Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

[Willow]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

I can attest to the fact that this actually works. So does dressing up as a Sith Lord. :creepy:

I'm totally doing this next time....

[MoonRaven]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

I'm totally doing this next time....

The Sith Lord or the naked one? Just curious.

[Willow]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

The naked one, I don't have enough money to buy a sith lord costume. ^^ Although... I have a grim reaper outfit in the closet... ponder ponder...

[MoonRaven]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

The naked one, I don't have enough money to buy a sith lord costume. ^^ Although... I have a grim reaper outfit in the closet... ponder ponder...

Actually the Sith Lord was a friend of mine. We were going to a constume party, he dressed as Emperor Palpatine post encounter with Mace Windu so he had used quite a bit of make-up to make his face look old and wrinkled. I was dressed as his apprentice, think short, female Darth Maul and you have the picture.
Anyway, we were all dressed up and ready to go, then it knocks on the door. We think it's a couple of other friends who had said they'd might drop by and catch a ride with us. My friend opens but it turns out to be Jehova's Witnesses. At that point in time I had had a lot of problems with them, they just wouldn't leave me alone, seemed incapable of taking a hint. Well, the moment they introduced themselves my friend started doing his Emperor rutine, praising the power of the dark side, I stood in the background trying my best to look grim but having to fight very hard not to crack up laughing. He even invited them in to have a talk about the will of God vs. the philosophies of the Force and how the philosophy of the Sith is compatible with the will of God. They strangely enough excused themselves very quickly and I was not really bothered by them again.
It should be mentioned in this context that this friend is a very devout Christian and was at the time in question studying theology so he had solid arguments up his cloak sleves. Both of them. ;D

As for the naked one that was a bit of an accident. I had just showered and was only wearing my panties, it knocks and since it was August and temperatures running in the high 20 C (around 80 F for you Yanks) I just went to answer it. Only friends and the postman ever knocks on my door, the post had already been there and my friends know I receive them in whatever I'm wearing.
Well, two elderly ladies stands outside, one of them with an issue of The Watchtower in her hand. They take one look at me, hands my the magazine and barely manages to say good day before they head down the stairwell. At the time I was living in a flat.
What could I do except shrug and close the door?

[Willow]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

Actually the Sith Lord was a friend of mine. We were going to a constume party, he dressed as Emperor Palpatine post encounter with Mace Windu so he had used quite a bit of make-up to make his face look old and wrinkled. I was dressed as his apprentice, think short, female Darth Maul and you have the picture.
Anyway, we were all dressed up and ready to go, then it knocks on the door. We think it's a couple of other friends who had said they'd might drop by and catch a ride with us. My friend opens but it turns out to be Jehova's Witnesses. At that point in time I had had a lot of problems with them, they just wouldn't leave me alone, seemed incapable of taking a hint. Well, the moment they introduced themselves my friend started doing his Emperor rutine, praising the power of the dark side, I stood in the background trying my best to look grim but having to fight very hard not to crack up laughing. He even invited them in to have a talk about the will of God vs. the philosophies of the Force and how the philosophy of the Sith is compatible with the will of God. They strangely enough excused themselves very quickly and I was not really bothered by them again.
It should be mentioned in this context that this friend is a very devout Christian and was at the time in question studying theology so he had solid arguments up his cloak sleves. Both of them. ;D

As for the naked one that was a bit of an accident. I had just showered and was only wearing my panties, it knocks and since it was August and temperatures running in the high 20 C (around 80 F for you Yanks) I just went to answer it. Only friends and the postman ever knocks on my door, the post had already been there and my friends know I receive them in whatever I'm wearing.
Well, two elderly ladies stands outside, one of them with an issue of The Watchtower in her hand. They take one look at me, hands my the magazine and barely manages to say good day before they head down the stairwell. At the time I was living in a flat.
What could I do except shrug and close the door?

haha well if they make everyone else feel uncomfortable on a regular basis, it's only polite to return the favor.

[WinterTraditions]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

Actually the Sith Lord was a friend of mine. We were going to a constume party, he dressed as Emperor Palpatine post encounter with Mace Windu so he had used quite a bit of make-up to make his face look old and wrinkled. I was dressed as his apprentice, think short, female Darth Maul and you have the picture.
Anyway, we were all dressed up and ready to go, then it knocks on the door. We think it's a couple of other friends who had said they'd might drop by and catch a ride with us. My friend opens but it turns out to be Jehova's Witnesses. At that point in time I had had a lot of problems with them, they just wouldn't leave me alone, seemed incapable of taking a hint. Well, the moment they introduced themselves my friend started doing his Emperor rutine, praising the power of the dark side, I stood in the background trying my best to look grim but having to fight very hard not to crack up laughing. He even invited them in to have a talk about the will of God vs. the philosophies of the Force and how the philosophy of the Sith is compatible with the will of God. They strangely enough excused themselves very quickly and I was not really bothered by them again.
It should be mentioned in this context that this friend is a very devout Christian and was at the time in question studying theology so he had solid arguments up his cloak sleves. Both of them. ;D

As for the naked one that was a bit of an accident. I had just showered and was only wearing my panties, it knocks and since it was August and temperatures running in the high 20 C (around 80 F for you Yanks) I just went to answer it. Only friends and the postman ever knocks on my door, the post had already been there and my friends know I receive them in whatever I'm wearing.
Well, two elderly ladies stands outside, one of them with an issue of The Watchtower in her hand. They take one look at me, hands my the magazine and barely manages to say good day before they head down the stairwell. At the time I was living in a flat.
What could I do except shrug and close the door?

I wouldn't have been able to do that. Just... Boobs. xD

[Thothur]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

I lived in Pensacola Florida where Liberty Bible College is located. All of their students had to do weekends standing on street corners or going door to door. In part it was to get people to slam doors in their faces or scream at them from their cars. It was a test of their faith and dedication to their beliefs and part of their final exam I think. But you'd see them out there in their coat and ties or walking door to door all the time.

Never an equal exchange simply them speaking at you and trying to play you down as a show of their dedication and faith.

What these churches and bible colleges don't understand is they aren't accomplishing anything other than to make the general public hate them.

[Poshi]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

I lived in Pensacola Florida where Liberty Bible College is located. All of their students had to do weekends standing on street corners or going door to door. In part it was to get people to slam doors in their faces or scream at them from their cars. It was a test of their faith and dedication to their beliefs and part of their final exam I think. But you'd see them out there in their coat and ties or walking door to door all the time.

Never an equal exchange simply them speaking at you and trying to play you down as a show of their dedication and faith.

See, I think it's things like this which convince some Christians that they are "victims" or "the minority". Because they're going around bothering people and when people aren't receptive they think, "Oh, well it's because no one feels how I feel and I'm so alone in the world." I had a friend like this who took every opportunity to talk about how people probably hate her because she's one of the only real Christians left. Used to really insult me. There is a church on about every block around here. She wasn't any obscure branch of Christianity either.

[toxicyarnglare]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

See, I think it's things like this which convince some Christians that they are "victims" or "the minority". Because they're going around bothering people and when people aren't receptive they think, "Oh, well it's because no one feels how I feel and I'm so alone in the world." I had a friend like this who took every opportunity to talk about how people probably hate her because she's one of the only real Christians left. Used to really insult me. There is a church on about every block around here. She wasn't any obscure branch of Christianity either.

That's another thing that bugs me about many kinds of Christianity, is their persecution complex. They believe that since they are simply losing their majority power, that all of a sudden the devil has full control over everything and their fighting some unreasonable spiritual battle to hold their ground. The one religion in America that faces real threat and persecution is Islam, otherwise, that kind of stuff (generally) doesn't happen here. There are some parts of the world where that kind of persecution is real. Not here.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

What these churches and bible colleges don't understand is they aren't accomplishing anything other than to make the general public hate them.

I think most of them do realize that. It's almost as if they need the challenge and hatred in order to justify to themselves their existence. They will still collect those who share a similar perspective and will still have a lot of supporters who say one thing in public but another in private. Then factor in where they tend to locate they do accomplish what they are seeking to do.

- - - Updated - - -

See, I think it's things like this which convince some Christians that they are "victims" or "the minority". Because they're going around bothering people and when people aren't receptive they think, "Oh, well it's because no one feels how I feel and I'm so alone in the world." I had a friend like this who took every opportunity to talk about how people probably hate her because she's one of the only real Christians left. Used to really insult me. There is a church on about every block around here. She wasn't any obscure branch of Christianity either.

Many of the places i've lived in the South fall into the typical church on every corner of town with competing congregations. Heck, even the situations where you have four churches across from each other that may be conflicting in theology though they have the same core beliefs. Luckily I never ran across to many hard core extremist at any of the places.

Personally I think a lot of it is that many are arm chair Christians who practice on Sunday's only. As such their dedications seem to hold strongest on those days then fade away until they come back to church the following week.

It's like the middle of my sisters is a very devout Christian in appearance yet finds herself being a victim almost all of the time. Many times because of her own reading of the bible and its message, other times her habit of saying one thing and doing another. I went to her church for her wedding and was struck by the fact the minister passed around the wine and wafer for confirmation but told everyone not to take it if they were not truly born again Christians. Born again by that church's standards which I myself could never submit to but waited for her marriage vowels to be finished.

[Thothur]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

I think most of them do realize that. It's almost as if they need the challenge and hatred in order to justify to themselves their existence. They will still collect those who share a similar perspective and will still have a lot of supporters who say one thing in public but another in private. Then factor in where they tend to locate they do accomplish what they are seeking to do.

This may be so. But if they accomplish what they are looking for in the short term at the expense of long term image, how is this possibly acceptable to them?

Short term, they may be giving their disciples what they 'need' in terms of hardship and rejection. Long term, they're making everyone hate them by their crude, rude, and foolish actions. That doesn't exactly breed any cross religion or cross disciple respect there.

- - - Updated - - -

I went to her church for her wedding and was struck by the fact the minister passed around the wine and wafer for confirmation but told everyone not to take it if they were not truly born again Christians. Born again by that church's standards which I myself could never submit to but waited for her marriage vowels to be finished.

I love those! Free munchies! Can't beat that!

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

This may be so. But if they accomplish what they are looking for in the short term at the expense of long term image, how is this possibly acceptable to them?

Short term, they may be giving their disciples what they 'need' in terms of hardship and rejection. Long term, they're making everyone hate them by their crude, rude, and foolish actions. That doesn't exactly breed any cross religion or cross disciple respect there.

Bad part is that it does meet their short term and long term goals and milestones. Figure that for many of those groups there is only a limited amount of humanity that will be saved anyway and they see themselves as part of that group. In many ways it's almost cult like in their beliefs and the depths of those beliefs. That other's do not believe or even hate them is of little to no importance to the survival of the group.

[Thothur]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

That could indeed be the case. Everyone needs to see themselves as 'special'. As having hidden or reserved teachings or the 'true' knowledge that others do not. It's that niche thing that (almost) everyone in a mainstream religion seems to require in order to give meaning to themselves. One would think that folks would figure out by now that it is possible for them to get along with others without such antics.

But as ye said, getting along isn't their goal. They probably NEED to be hated in order to feel... persecuted. If no one persecutes them, they make it happen themselves. That's a very twisted circle to get into.

[Oden_son]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

Christian missionaries are easy to deal with. The last time Jehovah's Witnesses came to my door I answered it naked. One said "I think we have the wrong house." They left and it's been about 6 years since they've come to my house. A few weeks ago one handed me a flier on my way into a metal show, I took it without thinking, people hand out fliers for future shows outside metal shows all the time. When i looked at it i dropped it at his feet and A simple "fuck off" was all I needed.

[Optimistic discord]

Re: Just had two Christian missionaries try to convert me.

We get quite a few door to door JWs , and I don't mind them to much.
Ay least they are polite and quite happy to really do some research for their debates.
When I was living in Aberystwyth there was one JW who would come every week , we had some amazing conversations about faith and religion and spirituality, it only got creepy when she began turning up with "honey traps" who would also approach me at other venues and in clubs.

In the end I had to put my foot down and reiterate that I was not going to be converted, and that if they keep sending honey traps to me then i will assume they are gifts for mine and their pleasure.

That did the job.

Seriously though university was the first time i met people who just went to uni to get wives/ husbands....thwy were like stepford wives, people would hook up at parties and then two weekslater were engaged and going to chech every week.. Creepy.