Comments on: Refusing Evangelism http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Aimee http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68835 Aimee Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:43:31 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68835 Stogoe, Oh but there are still door to door salesmen, Kirby Vacuums, unfortunately. And what do Kirby and JW's have in common, they all suck! ba da bum!!! Sorry, lame I know, I couldn't resist. Stogoe,

Oh but there are still door to door salesmen, Kirby Vacuums, unfortunately. And what do Kirby and JW’s have in common, they all suck! ba da bum!!!
Sorry, lame I know, I couldn’t resist.

]]> By: stogoe http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68692 stogoe Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:14:19 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68692 <i>It’s not really different from a vacuum cleaner salesman (no offence to vc salesmen)</i> You know, I don't think there <strong>are</strong> door-to-door salesmen any more. Somewhere along the line their roles (annoying home intrusion and hard-selling worthless crap) were split up between the JW and the Home Shopping Network. It’s not really different from a vacuum cleaner salesman (no offence to vc salesmen)

You know, I don’t think there are door-to-door salesmen any more. Somewhere along the line their roles (annoying home intrusion and hard-selling worthless crap) were split up between the JW and the Home Shopping Network.

]]> By: Cliff http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68671 Cliff Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:26:17 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68671 The scripture can be used for multiple purposes. When the zealots get abusive I tell them that I'm hanging my hat on Luke 10:17 (the parable of the good Samaratin). Sometimes I say that when I meet my maker I will ask if he is preparing a room for you. Also, for everything there is a season. <a href="http://www.flatustheelder.com" rel="nofollow">"Flatus The Elder"</a> The scripture can be used for multiple purposes. When the zealots get abusive I tell them that I’m hanging my hat on Luke 10:17 (the parable of the good Samaratin). Sometimes I say that when I meet my maker I will ask if he is preparing a room for you. Also, for everything there is a season.
“Flatus The Elder”

]]> By: Vincent http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68659 Vincent Thu, 13 Sep 2007 17:06:49 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68659 <blockquote>HappyNat said, September 12, 2007 at 7:18 am I agree with being polite, but if the question kepts being brought up after he has asked his friend to stop, he should have a pat response he gives everytime it is asked. Something like Friend:”Are you attending Church yet? Bob: ” Have you figured out God is a figment or your imagination yet?” </blockquote>I'd rather say "have you sacrificed any goats to the sky god yet?"

HappyNat said,

September 12, 2007 at 7:18 am

I agree with being polite, but if the question kepts being brought up after he has asked his friend to stop, he should have a pat response he gives everytime it is asked. Something like
Friend:”Are you attending Church yet?
Bob: ” Have you figured out God is a figment or your imagination yet?”

I’d rather say “have you sacrificed any goats to the sky god yet?”

]]> By: hoverFrog http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68631 hoverFrog Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:55:50 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68631 Sarcasm is our greatest weapon against the evangelist. I have a friend who is a converted Jehovah's Witness and I openly mock his views <em>just as he does mine</em>. You know what: that's what friends do to each other. If he asks if you've attended church tell him that you'd like to but it's full of crazy people who keep getting in the way of the wonderful architecture and muttering to themselves. Sarcasm is our greatest weapon against the evangelist.

I have a friend who is a converted Jehovah’s Witness and I openly mock his views just as he does mine. You know what: that’s what friends do to each other.

If he asks if you’ve attended church tell him that you’d like to but it’s full of crazy people who keep getting in the way of the wonderful architecture and muttering to themselves.

]]> By: llewelly http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68630 llewelly Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:51:09 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68630 I am nearly certain that back in the early 1990s I encountered this story as a part of a Christian proselytization strategy. Bob's friend is, as someone already pointed out, Jesus. I am nearly certain that back in the early 1990s I encountered this story as a part of a Christian proselytization strategy. Bob’s friend is, as someone already pointed out, Jesus.

]]> By: George http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68575 George Thu, 13 Sep 2007 08:55:45 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68575 <em>"Bob can’t just blow off the friend. Too much would be lost if the Christian was out of his life".</em> Part of the problem of offering advice here is that there's not enough information. What type of a "friend" is it that doesn't stop doing something that bothers jo,? What would be "lost"? (is it really a friendship, or some type of dependency?) How many times has Bob asked him to stop, and what were the responses? Of coursse it's possible that Bob is just a wimp. “Bob can’t just blow off the friend. Too much would be lost if the Christian was out of his life”.

Part of the problem of offering advice here is that there’s not enough information. What type of a “friend” is it that doesn’t stop doing something that bothers jo,? What would be “lost”? (is it really a friendship, or some type of dependency?) How many times has Bob asked him to stop, and what were the responses?

Of coursse it’s possible that Bob is just a wimp.

]]> By: Jen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68525 Jen Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:13:00 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68525 I am all for being nice, but if that doesn't work, move on to the slightly meaner "When will you lose your faith?" "When you will realize Jesus is a fake?" and "Why the hell don't you listen when I tell you repeatedly that I am not buying what you are selling?" There are limits as to how nice you can be to someone who just doesn't get it, especially if you aren't related to them. I am all for being nice, but if that doesn’t work, move on to the slightly meaner “When will you lose your faith?” “When you will realize Jesus is a fake?” and “Why the hell don’t you listen when I tell you repeatedly that I am not buying what you are selling?”

There are limits as to how nice you can be to someone who just doesn’t get it, especially if you aren’t related to them.

]]> By: Susan http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68521 Susan Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:00:37 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68521 I'd sit down with him and have a very frank (but respectful and friendly) discussion about each others' beliefs and values. This helps to show the friend that you are truly interested in him, and at least tolerant and respectful of his faith, as well as allowing him to learn about the atheist perspective. Then at the end of the conversation (assuming the friend hasn't managed to convert you, or you him) you can point out that he often seems to get pushy about encouraging you to go to church, and you're really not interested and would like him to drop it. Let him know that you have an open mind, and that if at some point you decide you want to try church you'll let him know, but until then you're just not interested. (On second thought, this last bit might give the friend some false expectations, so maybe not.) I’d sit down with him and have a very frank (but respectful and friendly) discussion about each others’ beliefs and values. This helps to show the friend that you are truly interested in him, and at least tolerant and respectful of his faith, as well as allowing him to learn about the atheist perspective. Then at the end of the conversation (assuming the friend hasn’t managed to convert you, or you him) you can point out that he often seems to get pushy about encouraging you to go to church, and you’re really not interested and would like him to drop it. Let him know that you have an open mind, and that if at some point you decide you want to try church you’ll let him know, but until then you’re just not interested. (On second thought, this last bit might give the friend some false expectations, so maybe not.)

]]> By: Rasputin http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68464 Rasputin Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:50:33 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/11/refusing-evangelism/#comment-68464 If you can't ask someone politely to stop doing something without them getting all huffy then they aren't much of a friend. If you can’t ask someone politely to stop doing something without them getting all huffy then they aren’t much of a friend.

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