Odd God

posted December 5th, 2015 at 1:05 AM

I'm an agnostic who grew up in an agnostic, secular home. To me the idea of believing in a deity is just as strange as not beliving is to someone who grew up in a religious household. One detail, I don't go around telling people to become an agnostic or atheist, there are already books and speakers who do that for me if one's interested. Here is what is odd though. Being of one religion in the eyes of another religious group seems to be more palpable to those trying to convert you than trying to explain that you live your life just hunky dorey without any god. I had a born-again missionary come up to me and my lapsed Muslim colleague yesterday; his intention of course was to show us the way to Jesus. When my friend said she was a Muslim, the bible thumper found it a great entry point to discuss the almighty with her. When I said I had no religion whatsoever, he went mute and deaf and thought I was moreso an unsavable heathen than my friend. Not like I give a rat's ass but still, randomly bizarre. This is why I respect Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews, they never stalk you to shove their beliefs up your hoo-hoo and down your throat. Amen.

5 Comments

They went mute because there was no hook

Dec 5, 2015 at 2:09am

The missionary saw you as someone without (obvious) delusions and therefore couldn't try to convince you to switch delusions to their chosen one.

It's not religion

Dec 5, 2015 at 1:28pm

It's that some people force their opinions on others. I've had just as many atheist force their non-beliefs on me as anyone else. Just as many atheist are aggressive about sharing their argument too. It's not about religion, it's about ego.

Different systems

Dec 5, 2015 at 1:31pm

In christianity, your end of life salvation depends on whether you believe in God or not. So, as stated in the bible, it is the christians' mission to save as many souls as possible by converting them. In other religions, the emphasis is on behaviour/actions, not beliefs. For example in buddhism, all they do is preach doing good deeds but whether you believe in it or not won't change your destiny so there is less incentives to convert the non-believers. Therefore, it's not really a matter of being more respectful, just different systems and incentives.

Well, guess what?

Dec 5, 2015 at 5:24pm

Buddhists don't consider Buddhism a religion; it isn't possible to convert to Hinduism--you are born one, or not; it is very difficult to convert to Judaism, and even then you need to be accepted as a convert in by those leading, not the average Jew.

So it's cute you have respect for them not 'stalking' you, but theologically speaking it would never happen to begin with.