Question 91

Outside of the newsgroup, do you treat proselytizers with tolerance, hostility or something else?

• I treat proselytizers, both in and out of the newsgroup, with tolerance. I learned a long time ago that hostility doesn't get you anywhere, and it just makes people think badly about everyone in the group you represent. When I'm confronted with street evangelists, I tell them politely that I'm an atheist, not interested, and in a hurry. I've never had anyone become hostile, so this technique has worked pretty well so far. (Anna #1490)

• I try to treat people with the same respect with which they treat me. I do occasionally harass people who express markedly silly ideas. Most of the time, IRL, it is theists who start conflicts, not me. (Dave Fried #1541)

• I generally try to be tolerant at first, and say "I'm not interested". If they persist (or if they wake me up before 11 AM on a Saturday), I tell them exactly what I think of their belief system and their likely level of intelligence. (raven1 #1096)

• If somebody hands me a tract, I just take it politely, look at it, then rip it up and toss it in the trash where they can see me doing it. (Unless the tract is amusing, then I laugh out loud). (Chris Nelson #135)

• I just tell 'em they're barking up the wrong tree. Rarely had any persevere after that. Once, I simply pointed out the bumper stickers on my truck, which express atheistic sentiments, and the proselytizers went away without a word. (chibiabos)

• When confronted by the Bleater, I inform them I am an atheist and not superstitious. This causes a bit of indignation on their part and is quite amusing. Being called superstitious has a certain "stupid" factor attached to it. It's always followed by the, "Oh no, it's Truth." That's when I close the door. (Steve Knight #855)

• I've only come across them at the door of my home, where I do a quick notinterestedthankyougoodbye and shut the door. If I were in public, I'd probably do the same, and if they didn't go away, up the hostility quotient. I don't like having my time wasted against my will. (Michelle Martin #1474)

• My experience: 9 times out of 10, most religion pushers will go peddle thier wares elsewhere if told to do so. The other 1 out of the 10 is generally an unmitigated asshole of the kind that we see here on a.a. and is just as stupid/ignorant. That one recieves my loud and vocal disrespect and hostility; with the more witnesses present, the better. (Erikc #2)

• Depends on the people at my door. I've had a Mormon missionary give one of my children their pamphlets after I'd told them I wasn't interested... needless to say, I ripped him a new asshole. I've been in an argument (when I was still catholic) with a born again christian about animals having souls; me for, her against.

  If someone hands me a pamphlet and then starts talking, I usually see what it's about and then hand it back when I see that it's related to a religious organization. But generally, I just tell them I'm not interested and shut the door. (Lori Lee #1049)