Religious tolerance

[Anonymous]

Isn't a large part of Evangelical Christianity trying to convert others? I agree that most sectors of Christianity cannot be generalized as pushy and in-your-face, but trying to convert people is hardly "tolerant."

[Anonymous]

First of all, I agree that evangelicals shouldn't be trying to force their beliefs into government policy, so we can get that out of the way.

But how many of you are actually the frequent object of evangelical conversion attempts? I'm a protestant (more liberal than the other protestant here), and this almost never happens to me. And when it does happen maybe once every two years, when the Jehovah's Witnesses come to my door, they don't insist and they go away without arguing. (In complete contrast to the Ranting Atheist, who won't go away....)

Maybe the difference in our POVs stems partly from the fact that some of you seem to come from evangelical families, so you see it more than I do?

[Anonymous]

12:40. you can't distinguish between attempts at conversion and forcing their beliefs into government policy. They are essentially one in the same. The tactics are just different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:40. you can't distinguish between attempts at conversion and forcing their beliefs into government policy. They are essentially one in the same. The tactics are just different.

I would actually make this distinction. I see a difference is passing laws reflecting their views, and expecting you to convert and adopt their views. I don't think Ryan wants to "convert" me to Republicanism when he pushes tax breaks for the rich or privatizing Medicare. He doesn't care what I think, he just wants to structure society the way he thinks it should be structured. Same with the evangelicals - getting their beliefs into law (which I oppose) is distinct from converting me to accept their beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Not a lot of people have tried to convert me since moving to DC, but that's because *there aren't a lot of Evangelicals in DC.* I grew up in the Midwest and this was a daily to weekly occurrence. The Evangelicals I met in college (in DC) were much more respectful and understanding, probably because they were used to being around other cultures and religions.

I did not grow up in an Evangelical family as a kid; my family is from Taiwan. None of our families were Evangelical when I was younger. After I went to college, my parents and their Chinese and Taiwanese neighbors ALL converted to Evangelical Christianity. There is now a huge "outreach" at trying to get international students and visitors converted (per my parents' pastor, it's a great "opportunity" because they tend to be lonely and lost in a new country, and thus are more likely to convert).

[Anonymous]

I'm not saying attempts to convert don't happen. It's just that for some of us (coming from protestant families, living on either coast), this is unfamiliar territory.

My only point is that it may explain some of the difference in points of view here.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'm not at all tolerant of conversion attempts. I say "no" politely only once. If it continues, I am rude. It's kind of insulting to say to someone "your beliefs suck, believe as I believe". It happens to me at least once a year. It seems to come from strange places. Sometimes, it's my own mother, other times it's someone from a Craigslist sale. Before I walked into this restaurant I'm in right now, I saw a woman stopping people and proselytizing on a corner in Rosslyn.

[Anonymous]

I would agree to a need for more respectful language, but I think it works both ways. Perhaps religious people are offended by the spaghetti monster references, but as an atheist, I also find being called a person "without faith" (as I keep reading on this thread) to be as inflammatory. I have "faith" -- in humanity, in world peace, etc. Not having "faith" in a higher power does not mean I "lack" faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm not at all tolerant of conversion attempts. I say "no" politely only once. If it continues, I am rude. It's kind of insulting to say to someone "your beliefs suck, believe as I believe". It happens to me at least once a year. It seems to come from strange places. Sometimes, it's my own mother, other times it's someone from a Craigslist sale. Before I walked into this restaurant I'm in right now, I saw a woman stopping people and proselytizing on a corner in Rosslyn.

Fair enough. And I understand why you are rude to the proselytizers. I'm just saying that I can't remember the last time somebody tried to proselytize me, when I wasn't already sitting in church. Maybe 1 or 2 years ago? I'll admit I may not notice it as much, because I'm not as annoyed at it as you are.

Here's a question: why can't you just walk past, without getting annoyed or without even saying anything? It's the exact same advice several posters on this thread are giving to people of faith, i.e. just ignore the ranting atheist when she says "catholic = pedophile" or something like that. Honestly, for all our blood pressures' sakes, our doctors would probably be telling us to try to shake off these things.

[Anonymous]

PP here. I have no problem with mainstream Christianity, Judaism, Islam... It's the people who proselytize and attempt to convert others that really gets on my nerves. This is usually limited to those of the evangelical sort.



Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s[1] and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.

Its key commitments are:

The need for personal conversion (or being "born again")
Actively expressing and sharing the gospel
A high regard for biblical authority, especially biblical inerrancy
An emphasis on teachings that proclaim the saving death and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.[2]

[Anonymous]

Well, that analogy doesn't really work because atheists tend not to convert others in real life (off the message boards -- there is no incentive to. Maybe a few atheists will try to talk you out of religion because they're stubborn, I don't know. One of the MAIN TENANTS of evangelical Christianity is to "spread the religion." They are not doing their jobs as evangelicals if they do not convert others. That's the difference.

[Anonymous]

PP here: also, maybe you don't get harassed as much because evangelicals tend to leave people of "other faiths" alone -- they are the rudest to atheists/agnostics. It's an unspoken rule... My parents' Evangelical Church won't harass Muslims/Hindus/Jews out of political correctness, but they'll harass me because no one will call them "hateful" because of it.

[Anonymous]

I wonder what to think about the ranting atheist here. Isn't her constant stream of abuse a form of "conversion?"

[Anonymous]

I think atheists (such as the ranting atheist) tend to rant out of rudeness and stubborn-ness, not a true desire to convert others.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I did just walk past her and cross my fingers she didn't try to stop me. I did walk a tad faster to put out the "leave me be" body language.