We have discussed a little about one of the reasons that non-religious people are unhappy with religious people (and rightly so), is because they try to force their beliefs on other people. We live in a town where there are a lot of Seventh Day Adventists, and one day last summer, a car stopped, and the lady went up to Bobby (who was out working on the front porch), and asked to leave him a leaflet. The first thing she announced was that she was not a Jehovah's Witness. Ever the gentleman; Bobby accepted the leaflet, and thanked her for it. The next week; she was back again, with another leaflet. It wasn't long before she brought her husband along when she stopped by, and we sat out on the front porch and talked about the Bible with them. Fast forward to this afternoon. We have been seeing them every week; but it is usually Bobby who visits with them. Today, he was not home, and I answered the door. They started asking me about going to church on "the Sabbath", and I explained that if Bobby wanted to do that; I have no problem with it, but he prefers Sunday, and I was not about to make a big family issue of it. I have seen this kind of thing tear families apart, and I explained that to them, as they became more abrasive with telling me that "I was going to have to stand before God and answer for what I do", They pretty much told me that I should leave my husband and "do the right thing". By this time, I was struggling to still be polite. But , I did. I finally just told them that I was doing whatever Bobby wanted as far as going to church, and if they wanted to suggest anything different, they needed to bring it up with him. I think they were not happy when they left; but I have every confidence that Bobby will not hesitate to set them straight the first time they tell him that he has to change his beliefs.
I lived in an apartment building one time when I was first starting out, and we would get "religious" people coming around with their tracts all the time. It used to really make me angry, their condescending way of treating anyone who didn't believe what they did. Finally, I came up with a response that has served me well ever since. Before they get started I say, "Let me interrupt you for a minute and ask you a question. Is there anything I could say to you that would make you change your faith?" When they would eagerly tell me no and go into how "right" they were, I would interrupt them and say, "Then what makes you think that you can change mine?" This would usually stop them in their tracks long enough for me to ask them, politely of course, not to return.
Well done Mal. I'm never rude to door knockers but they are one of life's bigger aggravations. We had a dear family friend who was JW and she nearly drove us nuts with her little brochures and her patronising remarks about being worried about our fates when we died. But she was in all other ways the sweetest lady so we suffered it. I think of her when I want to shake a JW or Mormon at the door and simply answer 'Who?' when they mention God. When they recover, and some even try to explain, I ask them 'Which one?'. Most take the hint and say 'have a nice day,' and I wish them one too. I'm much more polite than I sound here sometimes. A relative who'd never set foot in a church in his life used to tell them he was a Roman Catholic Priest and that seemed to pull them up. They knew they'd have their work cut out to get a convert there.
I made this mistake one time when I was in high school. This kid kept bothering me in math class, every day he would give me a new tract and start preaching to me. I finally decided to tell him I was an atheist, thinking that he would run away screaming. Instead, it just made him that much more determined to "convert" me!!
When I see the walking up and down the street with their bibles I don't open the door. Because as you stated they will be back, I work at home and do not need the interuption. I have in past been a door knocker so I know how it is to be out knocking on doors looking for some one to talk to but I was not rude nor did I keep coming back.
I consider myself to be somewhat religious, but I'm sure there are others who know me who consider me far from it, and others still who consider me a bible thumper. Where I grew up, we celebrated Christmas and Easter, went to church on Sundays (which I later changed to Saturday evenings, because I'm not a morning person), and had a particular set of beliefs, but didn't force our beliefs on anyone. The first time I encountered that was at my first job, when a co-worker would harangue me about the bible and my beliefs while I was pretty much chained to the cash register, and couldn't escape. What a turn off that was! I've encountered religious discrimination in a few different settings. Once I applied for a job, but wasn't considered appropriate for the position, because I wasn't a fundamentalist, and another time, I was in need, went to a food bank, and was told that I was going to Hell, because my beliefs didn't correspond with the beliefs of the church associated with that food bank. It makes me sick to think that someone who has no exposure to God would come across people like that, and be turned off enough to never seek salvation. I also don't answer my door when they come calling. I don't answer it period, unless I know who it is, but I especially avoid people who try to force their beliefs down my throat, or denigrate the beliefs I hold.
I am an unabashed, unapologetic Christian, and I have such an aversion to ANYONE, except my preacher, preaching to me. This is the funniest thread, because we've all been there and we've probably all tried to be as polite as possible, while silently "darning to heck," these annoying people! I absolutely will not answer my door to anyone I don't know. I keep my security door locked, and if I see their little brochures, I just shake my head at them and smile, and close my door.
If you knew something that you believed could prevent someone from spending eternity in hell, would you really keep it to yourself?
The National Religion of Thailand is Buddhism but every peaceful religion is welcome here. I have seen very few Christian style evangelists here but when and if one approaches me I will welcome and talk to them. It was the same when I was living in the States. I even managed to have a few beers once with a JW!
I think you're both right. I believe that we are the "hands and feet " of God on this planet. But I also believe that God is faithful to reveal Himself to those people who have no other media. Otherwise I would question whether He is just.