# My Adopted Cousin Wants to 'Convert' Me. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 6, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512 "2018-06-06T02:01:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/41 "2018-06-06T23:23:33Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Easy for you to say. šŸ™‚ Ha! šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/42 "2018-06-06T23:34:14Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Ha! šŸ™‚ Oh, good. I waited for you to Ha! before I Ha!'d. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/43 "2018-06-06T23:47:15Z")
Yeaā€¦no, wait weā€™re gonna need more info on the adopted cousin. How exactly does that work? Maybe throw in some info on his criminal past. I know you said youā€™d rather not tell all. But dude, inquiring minds, and all. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/44 "2018-06-06T23:58:08Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > If this is someone you would prefer to keep contact with: > First time, met with a ā€œThank you for your concern, but that is between me and Godā€, is a freebie. > Second time, met with ā€œAs I said before, I donā€™t want to talk about itā€ > Third time, met with _click_ QFT, as they say. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/45 "2018-06-06T23:58:40Z")
ā€œNo thanks.ā€ He keeps going. ā€œNo thanks.ā€ He keeps going. ā€œI said no thanks.ā€ He keeps going. ā€œBye.ā€ _click_ ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/46 "2018-06-06T23:59:58Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Yeaā€¦no, wait weā€™re gonna need more info on the adopted cousin. How exactly does that work? Maybe throw in some info on his criminal past. I know you said youā€™d rather not tell all. But dude, inquiring minds, and all. Iā€™ve seen it before, at least from a distance. Some people can only live on extremes. itā€™s like plenty of people in rock/metal music. guys like Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) who spent their younger years being completely wasted and strung out, and destructive to themselves and others. then they feel guilty about their past, and go running into the polar opposite extreme and become raging born-again ā€œChristians.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/47 "2018-06-07T01:10:13Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Yeaā€¦no, wait weā€™re gonna need more info on the adopted cousin. How exactly does that work? Maybe throw in some info on his criminal past. I know you said youā€™d rather not tell all. But dude, inquiring minds, and all. I canā€™t tell from the OP preamble whether heā€™s an actual cousin, whoā€™s now estranged from the family, or not. > [@Jim\_B](#): > > I wonā€™t go into too much detail about my adopted cousin. But he did have a hard life. And he doesnā€™t even consider himself part of my family now (which is why I use the term ā€œadoptedā€), although my parents were in many ways the parents he always wanted but tragically never hadā€¦ . . :):)šŸ™‚ I mean, reading this, the guy could be someone who latched on to his parents for awhile, earning ā€˜cousinā€™ status, but now heā€™s just someone who used to wish he was part of the family, therefore demoted to ā€˜adopted cousinā€™. **Jim B,** you donā€™t sound like you know much about this guy. We canā€™t tell how tenuous a connection he has to you or how long itā€™s been since you heard from him. This could be anything from a mild family annoyance to something truly skeevy. I mean, if he hasnā€™t called back in a month and a half, maybe it will be years before he calls again, and then heā€™ll be recruiting you for Scientology. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/48 "2018-06-07T01:59:10Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Oh, good. I waited for you to Ha! before I Ha!'d. Right? What the hell is wrong with meā€¦ Respect, **Ambi**. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/49 "2018-06-07T02:06:44Z")
So Iā€™m thinking the Cardinal costume above, then the Hari Krishna costume I linked above, then an orthodox Rabbi costume, then a Buddhist monkā€¦ Just every time he sees you youā€™re looking like a different religion but refuse to address it. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/50 "2018-06-07T04:38:15Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > So Iā€™m thinking the Cardinal costume above, then the Hari Krishna costume I linked above, then an orthodox Rabbi costume, then a Buddhist monkā€¦ > > Just every time he sees you youā€™re looking like a different religion but refuse to address it. Oh, _this_ outfit? Sorry, my faith is a topic thatā€™s very personal and, umm, private to meā€¦ Iā€™m sure youā€™ll understand. (eventuallyā€¦) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/51 "2018-06-07T08:48:59Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > What the heck is an adopted cousin? If youā€™re Richard Carpenter, itā€™s the [BEST KIND](https://dungeonofthepast.blogspot.com/2013/11/richard-carpenters-daughter-mindi.html?m=1) of cousin. That is, the kind you can marry and nobody talks about whether your stateā€™s consanguinity rules are weirdā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/52 "2018-06-07T13:06:30Z")
You should tell this adopted cousin youā€™ve converted to Islam and suggest he should do so as well. Then start a debate comparing the respective benefits each program offers in the Eternal Afterlife. Then you bring up how your Eternal 401K offers sex with Houris and what can his deity offer to top that. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/53 "2018-06-07T13:20:59Z")
Every time he starts religious talk turn into a discussion on Trump and politics. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/54 "2018-06-07T15:56:58Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > So how do I deal with the man? Tell him you will seriously consider it. If, and only if, he will convert back to militant atheism at the same time. Balance must be maintained in the universe. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/55 "2018-06-07T16:11:17Z")
ā€œGod told me not to discuss my religious beliefs with you.ā€ Then change subjects. But here youā€™ve got a shadowy relative who ā€¢ has cut off ties with the family ā€¢ is trying to pry personal information out of you ā€¢ may have malevolent intentions and ā€¢ may have a criminal past. Thatā€™s pretty disturbing stuff, and it obviously troubles you all these weeks later. Do you feel compelled to engage with him? If so, why? Because he had a rough childhood? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/56 "2018-06-07T16:17:15Z")
Turn the tables and ask him to tell you about his life as a ā€œMilitant Atheistā€. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/57 "2018-06-07T17:37:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Turn the tables and ask him to tell you about his life as a ā€œMilitant Atheistā€. Yes. Ask him what things he did that were militant. Did he hand out pamphlets at the mall? Did he picket churches? Did he spit on door knocking proselytizers? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512/58 "2018-06-07T18:16:09Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Did he spit on door knocking proselytizers? And if not, _why_ not? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-adopted-cousin-wants-to-convert-me/815512.md?page=2)