How to be religiously tolerant?

[Perfection]

Who important knocks at your door?

The feds usually knock before barging into my compound.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Nobody worth waking up for, then.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

The feds usually knock before barging into my compound.

But that means that they have to have a warrant, which means that they never have to wake you up . . . right?

 

[Sahkuhnder]

@sahkuhnder:

Since you seem to be plagued by people at your door, I would offer some advice. It may seem unfair that you are the one who has to take initiative, but this should work for everyone, not just Mormons.

A sign saying 'no soliciting' or 'no proselytizing' won't work. People will just convince themselves that it doesn't apply to them. Maybe a sign along the lines of 'If it's important, call me' combined with a doorbell that won't wake you up. Then tell your kids that if it's not the police, and you haven't made prior arrangements with this person, it's probably not important enough to wake you up.

It's not a problem anymore as I mentioned we now live in one of the very common gated communities here and don't get solicitors as the entire subdivision is private property.

My kids are now old enough to answer the door themselves and know that to wake me is to provoke my mighty wrath. That and letting me sleep in peace puts me in a better mood for when it comes time for me to play my role as their personal ATM machine.

 

[Perfection]

But that means that they have to have a warrant, which means that they never have to wake you up . . . right?

The feds usually don't tell people that they have a warrant until they come barging in.

Of course, they never wake me up, because I never sleep.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

It's not a problem anymore as I mentioned we now live in one of the very common gated communities here and don't get solicitors as the entire subdivision is private property.

My kids are now old enough to answer the door themselves and know that to wake me is to provoke my mighty wrath. That and letting me sleep in peace puts me in a better mood for when it comes time for me to play my role as their personal ATM machine.

Then you're good. Anyways, I think that if anyone gets really upset when the missionaries come by, it is their fault, but whether it is or not, we've just come to accept it. We still think that overall it is effective.

 

[punkbass2000]

I am not saying that people don't become offended when we show up, I am saying that being offended is not a natural result of anything we do, but essentially a choice that people make to be offended.

Why do you think you get to decide whether or not someone's offended?

 

[cairo140]

Then you're good. Anyways, I think that if anyone gets really upset when the missionaries come by, it is their fault, but whether it is or not, we've just come to accept it. We still think that overall it is effective.

Ouch. I am Canadian so I am inherently polite to all people and am very intruiged with the mythology that missionaries try to deliver to me. However, I must raise an objection to your statement.

I can't blame you for bigotry, because to be a bigot is to be completely ignorant. You are certainly not ignorant of what an atheist is. However, I think that you fail to see out of the eyes of a non-Christian. If someone who was a fanatic in your eyes came up to your door, interrupting your rest to tell you about the demons which possess our bodies that can only be removed through counselling, then you would certainly be disturbed.

It's true that we must all keep our cool while being visited by such missionaries. If we become mad, it is our fault. But if we are upset or offended, it is YOURS. Just because you like and would accept something does not mean everybody would.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Ouch. I am Canadian so I am inherently polite to all people and am very intruiged with the mythology that missionaries try to deliver to me. However, I must raise an objection to your statement.

I can't blame you for bigotry, because to be a bigot is to be completely ignorant. You are certainly not ignorant of what an atheist is. However, I think that you fail to see out of the eyes of a non-Christian. If someone who was a fanatic in your eyes came up to your door, interrupting your rest to tell you about the demons which possess our bodies that can only be removed through counselling, then you would certainly be disturbed.

It's true that we must all keep our cool while being visited by such missionaries. If we become mad, it is our fault. But if we are upset or offended, it is YOURS. Just because you like and would accept something does not mean everybody would.

No, I am well aware that many people can't accept our message. But we don't start off by telling them that they are wrong or evil or wicked. It is more like, "We are sharing a message about Jesus today, and how he speaks to mankind through prophets." Modern revelation being one of our key doctrines. I wouldn't mind or be disturbed if someone came to my door and told me that I was demon-possessed and needed counselling; I would be amused more than anything. But as long as they didn't attack my beliefs, it would not be religiously intolerant.

Really, everyone here seems to think, "it would bother you too if you switched roles and it was someone trying to preach to you, but you never considered that". Really, it wouldn't annoy me in the slightest.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Really, everyone here seems to think, "it would bother you too if you switched roles and it was someone trying to preach to you, but you never considered that". Really, it wouldn't annoy me in the slightest.

Then you won't mind posting your RL address so all of us who don't share your beliefs can come and wake you up or disturb your work and tell you about our beliefs -- at any time of day, regardless of any inconvenience to you.

I respect people who sincerely practice the tenets of whatever their faith/philosophy is and do no harm to others -- whether physical, spiritual, or psychological.

By the way, I'm one of those terrible atheists some of you don't want to get near...

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Then you won't mind posting your RL address so all of us who don't share your beliefs can come and wake you up or disturb your work and tell you about our beliefs -- at any time of day, regardless of any inconvenience to you.

I respect people who sincerely practice the tenets of whatever their faith/philosophy is and do no harm to others -- whether physical, spiritual, or psychological.

By the way, I'm one of those terrible atheists some of you don't want to get near...

Except that we don't come at 'any time of day', and we don't disturb people's work if they don't work at home.

And for what it's worth, when religious people come to your door they are sincerely practicing the tenets of their beliefs, which includes sharing what they believe. I don't believe that those who reject it are going to hell, but I do genuinely think that it will help them.