Religion Question

[Galahad]

Nah, what I'm contesting is that IMPRESSING one's beliefs is immoral. INFORMING about one's beliefs is another, far more agreeable thing.



Rich::

But in your post you equated the JW "telling" with "impressing". If the "impressing" is still simply speech as oppose to coercion or threats then it is certainly annoying but not immoral. If an anti-war protester stops me in the street and starts "impressing" his beliefs about the actions of my government on me is it immoral?

 

[dcentity2000]

But in your post you equated the JW "telling" with "impressing". If the "impressing" is still simply speech as oppose to coercion or threats then it is certainly annoying but not immoral. If an anti-war protester stops me in the street and starts "impressing" his beliefs about the actions of my government on me is it immoral?

I use the term "impress" to indicate a forced dictation of views, such as this:

Today I was stopped in the street by a religious person. He told me that he was a Christian and that he would like to share the good news of the Gospel. That's informing me, by the way. He then followed me along the street and wouldn't stop talking to me, even though I had indicated that I wasn't interested (I'm already a practicing Christian anyway, which adds a dash of irony). It was there that his informing became imposing or impressing.

Is that any clearer?



Rich::

 

[Galahad]

I use the term "impress" to indicate a forced dictation of views, such as this:

Today I was stopped in the street by a religious person. He told me that he was a Christian and that he would like to share the good news of the Gospel. That's informing me, by the way. He then followed me along the street and wouldn't stop talking to me, even though I had indicated that I wasn't interested (I'm already a practicing Christian anyway, which adds a dash of irony). It was there that his informing became imposing or impressing.

Is that any clearer?




Rich::

That is clearer. While annoying, IMO it doesn't even approach immoral any more than a relentless street person wanting to tell me his latest invention for 5 or 6 blocks following me down the street.

 

[JoyG]

Nah, what I'm contesting is that IMPRESSING one's beliefs is immoral. INFORMING about one's beliefs is another, far more agreeable thing.



Rich::

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?).

 

[dcentity2000]

That is clearer. While annoying, IMO it doesn't even approach immoral any more than a relentless street person wanting to tell me his latest invention for 5 or 6 blocks following me down the street.

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?)



Rich::

 

[willis37862]

I use the term "impress" to indicate a forced dictation of views, such as this:

Today I was stopped in the street by a religious person. He told me that he was a Christian and that he would like to share the good news of the Gospel. That's informing me, by the way. He then followed me along the street and wouldn't stop talking to me, even though I had indicated that I wasn't interested (I'm already a practicing Christian anyway, which adds a dash of irony). It was there that his informing became imposing or impressing.

Is that any clearer?



Rich::

Are you even sure this person was a Jehovah's Witness? We often get Mormons at our door and lots of people mistake them for JW. I do not find it immoral in any way for people to share their religious beliefs with me. If I am not interested , I just say so and move on.

 

[dcentity2000]

Are you even sure this person was a Jehovah's Witness? We often get Mormons at our door and lots of people mistake them for JW. I do not find it immoral in any way for people to share their religious beliefs with me. If I am not interested , I just say so and move on.

I'm pretty sure he wasn't a Jehovah's Witness, but having said that I'm not sure which denomination he belonged to.

On a positive note, I got in contact with some Mormons recently out of curiosity. Two kind young men came and visited, gave me the Book of Mormon and talked me through it. They didn't try to bug me afterwards at all and left the meeting open ended, so I could follow up if I so chose, which I felt was a nice thing.

I didn't convert to Mormonism (is that a word?) but I did find it interesting - it's worth a look, if nothing more.



Rich::

 

[maddiemouse]

Read my signature.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I view imposing religion in the US to be some kind of legislative push-and I do believe that is wrong. We are fortunate to live in a country that allows us to worship as we choose, but IMHO that does not extend to legislating the rules of any particular faith. If the ONLY basis for a new law is "God says so"-then it is not a good law for the US.

I don't open the door to any religious evangelization group-JW's, Mormons, Christian-I don't answer the bell for any of them. I don't view that or the man standing in Times Square with the bullhorn as "imposing"-I view it as an exercise of their free speech rights and I simply keep walking or don't answer the door. I'm not an evangelizer myself-if asked, I will share-but I don't start conversations with folks about religion.

 

[freckles and boo]

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.

 

[Mermaid02]

My cousin said if JW come to your door to tell them you were "disfellowshipped" and they are not allowed to talk to you or even acknowledge your existance. Don't know if it's true or not....

 

[willis37862]

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.

If they are doing that where you live then they are in the wrong. That is not something they are taught to do.

My cousin said if JW come to your door to tell them you were "disfellowshipped" and they are not allowed to talk to you or even acknowledge your existance. Don't know if it's true or not....

No thats not true.

 

[scrump]

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::

I think it's wrong. My MIL is very religious, and has imposed her beliefs on me in the past. I get tired of it, and have to tell her to please stop. She is quiet for a while, and then starts up again. Annoying and wrong.

 

[Mermaid02]

If they are doing that where you live then they are in the wrong. That is not something they are taught to do.



No thats not true.

I knew it was too good to be true.... I'll just have to be happy with "No thank you" and then shutting the door in their faces.

 

[claudia]

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::

It is always your option to listen or to say "no thanks, goodbye".

 

[Fitswimmer]

I've always wondered about the effectiveness of that approach. I can't imagine joining a religion on the basis of someone coming to my door or hearing someone preach on the street. I suppose it must work-or why would they still use it as a tool, right?

I returned to my faith based on the examples of people that I came in contact with in my life who had qualities that I admired. When I got to know them and talked to them about why they were so together-they told me about their faith and invited me to join them at church if I wanted, but never pushed.

 

[jann1033]

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

 

[Disney Doll]

Can't answer "right" or "wrong", that is relative to the people involved.

Some people will tell you that hate it, immoral, or annoying.

Some people may say it saved their life.

Some people get medical/educational help in the form of missionary work, while maybe not converting, they accept the religion part as part of a trade off.

I do not agree with labeling it as immoral, more annoying or in some cases interesting depending on the converter.

What TMM said.

 

[Cool-Beans]

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.

 

[freckles and boo]

If they are doing that where you live then they are in the wrong. That is not something they are taught to do.

They are not doing this where I live now. It was something my mother experienced more than once when I was a child in the 1970s.

The last time a Jehovah's Witness rang my bell he was nothing but polite. He also alerted me to a baby dove that was on my walkway that I might not have otherwise seen. After he and his entourage left we moved the bird to a sheltered area and provided it with water for a week until it was big enough to fly away. Watching the baby (and the momma and papa who stayed with it) proved to be a great learning experience for my kids. Even though I recycled the JW's "invitation to salvation" I am glad he stopped by that day.