Why do Christians always try to convert you?

[Anonymous]

Hmmm. I understand this completely, and feel the same way. Except I am Muslim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

[Anonymous]

It's really no different than any type of organization that tries to recruit members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

I'm sorry PP, is that what happened to you? Thats not how faith grew in me. I saw my mother, who was very devout, the immense patience she had, the inner calm, the love she felt for people, and her commitment to help anyone who needed help, and I wanted to be like that. If it was faith that could make someone like that, then I wanted faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

I'm sorry PP, is that what happened to you? Thats not how faith grew in me. I saw my mother, who was very devout, the immense patience she had, the inner calm, the love she felt for people, and her commitment to help anyone who needed help, and I wanted to be like that. If it was faith that could make someone like that, then I wanted faith.

Did you mother teach you your faith when you were very young and not teach you about other faiths in an objective way? If so, no matter now pleasant it was, it was still indoctrination -- which is commonplace and accepted. It's now most children learn about religion - the religion their parents want to raise them in.

If it's a "good" religion and the child finds comfort in it, then it can work out OK. If its a religion that emphasizes sin and punishment, then it can cause harm. Irrespective of the nature of a particular religion, some children just don't take to it and when they are adults and can make up their own minds about things, they reject religion. Although things are changing, it's still the case that people who don't have a religion or who have rejected their childhood religion are looked down on as less moral than people who have a religion -- any religion. An easy way to avoid being looked down on is simply to not mention one's lack of religion, because no one can tell from the outside the difference between a religious person and someone with no religion.

Luckily, more people without religion -- either never believed it or stopped believing as adults - are now more vocal about their non-belief, so others can see that they are just as likely to be good, moral people as those with religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

I'm sorry PP, is that what happened to you? Thats not how faith grew in me. I saw my mother, who was very devout, the immense patience she had, the inner calm, the love she felt for people, and her commitment to help anyone who needed help, and I wanted to be like that. If it was faith that could make someone like that, then I wanted faith.

Most other organizations don't threaten people with severe punishment if you don't join.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

I'm sorry PP, is that what happened to you? Thats not how faith grew in me. I saw my mother, who was very devout, the immense patience she had, the inner calm, the love she felt for people, and her commitment to help anyone who needed help, and I wanted to be like that. If it was faith that could make someone like that, then I wanted faith.

Most other organizations don't threaten people with severe punishment if you don't join.

Huh? PP, is somebody threatening to torture or otherwise punish you if you don't join their church? And if you're not a believer, then Hell is just an empty threat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christianity is a universalizing religion (as is Islam), thus the inherent conflict between the two. Judaism is not universalizing and is based more on ethnic identity (though obviously one can convert to Judaism. All Christians, including Catholics, should want to bring non-Christians to the gospel (which translates to "good news") of Jesus Christ. It is called the great commandment. While there are some that perhaps do not use the best approach, and many are a bit too enthusiastic, their goal is to be commended and they are following the example of Jesus. Yes, as a Christian, I want all non-believers to convert. I am really shocked at the number of Christians who don't seem to know that it is because we love all people, as Jesus said we should, that we want them to have what we do, a personal relationship with our Savior who helps us, guides us, shows us the way and forgives us when we mess up. And, yes, I do have a Ph.D. in Science, and I do live in the "bible belt" and yes, I am a Christian.

a Ph.D. in Science huh? From where? Bob Jones University? What was your dissertation topic?

Why is it so hard for you to believe that a Christian can be educated from a secular institution?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

I'm sorry PP, is that what happened to you? Thats not how faith grew in me. I saw my mother, who was very devout, the immense patience she had, the inner calm, the love she felt for people, and her commitment to help anyone who needed help, and I wanted to be like that. If it was faith that could make someone like that, then I wanted faith.

Most other organizations don't threaten people with severe punishment if you don't join.

Huh? PP, is somebody threatening to torture or otherwise punish you if you don't join their church? And if you're not a believer, then Hell is just an empty threat.

Right - it's an empty threat if you don't believe in hell, but many religions, especially here in the US, do believe in hell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Christianity is a universalizing religion (as is Islam), thus the inherent conflict between the two. Judaism is not universalizing and is based more on ethnic identity (though obviously one can convert to Judaism. All Christians, including Catholics, should want to bring non-Christians to the gospel (which translates to "good news") of Jesus Christ. It is called the great commandment. While there are some that perhaps do not use the best approach, and many are a bit too enthusiastic, their goal is to be commended and they are following the example of Jesus. Yes, as a Christian, I want all non-believers to convert. I am really shocked at the number of Christians who don't seem to know that it is because we love all people, as Jesus said we should, that we want them to have what we do, a personal relationship with our Savior who helps us, guides us, shows us the way and forgives us when we mess up. And, yes, I do have a Ph.D. in Science, and I do live in the "bible belt" and yes, I am a Christian.

thus sayeth the science PhD from the Bible Belt!

remember, Jesus loves you so much that he made a rule that those who don't believe in him will suffer in hell for eternity. Then he made it the responsibility of people who do believe in him to convert all those who don't Some of these people are born in countries where there are very few Christians. Jesus regrets that these people are hell bound. but rules are rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

I'm sorry PP, is that what happened to you? Thats not how faith grew in me. I saw my mother, who was very devout, the immense patience she had, the inner calm, the love she felt for people, and her commitment to help anyone who needed help, and I wanted to be like that. If it was faith that could make someone like that, then I wanted faith.

Most other organizations don't threaten people with severe punishment if you don't join.

Huh? PP, is somebody threatening to torture or otherwise punish you if you don't join their church? And if you're not a believer, then Hell is just an empty threat.

Right - it's an empty threat if you don't believe in hell, but many religions, especially here in the US, do believe in hell

I'm still confused. Why are you worried about threats involving hell, if you don't believe in it? I don't believe in space aliens so I don't waste any time worrying about being abducted by them.

Also, the Christian thing about hell applies equally to Christians who behave badly. So it's not like anybody is singling you out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you knew of something that was so wonderful - so beautiful, so incredibly amazing, so wonderous -- wouldn't you want to tell everyone about it, so that they could know about what this most amazing and inspiring thing was??

Sure, tell them about it and then they can decide for themselves if they feel the same way and want to pursue it.

But that's often not the way religion works -- people are indoctrinated as children, or coerced or threatened as adults or made to feel guilty and dirty and sometimes are punished if they don't believe in exactly the "right" way.

I'm sorry PP, is that what happened to you? Thats not how faith grew in me. I saw my mother, who was very devout, the immense patience she had, the inner calm, the love she felt for people, and her commitment to help anyone who needed help, and I wanted to be like that. If it was faith that could make someone like that, then I wanted faith.

Most other organizations don't threaten people with severe punishment if you don't join.

Huh? PP, is somebody threatening to torture or otherwise punish you if you don't join their church? And if you're not a believer, then Hell is just an empty threat.

Right - it's an empty threat if you don't believe in hell, but many religions, especially here in the US, do believe in hell

I'm still confused. Why are you worried about threats involving hell, if you don't believe in it? I don't believe in space aliens so I don't waste any time worrying about being abducted by them.

Also, the Christian thing about hell applies equally to Christians who behave badly. So it's not like anybody is singling you out.

I'm worried for other people. I'm not completely self-centered.

[Anonymous]

Because we are all evil.

[Anonymous]

Evil?
People are born good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evil?
People are born good.

Not Christians -- they are born with the stain of original sin