Have you ever ...?

Tiassa

Tiassa

Let us not launch the boat ...
Valued Senior Member
Have you ever been subject to a conversion attempt by Christians?

Have you ever seen a sign reminding of John 3.16 at a sporting event?

Have you ever passed evangelists holding signs and encouraging people to come to Christ outside a rock concert or other public event?

Have you ever answered your front door to find missionaries preaching the Good News of Christ?

Has anyone ever asked you to "Invite Jesus into your heart" or "Make Jesus your personal savior"?

Have you ever found a Chick tract or other Christian propaganda jammed into the coin return of a pay phone, squirreled away underneath merchandise in a store, or otherwise surreptitiously deposited for you or another to find?

Have you ever attended a wedding, funeral, or other church-related event only to hear a preacher use the occasion to beseech you to convert your faith?

Have you ever had an internet discussion with a Christian evangelist determined to teach you his or her perspective on the gospels?

Have you ever witnessed a televangelist describing his or her ministry's efforts to bring the Word of God to deprived masses overseas?

Have you ever ...?

Tell us a story, please. Tell us of a time that you were asked to become a Christian, or a different kind of Christian because your own beliefs were somehow wrong.

You might wonder why I ask. It is not so hard to answer:

John99 said:

Personally i never had anyone try to convert me but as far as 'striving to convert' that is pretty much BS.

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I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.

We often hear of "evangelical" Christians. What does it mean to "evangelize"?
 
The only time I was approached by an evangelical was on university campus, when a Mormon approached me. As soon as he heard I was a Muslim, he took off.
 
I'm pretty sure yes to all of the above.

I think my best Christian experience was the time I went to an exorcism. The preacher man hit a woman a bible and shouted "do you like that sword, demon!?" He was practically talking caps lock without punctuation, which he would interrupt with this mellow, calm, howdooya manner, and tried to get people to shell over 77 dollars or 777 dollars or some other absurd amount to "work with them in their special seminars" where I guess they chase the demons out of you while prepping you for one of these community events.

Definitely surreal.
 
Just a tale conveniently at hand

I suppose I should contribute a story of my own. Rather than rehash the whole thing here, I'll simply point to a nearly six year-old post and give something of a teaser:

Tiassa said:

The younger one, mid-twenties, began speaking about Jesus Christ. The other cut him off with his own magic gesture; hand held out, his arm nearly forming the square-root symbol, drawing a short line in the air, and a slight shake of the head as if to say, "No."

"Thank you for your honesty," said the accent. "Perhaps you might spare a couple of moments while you join the day?"

Obviously, this man had done a lot of cigarettes and coffee in his day. How could I possibly refuse?

"Certainly, but I will tell you that part of my mood is being up to my neck in bad theology."

This, of course, caught both their attentions. The older one smiled, the younger opened his mouth and then shut it, almost mechanically. Perhaps the older one had powers of telepathy; there was no gesture this time.

"What are you working on?" asked the older one.

"Transubstantiation, the existence of Hell, and the rhetoric of Salvation," I said.

"Trans ...," said the younger. "What?"

The older one smiled again and then said, quietly, "I was a German Catholic."

"I believe I understand," I replied.

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And it even has something of a happy ending.
 
Ok...OK, let it all out. tell me what you are getting at. since you mentioned me personally you should be more upfront about what your issues are with me. most likely they exist in you imagination but ask me anything you want.

i am not religious at all if that is what you are getting at and certainly not anywhere near as religious as you appear to be.
 
Just testing the assertion

John99 said:

Ok...OK, let it all out. tell me what you are getting at. since you mentioned me personally you should be more upfront about what your issues are with me. most likely they exist in you imagination but ask me anything you want.
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Actually, I'm just testing your bizarre assertion. I find it fascinating that someone would think Christians don't strive to convert other people.

If you want me to phrase it as a personal issue, I'd say you would be better off writing rational arguments instead of just posting whatever contrarian bullshit comes to mind. Of course, I could be wrong about that assessment. I mean, it sounds like complete and utter bullshit, but who's to say? So I decided to check it.

We'll see. Maybe Roman and I are the only people who have ever had such experiences.
 
S.A.M. said:
The only time I was approached by an evangelical was on university campus, when a Mormon approached me. As soon as he heard I was a Muslim, he took off.
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mormons are not part of the evangelical churches.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days
 
I have had people try to convert me. Mormons, Baha'i, Xians (of various sorts) and Muslims. They all thought I should convert.

Funny enough, I lived in a Buddhist Temple, and they never once tried to convert me. I go back to that temple yearly just for holiday. I've taken pics of the Buddha statue there and the Priest even once put on his best robes for me to snap some shots, but they just never tried to convert me. Actually, as they know I'm atheist, they at time say that something will not make "sense" to me, because I'd have to believe in magical stuff, but they still explain my questions as best they can.
 
Tiassa said:
Actually, I'm just testing your bizarre assertion. I find it fascinating that someone would think Christians don't strive to convert other people.

If you want me to phrase it as a personal issue, I'd say you would be better off writing rational arguments instead of just posting whatever contrarian bullshit comes to mind. Of course, I could be wrong about that assessment. I mean, it sounds like complete and utter bullshit, but who's to say? So I decided to check it.

We'll see. Maybe Roman and I are the only people who have ever had such experiences.
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probably 90% of Christians do not actively try to convert anyone, that is as far as i can tell. why did you start this thread? could have just contained everything to the other bias laden diatribe.
 
Various evangelical xtians like mormons, JWs, baptists, and pentacostals and also hari krisnas.

I usually don't play but from time to time they are good for a laugh.

What I want to know is why they all have this spooky haunted empty look in their eyes?

Word to the wise - never, ever, ever give your real name, address and phone # to these bozos.
 
Tiassa said:
Maybe Roman and I are the only people who have ever had such experiences.
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M*W: I've had Muslim friends at the same place (work) attempt to discuss their religion with me to the point I felt like it was some type of re-education process. They gave me books, CDs and other printed information, and invited me to some lectures (which I attended) and found to be interesting. Long sentence, I know. Got into a discussion that included a christian who was hanging outside the lecture room (probably to convert some Muslims to christianity). The christian started to argue with my Muslim friend, and naturally, I sided with my Muslim friend, since the christian brought up the crusades and how evil Muslims were. I enjoyed my discussions with my Muslim friends. They weren't pushy, just informative. I can honestly say that I've never met a Muslim I didn't like but not necessarily on Sciforums.
 
Many times, almost all of the above.

I don't really know how someone could have been raised in the US without running into evangelism of various kinds. Although some of the common ones of my youth appear to have dissipated - no Moonies at the local airport any more.
 
iceaura said:
Many times, almost all of the above.

I don't really know how someone could have been raised in the US without running into evangelism of various kinds. Although some of the common ones of my youth appear to have dissipated - no Moonies at the local airport any more.
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dont you think that we have Evangelists right here? the most aggressive being Atheists. Weather it is in a negative fashion or in the affirmative.

If not then why not?
 
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There's nothing wrong with evangelizing. If you really believe unbelievers are going to be tortured for all eternity, it would be immoral to remain silent.
 
Many times! I used to work with a guy who was a jehovas witness. He was always bugging me about it at work, so I finally decided to humor him and gave him the chance to convert me by studying the bible with him. While he failed to convert me, I did learn a ton about the bible, so that was cool. But yeah, that wasn't the only time I've been approached.
 
Mormons I have had at my door and if she's reading this a big HELLO to a cute little tart all the way from Utah, the one and only Sister Bartholomew, ouch!

JW's lived next door so I always chatted with them. Everytime I had my neighbor convinced he was being hoodwinked, he would call an elder and the next thing you know his house was set upon by hordes of JW's.
 
John99 said:
dont you think that we have Evangelists right here? the most aggressive being Atheists. Weather it is in a negative fashion or in the affirmative.

If not then why not?
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M*W: I don't recall ever reading where an atheist on this forum tried to convert anyone else to atheism. You do realize that embracing atheism is a personal choice and can take years and years of comtemplationa before acting on it. It cannot be forced or coerced on another. I often wonder just how many atheists are sitting on the front row of churches everywhere in the world.
 
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