save me from being saved

[kahleefornia]

This may be a tad offensive to those of you who are religious. Bear with me.

My brother and I were friends with this kid in high school. After high school "Ted" became born-again. And has been really annoying about it ever since. Emails consist of "help me boycott Disney - because they allow gay employees to march in their parades, where kids might see them" and all variations on the theme of "I'm worried about you - I hope that someday you'll choose a different path so that you can be truly happy (like me)..."

I have tried the polite route of suggesting that different people can have different opinions on things, and it's often a good idea to let others be. This only seems to incite "Ted" to pray for me more. My brother, less patient than I, has taken to playing games with him - his reply to a proselytizing email is to send back (To Ted and his wife's joint email account) a photo of two girls making out - "Woohooo!! Check this out! Yeah!" So far, my brother is getting less email from Ted than I, and his tactic appears to have superior efficacy.

The question is: what is the most effective way to get a religious zealot to stay away from you? Those of you actively try to spread your beliefs to others can hopefully contribute as well. What really makes you give up?

I am NOT saying that those who believe strongly shouldn't do what they think is best. I am saying that I, personally, don't like it and want to know how to stop it in my particular situation.

[Taxloss]

1. You want to kill it dead? Four words.

"Actually, I'm a Muslim."

[PsychoDad]

8. That could encourage him to try harder.

Although when Christian evangelists come by my home I always ask them in and offer them tea and sweets (or water and sweets if they are Mormon) and make them comfortable. They always seem in a hurry to leave when they realize/find out I'm muslim. :shrug:

I don't know why, I always invite them back, but they never come.

Peace

[WhollyHeretic]

2. How every time he sends you one of those emails sign him up for a

email list from gay rights groups, separation of church and state groups or planned parenthood. He'll get some good information and once his email gets flooded with daily emails from the group maybe he'll get the hint.

[kahleefornia]

9. that's good!

I will try that next.

[More Than A Feeling]

3. How about profanity?

I was at a praise and worship group, and I accidently cursed, really loudly. Shocked everyone. Perhaps it might shock your friend into silence.

[Az]

4. It depends on your abilities and knowledge

I consider evangelyzing to be an invitation to debate. I usually do not confront a person's beliefs head on. But if they persist in pressing their beliefs on me I will respond in ways that will leave them uncomfortable.

It really depends on whether you can salvage the friendship. To be honest what is eventually going to happen (based on the extreme form of conversion he seems to have experienced) is he is going to turn away from you. He is going to be pulled into the tightly knit group that is the belief system he has fallen in with and they will council him to be ready to lose friends as a result. If you can not walk with him with Jesus he will walk away.

[jmm]

5. I love your brother!

Does he spam multiple people at the same time? I've been in similar situations and I find replying so that everybody on their list gets it works pretty well. Then they are shamed into refuting you and will usually take you off of their list to save themselves from further embarrassment. After all they wouldn't want their saved friends knowing they hang out with heathens such as yourself ;-).

[kahleefornia]

10. yep

He always does "reply all" if it's a big forwarded email. He's also been replying with things like "Well, I hate god - he really has messed up my whole life. Now, I'm just going to drink myself to sleep every night until this miserable existence ends"

Wow, that cranks up the prayer machine like you wouldn't believe!!

[jcldragon]

6. They stopped coming to my door the day I

opened it while Skyclad...

Sometimes I think that are really more focused upon convincing themselves that they believe what they believe, than actually trying to convert you. If that is true, then they are implicitly begging you to shake them back into reality.

They describe to me a god who is possessed of all of the worst qualities that you can find in human beings, and then say that it created this Universe. AND, they claim that this is Love & Compassion? They must be living in a state of absolute terror NOT to believe these things. How long could someone live with that before drifting off into psychosis?

I'm a Mystic. I know that everybody has to figure things out in their own time & in their own way. My experience tells me that reincarnation is a fact. That means that if you don't get it all figured out this time around, than maybe you will next time around. So there's no pressure on it. You don't have to live in fear. You should do what you think best, and observe the results. There's a reason why we were endowed with brains.

I do urge people to be kind, & compassionate. I do urge people to examine all things, philosophical & scientific. AND, I do urge people to kick Bush & his greedy NeoCon barbarians out of power. If we can convince the people on this planet to rid themselves of the barbarians who are running this world, then the rest of us will get along very nicely...

Thank you!

[FM Arouet666]

7. You must decide if you want to keep Ted as a friend.

If not, I like the post above, "I am a Muslim." :rofl:

If you do, then you should confront Ted with your discomfort. Tell him that you do not want to be preached to, you have your own opinions, no more christian action emails, no more praying for you, but that you still want his friendship. Set the ground rules, if he does not listen, is he a friend worth having?

If, after confronting him, he persists, back to option one.
Although, the gay and lesbian email list was a close second. :evilgrin: