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What religion would you convert to if you were forced to convert to a religion?
- Thread starter Starlight
- Start date
Forced? It wouldn't happen, the amount of force needed to make me convert to a religion would amount to torture. Who wants a follower (not believer) who is tortured into following a religion?
However if I chose to convert, again it wouldn't happen, but if i did, it would probably be one of the northern European polytheistic religions.
However if I chose to convert, again it wouldn't happen, but if i did, it would probably be one of the northern European polytheistic religions.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Any of them.
Of course it would be strictly aesthetics as know thy enemy is the first step in planning one's revenge against tormentors or escape.
Of course it would be strictly aesthetics as know thy enemy is the first step in planning one's revenge against tormentors or escape.
As a child I was spanked for saying I wanted to go to hell, so I was forced to convert. They should have trusted me, but because I had some sort of learning disabilities they did not trust me. I understood this in hindsight many years later, but understanding it did not make up for it. I was made to believe I had converted, but I was immature and unable to do anything. I was like a bird with no wings. My childhood was spent, and that cost me endlessly. I could never fulfill the duty heaped upon me. As I became an adult I realized that I had wasted my decades trying to become what I could not.
Conversion must be a choice. If it is not, then it is not conversion but creates one of several types of chameleon. Conversion is not an exchange, a deal or a contract. It can't happen if you are tricked. No prayer and no amount of gushing feeling or believing is a conversion. It is not a commitment to be good or to please someone or to change. Conversion does not come from lying to one's self. Obedience teaches you how to live, but its not a conversion. Discipline teaches you, but it is not a conversion. Announcing a commitment is not a conversion. A conversion is a choice to make things be, to be the pillar, to be the sufferer who upholds all else. It is too much to ask of a child. A child must grow and become mature, and they cannot do so if they are under such strain.
Neither can anyone convert who is forced to. It doesn't work that way. If a community is forced to convert you can bet it is a community of chameleons. Therefore if anyone forces me to convert it will not be true, no matter if I make oaths or debts or have a USB plugged into me to verify my thoughts. It isn't a conversion. There is no substitute for true conversion.
So I could falsely convert to whatever if forced. It means nothing.
Dao Hao Now
Active Member
This is an interesting question.
The only scenario I can imagine of being “forced to convert to a religion”, would be where I would be forced to take on the appearance of having converted to the satisfaction of those that would be forcing me. (a la Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four)
I can’t imagine actually converting while maintaining my current state of sanity.
I could “say 2+2=5”, but I wouldn’t be able to believe it.
Of course, without knowing the method of “forcing” me to convert, it would be difficult to say whether I could in fact maintain my current state of sanity. (again, a la Winston Smith)
In this case I wouldn’t be “choosing” to convert, so the religion would be which ever one had the power to do the forcing.
Now, if I were convinced of the truth of the claims of a religion by objective means, I would then be “forced” to accept it were true, in the sense that I can’t choose to believe different than what I’ve been convinced of. (a la, I can’t choose to believe gravity doesn’t exist and as result step of the top of a tall building.)
However, I wouldn’t necessarily worship.
That would depend on which one managed to convince me and my evaluation of whether it’s god, in my opinion, was in fact worthy of worship.
It certainly wouldn’t be any of the religions I am currently aware of, since none of their gods are worthy of worship in my opinion.
Well, in communist countries, like where I was born, people were forced to deconvert from their religions to become members of the so-called "red religion"... without success. Atheists want to do something similar on internet and other real institutions using emotional manipulation and other kinds of psychological and even economic pressure against believers... They will surely not succeed either.
Believing in the Creator is as natural as the fact that we all have human father and mother. ... although rebellious children will continue to exist for now.
Believing in the Creator is as natural as the fact that we all have human father and mother. ... although rebellious children will continue to exist for now.
Suppose an all powerful alien force came along and looked at our planet for a day or so only to conclude that religion is the main factor we're so messed up, and makes that ultimatum ... everyone has to change their religion, mix things up a little. (I was trying to think of any possible scenario where the hypothetical position put forth in the OP could happen. Not easy with such stuff.)
I'd first ask for clarification, whether or not my religion was considered as one, or many, as it's so incredibly diverse. Depending on the clarification, I'd choose another sect of Hinduism, most likely shaktism, or Buddhism. If I was asked to go to an Abrahamic religion, I'd choose death, fully believing I'd reincarnate anyway.
I'd first ask for clarification, whether or not my religion was considered as one, or many, as it's so incredibly diverse. Depending on the clarification, I'd choose another sect of Hinduism, most likely shaktism, or Buddhism. If I was asked to go to an Abrahamic religion, I'd choose death, fully believing I'd reincarnate anyway.
InChrist
Free4ever
Forced? If forced, would there be a choice?
stevecanuck
Well-Known Member
Frisbeetarianism.
They believe that when you die your soul skims up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
They believe that when you die your soul skims up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
McBell
Unbound
Um...
If I am being FORCED to join a religion, what makes you think I would have any say in the matter?
Secret Chief
Veteran Member
Good one. There used to be Quakers at my Buddhist meeting house and they never took more biscuits than they should with their cuppa, so yeah, Quakers.If I had to go into hiding and take shelter within a religious group? I'd probably go hang out with the Liberal Quakers.
Actually, Paganism looks cool too. Nature and all that.
Oh and Daoism is half-Zen. Or would that be cheating?
Anything except Sanctimoniousism really.
Secret Chief
Veteran Member
You just want to end up in Valhalla and make like it's an eternal metal gig.
After taking a day to consider the question, I would likely adopt Mahayana Buddhism, given my current religious philosophical views are as close to Buddhist views as any non-Mahayana Buddhist views can come anyway.
Belief-O-Matic tells me I'm a Mahayana Buddhist anyway.
Belief-O-Matic tells me I'm a Mahayana Buddhist anyway.
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