# How often do people try to convert you to their religion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 25, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176 "2023-04-25T19:24:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/181 "2023-12-21T16:36:47Z")
I’ve only really had Hari Krishnas, but that’s because there are a reasonable number locally, and sort of self inflicted because they try to convert you but they also give delicious vegan food, much better that I could make myself, not being vegan. So I am willing to go along with the talk, because at the end there is the reward. I’m atheist. But greedy. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/182 "2023-12-21T16:53:49Z")
Hari Krishnas are still around? I haven’t thought about them in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/183 "2023-12-21T16:57:21Z")
They hold a festival for Rathayatra (the festival of chariots) each year in Philly. There is music, vendors, and as was said free vegan food. My gf and I go every year. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/184 "2023-12-21T17:29:49Z")
I see the JWs, earnest people in “sensible” clothes, fairly often at the beach I walk my dogs on. I don’t interact, but really guys? It gets hot. I am overheating in my t-shirt. Your suit is meant for winter, not 30°C (86°F). ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/185 "2023-12-21T17:31:12Z")
I used to live a block from a ISKCON temple. I’d see them when they held a festival in a nearby park, or occasionally paraded down my street. Never had any negative interactions with them - they were good neighbors. That was about 20 years ago, but their temple was still there last time I drove past in, probably a month ago. They run a vegan restaurant. I’ve never been, but friends tell me it’s really good, and that they don’t proselytize the customers. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/186 "2023-12-21T17:40:10Z")
I was poor and hanging out near a university, so any free food was good. The pre-food thing is mostly just chanting and ringing bells and showing they were nice people, which, I think they are. The restaurants, inevitably named Govinda’s are not a place they preach at, they are a normal food place. (Aside: I stayed at an ISKON hotel in Mumbai, and needed to use their internet. Being relatively tech savvy and because the transaction I needed to make was financial, I used my iPod - remember them - to use some apps I had made “portable”, ie, run off a USB drive. So it worked but my krishna I never knew iPods could pick up viruses like that, I had at least 5, including one where the entire playlist was moved to a hidden folder. Great food, great accommodation, would go back. Just with an independent source of internet) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/187 "2023-12-21T17:48:27Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Are they still together, or do you know? As far as I know, yes. She was non-Mormon and a strong personality. He deferred to her a lot, so they mostly did things her way. It worked for them. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Huh. Did you think that was a Mormon thing, or just that event? Mostly just that event. I think it was the only dry wedding I’d ever been to. Not that any weddings I’d been to ever degenerated into drunken messes – they were just livelier. I think it was because if you got married at the “ward,” everybody was invited. So, it was mostly like a kiddie party where the kids are really downbeat and very restrained. It was a weird atmosphere. The bride knew nearly no one there. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/188 "2023-12-21T21:10:56Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Yeah, I’d go more with ‘contemptuous and insulting’ than ‘militant’. Far more obnoxious than any sincere evangelist, to me. I find evangelizing somewhat pitiable, but self-righteous atheists give me a stomach ache. Why can’t they leave us non-proselytizing Christians alone? We leave them alone. Why do they have to try to make us see the error of our ways, try to convince us how stupid we are? Doesn’t that sound exactly like what they complain of themselves? I concur. But here is a definition of militant- **Politically active organizations whose members are fanatically devoted to the global promotion of their religious beliefs** > [@Ulfreida](#): > > On this board, mostly. And many other online places. It’s pretty commonplace for stupid- ass things fundamentalist Christians say or do to be targeted by atheists for mockery, which is fine, except that they usually include everyone who believes in anything that atheists do not, in their sneering. … Just tiresomely insulting. Yep, but they continue in their rude and insulting ways, thinking they will convert people by being assholes. > [@kayaker](#): > > Imagine living in a country where the currency proclaimed your belief in some utter nonsense. See- a perfect example. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > There are such things as militant atheists, for certain definitions of “militant”. But atheism is not a religion. Yeah, I see your point, but it has all the duck hallmarks. Its protected under religious freedom. They attempt to convert people. They believe strongly in something that has no proof. Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck… ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/189 "2023-12-21T21:30:46Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > They believe strongly in something that has no proof. Nope. I’m not believing in something that has no proof. Not the same thing. I’m not interested in trying to convert religious people, though – at least, unless they persistently try to convert me, in which case I’ve occasionally given in to the temptation. I try not to, though; it probably won’t work, and if it does work it probably isn’t kind. ---
**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:** [December 21, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/190 "2023-12-21T21:38:41Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Mostly just that event. I think it was the only dry wedding I’d ever been to. More importantly - did they serve jello at the meal? ( I went to a conference in the Convention Center at SLC. They served jello as dessert after lunch, the only time I’ve ever had that a conference meal - and I’ve been to a lot of conferences.) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/191 "2023-12-21T21:49:18Z")
I heard you can make great jello with vodka… ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/192 "2023-12-21T22:02:55Z")
Jello shots! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/193 "2023-12-21T23:14:29Z")
Yeah, I’m talking about people who do things like post multiple Facebook memes every day (I unfriended a relative for posting things like “I hope the Rapture happens so all the Christians will be gone” or “If there’s ever a Christian holocaust, sign me up” - and no, he didn’t care that many employers look at social media) and I’ll never forget the guy I knew many years ago who not only tore the “In God We Trust” out of his paper money, he would also grind it off his coins. This guy, BTW, WAS known to go into churches, etc. and disrupt services! He’d also been banned from every library and bookstore in Des Moines, where we lived at the time, for moving religion books to the fiction section and being a total jerkwad about it. There’s a big stretch between things like this, and the kind of atheist who is better described as a “none”, as in they do not believe in any specific deity or practice any variation of religion. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/194 "2023-12-21T23:22:47Z")
There’s a Gurdwara (Sikh temple) down the road from me, and after a shooting at one a few years ago (apparently the shooter thought they were Muslims) they held an open house, even though the building is always open to the public. I just walked in, and was told that I needed to leave my shoes at the door, and that this area was off-limits because my head wasn’t covered, and that area was too because it was men only, and it had the delicious smell of yellow lentil soup, which is often the post- observance meal. > **[Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Sikh_temple_shooting)** > > India > Pakistan > Afghanistan ---
**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:** [December 22, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/195 "2023-12-22T01:57:46Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > There’s a big stretch between things like this, and the kind of atheist who is better described as a “none”, as in they do not believe in any specific deity or practice any variation of religion. All the atheists I’ve ever interacted with would condemn this kind of behavior. At least he didn’t shoot up birth control clinics or the wrong kind of church. But I don’t consider those kind of people representative of the majority of Christians, even in the Bible Belt. Unfortunately those limiting reproductive freedom or trying to get the Bible taught in public school classrooms are. > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I just walked in, and was told that I needed to leave my shoes at the door, and that this area was off-limits because my head wasn’t covered, and that area was too because it was men only, and it had the delicious smell of yellow lentil soup, which is often the post- observance meal. In the shul I grew up in heads had to covered also. Do you have a problem with that? Did they have a covering available for you? Not in mine, but in more orthodox ones, men and women are separated also. Lots of religions oppress women worse than this. Think of the fit the right wing Catholics had about women being invited to the recent meeting at the Vatican. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/196 "2023-12-22T02:32:27Z")
I did not consider my experience at the Gurdwara to be any more discriminatory than the men’s or women’s restrooms. It’s just that none of this was marked, because 99.9% of the time, the people who went there would know where to go and what to do (or not do). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/197 "2023-12-22T06:38:22Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Hari Krishnas are still around? I haven’t thought about them in a long time. There’s a temple on the north side of Chicago that hosts (or did pre-pandemic) extremely inexpensive vegan community meals. My relatives went weekly. I went a couple of times; great food. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/198 "2023-12-22T06:52:41Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > and I’ll never forget the guy I knew many years ago who not only tore the “In God We Trust” out of his paper money, he would also grind it off his coins. And this affected you in what way? Why should his currency carry a religious message that isn’t his religion? You’ve made it quite clear that you can’t tolerate being forced to put up with opposing views to your own religion. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/199 "2023-12-22T06:56:54Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > And this affected you in what way? Why should his currency carry a religious message that isn’t his religion? You’ve made it quite clear that you can’t tolerate being forced to put up with opposing views to your own religion. It shows they are nutcases. And no, his posts here have shown nothing of the kind. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2023, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176/200 "2023-12-22T07:07:40Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It shows they are nutcases. This isn’t answering any point in my post whatsoever. Figures. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-people-try-to-convert-you-to-their-religion/983176.md?page=11)