And this is why those of us raised in traditionally Hindu find the Hare Krishna approach jarring.

Anonymous wrote:

All religions are cult-like. Think of the practices religious groups share. Furthermore, the goal of all religions is to grow - whether that's through procreation or recruitment.

Actually, Eastern religions do not proselytize. Even when someone wants to help their faith endure, as Hindus, Taoists, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists and Shinto practitioners do, they do not hand out holy books on the street.

All religions are cult-like. Think of the practices religious groups share. Furthermore, the goal of all religions is to grow - whether that's through procreation or recruitment.

Anonymous wrote:

Geez, what a gushing apology. People need to stop being so fragile. They wanted to tell you about their religion, you didn't want to hear it so you left, problem solved. I don't understand why people act like proselytizing is so inherently awful. I'm not particularly religious and don't do it myself but I'm not offended when others do it because I'm an adult and can no, thank you, have a nice day.

Proselytizing is still offensive. As Hindus we don't like it when Christians do it (and I've had Christians try to invite themselves into my house to read scripture at me), so we should make sure fringe cults that worship our Gods - and the Hare Krishnas are a fringe cult - don't engage in the same behavior in the name of one of our Gods.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

+1

Absolutely.

Tell that to all the missionaries who've been proselytizing for centuries. Talk about double standards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

+1

Absolutely.

Tell that to all the missionaries who've been proselytizing for centuries. Talk about double standards.

Targeting mainly the impoverished and uneducated, some of their tactics make the hospital bargain I described earlier look as reputable as ordering a book from Amazon. I was told of missionaries giving people temporary jobs in return for converting, and then threatening them with job loss — not to mention eternal damnation — if they reconvert to Hinduism. Families have apparently been torn apart because the converts are made to disassociate from the heathen.

I heard about missionaries who dress in orange robes to look like swamis. Gullible and desperate villagers are told that their traditional gods are actually corrupted versions of Christ; that the venerable saints and sages of India’s past were really Christians; that the three horizontal stripes traditionally drawn on the foreheads of Shiva devotees stand for the Holy Trinity; that the Upanishadic prayer that includes “Lead us from darkness to light” was meant as a cry for Jesus to save them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

+1

Absolutely.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

Do you assume your religious beliefs are superior to theirs? What does your religion say happens to people to don't believe your way? If you're a Christian and your religion says non-believers go to Hell (or are at least denied entry into Heaven) for eternity, who's the better person - the one who sits back and says, "My religion is superior to yours and I'm going to let you suffer for Eternity because you're not smart enough to realize it," or the person who says, "I'm concerned that you're sacrificing an eternity of happiness. Please let me try to save you"?

Personally I'd rather go to hell than suffer in "heaven" with such a petty god.

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

Do you assume your religious beliefs are superior to theirs? What does your religion say happens to people to don't believe your way? If you're a Christian and your religion says non-believers go to Hell (or are at least denied entry into Heaven) for eternity, who's the better person - the one who sits back and says, "My religion is superior to yours and I'm going to let you suffer for Eternity because you're not smart enough to realize it," or the person who says, "I'm concerned that you're sacrificing an eternity of happiness. Please let me try to save you"?

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of us understand that there's different strokes for different folks but it's still not polite to try and convince strangers to try your diet/exercise/meditation/cleaning/religious practices. It's not harmful but I would never do it or defend it.

It is appropriate for human beings to talk to other human beings, not only about the weather but also about things that are really important to them. It is okay to try to persuade another person. That's all it is. Welcome to planet earth.

There are times and places where it's appropriate but that doesn't mean it is appropriate whenever you feel like it. Welcome to living in society in way that respects other people's time, space and beliefs.

Um okay. Sorry "strangers" talk to you when you're trying to have a private, personal trip to where, the grocery store? Crawl back in your cave.

Anonymous wrote:Proselytizing is obnoxious because it assumes their religious beliefs are superior to yours. And it's rude to randomly approach people in this way, uninvited, and start talking about something so personal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of us understand that there's different strokes for different folks but it's still not polite to try and convince strangers to try your diet/exercise/meditation/cleaning/religious practices. It's not harmful but I would never do it or defend it.

It is appropriate for human beings to talk to other human beings, not only about the weather but also about things that are really important to them. It is okay to try to persuade another person. That's all it is. Welcome to planet earth.

There are times and places where it's appropriate but that doesn't mean it is appropriate whenever you feel like it. Welcome to living in society in way that respects other people's time, space and beliefs.