I'm irritated by pushy sales clerks who keep pestering me while I'm trying to decide what -- or even whether -- to buy. I'm forced to deal with their agenda (to get me to spend my money) instead of being able to concentrate on mine, which is to sort through my needs and wants for a particular shopping excursion. That's why I appreciate car dealerships being closed on Sundays, remnant of our blue-law days it may be. I can comparison shop and narrow my choices down to a few, which I can then research on my own and even ask the salesman about, if I want to, later.
I feel the same way about proselytizers whose high-pressure sales tactics are aimed at getting me to spend some of my faith capital on their particular set of beliefs. What I believe has been arrived at and adjusted and refined based on a lifetime of experience and observation. And a belief is just that -- it's not a theory that we accept or reject after a thorough study of the relevant facts. In the end, we either believe or do not, have faith or do not. So leave your pamphlet with me, and I'll get back to you if I have any questions.
At least the religious proselytizers are understandable. Most religions even require it. The ones who find the "true path" are obligated to steer others to it. I don't understand so much the current crop of "secular humanist" advocates:
A monthlong billboard campaign set to begin in Indianapolis on Monday will tell motorists they "don't need God" to live fulfilling lives.
[. . .]
One of the messages reads: "You don't need God -- to hope, to care, to love, to live."
"With this campaign, we are aiming to dispel some myths about the nonreligious," Ronald Lindsay, the center's president, said in a statement. "One common myth is that the nonreligious lead empty, meaningless, selfish, self-centered lives. This is not only false, it's ridiculous. Unfortunately, all too many people accept this myth because that's what they hear about nonbelievers."
You're can't persuade people to not believe any more than you can to believe. All you can do is make those who don't believe feel better about themselves so they can come out of the closet and face the wrath of the faithful. Maybe that's all this is. The president of the group that put up the billboards says they're not trying to get people to give up their religion. But you don't shout for this much attention with hoping for a few converts.
At least this is relatively low-key. I don't have to tell somebody to get off my porch so I can go back to watching "Jeopardy!" Just put that billboard in my driving path, and I'll get back to you later if I have any questions.
Comments
Leo,
Suppose you respond to the pesky salesman by saying sternly "No, I don't need any help. I'd just like to look on my own if that's OK!" Does this also mean you don't want the saleman to bother other people? Does it mean you want other customers to join you in telling the guy to get lost? Or does it simply mean that you want him to leave you alone?
A lot of religious people are obnoxious about their beliefs and downright rude about expressing them in inappropriate ways. I take the man at his word that he is simply saying "Leave me alone, I don't need your help."
I'm pretty sure the non-believers aren't trying to convert anyone. The motive is to make skeptics more comfortable about "coming out."
I've run into a number of rabid atheists trying to convert people.
Actually, believers could create an interesting campaign saying "You don't need God" along the lines of the old Fram old filter "Pay me now - or pay me later" commercial.
The problem, though, is getting the ads to run. The UCC had a really nice ad called "bouncer" which showed people sitting in "ejection seats" in the sanctuary. They were being bounced for being the wrong race, the wrong nationality, for being gay, for being old, for being poor, for being disabled, etc. They ended up the ad by saying that you won't get bounced in THEIR churches, that all are welcome.
I think the best advertising a church could do, though, is to have a lot of not-particularly-religious activities in the basement, and advertise THOSE heavily. C'mon down, check out our nice day care center. C'mon over and and learn how to cook Mexican food. C'mon over and join us for a pancake supper. C'mon over and vote. If people are familiar with a church building, and get to know some of the people in the church, they are more likely to drop in on a Sunday. Just have some racks around the place saying what the church believes in (predestination? rebaptism? etc.) and what time the various worship services are, etc. And be sure to have at least one worship service a week designated as a "blue jeans" service, where wearing a suit and tie is strictly forbidden, so people don't have to buy a lot of fancy clothes to start coming to the church.