people who try to "Convert" you

[dont_know_what_2_say]

I'm not trying to make this into a religious debate

 

just find it that i feel soo awkward and annoyed when i hear my family (mostly) who are really religious trying to talk about their religion and trying to convert me and telling me to do things they do.

 

I've tried telling them that if it doesn't come out of me to do it , it is pointless, but then they keep talking about it...giving me advice according to what they believe I should be doing....... (i'm trying to explain this without mentioning anything religious-y )

 

 

It puts me in a bad place and it gets into awkwardness and silence once i tell them I'm not interested.

I even told them I don't like to talk about religion with them.. for obvious reasons... and they say its not religion.. etc.etc.

 

point being.. it's just annoying, makes me not want to speak to them

because every time they get, they try to convert me..

I was just talking with my cousin, and once i told her i wasn't interested (in the most polite way possible...)

she went silent, and was all defensive... i tried to change the subject but she hasn't responded.. aaa!

 

should i leave the messenger? she's still online but hasn't said anything......and its sooo awkward!

[lana111]

i feel ya. its like... i respect that you are religious, please respect that im not.

 

not that any family or friends do this to me, its more of an issue i have with aquaintences or near strangers. always telling me how i need god and faith in my life and how ill need it someday. it REALLY annoys me and not much annoys me.

[Anonymous122]

I'm a very secure Atheist, in a family of Lutheran Christians. They've tried to convert me, and in response, I try to convert them... and that makes them drop the subject

[Lionel Hutz]

Touchy subject. You are entitled to your belief as are they. I let my family know, "Im not going to fake like I feel something thats not there. Its not fair to you and its not fair to your following." Plain and simple.

[doyathink]

I never try to push my faith on to others, and I wouldn't like it if they did it to me. Tell them that you deserve respect much like they do from you, and by them constantly hounding you, that you feel they're disrespecting you.

[dont_know_what_2_say]

Touchy subject. You are entitled to your belief as are they. I let my family know, "Im not going to fake like I feel something thats not there. Its not fair to you and its not fair to your following." Plain and simple.

exactly

i told her, that it was pointless , it would be fake if i did something because they suggested it... it has to come from me..

I had to get to the point i told her i didn't feel comfortable talking about religion with family.. thats when it was all silent and she said:

"i wasn't going to force you , it was just a suggestion.." etc.etc.

 

so i changed the subject and 20 minutes later she answered back talking like normal.. so i guess its ok now..

[MushroomGod]

Worst thing ever. Just leave me alone! I work at a public school and they let ppl do it there. It drives me crazy. Some religions teach that you should try to convert ppl so its not all the persons fault.

[annie24]

just say that you are happy with your current religious beliefs and that you don't want to discuss the subject further. then change the topic to something else. if they don't respect this, tell them you won't spend time with them until they agree to respect your views.

[Jelina]

Yes I know it can be annoying and sometimes their approach is so overwhelming. The one thing I hate most is when some people convert they all of a sudden get this attitude as if they are better than everyone. You know, the ones who will tell you that if you do a certain thing your going to hell even though they were doing the same thing as you last week. It makes me want to vomit.

[MD Geist]

I never try to push my faith on to others, and I wouldn't like it if they did it to me. Tell them that you deserve respect much like they do from you, and by them constantly hounding you, that you feel they're disrespecting you.

 

Thats a great post!.

[dont_know_what_2_say]

let's not talk bad about other people's religions.. i don't want this to turn into a religious debate............

 

I think they try to convert me because I grew up doing all the things they tell me to do, since i was a kid, so i had no choice..

then i moved to this country, and i didn't have them telling me to do those things, so i stopped and created my own ideas.

so i guess they talk about it because they feel I've stranded away? (is that how you say it?), so they want me to be back the way i was before..

anyways thanks everyone for their advice

and yes i'll be more direct next time

[Clementine orange]

It's the "price" we pay for "freedom of religion" I'd rather have it that way than the other extreme.

Same way I get upset sometimes when I read something negative or hear a joke on the TV about someone I like and admire (no, not Paris Hilton) but that's OK - freedom of the press. Wouldn't want it any other way

[livefree]

Yuck. My once best friend was in a church play and, trying to be a supportive friend, I went. After the play, they preacher told everyone not to leave just yet, but to look to the person next to you and ask them "Have you let Jesus into your life?" If the person said no, they were to be sent behind the stage to talk to someone about getting saved. It was the most awkward 5 minutes of my life as I tried to sink into the pew and become invisible. And this all happened with a banner hanging behind the podium saying "Win souls."

 

I have nothing against religion, and I'll talk about it and theorize about it all night if someone wants. But the moment someone puts pressure on me to convert, I shut off to the conversation and try to pretend it didn't even happen. If all else fails, I like Anonymous122's idea

[musicguy]

my friends girlfriend is really religious and her children and them go to church every week..I think that they are "fake Christians" because she doesn't really practice what she preaches. Anyway, just be honest with your family

[doyathink]

Thats a great post!.

Thank you!

It's the "price" we pay for "freedom of religion" I'd rather have it that way than the other extreme.

Same way I get upset sometimes when I read something negative or hear a joke on the TV about someone I like and admire (no, not Paris Hilton) but that's OK - freedom of the press. Wouldn't want it any other way

 

No joke! I appreciate my freedom, so until we live in perfectville...I'd rather have that freedom, among others...then to have my rights taken away.

[Caterina]

Beliefs/religion are tied into what people believe are truth. Truth is always subversive. Conflict is bound to arise when differences are picked up on. How do you handle the conflict? It becomes an ethical question: do I side with the loved one or do I side against them b/c they embrace something wrong? Its been a source issue in many wars over many issues other than religion.

 

This isn't about your family, its about what both sides view as truth.

[BellaDonna]

I think Annie24's suggestion is a good one.

 

My husband and I have family members that do this. It became very uncomfortable- they started inviting us over and essentially trapping us to watch religious videos designed to "convert" and talking about religion the ENTIRE time. We took Annie's approach, and when that didn't work- we simply stopped hanging out with them.

 

Occasionally we see them at larger family functions and we just change the subject and don't respond when they attempt to "covert" us. They still send us literature now and then, which just gets thrown in the garbage later on.

 

I think the best method is to sternly state your desire not to talk about it as Annie mentioned- and from that point on ignore and/or brush off any future references they make to religion. Change the subject. If the conversation still persists after that, and makes you uncomfortable, I think it is perfectly fine to get up and leave.

[ghost69]

i hate the people that stick fliers in your face. i always say no thanks but come on. i was walking out of the gym and this happened too. so annoying.

[dont_know_what_2_say]

i hate the people that stick fliers in your face. i always say no thanks but come on. i was walking out of the gym and this happened too. so annoying.

 

I used to see people by the train station.. if you say no they try to talk you into it, meaning.. you miss the train..

so i would accept the thing everyday and throw it away after.. that way it was a fast transaction and i didn't have to hear them preach to me....

they probably thought i was all into it or something..

i kind of feel bad about it.. i should've just said no and stuck to my word..

oh well..

[musicguy]

I used to see people by the train station.. if you say no they try to talk you into it, meaning.. you miss the train..

so i would accept the thing everyday and throw it away after.. that way it was a fast transaction and i didn't have to hear them preach to me....

they probably thought i was all into it or something..

i kind of feel bad about it.. i should've just said no and stuck to my word..

oh well..

 

you're going to Hell

[fragmint]

I used to see people by the train station.. if you say no they try to talk you into it, meaning.. you miss the train..

so i would accept the thing everyday and throw it away after.. that way it was a fast transaction and i didn't have to hear them preach to me....

they probably thought i was all into it or something..

i kind of feel bad about it.. i should've just said no and stuck to my word..

oh well..

 

i agree with you and sometimes i do this if i know they will try to talk to me if i dont take the flyer. i just go ahead and take it so i can leave and then throw it away later. or leave it somewhere. its better than saying no thanks then being asked 'do you know about...' and all these questions whie i'm trying to get away get somewhere

[FortunateOne]

Yes, those crazy Americans always trying to convert the world to their western ways... wait a minute... I'm a crazy American... nevermind... disregard this post. Goodbye.

[capbit]

These people are one of my pet peeves. I just agree with them and take their pamphlet so they will just stop talking. I usually throw it away afterwards.

[Caterina]

These people are one of my pet peeves. I just agree with them and take their pamphlet so they will just stop talking. I usually throw it away afterwards.

 

What do you mean by "these people". People who solicit and hand out pamphlets or religious people?

[Anthropic]

I'm a very secure Atheist, in a family of Lutheran Christians. They've tried to convert me, and in response, I try to convert them... and that makes them drop the subject

 

I wouldn't really recommend trying this on family, depends on your family members of course, but they could take it the wrong way. I'm a bit of a raging Atheist and I take this same approach of trying to convert right back. I've never once had anyone just drop the subject, though many get visibly annoyed. I run with it because I have a crazy mischievous streak and maybe a bit too much time on my hands.

 

I used to get approached on the university campus all the time, always by a pair of people always the same M.O.. I once spent 3 hours chatting them up, it was actually an interesting conversation once I broke past their scripted arguments. Well worth missing a class for, I think I may have even converted one of them. Good times, good times.