The Mormons are coming...

[crashtestdummy]

I am not Mormon. I was born into another religion, educated myself about other religions and chose the religion I want to live in and raise my family in. I am a pretty relaxed individual. However, I find it highly offensive for someone who does not know me at all feels that they know so much better than me that they can come on my property, knock on my door and interrupt my day all just to tell me how stupid I am and how smart they are.

I have no problem with people believing the religion they want to believe. I have a big problem with people trying to convert me.

MotionMan

The problem I have with this idea is that you're then treating religious ideas as fundamentally different from all other ones. Let's say you found a complete, painless cure for cancer. You'd want everyone to know the news, and everyone to be able to benefit from it. If the majority of the world didn't believe you, you'd be incredibly confused and try to convince everyone that you're right.

From their perspective, they've found the perfect understanding of the universe. It's only natural to want to share your joy with the rest of the world. When a missionary knocks on your door, they're not doing much different than many charity workers, salespeople, or political operatives. The only difference is that it involves something inherently unprovable. They're not breaking any laws, and they're generally quite polite about it. You can turn them away, but why bother getting angry?

By the way, I say this as complete nonbeliever. I'm much more a follower of Douglas Adams and Bertrand Russell than I am of Abraham and Moses. However, if I'm so worried about my beliefs that someone coming to my house and knocking on my door is a threat, than perhaps I should be looking into other systems.

 

[zinfamous]

It's already happening. The majority of people in the west don't really take religion seriously. They just do it cause they've always done it. They might go to church every so often, especially on holidays, but if they were honest with themselves they'd recognize they don't really believe in it. The tradition gets weaker with every generation, and it will eventually fizzle out.

In some ways it's a shame. I like tradition, and it gives people a way to take part in a common cause. I'd prefer it makes some kind of logical sense though. They should bring back the pagan traditions. Recognizing the planet, and the change of seasons is universal, and it makes a good excuse for a party :^)

very, very few people go to church in Western Europe. Many do, actually, consider themselves Christians, but the ritual is far less important.

It's weird that in the west, the most religious hemisphere is ours, and we seem to have the greatest problems with violence and greedy, selfish bastards. We consider ourselves so Christlike, but many are so far from it.

I wonder if it has something to do with going to church every Sunday and having the fear put into you?

 

[rpanic]

Hey don’t knock those Mormons. Multiple times they have asked if I needed help with anything. They speak English, do the work Illegals do, and they move as much as you can throw at them for free. Last time I got them to move two fridges down a flight of stairs and put on a pickup truck. They didn’t even preach to me. My mother in law always needs help I just send Mormons over there and don’t even have to see or deal with her. I might have them dig up my yard and lay new sod this year.

 

[Joseph F]

Or just say "Ya nye govoryu po-angliskii". They'll be like .

 

[SlitheryDee]

The problem I have with this idea is that you're then treating religious ideas as fundamentally different from all other ones. Let's say you found a complete, painless cure for cancer. You'd want everyone to know the news, and everyone to be able to benefit from it. If the majority of the world didn't believe you, you'd be incredibly confused and try to convince everyone that you're right.

From their perspective, they've found the perfect understanding of the universe. It's only natural to want to share your joy with the rest of the world. When a missionary knocks on your door, they're not doing much different than many charity workers, salespeople, or political operatives. The only difference is that it involves something inherently unprovable. They're not breaking any laws, and they're generally quite polite about it. You can turn them away, but why bother getting angry?

By the way, I say this as complete nonbeliever. I'm much more a follower of Douglas Adams and Bertrand Russell than I am of Abraham and Moses. However, if I'm so worried about my beliefs that someone coming to my house and knocking on my door is a threat, than perhaps I should be looking into other systems.

They should advertise on television, in print, and/or on the internet. Some people really need a completely painless cure for cancer. If such a thing were to exist, you can bet word would get around with absolutely no need for knocking on doors.

It might be true that some people really need the Mormon's brand of christianity as well. You can bet those people will also sign up without you ever having to knock on their door.

My whole point is that I , and most other people, already know what they need and where to find it. If I'm not a mormon long before anyone tries to convert me, it isn't because I haven't ever heard of Mormonism, it's because I've already decided mormonism isn't for me. My policy on all things that someone might conceivably try to talk me into is "make your information available. I'll call if I give a damn. Otherwise leave me alone".

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Out-proselytize them!