Disclaimer: I am not intending for this topic to be inflammatory against religion or anything of that sort. The idea merely popped into my head as I was walking to my car after an experience I had today while I was out. I'm placing the thread here since it specifically called out religion in the forum description, but if staff feels the need to move it or shut it down (especially if it gets out of hand), please feel free to do so!
I decided to go do some people watching at one of the local parks in my area to help spark ideas for writing in the future. While I was there, I found this nice little, kinda secluded pier area that had some benches on it, so I went over there to sit and watch the animals on the lake and the people that came by. I stayed for maybe 30 minutes to an hour as there were other places I wanted to go to as well to observe people, but before I left, I stepped closer to the railing to get a better look at the animals in the lake (apparently there's turtles there, and I never knew that!). While I was standing there, a lady approached me and started talking to me about the animals in the lake, and I engaged in polite conversation, not thinking anything of the bag she had in her hand. There's an event stage a little bit further down from where the pier is, and there was an event there that ended maybe 15-20 minutes after I arrived, and several people came over to the pier afterwards, so I just assumed the bag came from the event.
And then she tells me she wants to give me something and takes out a book and hands it to me. At first, I'm thinking she's going to talk to me about whatever the event was, but it turns out it was a prayer book with different scriptures and readings to focus on based on whatever that particular day's scripture was. She then goes on to start talking to me about Christianity and Jesus Christ, and I'm politely engaging so as not to be rude, but then she also kept asking "do you believe" and did what I felt as pushing me into becoming a born again Christian.
What are your thoughts on people approaching you in public places about religion of any kind and/or their church? Does it bother you or is it just something you brush off?
For me, I normally just politely engage and take whatever they're giving to me, then carry on with what I was doing. We have people that come into my work and give us little Bible tracts, and it becomes a topic of conversation among us for a little bit before we move on with the rest of our day. It doesn't really bother us, no one's ever really been pushy about it, and usually we just look at it, talk about it, then throw it in the trash later (and sometimes we're met with disappointment as they sometimes give out those fake $100 bills). Even when I just run into people as I'm out and about, they'll hand me a card or a flyer or those "The Daily Bread" books, and sometimes they'll stop me to try and talk to me more, but usually I can take whatever they're handing out and keep moving. It's a little awkward because I'm not expecting someone to walk up to me and hand me something, sure, but it's not an end of the world type deal. I'm not a religious person by any means, and I respect others' faiths and have even gone to churches in the past, but up until today, I've never really felt pushed to be religious or join a church or become a Christian. I don't mind discussing the topic of religion if it comes up in conversation (though I am admittedly ignorant when it comes to it), but I just find the idea of and the practice of trying to push someone to accept a religion... inappropriate? Rude? Maybe those aren't quite the right words, but I just do not feel it's something that should be pushed upon someone. I believe it's a decision that someone has to make of their own accord and not just something that can be decided after a brief, 5-10 minute conversation (as I had today). To me, it's one thing to engage in conversation with someone about religion and ask about their beliefs, assuming they are comfortable with the conversation (and I feel it's a question that should be asked as I feel not everyone wishes to have those conversations, which is okay!), but it's another thing entirely to engage in conversation with them with the intent to convert them to your religion by repeatedly asking if they believe in what they're being told and repeatedly asking if they want to become a part of your religion, whether it be Christianity or another one entirely. I'm okay with people believing in whatever religion they wish to believe in, as that's a choice they've made of their own accord, I'm okay with discussing their religion with them and sharing in what we believe in to further our knowledge and understanding and to hear different perspectives so long as the parties involved are consenting to the conversation, but I'm not okay with feeling like I'm having religion pushed upon me and feeling like I have to accept what's been shared with me without any further insight or reading into it myself, if that makes sense.
I decided to go do some people watching at one of the local parks in my area to help spark ideas for writing in the future. While I was there, I found this nice little, kinda secluded pier area that had some benches on it, so I went over there to sit and watch the animals on the lake and the people that came by. I stayed for maybe 30 minutes to an hour as there were other places I wanted to go to as well to observe people, but before I left, I stepped closer to the railing to get a better look at the animals in the lake (apparently there's turtles there, and I never knew that!). While I was standing there, a lady approached me and started talking to me about the animals in the lake, and I engaged in polite conversation, not thinking anything of the bag she had in her hand. There's an event stage a little bit further down from where the pier is, and there was an event there that ended maybe 15-20 minutes after I arrived, and several people came over to the pier afterwards, so I just assumed the bag came from the event.
And then she tells me she wants to give me something and takes out a book and hands it to me. At first, I'm thinking she's going to talk to me about whatever the event was, but it turns out it was a prayer book with different scriptures and readings to focus on based on whatever that particular day's scripture was. She then goes on to start talking to me about Christianity and Jesus Christ, and I'm politely engaging so as not to be rude, but then she also kept asking "do you believe" and did what I felt as pushing me into becoming a born again Christian.
What are your thoughts on people approaching you in public places about religion of any kind and/or their church? Does it bother you or is it just something you brush off?
For me, I normally just politely engage and take whatever they're giving to me, then carry on with what I was doing. We have people that come into my work and give us little Bible tracts, and it becomes a topic of conversation among us for a little bit before we move on with the rest of our day. It doesn't really bother us, no one's ever really been pushy about it, and usually we just look at it, talk about it, then throw it in the trash later (and sometimes we're met with disappointment as they sometimes give out those fake $100 bills). Even when I just run into people as I'm out and about, they'll hand me a card or a flyer or those "The Daily Bread" books, and sometimes they'll stop me to try and talk to me more, but usually I can take whatever they're handing out and keep moving. It's a little awkward because I'm not expecting someone to walk up to me and hand me something, sure, but it's not an end of the world type deal. I'm not a religious person by any means, and I respect others' faiths and have even gone to churches in the past, but up until today, I've never really felt pushed to be religious or join a church or become a Christian. I don't mind discussing the topic of religion if it comes up in conversation (though I am admittedly ignorant when it comes to it), but I just find the idea of and the practice of trying to push someone to accept a religion... inappropriate? Rude? Maybe those aren't quite the right words, but I just do not feel it's something that should be pushed upon someone. I believe it's a decision that someone has to make of their own accord and not just something that can be decided after a brief, 5-10 minute conversation (as I had today). To me, it's one thing to engage in conversation with someone about religion and ask about their beliefs, assuming they are comfortable with the conversation (and I feel it's a question that should be asked as I feel not everyone wishes to have those conversations, which is okay!), but it's another thing entirely to engage in conversation with them with the intent to convert them to your religion by repeatedly asking if they believe in what they're being told and repeatedly asking if they want to become a part of your religion, whether it be Christianity or another one entirely. I'm okay with people believing in whatever religion they wish to believe in, as that's a choice they've made of their own accord, I'm okay with discussing their religion with them and sharing in what we believe in to further our knowledge and understanding and to hear different perspectives so long as the parties involved are consenting to the conversation, but I'm not okay with feeling like I'm having religion pushed upon me and feeling like I have to accept what's been shared with me without any further insight or reading into it myself, if that makes sense.
