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Dealing with people who want to covert me...?
Love-N-Peace
Veteran
When I was younger I enjoyed Jehova's Witnesses paying a visit and I enjoyed reading there books, I didn't understand if they believed in creation though... I now understand the books support creation but only due to a serious lack of scientific misunderstanding; it was published over one-hundred years ago. When I was younger I thought Jehova's Witnesses believed in evolution, Muslims were Atheistic, and Buddhists could kill people if they thought happy thoughts.... The Muslim forgave me. Anyway, that isn't the point. Yesterday in chemistry a boy in my form and year who worked in my group approached me. First let me tell you the background...
At the beginning of the school year I always hung around with the only two people who were in my form from primary school and we always worked together. Soon a boy began to tag along with us, it turned out Call didn't like him but remembering human compassion I didn't let Call chuck him out. So it was all fine and then just recently, when remembering human compassion I said to a person who had only one or two friends I'd be his friend and he could join our working group. Buddhism had helped me be a much kinder a person, and everybody who had known me all my life would be able to tell. KJ and Call could tell and wanted to be Buddhist too. I said 'cool' and reminded them human compassion when ever they called people ret**ds. That was only a week or two or ago. The boy who approached was the person Call didn't like and this person was a Christian who on a different note loves tractors of which I had a phobia, but that wasn't the problem, he said; 'You should be a Christian.' I felt slightly angry at being peached to but swallowed it and said in a calm and kind voice, 'oh, and why is that?'
He relied 'because you just should be, I am.'
'oh, no thankyou.' When I was younger Christianity brought be no happiness and Buddhism has greatly improved my personality is what I thought. I then turned around to test the PH of citric acid but as I turned away he said 'you're not a Buddhist.'
'yes I am.' I said thinking this was going a bit to far, couldn't he get the idea that if I wasn't of a belief he was trying to steer me away from I'd have hit him!? My two friends from my old school backed me up and said I was a Buddhist. He replied 'how?'
'I just am.'
'You're a Christian.'
'I'm afraid my beliefs differ is some modern issue outspecks and I don't believe in God.' According to him I was a Christian who didn't believe in it. I said in a slow clear tone 'No, I'm a Buddhist who believes in Buddhism, I am not a Christian, I don't believe in it, OK?'
'I believe in Jesus and God.'
'I don't.'
'I do.'
'I know, I prefer Buddha and the Dalai Lama myself' I said getting annoyed. 'I don't believe in the Dalai Lama.' Call who wasn't as bothered about keeping calm said; 'You don't even know who he is thicko.'
'He's a real person who's alive as we speak.' I told the boy.
'Even tipe him up on the internet.' KJ confirmed. The science teacher was getting suspicious and she didn't think much of religion, and as Christianity was less compatible with science than my obvious enthuisiasm I threatened to tell her that he was trying to convert me, he shut up. It may not seem much, I don't know, but I discovered I didn't like people attempting in vain to convert me afterall. I was offended and a bit sadened that people thought everybody should be the same. I'll happily jump on the table in the middle of a lesson and shout wierd is the way or normal is wierd, but I won't be converted. Not every Christian is like that ofcourse. I know a Christian girl whom I won't name because I think I told a friend about this site but I like her very much anyway....
So, the question is,
'What's da right thing to say when someone tries to convert you?' I could have just said that but I do love to waffle.:winkc:
There's my life story
Love & Peace
(knowing my luck this post will not post properly and delete itself)
Joe
At the beginning of the school year I always hung around with the only two people who were in my form from primary school and we always worked together. Soon a boy began to tag along with us, it turned out Call didn't like him but remembering human compassion I didn't let Call chuck him out. So it was all fine and then just recently, when remembering human compassion I said to a person who had only one or two friends I'd be his friend and he could join our working group. Buddhism had helped me be a much kinder a person, and everybody who had known me all my life would be able to tell. KJ and Call could tell and wanted to be Buddhist too. I said 'cool' and reminded them human compassion when ever they called people ret**ds. That was only a week or two or ago. The boy who approached was the person Call didn't like and this person was a Christian who on a different note loves tractors of which I had a phobia, but that wasn't the problem, he said; 'You should be a Christian.' I felt slightly angry at being peached to but swallowed it and said in a calm and kind voice, 'oh, and why is that?'
He relied 'because you just should be, I am.'
'oh, no thankyou.' When I was younger Christianity brought be no happiness and Buddhism has greatly improved my personality is what I thought. I then turned around to test the PH of citric acid but as I turned away he said 'you're not a Buddhist.'
'yes I am.' I said thinking this was going a bit to far, couldn't he get the idea that if I wasn't of a belief he was trying to steer me away from I'd have hit him!? My two friends from my old school backed me up and said I was a Buddhist. He replied 'how?'
'I just am.'
'You're a Christian.'
'I'm afraid my beliefs differ is some modern issue outspecks and I don't believe in God.' According to him I was a Christian who didn't believe in it. I said in a slow clear tone 'No, I'm a Buddhist who believes in Buddhism, I am not a Christian, I don't believe in it, OK?'
'I believe in Jesus and God.'
'I don't.'
'I do.'
'I know, I prefer Buddha and the Dalai Lama myself' I said getting annoyed. 'I don't believe in the Dalai Lama.' Call who wasn't as bothered about keeping calm said; 'You don't even know who he is thicko.'
'He's a real person who's alive as we speak.' I told the boy.
'Even tipe him up on the internet.' KJ confirmed. The science teacher was getting suspicious and she didn't think much of religion, and as Christianity was less compatible with science than my obvious enthuisiasm I threatened to tell her that he was trying to convert me, he shut up. It may not seem much, I don't know, but I discovered I didn't like people attempting in vain to convert me afterall. I was offended and a bit sadened that people thought everybody should be the same. I'll happily jump on the table in the middle of a lesson and shout wierd is the way or normal is wierd, but I won't be converted. Not every Christian is like that ofcourse. I know a Christian girl whom I won't name because I think I told a friend about this site but I like her very much anyway....
So, the question is,
'What's da right thing to say when someone tries to convert you?' I could have just said that but I do love to waffle.:winkc:
There's my life story
Love & Peace
(knowing my luck this post will not post properly and delete itself)
Joe
0
Comments
You can merely say "you have your beliefs, I have mine - end of story", and do not respond to his next taunt. You have nothing to prove to anyone. Also, it's very difficult to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
ive had street preaching evangelical christians eyes practically light up at the thought of converting an '' idol worshiper''. ..
its easy to get annoyed with people. To be angry at what can be percieved as a lack of respect or understanding, or shear blind belief and thought... and its even easier to get into arguments with such people...
i have to admit that i like a good discussion with them sometimes -their challenging questions help me to understand my own faith better.
But when faced with the ''you are a christian - you just dont know it'' or '' you must be a christian or youll go to hell'' ... i bow my head and tell them that i am glad they have found a path that gives them peace and fullfillment and that i respect their deepness of faith that leads them to want to share it in such a way - but christianity is not a path for me''
after that - ive found silence speaks louder than words... dont ignore them but dont answer them or their statements either...
i too converted out of christianity... and i know that these people look for reactions as proof they have rattled your cage and are getting somewhere with their preaching...
dont rise to it... keep yourself humble and quiet and let them get on with it ... after a while theyll see it isnt working at give up...
To follow the reasoning that 'Buddhism is a better religion than Christianity' is to behave and react precisely in the same way some...less skilful Christians do, when faced with Buddhism.
It is more helpful to accept and understand that there will always be "Good guys" and "Bad guys" in any form of religion. Yes, even Buddhism. So think kindly, lovingly and compassionately towards others, no matter what they choose to believe. For whatever reason, this is their Truth. How they live by it, is up to them. But to judge and condemn them, is to treat them precisely in the way we would like to NOT be treated ourselves.....
Christian: "Convert, convert, convert, blah blah blah, you should, etc, etc, etc...."
Joe: "Tell, me, does Christianity really work for you?"
Christian: Yes, of course it does!"
Joe: "Well thank you for sharing with me. I'm very glad it works for you.
And Buddhism works for me!"
Now, they might insist and go on...
and you just let them talk, get it out of their system, and then repeat -
"Well, I'm glad it works for you...."
Smile, and nod, a lot.
It's very disarming.
But above all, keep your cool, and be Buddha-like.
As Les says, it's really not a god idea to engage in the "Oh yes you are, oh no I'm not" diatribe....
You'll only kick yourself later......
And like Fedirica said, so stay calm and don't let him see that he's getting at you, no matter what the person says, I think it's important that you use the oppurtunity to control your anger and other emotions and to keep feeling compassion... if they are trying to upset you, or get a rise out of you, the best thing to do is not give them what they want, thus, the whole purpose of the conversation for them just crumbled because they couldn't penetrate you.
Love & Peace
Joe
As I have thought about Christianity increasingly I now have first of all less fear of thoughts. Fears such as the lords judgement and so forth. Its a less tense situation when that happens and I can just 'hold my seat' in it.
I am also more clear about what I don't like about Christianity. And I have some zingers for christians to think about which they probably won't want to talk to me. Things like: "Does the world need to be created? (they say yes) So that means God needs to have been created, who created God?" "Or what was God doing before he created the world?". Another thing I am clear on is Jesus ability to take away sin. I simply ask them if I eat a sandwich will THEIR hunger be satisfied? And then I ask why Jesus suffering has anything to do with THEIR sin (which I think of negative karma). Thousands of things like that, but I try to be a bit light hearted and nice as well as a few thoughtful questions. Not all smart ass. Another example is "Why do you believe that?" to whatever they say which comes down to their faith that the bible is accurate. Then "Why do you believe the Bible is accurate?" Its only fair that you are not the only one who should have to struggle with doubts hehe.
He was a widower and lived in quite a large house that he had owned for around 40 years, and when callers came to try to 'convert' him he would invite them in for tea and biscuits (cookies!) and calmly explain to them why they were wrong.
Usually, after about 30 minutes they were unsure quite what they believed in anymore and were looking for an excuse to leave!!!
Perhaps that's where I get my stubborn streak from.....
A great problem I have with Christianity is guilt and blame. There is so much of it throughout all of Christianity. It seems to be a religion which glorifies pain, guilt, suffering, and remorse. These may have a small redeeming value in that one must feel remorse for past actions in order to remediate, but Christianity fosters remorse when you haven't even done anything. You just had to be born in sin to feel guilty. This is not constructive psychologically. I rather prefer the imagery that Buddhism provides of the gentle man who gave up all his riches and went into the forest to find a way to end all suffering on earth. To advance and evolve the human mind to its greatest potential. To teach all beings to love one another and achieve full realization, enlightenment
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=6,8767,0,0,1,0
I agree with you
Jovial Prankster,
I respect your grandfather for explaining why he believed what he did. You've got to hear every side of the story.
Pegembara,
I love your letter. It's a perfect argument and totally full-proof
I'm sincerely very proud to and inspired by your letter to be a Buddhist
Love & Peace
Joe
Peace
Joe