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So as I was walking back to my car yesterday after school, two well dressed young men approached me and began trying to convert me to the LDS church.
When I realized what they were doing, I started laughing.
"I'm sorry, guys, but I've got quite a few Mormon friends. They haven't converted me yet."
Much to my surprise, they started laughing as well.
We had a nice conversation--about five minutes long--in which we discussed our respective religions (I'm Catholic). They were rather polite about the whole thing, a fact that I brought up. The older of the two laughed and said, "Oh, it sounds like we have spies, we'll get you yet."
It was nice to know that there are still Southern people that aren't overzealous about converting everyone.
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I've encountered more than a few mormons spreading their message, and they have all been very respectful. Jehovah Wistnesses have been the same.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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I loved having the missionaries over. It really is too bad that they have to give up eventually. We enjoyed their company.
BTW, Katie, you wouldn't happen to know anyone named Ryan Hatch in the Dallas-Fort Worth area? He was like our all-time favorite missionary, and I lost his address about six years ago when we moved. I'm really curious how his life turned out for him, and stuff. Plus, we didn't have kids or anything back then. He was just the nicest, sweetest guy.
Mostly, they were all great. Well, one guy was pretty openly living in a world that hasn't existed for a while, like he'd be shocked that women have the vote, but I'm sure he was an aberration. Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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See I've never had a problem with mormons or JWs. My biggest problem has always been with Extreme Baptists. I live right next to a baptist college, and my usual late night hangout is always plagued with students from there. They will come over to our table while we're eating and seriously try to convert us. We usually hide in the smoking section, though when we get bored we'll loudly start talking about how we don't believe in God or something like that just to mess with them. Most my of my friends know religion fairly well, and I'm a religious history major, so we can usually school them in debates about the bible, makes for some amusing late nights.
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quote:The older of the two laughed and said, "Oh, it sounds like we have spies, we'll get you yet."
Curse that elder! Giving away the secrets!
I'll have his badge for this. . . indescretion!
quote:though when we get bored we'll loudly start talking about how we don't believe in God or something like that just to mess with them. Most my of my friends know religion fairly well, and I'm a religious history major, so we can usually school them in debates about the bible, makes for some amusing late nights.
This is a despicable way to behave.
[ April 28, 2005, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: Scott R ]
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Livvy, I don't know a Ryan Hatch. I know a 30-year-old Ryan Marsh, but he's from...California, I think. I'll see a bunch of people from the family wards on Satuday, though - I'll ask around. Someone might be able to get me an update. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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quote: So as I was walking back to my car yesterday after school, two well dressed young men approached me and began trying to convert me to the LDS church. When I realized what they were doing, I started laughing. "I'm sorry, guys, but I've got quite a few Mormon friends. They haven't converted me yet." Much to my surprise, they started laughing as well.
That's cool that they had a sense of humor about it! I don't really know how to say to a person, "Don't try to convert me!" in a nice way. One of my friends left for her mission a few weeks ago and before she left, I went to her open house party at her church. I had fun, and I met several of the sisters there. We were having pleasant conversation, and then one of them started asking me if I'd had a chance to learn about their church and stuff. That's when I remembered, "Oh, yeah, these people are on their missions, and their goal is to convert people... people like me. What do I do now?!" I was nice to her, but I think I sort of just evaded the question. Maybe I should have said what you said. Posts: 486 | Registered: Feb 2005
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Many of Hatrack's religion threads have helped me a lot in learning about different Christian religions, and I have taken a few courses in Eastern religions, so I can say with confidence that I do know more than most of my peers at college about other religions.
I don't have a problem with missionaries on principle, really. I've encountered a few who gave me the "ugh" look when I told them I was Catholic. It was just really nice to actually have a nice talk about religion instead of it degenerating into an argument, as many such conversations have. Especially with as strong an influence as religion has down here, it was a breath of fresh air.
On the other hand, my college just recently had its first evangelist, the fire and brimstone, "You're all going to Hell" kind. It was interesting the fuss everyone caused over it, while at LSU it's almost an everyday thing. I found them all funny, although one sticks out in my mind. He called me out as I was walking and asked if I 'knew Jesus'.
"Yeah, you could say that."
"So are you religious?"
"I'm confirmed Catholic, if that's what you mean."
He put his hand to his heart and whipped a Bible out of his back pocket. "Well, it sounds like you needed to be SPANKED by the Scripture!"
I blinked. "That's strange, I thought you generally had to pay for that."
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No worries, Steve. I could totally take Kathy. Drop her like a proverbial sack of dirt I would! That tackle-hug didn't hurt a bit. This won't be anything like that thing you mentioned...with the...water...flowing... Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Well, actually, the joke was that your tackle-hug was so powerful that it'd given me some amnesia. Duh, Kelly Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I dunno about just being wrong Scott - I don't see the difference between picking a theological debate and having to rebuff aggressive, repeated attempts at conversion.
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I do think the loudly talking about no belief is wrong. I think if you don't want to talk to a missionary of some sort, just politely keep repeating, "I don't wish to discuss religion". I don't see anything wrong with debate if both sides are up for it though.
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posted
Trolling irl? I suppose so. But in my eyes, no less offensive than someone harassing me about their faith, political dogma or socio-economic point of view.
Honestly, I dislike having to repeat myself to someone trying to sell me something.
Tell the holier-than-thou twit "no" once should be enough. If I can do it politely, that's a plus.
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The point isn't that the behavior is less offensive than the proseltizers coming to the table uninvited and trying to convert-although at least the bible-thumpers cannot be accused of trying to pick fights.
The point is that tricking people into arguments, cynically manipulating them for enjoyment at their expense, is bad form indeed.
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Trevor: You just have to give the a receipt stating that you have been warned and absolve them of guilt for your soul on judgement day is all.
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We had an evangelist on campus this week, too. The Gideon folks invaded all of the schools in the area, throwing little green new testaments at people. (I got one, of course, because it was green.) But I didn't approve of their methods, apparently they were telling people if they didn't take a bible, they were going to hell.
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Sounds like you are twentish (if that), and very full of yourself. If you begin baiting them by announcing loudly what you believe without anyone asking, just to aggravate them, then the blame lies with you, not the other way around.
Now if they come up to you without encouragement, and you ask them to leave you alone and they refuse, then I have little pity of them, even in the face of your ignorant behavior.
My point it that they have not cornered the market on being insufferably smug, or on being ignorant.
Sounds like you each have about a 50/50 share of it ....makes me glad that I don't have to put up with either of your groups, to be honest.
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YOu know, I feel badly at the moment because I think I did this by accident the other day.
It was before WenchCon, and I was at martial arts waiting while the boys worked out. Making a list of stuff I could try to make that the kosher attendees could have. One of my friends asked what I was doing - she already knew about the Con - and I got off on talking about how neat it was to have to have acquaintances across a broad field of religious belief.
Then we got to talking about what we believed, and talking about our limited understandings of other religions. Somewhere in the middle of it, a guy sitting in front of us sighed heavily and left the parents' waiting area.
I think I had offended him. I don't think I was mocking any belief system, though I did talk with my friend about the reasons I'm not ever going to be part of certain belief systems. Maybe I was a bit loud, but I wasn't consciously trying to be heard by anyone except my friend.
In any case, I never meant to diminish anyone's beliefs. In fact, my own lack of true belief is a source of consternation for me. But I can't just say, Okay, I'll believe X when I don't honestly believe it.
I just have this congenital inability to keep my mouth shut.
Posts: 1664 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I had an experience with the Mormon missionaries trying to convert me recently...
I guess my "university" was having some sort of ecumenical week where they pretend to be okay with religious people, and so the missionaries were on campus with a booth handing out Book of Mormons.
So I was walking by the booth on my way back to the car, and one of the elders comes up to me and asks if I've ever heard of the Book of Mormon.
So I tell him, yes, I have heard of it.
So he starts getting kinda excited and trying to start a discussion with me - and good for him, that's what he's supposed to do, and was very polite about it...but then he asked the question I had been waiting for (probably hoping I had Mormon friends) - "So where did you study about the Book of Mormon?"
Me: "Oh, on my mission."
Elder: "Oh."
Hee hee hee, poor guy - all that effort and ends up with an active Mormon. Maybe I should have shaved in the last couple days...but at least I didn't pretend to be a difficult investigator - and I was sure tempted...
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