Not Your Mission Field blog

[Howl]

Excellent blog post from Not Your Mission Field

Empowerment against Evangelization: Countering Conversion Attempts by Asserting Moral Autonomy     Some Confessions of a Past Proselytizer

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Deconstructing toxic beliefs is a long-term process, and healing from the trauma of a toxic religious upbringing can be a life-long endeavor. It helps to have strategies in place to counter the lingering evangelical self-talk and to respond to triggering situations. One such strategy consists of coming up with new scripts and mantras to replace the old ones.

 

[kittenesque]

Thanks for sharing. It always irks me when someone tries to convert me to their brand of Christianity, and these are very helpful points.

Unrelated, but this made me think of the time a sweet, but very silly teenage girl came up to me on the street and asked me if I would be interested in attending her church’s “non-religious Bible study”

I didn’t because 1.) Bait and switch much? Talk about a total lack of respect for your intended “‘mission field” And 2.) Misrepresentation aside, this church was clearly not cranking out geniuses. Not that I’m a super genius, but I really only respect opinions and conclusions from those that have really put the hard work in of studying the Bible in its historical context, original languages, etc. Not some naive church person parroting the party line.

At any rate, I didn’t say no, but I did laugh in her face and she looked really sad. I feel kinda bad about that actually...

[Howl]

Six or seven years ago we had Mormon missionaries in my neighborhood here in Central Texas.  I commute a lot on my bike and would often see them heading out for the day on their bicycles in navy slacks and short-sleeved white shirts, nicely barbered with very short hair. 

I am here in the US because Mormon missionaries went to Ireland and converted my great grandmother soon after the turn of the century.  Her son, my grandfather, was the oldest of six kids, and immigrated to the US as a 16-year-old and immediately joined the US Army.  Mormonism never took for him and he stayed a very nominal Catholic.  The great-grandmother & great-grandfather plus five daughters immigrated soon after.  

In my adult life two adult men "witnessed" to me, but it never felt offensive because they were sharing a spiritual experience and explaining who they were as a result of that,  rather than specifically trying to convert me.  I know the purpose of "witnessing" is to inspire a conversion, but this felt sacred rather than creepy. 

This is something that bothers me so much about Maxhell.  The faux friendliness and manipulation to convert them is truly predatory.  Would they ever, EVER invite these people into their lives, much less their homes, to simply share a meal or anything else and disrupt planning in 15-minute increments?  Oh, hells NO!  

This is what it looks like when Christians truly make a difference:  Mobile Loaves and Fishes, who also created Community First! Village.  

Edited September 6, 2019 by Howl

[dripcurl]

On the sign for our condo complex, we have a new “no soliciting” and a “no proselytizing” sign. It seems to be working, as we have had neither salespeople or Mormons at our door in months. Of course, none of us are ever home, so I could be wrong. This blog is great, and I could use some of these points to help myself with my mom.

[Howl]

 

[kpmom]

I was so impressed with this blog I started following it, so thanks for sharing, @Howl

She makes such good points, such as the "crisis in the church" with people leaving evangelical churches.  As she points out, that's not a crisis, they are just following their moral autonomy.