Do you feel you should be polite when asking a Christian to stop preaching their religion to you?

Question

If someone came up to you in public and started preaching to you about how the Christian religion was the only right religion and your religion (considering your were not a christian) was wrong. Would you feel that you had to be polite to this person or would you feel that this person was violating your personal space and your right to freedom of religion, and would you ask them politely to leave you alone? Or would you be impolite? And why?

Answer 1

i am polite in any request that i make of a fellow citizen, the first time.



if the situation continues, i must first decide. if it is a situation that i can easily avoid. (by leaving the location, or frequenting other establishments.) If i cannot and i must pass the location, or am unwillling to change my routine, then i will ask them nicely to leave me alone a second time. then if they presist, i tell them to get the hell away from me. and after that i call the police and file harassment charges.



people have the right to spread their beliefs. and to assemble in publicplaces. and i support their right to do so. i do not get angry at the sidewalk preachers that drone on an a monotone voice and leave it to the public to decide if we will stop and listen.



the people that i get angry at are the ones that pester me at red lights and try to shove religious propeganda into my car. and ask me for donations to their church. while they are telling me that my religion is wrong.



and the people that come to my house and try to convert my kids (teenagers) when they know that the adults of the house are likely at work. or come to my house when i am home and act like it is some kind of injustice when i tell them to get off of my property.

Answer 2

You know, from time to time I get approached by people of other beliefs. Some are very aggressive.



I am polite; but not a push over.



At times, I have evaluated what they have to say. After extensive research into the religions of the world, I'm very convinced that there is only ONE God and that he sent his son to atone for my sins ~2000 years ago.



So, I don't mess around with those guys much. If they try to really push it on me, I get out my Bible and start tearing down their arguments. Not too often any more, tho - the cultists have all marked my house as a no-stop zone.

Answer 3

Yes, be polite, as you are who you are, despite some of these improper street preachers who give Jesus a black eye. All Christians know they should try to reveal the good news of Jesus as you savior, and the way back home to God. But we should never "lean on" or force our beliefs on everybodyelse.



By the way, any religion that says they are the only religion or the "True" religion or church are actually false. God did not create these religions, man did.

Answer 4

regrettably, i do no longer think of there's a manner. I even have had some solutions deleted(no longer very almost Islam) because of the fact somebody did no longer like my answer. It wasn't rude, it wasn't racist, there became into actual no reason to delete my answer. somebody merely did no longer like the respond and that they made a criticism. I sent an email and appealed it asking why that they had deleted it. I have been given the comparable properly-known reproduction and paste answer asserting they could inspect it and by no skill heard from them returned approximately it. curiously Y/A does not have adequate human beings to inspect each and each criticism so if somebody complains they merely delete it without investigating it.

Answer 5

true they should be polite....no one can come to the FAther unless the holy spirit leads them....so there is a proper time for each person....if this is not something you are not comfortable with, then just say you appreciate the interest,. but this is not where you are at in life, and this does not interest you.....they should depart at that time.



as a christian, i appreciate the opportunity to share what i have....but i have lived and worked my whole life in a secular environment...with unbelievers....so i understand reasons for their unbelief and i give them "space".... on rare moments they would open up and i would answer a question, but i never pushed...,,, i have always been the loner at work...but i respect the wishes of others, and i am always willing to help when asked.

Answer 6

Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons do this as well. I either do not answer the door, or I say, "No thank you" and walk away.



All you have to do is say that.



If they follow you, it is harrassment.



I am a Christian, and I would never do that to anyone. None of my Christian friends ever walk up to people anywhere and preach, nor do they go door to door.



I am wondering why you even get into a conversation about religion. Do not answer. Say, "I'm not interested, thank you."

Answer 7

If you are polite to everyone, then there's no qualms in being polite to the preachers.



Just tell them that you are not interested. Thank you for stopping by. Have a nice day.



(Can we leave a brochure with you?)



No, that's fine. I won't be needing them. Good bye!



All awhile, SMILE.

Answer 8

I feel no need to be polite. I think if that as harassment. Now if someone came up to me and asked me if they could talk to me about religion that would be different, I am goth and I have all ways been seek ed out of a crud by those people.

Answer 9

All anyone has to tell a christian or any other non-believer (in Universal Truth), is this:



Create Your Relationship with Our Creator

Jesus taught and did this.



by the way, no matter what you do, you can't diss a christian!!!

Answer 10

I always consider a persons motives and tactics.

Motive: they sincerely want me to experience eternal life and joy with God.

Tactic: Unknown. either way, It would appear you should be polite.

Why not be polite?

Answer 11

If it bothered you and you didn't want to listen (I'm Christian) just "remind" the person "Not by power nor by might, but by My Spirit say's the Lord."

Answer 12

I am the first time I ask it; if they persist then I will get more adamant in a much firmer tone of voice.



I always give respect first and to ask nicely is to give that respect. However, if it isn't returned by the person by stopping their actions then I will show them the exact same amount of respect they have decided to show me. I believe that is more than fair.

Answer 13

I usually respond in the same manner they approach me. But I don't go around handing out pamphlets to unsuspecting bystanders, either. I got one from an old guy in a hospital last week, and I politely handed it back and said no thanks. On the other hand, last summer there was a guy with a megaphone on the street corner preaching jesus crap, where no one has the choice but to listen, so I told him to shut the f-ck up!

Answer 14

I would be polite as long as they were being polite. If they didn't leave me alone when I asked them to, I might get a bit huffy, but I don't see any reason to be rude at the beginning.

Answer 15

You must understand that they feel that you need to feel the joy they have in their own lives..While I respect the fact that they are strong in their beliefs I don't like being preached to..in a respectful way I usually say something like, I have my own sense of spirtituality which I feel uncomfortable discussing with others..

Answer 16

I would be polite the first time I told them to stop. If they continued to be a nuisance and disrespectful of my beliefs after that, they wouldn't deserve to be treated politely.



Usually, they give up after I politely explain that I would NEVER worship a God who drowns, Plagues, and slaughters millions (more than Hitler), conspires to have his own kid brutally beaten and executed, and repeatedly commands his followers to hurt and kill other people. I love it when they're left speechless. ;-)

Answer 17

this same thing happened to me this past school year. i was fixing my hijab in the mirror, because i had just changed my gym clothes and this christian just came up to me and started watching me, so i said hi, then she asked if i was muslim, as if the hijab didn't give it away. so i said yes, then she started on this tirade about why we don't believe jesus is god and the son of god. and i told her that i believe he was a prophet and she started yelling at me about how dare i say that, but i wasn't the one who brought up religion she did. so i just walked away. because she was definitely invading my personal space and i don't like discussing religion, especially at school w/ people my age who don't know what they are talking about, i was very polite to her and i just told her that that is what i believe and i walked away, so in my opinion i was polite. but after that she never said another word to me thank god. but people like that only go away if you ignore them

Answer 18

Manners are expected from anyone regardless of their personal beliefs. There's no reason to be impolite, and no real gain. You have the option to LEAVE, or close the door... simple as that, if they persist. I'm assuming you're not being held in restraints.

Answer 19

I am a Muslim and this has happened to me many times. I almost always am polite as is possible. Adding more anger and hatred to the situation will not help. However, i find it impossible to listen to someone tell me I am going to hell. That is God's decision and his alone..... I usually walk away when this happens b/ at that point i find graciousness to be next to impossible (God forgive my impatience :) .



Peace and Blessings,

Sakina

Answer 20

No need to be polite. Trying to force your religion on some one isn't polite. So why should I be polite? Or should I be nice and then have that person tell me I'm going to hell anyways? Nope I will tell them they are brainwashed and I would prefer to not be brainwashed.

Answer 21

Only the first time. If I ask them to stop but they don't, they've lost the right to expect civility.

Answer 22

If I didn't know them I'd feel threatened. People have to know that they can't treat you disrespectfully that way, no matter what they're trying to say to you. If they wouldn't leave me alone, I'd find a cop.

Answer 23

Be polite the first time but after that they deserve whatever nasty response they get.

Answer 24

I'm always polite when they do that.



I just tell them I don't believe in God.....but thanks for the concern and I continue to walk away from them.



If they persist....I just keep repeating it.

Answer 25

I would be civil to them and tell them I have my own beliefs thankyou. If they make like they didn't hear you, you'll probably have to raise your voice a little for them to take you seriously.

Answer 26

The first time...

Answer 27

civil the first time, but less and less so each time the request is made and ignored.

Answer 28

what ever force is needed

Answer 29

At first I'd tell them I wasn't interested in buying what he's selling, a few minutes later I'd have him cowering in shame and terror.

Answer 30

only if they didn't take the hint...

Answer 31

No