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Question 91
Outside of the newsgroup, do you treat proselytizers with
tolerance, hostility or something else?
- I treat proselytizers, both in and out of the newsgroup, with
tolerance. I learned a long time ago that hostility doesn't get you anywhere, and it just makes people think badly about everyone in the
group you represent. When I'm confronted with street evangelists, I
tell them politely that I'm an atheist, not interested, and in a
hurry. I've never had anyone become hostile, so this technique has
worked pretty well so far. (Anna #1490)
- I try to treat people with the same respect with which they treat
me. I do occasionally harass people who express markedly silly ideas.
Most of the time, IRL, it is theists who start conflicts, not me.
(Dave Fried #1541)
- I generally try to be tolerant at first, and say "I'm not
interested". If they persist (or if they wake me up before 11 AM
on a Saturday), I tell them exactly what I think of their belief
system and their likely level of intelligence. (raven1 #1096)
- If somebody hands me a tract, I just take it politely, look
at it, then rip it up and toss it in the trash where they can
see me doing it. (Unless the tract is amusing, then I laugh
out loud). (Chris Nelson #135)
- I just tell 'em they're barking up the wrong tree. Rarely had any persevere after that. Once, I simply pointed out the bumper stickers
on my truck, which express atheistic sentiments, and the proselytizers
went away without a word. (chibiabos)
- When confronted by the Bleater, I inform them I am an atheist
and not superstitious. This causes a bit of indignation on their part
and is quite amusing. Being called superstitious has a certain "stupid" factor attached to it. It's always followed by the, "Oh no, it's Truth." That's when I close the door. (Steve Knight #855)
- I've only come across them at the door of my home, where I do a
quick notinterestedthankyougoodbye and shut the door. If I were in
public, I'd probably do the same, and if they didn't go away, up the hostility quotient. I don't like having my time wasted against my
will. (Michelle Martin #1474)
- My experience: 9 times out of 10, most religion pushers will go
peddle thier wares elsewhere if told to do so. The other 1 out of the
10 is generally an unmitigated asshole of the kind that we see here
on a.a. and is just as stupid/ignorant. That one recieves my loud and vocal disrespect and hostility; with the more witnesses present, the better. (Erikc #2)
- Depends on the people at my door. I've had a Mormon missionary
give one of my children their pamphlets after I'd told them I wasn't interested... needless to say, I ripped him a new asshole. I've been
in an argument (when I was still catholic) with a born again christian about animals having souls; me for, her against.
If someone hands me a pamphlet and then starts talking, I usually see
what it's about and then hand it back when I see that it's related to
a religious organization. But generally, I just tell them I'm not interested and shut the door. (Lori Lee #1049)
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