Why Do Some People Keep Pushing?
@danishcanadian (28955)
Canada
August 18, 2009 8:37pm CST
I have a friend who experienced abuse in the name of supposed religion, and is not interested in having the Bible in her life right now. I have not been abused, thankfully, but I do have my own issues with organized religion, and while I own a Bible and read it for the history that's in it, I only see it as a history book, and a book of possibilities, and that "God" could be a lot of things, that there is not just "one way," especially since every religion, and every branch of every religion thinks that THEY are on the one true path to God.
the thing that my friend and I are experiencing is that people are constantly pushing us, trying to coax us back to the Bible, or telling us that the Bible IS "the truth" or something like that. Why not just respect the fact that while we may or may not believe in a higher power (I do!) we just aren't comfortable with seeing the Bible as a sacred text, right now? If we change, we change, if we don't we don't!
I don't see The Holy Koran as a sacred text, but because people out there do, I respect that, just as I respect that people out there see the Bible as such. I am not trying to change anyone's mind, I just wonder why so many people think it's their duty to change mine!
Is anyone else experiencing something like this?
4 people like this
12 responses
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Why do they keep pushing? Isn't that the Christian way? I say Christian because that is the only religion that I have ever had knocking on my door and if you make the mistake of talking to them....They NEVER go away! I have to respect all the other religions because they don't knock on my door.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
19 Aug 09
That's not the way of ALL Christians, just the way of certain ones that make a bigger noise than the rest of it.
Just like Muslims and terrorists. A great number of terrorists may be Muslim, but that doesn't mean that the majority of Muslims are terrorists.
But I do know what you mean!!!
I was telling my friend about going to a Catholic school (I'm not Catholic) and we had a year of World Religions in Theology. a Jehovah's Witness came in, and recognized me. I'd closed the door on him the night before when he tried to push his way into my house!! I told him that I was happy to listen to him in a class room setting, but not in my home. I may not own that school but I did own (well my mother did) that house!!
He saw my point.
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
19 Aug 09
LOL The Jehovahs Witness are who bother me the most because I had my own set of JW's and they came every week and most days I would let them talk to me but, then one day I had another set come to my house and I wasn't in the mood and I just said, "sorry I already have my own set of JW's they come every week" and shut the door.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
19 Aug 09
i don't know about all religions,but there's a sect of christianity near me that doesn't believe there will be a "second coming" til a lot of people/everybody is converted(yea,good luck on that).probably hence the push.
i don't understand that practice myself.
my brother and i are both of a faith different than my mom,and she and her priest like to push the issue,and it infuriates me.i respect their right to believe as they wish,i don't know why they can't return the favor.
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
19 Aug 09
My husband and I are of different religions too, and his people tried to push me. However, he respected me, and we made sure they understood pretty quickly. I can be very harsh when I think people are trying to push me, but it's my right to protect myself from something I don't want in my life.
I completely agree with you about respect. Well put!
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
22 Aug 09
Well, I can tell you two reasons why, one is because it's what we're suppose to do. We're considered fishermen and we're to go fishing for nonfollowers and bring them to believe in Christ is our savior. The other reason is because, these people care about you and want to see you on the right path. If they didn't care then they'd let you be.
Now I'm not one to pester people to believe one way or the other. I know that's wrong in the eyes of Christianity but I don't want to come off as a pusher or a religious fanatic because I'm not. I'll state what's on my mind and if the person pushes it away, I'll leave it at that.
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
11 Sep 09
yeah i know! what i think is that some of the bible is story and some fact. i mean the best lies are the ones that are mixed with truth so like where they have proven the different things in the bible that could just be the truth they documented in it.. not to mention men wrote it and that person may percieve something different than others etc..
but yeah it seems like some religions just cant rest until everyone is following them and heaven forbid you have amind of your own
@clorissa123 (4926)
• United States
20 Aug 09
I did before. On the weekend, people from the nearby church always knock on my door, and asking me to believe in their Gods, which I don't really have any religion at all. It was just like those salesperson out there. I really respect what they believe. But religion not necessarily been hard sale. It is some sort of personal choice. If you want to believe in it, you believe in it. If you don't, you really don't have to. Doesn't God just let us to choose our own path?
@vikkiz (518)
•
23 Aug 09
I too dont believe in god and believe that the bible is more of a history book like the ancient egyptians or the myans, They all believed in different things too, I agree with your point about people trying to push a relgion onto you, I personally dont mind people preaching to me as it always ends up in a billiant debate! Im also not bothered about people preaching to me because guess what...ill never change my mind! Im not judging people who do believe in god, if thats what they want to believe then thats their choice, But when it comes to preachers just think of this its like a man coming to your house and trying to sell you a car, you dont want the car and send him on his way, youd be pretty annoyed if that man came back again the next day with the same car and try to resell it to you??.....especialy if the car was an invisible one?? Im always at my local church even though i dont believe simple to help out at the church hall raising money for charitys and to be quite honest i think the vicars cool hes constantly trying to change my beliefs and it never works but like ive said in other disscusions we always end up having a right laugh debating about it.
@Poison_Girl (4150)
• United States
20 Aug 09
I'm with you and others who have responded. I totally disagree with the pushing (of ANYTHING - not just religion) and don't understand it myself. I guess those religious people tend to think that they're "saving" our souls and crap like that. I think it's all ridiculous, myself. However, if that's what they believe, then that's what they believe and who am I to tell them they're wrong or right? If they're religion fits them, then that's fine. Religion doesn't fit me, though and I don't appreciate anyone trying to get me to join any religion. I wouldn't push anyone into doing anything they didn't want to do and I expect the same from others. It's kind of "rape" in a way... That's kind of a horrid way of thinking about it, isn't it? LOL
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
19 Aug 09
I'm so glad to find someone that sees the Bible and religion the same way I do. It really is a wonderful book, once we look at it from different perspectives.
I'm afraid that everyone experiences the "pushing" and I don't appreciate it either. If God gave me the gift of being able to make my own choices and to think for myself, then why would some people think that it is not enough?
I respect every religion and their sacred writings, but I don't have to agree or have the same beliefs.
The same way that I don't force people to think the same way I do, I do no expect others to impose their own beliefs on me. We can talk about them, discuss them and learn from each other, but not force the other to view things as we do.
I like to discuss religion, but with only a few people. The ones that recognize that we can talk about it without trying to force ideas on each other.
It's funny though, because I tend to find that in the masses more than on the leaders.
I have talked to Ministers, Priests and even a Rabi once. They - as a rule - never forced their religions upon my throat, and we were able to talk religion in a relaxed way. Sure they pointed out to me the "benefits" of their religion, why they felt it was the right one , but mostly they accepted that I might have a different view. I know that this is not necessarily how it's handled by all, but it was a pleasant discovery.
Ok so some leaders do push and can be very dangerous for the fact that they are in position to influence the blind followers.
I remember back in Portugal long time ago, the church still had quite a lot of influence over people, specially in small towns and villages. What the priest said was law even if it didn't make sense.
Heck I want to the islands for a wedding - Azores - after a huge earthquake,and was confronted with the priest saying - at Mass nevertheless - that the earthquake happened because there were a lot of people that voted in the communist party in the recent elections!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not advocating any political preferences here, but just the thought of a person of influence to use his influence that way was awful.
However often, some religious leaders are less fanatical than the people that follow them.
Then we come into the followers and that's where I find the fanaticism and the pushing. As if it's important to be holding the whole truth as they see it. The blindness to see what other religions have that might be good as well, or even the same.I"m not sure if they think they're doing something good, or if they're just either misinterpreting their scriptures or just not understanding them fully - or not putting them in perspective.
@prashanthalva (2272)
• India
19 Aug 09
I Can Understand What You Must Be Going through .. Religion IS Misused By The Clergy For their Own Benefits .. There Should Be No Hold From Religion On the Way of life A Person Leads .. All Religious People Want to Show the World The Supremacy of their Religion, Which is Unacceptable by Other Religious Groups .. This Leads To Unwanted Violence .. I Feel Religion is The Main Cause for So Much Hatred In the World Today .. Please Don't Misunderstand Me .. I Am Disturbed By All The Violence In The World Today ..
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
19 Aug 09
I totally agree!! I mean, I grew up going to church - I don't go now but I have my own beliefs...whenever I get involved in a religion discussion, I will say this is what I believe & leave it at that, I NEVER try & push anything onto anyone...if people want to find out more of what I believe then I will tell them & if they don't, then that's fine with me...I think pushing on certain things especially religion can help to lose friends & not gain them.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
19 Aug 09
I guess you have encountered a person who belives more in the religion aspect and doesn't recognize the relationship that God wants with his children. I see the bible as the living word because I can apply it to my life, no matter what is happening to me, it has happened to somebody before. Christ has been there already so I trust him to show me the text that speaks to me.