# How annoyed are you if someone attempts to convert you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041 "2013-06-03T14:53:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/21 "2013-06-03T16:24:59Z")
I voted 5, but the anger comes from what the JWs did to my family. I try to remember that just because some old lady is standing on a street corner representing this religion that has done so much harm to me and mine, it does not mean that she, personally, should suffer the rantings of a crazy man as retribution. Sometimes I slip. We (collectively) have had a really fraught relationship for the last 100 years or so. I do not have a similar reaction to the other groups. For those, the reaction is a 0. I enjoy discussing religion, and while I won’t convert, I find talking to believers really interesting. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/22 "2013-06-03T16:25:31Z")
Other than some JWs who stop by occasionally, I can’t think of the last time someone proselytized in my direction. I think I’d be some combination of confused and amused. ---
**Author:** ![Mathematics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@Mathematics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathematics)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/23 "2013-06-03T16:27:02Z")
I find it absolutely hilarious most of the time because people think you haven’t heard their ridiculous arguments. _Have you seen the trees? How can you deny the beauty of the trees, man?_ \*What if, like, you’re wrong? (Hello Pascal!) \* And so on. So no, it doesn’t make me mad unless they get smug about it. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/24 "2013-06-03T16:27:09Z")
I see it as a challenge. I actually love to debate religion, but I hate prosletizers. However, if someone does it to me first, they’re fair game. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/25 "2013-06-03T16:43:20Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I find it mildly annoying, since I’m already a Christian, and don’t need converting, but I do respect the idea- I pretty much agree with Penn Jillette’s take on it: That’s the exact quote I was thinking of, as to why nonbelievers could find a complement in attempted conversion, but my Google-fu failed me. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/26 "2013-06-03T16:47:55Z")
> [@MostlyClueless](#): > > I see it as a challenge. I actually love to debate religion, but I hate prosletizers. However, if someone does it to me first, they’re fair game. Exactly. It is impolite to try to sell atheism to a random person, but if they try to sell Christianity to me I have no compunction about doing so. When a JW finally came to the door, I (politely) explained evolution to her. I think she realized that she only knew what she had read somewhere, and didn’t understand it. Even better, she brought along a kid, who might have doubts now. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/27 "2013-06-03T16:49:40Z")
If they’re polite and accept my “No thanks” then I don’t mind at all. And I don’t really blame them for trying. > [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > I’ve heard the argument that someone attempting to convert you is in fact a high complement - if you believed with heart and soul that unless someone was a Christian they would _burn forever_, attempting to convert them is a great mercy. This has happened to me! A group of Orthodox Jews used to hang out in front of my office building, running up to everyone who walked by asking, “Are you Jewish? Are you Jewish?” Per my response above I didn’t mind, though it eventually got wearisome being asked every single day on my way to and from lunch. And eventually, when I thought about it, I got a little annoyed that when I smiled and told them that I wasn’t Jewish they had _nothing to offer me_. They immediately dropped me and switched their attention to the next potential lapsed Jew. I mean, c’mon - I know Judaism doesn’t usually proselytize, but you _can_ convert, and why shouldn’t they at least inform me about what they evidently so passionately believe in? Besides, you’ve already interrupted me! ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/28 "2013-06-03T16:51:12Z")
I put ‘1’, if they just try to proselytize me and go away after my ‘not interested’ answer. If they persists or they are door-to-door missionnaries that come to your door at 9 AM on a week-end, then, it will go to ‘5’ pretty fast. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/29 "2013-06-03T16:55:16Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > If they’re polite and accept my “No thanks” then I don’t mind at all. And I don’t really blame them for trying. > > This has happened to me! A group of Orthodox Jews used to hang out in front of my office building, running up to everyone who walked by asking, “Are you Jewish? Are you Jewish?” Per my response above I didn’t mind, though it eventually got wearisome being asked every single day on my way to and from lunch. > > And eventually, when I thought about it, I got a little annoyed that when I smiled and told them that I wasn’t Jewish they had _nothing to offer me_. They immediately dropped me and switched their attention to the next potential lapsed Jew. I mean, c’mon - I know Judaism doesn’t usually proselytize, but you _can_ convert, and why shouldn’t they at least inform me about what they evidently so passionately believe in? Besides, you’ve already interrupted me! I’ve seen this mentioned in other threads. they were probably looking to fill a meeting(?) that requires a specific number be present and they were short. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/30 "2013-06-03T16:55:59Z")
I’m okay with religious conversion attempts. It’s the nuts who want to convert me from PC to Apple that chap my chaps. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/31 "2013-06-03T16:59:12Z")
Speaking as a Catholic who has had Scientologists, Moonies and various Protestant sects try to recruit me… Proselytizers are annoying, but no more annoying than solicitors of any other kind. I’ll say, “Sorry, not interested” and close the door on Jehovah’s Witnesses who pay me a visit, but I don’t slam the door any harder than I would for people selling magazine subscriptions, or Fuller brushes, or anything else. Proselytizers and salespeople are a fairly minor nuisance- they’d only piss me off if they continued preaching or selling after I’ve already indicated the conversation is over. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/32 "2013-06-03T17:15:48Z")
Mild eye roll. Unless they get hostile, which I have had happen if the proselytizer was anti-Mormon and I mentioned my religious affiliation. Then I flip the script and ask them if they want a Book of Mormon. They are unusually so turned off they leave me alone I really hate religious posturing. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/33 "2013-06-03T17:22:05Z")
These days, I get far more pushy vegan proselytizing than I do Christian. I did have a boss at work (Mormon) offer their literature to me, I politely declined, and I heard nothing more of it. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/34 "2013-06-03T17:45:28Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I’ve seen this mentioned in other threads. they were probably looking to fill a meeting(?) that requires a specific number be present and they were short. No - they had a whole truck done up and were passing out pamphlets and things to people who said they were Jewish. Other New Yorkers are probably familiar with the group I’m talking about. Besides, they wouldn’t be looking to fill a minyan for hours on end five days a week. > [@GargoyleWB](#): > > These days, I get far more pushy vegan proselytizing than I do Christian. LOL - same here. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/35 "2013-06-03T17:46:43Z")
I picked “low miff.” I don’t mind if they try it once, as long as they back off when I say I’m not interested. If they push it past that, my level of annoyedness quickly ramps up. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/36 "2013-06-03T17:51:04Z")
I don’t usually encounter such people, but when I do, I’m usually only slightly annoyed. Occasionally, such a person will be trying to “convert” people in the subway. When this happens, I pretend to be asleep, and they avoid me. Works every time. Also, I love the word “mad-o-meter.” ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/37 "2013-06-03T18:00:36Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > If they’re polite and accept my “No thanks” then I don’t mind at all. And I don’t really blame them for trying. > > This has happened to me! A group of Orthodox Jews used to hang out in front of my office building, running up to everyone who walked by asking, “Are you Jewish? Are you Jewish?” Per my response above I didn’t mind, though it eventually got wearisome being asked every single day on my way to and from lunch. > > And eventually, when I thought about it, I got a little annoyed that when I smiled and told them that I wasn’t Jewish they had _nothing to offer me_. They immediately dropped me and switched their attention to the next potential lapsed Jew. I mean, c’mon - I know Judaism doesn’t usually proselytize, but you _can_ convert, and why shouldn’t they at least inform me about what they evidently so passionately believe in? Besides, you’ve already interrupted me! Religiously, Judaism tends to lack any “offer” to people who are not Jewish. That is, a non-Jew can be just as ‘righteous’ as a fully religious Jew - as long as they follow the minimum “Noahide Laws”. So there is no religious point much to converting (other than for family reasons etc.). Unlike in Christianity, which is more “about” the afterlife goodies you get by believing in Christianity specifically. Rather, Judaism carries a lot of _obligations_. So the Ultra-Orthodox (or some of them) like to go around and try to get what they think of as “lax” Jews to meet these obligations - like some sort of nosey parker police. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/38 "2013-06-03T18:04:09Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I find it mildly annoying, since I’m already a Christian, and don’t need converting, but I do respect the idea- I pretty much agree with Penn Jillette’s take on it: It’s a question of tactics. On the one hand, you really believe that those who are not “saved” are going to hell or whatever - fair enough. OTOH, you know that actively pushing your religion on to others just pisses them off. It isn’t, in the modern world, all that effective a tactic. If religious people really wanted to convince, they should show and not tell - that is, they should live such exemplary lives that others would be inspired to emulate them. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/39 "2013-06-03T18:06:56Z")
I’m pretty low miff, but if they press the issue I’ll get more irritated. Probably not as irritated as they are when I’m done retaliating though. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041/40 "2013-06-03T18:08:48Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > I picked “low miff.” I don’t mind if they try it once, as long as they back off when I say I’m not interested. If they push it past that, my level of annoyedness quickly ramps up. This. But I chose 3, although I thought bonkers meant “crazy”, which I wouldn’t be. I would be annoyed, however, because I find it presumptuous, intrusive, and disrespectful of people’s personal choices. The level of annoyance does rise significantly if I have to go past “not interested in the least.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-annoyed-are-you-if-someone-attempts-to-convert-you/660041.md?page=3)