An Open Letter to Religious People Who Wish to Convert Me - I appreciate the thought. I really do. You feel you have this incredible information, matter of eternal life and death, that you wish to share with the world. In your eyes, you are saving me from damnation. I understand. Heck, when I eat a really good burger I want to share that with everyone I know. Much less the key to salvation. The problem lies in the fact that not only do you believe you hold the one and only key, so does everyone else. When a Christian hears someone else is also Christian, but a different denomination, they probably think well, her key to salvation is different than mine, but itll probably fit if she wiggles it a bit. But when they hear you are Buddhist or (gasp) Atheist, I imagine they think oh that poor dear has no key at all! I must share mine with her immediately! And though I understand, it does get to be tiresome having everyone constantly sharing their beliefs all the time. Worse still, no matter how politely you decline, no is rarely taken for an answer. Its not that I dont want to hear what you have to say. I am extremely interested in religion, as a whole, and will happily talk for hours with anyone about the merits of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hindu, LDS, Jehovahs Witnessing, Wicca and anything else youve got. If you are respectful, I will gain great pleasure asking you questions, learning about your ideas for salvation, and reading your sacred texts. When you stop being respectful, I stop listening. In fact, when youre rude, pushy or insulting, it makes me not want to listen to the next person sharing the same beliefs as you. I get a little soured on the subject. Its not their fault, but I cant help feeling put off. If you want to start the conversation telling me that Im a sinner and Im going to be tortured for eternity, even if you believe thats true, you arent going to get much from me. Itd be like a personal trainer coming up to you and telling you how fat and disgusting you are, trying to get your business for their new gym. Or a clerk at a department store telling you how horribly ugly and atrocious you look, hoping to sell you a new outfit. I also dont care to hear how you, and those like you, have discovered the One and Only bit of truth in the entire Universe, because let me share a little secret with you... everyone who tries to convert someone thinks theyve found the Right Way. If they didnt, they wouldnt be bothering with it, would they? We non-Christians have heard it a thousand times, from a hundred different sources. Telling us youve got the only true thing doesnt mean too much when youre the 17th person who has said it to us this month. Its like trusting an informercial where they tout their product as being the best on the market. Yes, yours and everyone elses. That isnt what makes us listen. Its not what makes us want to go to your church or google your beliefs when you leave. I want to believe that you appreciate my curiosity, and that if I choose not to adopt your beliefs, we will still be on good terms. I want to know that you are there for me if I have questions, but that you wont hound me and badger me into them. I want to see you being a good person and acting in accordance with your beliefs, even if you falter occasionally, not just telling me that I have to be a certain way. If you think Im a sinner, that I am unworthy, hell-bound, blind or a lost sheep, Id rather you keep that opinion to yourself, just as you would if you thought I was 20 pounds overweight, my hair was too frizzy or you hated my skirt. You dont have to tell us you think were wrong. We know what you think. Even though I am overjoyed to talk about religion with others, many of my fellow non-Christians arent interested in hearing it. Respect that too. After all, you arent all ears when people of other faiths come knocking on your door in the middle of dinner, or when your friend badgers you into going to services for his religion you dont have any interest in. If we ever change our minds, I can assure you there will be other people there ready to usher us off to church when were ready. There is always someone waiting in the wings. It doesnt have to be you. Unless you are more concerned about being the person who does the converting, and not that this person finds their way to salvation. In which case, may I suggest you have the wrong intentions. You are probably just excited though, ready to share this incredible information with the people in your life, wanting to bring the same happiness to their lives and it has brought to yours. Thats fine. Nothing wrong with it. I only ask you to be considerate of the feelings of others as you share your passion. After all, it does you no good if you are turning more people away than you are bringing in.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:12:32 +0000
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