Let´s take a theoretical situation that an atheist should be converted to christianity (for some reason... can´t imagine any though Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!... kidding ) then, which one would have better change of succeeding: A believer of that religion (he/she would know everything about that religion and have personal experience and some scientific data whatever there might be for christianity) or A psychiatric (would have the basic knowledge of the religion but no personal exeprience etc.)? Note: I don´t mean to start anykind of fight with this, just think this as an interesting topic.
LOL! Like good cop and bad cop? I think both have equal chances of converting him, but the honest method, with the christian telling his experiences, is the ethical preferable one, if it is to consider ethical at all to try to convert somebody into anything. But in the really good movies the good guys always win. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
*Originally posted by Yang´s_Matrix A believer of that religion (he/she would know everything about that religion and have personal experience and some scientific data whatever there might be for christianity) or A psychiatric (would have the basic knowledge of the religion but no personal exeprience etc.)?* Would you buy a car on the recommendation of someone who has only a basic knowledge of what a car is but has never driven one?
But what if I don´t want to buy a car... what if I don´t even like cars... then which one has a better change to make me want to buy a car, and make me buy that specific car? An expert who can tell you everything about the cars and that specific car? or A psychiatrist... who could perhaps make me want to buy the car by manipulating my desires?
Why not ask a Florida farmer about Tang? There is something that just doesn't quite work about the analogy. It's the tendency of Christians to assume that issues of God are as casual and unimportant as one's preferred car or orange juice. I could turn the analogy some to ask what about buying a car from a guy whose purpose is to sell a car, regardless of whether he does it honestly. The analogy would work with one assurance: that the individual has the right and proper notion of God. Since God cannot be known, and works in mysterious ways, the matter is not as objective as orange juice, cars, or one's favorite cigarettes. One knows more about their orange juice, their car, or their cigarettes than one knows about God. As relates the topic: I am unsure how to take the question. Taking the first stab that comes to mind, I would assert that a believer is prone to giving partisan information, and a psychiatrist merely academic data. thanx, Tiassa Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I bought my BMW this way. The car is so far so good. Also, I recommend many computer parts to my friends without even trying them first. And they are all happy with my recommendations. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! It's all about trust. If trust is established, people will listen. They will eat dirt if you tell them it's good for their health. And they won't care if you have tried or not.
The one who will succeed is the one who makes the other person convert themselves. The purpose of the psychiatrist and the already Christian is simply to put facts out. It's up to the investigator to get all the facts and put them together. Anyone who joins a religion out of recommendation is an idiot. Anyone who refuses to join or leaves a religion because someone else did something is an idiot. It's a completely personal decision. If you don't understand a religion before committing yourself to it fully, you're headed for trouble. People who are born into a religion need to at some point question everything they believe. Ben
*Originally posted by Yang´s_Matrix But what if I don´t want to buy a car... what if I don´t even like cars... then which one has a better change to make me want to buy a car, and make me buy that specific car? An expert who can tell you everything about the cars and that specific car? or A psychiatrist... who could perhaps make me want to buy the car by manipulating my desires? * The second one, of course, if you are an average person. The first one, if you're smarter than average. *Originally posted by tiassa I could turn the analogy some to ask what about buying a car from a guy whose purpose is to sell a car, regardless of whether he does it honestly. * I don't do it that way. *the matter is not as objective as orange juice, cars, or one's favorite cigarettes.* The taste of OJ is just as ineffable as God, if you've never tasted it. Driving is just as ineffable if you've never driven. *I would assert that a believer is prone to giving partisan information* It's that old "unbiased" thing. I've watched many foolish people make decisions contrary to their own principles simply because they discounted such "partisan" information. Watching people buy cars is particularly illuminating. A person discounts the information received from someone who happens to have a favorite model and/or manufacturer. That person discounts such obviously biased information in favor of "facts" given by the various manufacturers, as though manufacturers are unbiased and acting in the consumer's interest. The funniest thing is that car buyers in general assume that manufacturers are equally honest, even though it is obvious that individuals varying greatly in their propensity for lying. *Originally posted by daktaklakpak Also, I recommend many computer parts to my friends without even trying them first. And they are all happy with my recommendations. It's all about trust. If trust is established, people will listen. They will eat dirt if you tell them it's good for their health. And they won't care if you have tried or not.* You have got to be the worst possible "friend" that your friends could have.
[KalvinB]The purpose of the psychiatrist and the already Christian is simply to put facts out. It's up to the investigator to get all the facts and put them together. [/KalvinB] So what facts would you give to someone in an attempt to convert them?
There's a lot to it. I'm not a missionary so I don't know. It's certainly not a Bible beating thing though. You have to get to know the person (people) and their religion before you can even begin to talk to them about Christianity. For the most part Christianity is just demonstrated. Mormon and Jehovah's Witness missionaries do a hit and run sort of thing which is not what real missionary work is at all. It's more pedemarketing. Christian missionaries live with the people they're looking to convert for long periods of time. Ben
Somehow I find that statement both amusing and disturbing at the same time. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
