Religion Question

[Mermaid02]

i wonder how many people realize that world wide Jehovah's Witnesses come to people's doors as volunteers, hold normal jobs to pay for their own gas, in order to make voluntary contributions to pay for the literature they give you( you can contribute for it if you want but it is at no charge to the public), etc that they use to go to people's homes, and use their own time to tell you about the Bible( ie are not paid to do so like most preachers are) but do it because Jesus said to love your neighbor,which they believe and practice,and because he said they were obligated to help them learn what the Bible says since they were freely given that same opportunity. As some Christians may know, that sounds just like what the first century Christians did. really pretty much everything Jehovah's Witnesses do or believe has a basis from the Bible.

just a side thought,how many other people do you know that are that dedicated about anything? If you aren't interested a polite "no thanks" will do the trick but if you shut the door before they even start how do you know if you are interested or not?

so is it immoral? of course not, unless you consider Jesus and the apostles to be immoral ( which i am sure wasn't what the op had in mind) and if you wanted to learn more about the Bible or be encouraged by reading something in it or about it,it wouldn't be an imposition imo. sometimes we are to busy for our own good

Trust me, I know I'm not interested and they need not keep speaking after they have gotten my "No thank you" THAT is rude. I find it insulting that they think if I just listen to them I'll agree with them... never gonna happen.

 

[pearlieq]

I guess you're right; I retract the use of the term "immoral" and substitute the word "impolite" (I guess that would be more accurate?)

Well that's a whole different ballgame. Of course it's impolite and downright irritating! But it's just one of those things you deal with on a planet crowded with 6 billion people, like BO and close talkers.

 

[Galahad]

like BO

 

[Pop Daddy]

I think its alright to "share" but not "impose"

 

[wilderness01]

My mother told me that when I was little the local JW folks would bring children along. If you politely said "No, thanks" at the door they would work their way into the house by claiming that a child needed to use the restroom. My mom said she fell for it a couple of times before she realized that the child was trained to listen by the bathroom door and not come out until after a certain point in the sales pitch. I think THAT is immoral.

When we lived on the West Coast I worked with a JW. I had several JW come to my door and each time they had a child with them. I asked my coworker and she said indeed they do that so the person feels sorry for them and lets them in. Basically the child is used as a ploy. So it has happened to us as well and it was in the mid 80's. A few years back I opened my door and I had materials literally shoved in my face. I said no thanks and the person still tried to talk and push more materials on me. I was furious.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Is it right or appropriate for anyone to impress their religious beliefs on another? I mean, for instance, a Jehovah's Witness visiting a random home and trying to tell the resident about their religion.

Thoughts? I'd hold that impressing religion is immoral as it should be up to the individual to make up their own mind based on their own research.



Rich::

No I don't you can believe what you want, doesn't bother me but come to my house and try and sell me your religion, or as a lot of JW's seem to do round my area dig me out of my nice warm bed after a 12 hour night shift and its on your own head!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not to mention you don't know the religious affiliation of your victim. Believe in what you want but don't go round pushing it on others.

 

[KirklandTutu]

My parents are evangelicals (father is a minister, in fact) it's part of their belief system that they have to try and save people.

I am 'other'. Part of my basic tenents for my beliefs is that you leave other people's spiritual life alone unless asked. I am passionate about people finding their own way and not being simply told what to believe.

I am fine with any belief system as long as it doesn't impose on my own.

My parents believe that if you don't believe their way, then you'll go to hell.

My parents believe in a very real hell.

I think it's a load of rubbish.

It's near impossible balance to find in our relationship. They feel that they are sinning unless they try to save me (or re-save, as a teenager I felt that I was truly saved, honestly, I even did the door to door thing). I feel like I am morally bankrupt and letting the entire universe down if I listen to them for more than five minutes.

It's too bad that our beliefs have made a close relationship nearly impossible. Who's at fault? I don't know. I don't think I am, I'm sure they don't think they are either.

I still feel that imposing one's religious beliefs on others is a morally wrong thing. I always will, I doubt anything will ever change that.

 

[ford family]

When the Witnesses or the people who talk about rapture/being saved (not sure who they are) come to the door, I don't feel that their religion has been imposed on me any more than I would feel an encyclopedia was imposed on me by their sales people or that ice cream is when the truck rolls down the street.

I just say, "I'm sorry, we're Catholic" and close the door.

But, then, I don't have any kind of chip on my shoulder that makes me dislike relgious people in the first place.

How would you describe your chip, then? Persecution complex, maybe?

ford family

 

[Mugg Mann]

I have to wonder to myself if we (living in the US) even know what that means to have religious beliefs impressed upon us. I think it's immoral to demand that someone convert to your religion or face death. Places in the middle east or China might be impressing believes on others but I don't think we see that here.
I think having someone ring your doorbell, or shout about the "end is near" on a street corner might be irritating but doesn't come near to being immoral. We're lucky in this country to have the freedom to walk away or tune out if we want. As long as we have that response open to us as listeners, I don't think it's immoral for anyone to share their faith from JW to Harri Krishna's (sp?).

With respect, I think you are being incredibly naive if you actually believe the bolded parts of your post.

During my most recent trip to WDW, while sitting in my hotel room, I got thirsty. The money I pulled out of my wallet to insert into the vending machine was imprinted with a religious message urging me to have faith in a creation of mankind's imagination. I have no alternative to using the currency with that message, and I must play along with the predominant religious view if I want to function in a society where, ironically, the primary first law states that there is to be no official state religion.

On the way back to my hotel room, I looked up into the sky on a bright, sunny day, and there was another religious message informing me that "Jesus Loves You". Based on your post, how do I "walk away" from that?

Back in my hotel room, I wanted to send a quick postcard as promised to friends back home. Right next to the stationery and pen in the night table drawer was a book of religious dogma preaching against my personal beliefs placed there with the full consent of the hotel management.

Frustrated with that, I turned on the television in my hotel room and found several channels dedicated to spreading a religious message that conflicted with my own personal beliefs, yet no matter how hard I tried, I could not find a channel that broadcast a viewpoint similar to my own.

There are many more examples I could easily cite, but all this occured without having to stray more than 30 feet from my hotel room.

Again, with respect, you are kidding yourself if you think that someone who doesn't believe as you do can just "walk away or tune out". It's everywhere. You just happen to agree with the message plastered in every part of society, and I wonder what your reaction would be if you had no choice but to pull out cash imprinted with the message "There Is No God" or looked up over WDW to see the words "Allah Loves You" written in huge, unavoidable letters in the sky.

 

[mickeyfan2]

They can come to my home and ask if I want to hear about their religion. As soon as I say I'm not interested they should say thank you and leave. Any more and they are pushing their views on me.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Again, with respect, you are kidding yourself if you think that someone who doesn't believe as you do can just "walk away or tune out". It's everywhere. You just happen to agree with the message plastered in every part of society, and I wonder what your reaction would be if you had no choice but to pull out cash imprinted with the message "There Is No God" or looked up over WDW to see the words "Allah Loves You" written in huge, unavoidable letters in the sky.

I don't look at the bill in my hand except to make sure I'm giving the cashier the right amount. If someone wanted to paint "Allah loves you" in the sky over WDW-I'd look, say "boy, that must have cost a few bucks" and move on to the next attraction-just like I do now. If WDW or any other hotel chain put a Koran or even the Satanic Bible in that drawer I'd probably never even know it was there-or if I did see it I would simply ignore it-just like I do now.

I can only control what I do in my own life, I can't control what the rest of the world chooses to do. I can control what I allow to annoy me or offend me.

 

[Jennasis]

Some religions (JW for instance) require that they're brethren spread the word. JW's do not force you to convert, and you certainly don't have to listen to thm or even answer the door (though i did once...naked. they stopped coming by).

There is a HUGE difference between forcing your beliefs on others and telling them about your beliefs.

The assertion that it is IMMORAL to tell others about your beliefs is ludicrous.

Many years ago I was party to a complete miracle. I was touched by Jesus in a most spectacular way. For months afterwards I was so amazed and overjoyed by what had happened that I couldn't help telling people about it.

 

[jann1033]

When we lived on the West Coast I worked with a JW. I had several JW come to my door and each time they had a child with them. I asked my coworker and she said indeed they do that so the person feels sorry for them and lets them in. Basically the child is used as a ploy. So it has happened to us as well and it was in the mid 80's. A few years back I opened my door and I had materials literally shoved in my face. I said no thanks and the person still tried to talk and push more materials on me. I was furious.

sorry but you were misinformed...those children are children in the congregation, often the adult's child or if not, a friend's, who are being trained as well. they are never forced to do so nor are they used as a "ploy" of some kind..and what would the benefit be since no one makes money off it, or gets "points" or anything else?

as far as the material being shoved in your face, that isn't the way most of Jehovah's Witnesses are, so that isn't the way they are encouraged to act.

 

[Mugg Mann]

I don't look at the bill in my hand except to make sure I'm giving the cashier the right amount. If someone wanted to paint "Allah loves you" in the sky over WDW-I'd look, say "boy, that must have cost a few bucks" and move on to the next attraction-just like I do now. If WDW or any other hotel chain put a Koran or even the Satanic Bible in that drawer I'd probably never even know it was there-or if I did see it I would simply ignore it-just like I do now.

I can only control what I do in my own life, I can't control what the rest of the world chooses to do. I can control what I allow to annoy me or offend me.

I understand what you're saying, and I do the same out of necessity.

I wanted to give another perspective on JoyG's first sentence in her post that I commented on;

I have to wonder to myself if we (living in the US) even know what that means to have religious beliefs impressed upon us.

and my response was meant to convey that I do indeed.

Again, when it's your (speaking in the general sense, and not to you individually Fitswimmer) viewpoint plastered everywhere, you tend not to notice it as much, or when you do, you don't think of it as a big deal.

Just my two cents....as our mutual friend LuvDuke is often fond of saying, YMMV!

 

[mickeyfan2]

My mother told me that when I was little the local JW folks would bring children along. If you politely said "No, thanks" at the door they would work their way into the house by claiming that a child needed to use the restroom. My mom said she fell for it a couple of times before she realized that the child was trained to listen by the bathroom door and not come out until after a certain point in the sales pitch. I think THAT is immoral.

I would point them to our woods and tell them they are free to pee there.

 

[willis37862]

I don't look at the bill in my hand except to make sure I'm giving the cashier the right amount. If someone wanted to paint "Allah loves you" in the sky over WDW-I'd look, say "boy, that must have cost a few bucks" and move on to the next attraction-just like I do now. If WDW or any other hotel chain put a Koran or even the Satanic Bible in that drawer I'd probably never even know it was there-or if I did see it I would simply ignore it-just like I do now.

I can only control what I do in my own life, I can't control what the rest of the world chooses to do. I can control what I allow to annoy me or offend me.

I agree. And seriously who cares if people right on bills or there are bibles in the hotels or people write in the sky, none of that bothers we whether I believe what they are saying or not. I am thankful that we have freedom of speech even if I don't agree with everything that people have to say.

So I shouldn't talk about what I believe because you don't believe it I guess I just don't understand the problem....I have my beliefs about all kinds of things but that doesn't close my mind to listening to others and what they believe , it doesn't mean I have to agree with them.

sorry but you were misinformed...those children are children in the congregation, often the adult's child or if not, a friend's, who are being trained as well. they are never forced to do so nor are they used as a "ploy" of some kind..and what would the benefit be since no one makes money off it, or gets "points" or anything else?

as far as the material being shoved in your face, that isn't the way most of Jehovah's Witnesses are, so that isn't the way they are encouraged to act.

Exactly. I always wonder why people instantly think that the kids brought with them are a ploy....I would think its their children and they want to include them in their preaching. I have never understood the separating kids and adults in some churches, so that kids are taught by the Sunday school teacher and the parents go off to listen to the preacher...to me the whole family should be learning together. But thats just my opionion.

 

[ford family]

I agree. And seriously who cares if people right on bills

But isn't the point being made that it is the Government that is putting the religious stuff on the bills so you cannot avoid it? It is being imposed on you regardless of whether you believe it or not.

ford family

 

[Jennasis]

It's in the pledge of allegiance too isn't it? One nation, under GOD?

 

[Miz Diz]

When we lived on the West Coast I worked with a JW. I had several JW come to my door and each time they had a child with them. I asked my coworker and she said indeed they do that so the person feels sorry for them and lets them in. Basically the child is used as a ploy. So it has happened to us as well and it was in the mid 80's. A few years back I opened my door and I had materials literally shoved in my face. I said no thanks and the person still tried to talk and push more materials on me. I was furious.

This is not true. JWs don't get anything if you "convert." They don't even take a collection or keep track of who voluntarily donates. There is no reason they would use children to get in your house or for a sympathy ploy.

As far as talking about your religion - whethere a JW or not - this is what Jesus did. Some people laughed at Jesus and didn't believe him or listen. Jesus was always kind. People who talk about their religion are following Jesus' example. It is your right to say you are not interested. They should be like Jesus and be kind - not rude or impolite.

 

[dcentity2000]

Of course, we do have an EXTREME example of people trying to press and impose their religion on others:

Bin Laden.



Rich::