Sharing vs. Converting
 

As many know, we think of religious people's intentions are to convert people to their religion. But what we tend to see past is that there are religious people out there who only desire to share with others the joy and experience out of their religion.
Converting is to convince others of how your religion is the only right path, that you can be saved and go to heaven or whatnot. Converting also evolves around judgement, i.e. "you will go to hell if you are not saved! if you do not have Jesus as your Lord and Saviour! or if you don't believe in what we do! or if you don't go to church!".....and so on.
Sharing opens the doors wide open to others, giving them the will to choose to step in or not, without judging them. You want to share with them your experience and being touched, feeling "God". You want to express the joy, peace, tranquility, and love that has consumed you. And you want them to feel the same way. It's only a door being open, without pushing them into the room.

What are your views and thoughts on sharing vs. converting?

I agree with everything you say, other than the implicit suggestion that, in sharing non-judgmentally, we're not making any truth judgment about our beliefs or theirs.

If they're happy, I'll notice. If if I want to know the source of their happiness, I'll ask.

Otherwise... shut the hell up.


It's kinda like that commercial where the guy tells everyone that he has lowered his cholesterol.

the way i see it is that there's no difference between trying to convert me and "sharing" your religion with me if i didn't ask about it. if i ask, then great, if not, then bad. vewy vewy bad.

I tell people that I have found a spiritual (not religious) way of living that helps me, and if they would like to hear more about it, that I'll be willing to tell them more. I don't bring it up unless asked.
Sharing is responding when asked. Converting is being pushy about it.

Bingo!! Exactly what I have in mind. Though not in a spiritual sense.

sure, there are clear-cut examples of when someone is sharing and when someone is deliberately trying to force-convert a person... but i think that often the perception between the two lies within the person who is being approached.

sometimes judgement is part of that person's belief structure. just because they tell you that you are going to hell doesn't mean they are cramming it down your throat, it just turns out that something they believe in makes you uncomfortable.

not everyone believes that God's relationship with humankind is all love, flowers, cute puppy dogs and heaven. for many, they would be watering down their beliefs in order to jump out of the "converting" category and into the "sharing" one.

What irateplatypus said.

Well, let me put it this way. Sometimes, I'll encourage my non-Christian/non-practicing friends to come to church with me. Is that sharing or converting?

If they're your friends, I'll give you the benefit of a doubt and call it "sharing". :)

I've not asked anyone to come to church services that I haven't talked with about religion.

But I have mentioned events at church that I thought might be of interest, usually music events.

The best evangelization is how you live your life.

Sounds like me. :)

Why does "sharing" have to mean 'Only when asked'? If someone openly wants to share the reasons that they believe that they're happy, what's wrong with that? Certainly, I don't condone being pushy about it or going beyond the initial contact if it makes someone else uncomfortable. How many times do you walk up to one of your friends and tell them how you're feeling? Maybe that you're angry because your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend doesn't understand you, or you're kids are just the greatest in the world - something that has deep meaning to you.

Would that be pushy? Maybe some folks would think it weird, especially if you've never "shared" on that level before, as most folks never do. Especially about things that are "personal"...

I think that's the reason people avoid talking about religion - its too deep and personal to some. It "touches a nerve", so the natural tendency is to avoid it.

To me, OshnSoul has put it clearly: The boundary between being judgemental and sharing is clear. I'd be more than happy to discuss ANYONE's beliefs on religion so long as they remain non-judgemental and objective. Further, I'd be open to a healthy debate, which to me is different still than judgemental. Its all about the approach...if you want to discuss religion, don't come at me with condemnation and hellfire - tell me your views, I'll tell you mine and we can present as much 'evidence' as we like to convince the other we're right.


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I am god.