Do you often hear it asked of you, "What would convince you to believe/join a church"? I was thinking about this today and I have the answer for myself and I was wondering what people thought of it. Or what other people's personal standard of conversion is.
I think, if someone came to my door or I met someone trying to convince me to join their religion, I'd only benefit if there was a psychology-based method to spirituality(like, meditation or deep motivation work from New Age) or a community worth engaging with. I am a simple man with simple needs, my day to day doesn't worry about what is going to happen to me after I die, and I am committed to finding my own purpose in life and finding fulfillment in my own way. If the religion I am being approached with has any rules or standards that are in any way repressive, restrictive, or weighted against looming punishment, then they need to convince me how or why those rules benefit me in this life, without trying to tell me the before- and afterlife stories. I don't care what will happen to me after I die if I don't do "xyz". If I am going to not drink alcohol ever again or if I need to not watch R-rated movies or not be a free creature with my sexuality, then they'll need to convince me why that restriction uplifts or improves my earth life. And this coming from a guy who is pretty boring and already does those things in moderation(so, I won't accept hyperbole that if I don't give them up entirely, with shame and guilt attached, then I'll just go crazy with sex and alcohol and violent, satanic horror movies; I already live an example of a life where I can do whatever I want and there's nothing I do in excess).
I know. I sound really smug. But tell me what you think of that anyway.
And tell me what your standard is. Is there any point where you could be convinced or is it all just, "Nah." ?
I think, if someone came to my door or I met someone trying to convince me to join their religion, I'd only benefit if there was a psychology-based method to spirituality(like, meditation or deep motivation work from New Age) or a community worth engaging with. I am a simple man with simple needs, my day to day doesn't worry about what is going to happen to me after I die, and I am committed to finding my own purpose in life and finding fulfillment in my own way. If the religion I am being approached with has any rules or standards that are in any way repressive, restrictive, or weighted against looming punishment, then they need to convince me how or why those rules benefit me in this life, without trying to tell me the before- and afterlife stories. I don't care what will happen to me after I die if I don't do "xyz". If I am going to not drink alcohol ever again or if I need to not watch R-rated movies or not be a free creature with my sexuality, then they'll need to convince me why that restriction uplifts or improves my earth life. And this coming from a guy who is pretty boring and already does those things in moderation(so, I won't accept hyperbole that if I don't give them up entirely, with shame and guilt attached, then I'll just go crazy with sex and alcohol and violent, satanic horror movies; I already live an example of a life where I can do whatever I want and there's nothing I do in excess).
I know. I sound really smug. But tell me what you think of that anyway.
And tell me what your standard is. Is there any point where you could be convinced or is it all just, "Nah." ?
