needs? It's a condescending action saying, 'I'm smarter than you.' In actuality is says, ''m stupider than you, because I have yet to figure out that different people have different views, and I should just leave it all alone.' That's what the proselytizer saying, but of course they don't know it.

Not the proselytizing in and of itself, but the end result is what causes major problems, and that's conversion. If one member of a family converts to another religion, whether it be brother, sister, aunt, spouse, whatever, family disharmony can and often does come about. The sneaky (in the past more violently, and blatant) way this is often done teaches sneakiness, not a value we would want to instill in our children.

 

[SalixIncendium]

If used in the sense of just going around and explaining your religious standpoint in an attempt to convert others, proselytizing isn't so bad. Annoying, but not quite bad.

Going to Africa and denying food to the starving unless they profess their faith in whichever god, is the bad side of it. Telling other people that they are nothing without whatever god, that they may very well be tortured in the afterlife, or even burn for eternity due to what they do or do not believe, is what's bad.

It's also the bad side that gives the word it's negative connotation.

It's annoying. What gives anyone the right to think that they have something the other person needs? It's a condescending action saying, 'I'm smarter than you.' In actuality is says, ''m stupider than you, because I have yet to figure out that different people have different views, and I should just leave it all alone.' That's what the proselytizer saying, but of course they don't know it.

Not the proselytizing in and of itself, but the end result is what causes major problems, and that's conversion. If one member of a family converts to another religion, whether it be brother, sister, aunt, spouse, whatever, family disharmony can and often does come about. The sneaky (in the past more violently, and blatant) way this is often done teaches sneakiness, not a value we would want to instill in our children.

I fully agree with both of these comments. I will only add that "proselytism" is nearly the opposite of "religious tolerance". Typically, when one proselytizes, they are essentially propagating their belief system as the One True Faith™.

 

[cambridge79]

because you're pushing on people your view of the world without providing any sensible proof to back it up.
wich would be tolerable if it was just a single person initative ( i don't mind people knocking at your door or stopping you in the street, they're usually polite and if you say no they don't bother you anymore ), but when it turns into a political agenda it becomes not only negative but also often dangerous

 

[Fool]

because you're pushing on people your view of the world without providing any sensible proof to back it up.
wich would be tolerable if it was just a single person initative ( i don't mind people knocking at your door or stopping you in the street, they're usually polite and if you say no they don't bother you anymore ), but when it turns into a political agenda it becomes not only negative but also often dangerous

Happy Birthday!!!!! Happy New Year!!!!

 

[jeager106]

Just to be clear what "it" is:
pros·e·lyt·ize1
/ˈpräs(ə)ləˌtīz/ evangelize, convert, save, redeem, win over, preach (to)

Preaching I what I object too. But we all get the point I think.
"We are right." kind of speech writing instead of debate commenting.
"We are right" is what promotes conflicts. "We are right" or W.A.R. or
WAR. Get my meaning?
I love a good debate as I LEARN so much about the perspectives and
beliefs of others so different from mine.
After a time on this site I've learned so many beliefs so different from mine...
aren't! They aren't so different from mine, nor mine so different from others.
Islam, Christianity with it's multiple denominations, variations of Islam
I never knew existed, the NUMBER of Muslims in the world....................
all enlightening.
I doubt Jehovah, Allah, Elohim, really want us to be violent towards one another.
Or any other variation of "God".
I'm still amazed that there are 40,000 denominations of Christians, each
a bit different from the other, yet ALL reading the SAME BOOK.
Over a short time I have felt very close to every member here no matter
the individual faith, view point, or lack thereof.

 

[Fool]

Just to be clear what "it" is:
pros·e·lyt·ize1
/ˈpräs(ə)ləˌtīz/ evangelize, convert, save, redeem, win over, preach (to)

Preaching I what I object too. But we all get the point I think.
"We are right." kind of speech writing instead of debate commenting.
"We are right" is what promotes conflicts. "We are right" or W.A.R. or
WAR. Get my meaning?
I love a good debate as I LEARN so much about the perspectives and
beliefs of others so different from mine.
After a time on this site I've learned so many beliefs so different from mine...
aren't! They aren't so different from mine, nor mine so different from others.
Islam, Christianity with it's multiple denominations, variations of Islam
I never knew existed, the NUMBER of Muslims in the world....................
all enlightening.
I doubt Jehovah, Allah, Elohim, really want us to be violent towards one another.
Or any other variation of "God".
I'm still amazed that there are 40,000 denominations of Christians, each
a bit different from the other, yet ALL reading the SAME BOOK.
Over a short time I have felt very close to every member here no matter
the individual faith, view point, or lack thereof.

Lets make love then!!!!!

 

[jeager106]

And if you don't heed my words contained in my post you
will likely spend all eternity in limbo.
Send me a mere $5 bucks and I'll pray you out of Limbo.
THAT is preaching and proselytizing AND cheating people
out of $5 bucks.
Some do it in much more sublime ways.

 

[jeager106]

Lets make love then!!!!!

O.K. then !
I'd much rather do that than not do that!

 

[Skwim]

Why could proselytizing be considered a negative action?

I agree with Vinayaka, it's an intrusive, condescending annoyance. Go somewhere else with your I-know-what's-best-for-you attitude. Want to take up my uninvited time? Then come to me with at least a $10 bill, smile, and continue on your way.

 

[lovesong]

Not only is it very pompous to approach someone with the asumptiom that you know what's best for them, but it is extremely rude to bother a person just to basically tell them that whatever they believe is wrong and that they are in for a punishment if they don't convert to your religion. I sincerely doubt that this ever works either, apart from people on the fence already or those either punished or threatened for not listening. On a global scale it also destroys traditional beliefs, practices, and cultures. Trying to convert all of Africa, for example, has diminished their cultural and religious diversity significantly, and while many tribal communities who have been converted still hold onto a large number of traditional practices and attitudes, there is still so much lost both there and worldwide due to proselytizing. The rich traditions of the Americas, Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia have been lost, sometimes forever, because of this "I know what's best for you" attitude.

 

[Yohanan ben Yaaqov]

Fortunately for all of us, chr-stians no longer proselytize with cruel and inhuman torture devices as they did for the first thousand years or so of their man-made false religion; ACCEPT IT OR DIE!!!

Had it not been for the likes of Martin Luther and King Henry VIII, we would probably still be enduring all of that. Thankfully, they gave the originators of chr-stianity a taste of their own medicine. Too bad they didn't really reform anything, it's still nearly as bad today as it was 500 years ago.

 

[psychoslice]

I think we all do it to some degree, its just that most hide it in word manipulation.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

"We are right" is what promotes conflicts. "We are right" or W.A.R. or
WAR. Get my meaning?

Fellow Dinosaurs fan?

Not only is it very pompous to approach someone with the asumptiom that you know what's best for them, but it is extremely rude to bother a person just to basically tell them that whatever they believe is wrong and that they are in for a punishment if they don't convert to your religion.

What always gets me is when Christians evangelize to this house, filled with Christians. You'd think if God sent them on the marketing run, He'd have told them who are already subscribers or something.

 

[jeager106]

Fellow Dinosaurs fan?

You remember that t-v show also huh?
The only cartoon type show I watched that had so many sublime
messages.
Clever writers methinks.

 

[jeager106]

Is the the real Kelley of the Phoenix?

 

[GoodbyeDave]

It depends on how it's done. Publishing books, maintaining a presence on the internet, putting up posters — I can't see any objection to that. But ringing my door bell while I'm eating / listening to music / napping is just plain rude. As for missionaries who try to bribe people into converting, I think they should be run out of the country. In fact many of the US fundamentalist missionaries seem to put as much effort into converting people from other churches as from other religions: double arrogance!