Are those that try to convert you doing what is right?

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For example, if I believed that those that did not believe in Jesus would be tortured for eternity in hell, wouldn't it be the decent thing to do to save them? Similarly, if I thought that accepting the Bible leads to a life of guilt,shame and a wasted life,wouldn't a decent man try to convince people of the inaccuracy of the Bible?

Telling people that God will torture them forever isn't accurate to the Bible, so I'd say anyone with that stance is either ignorant or hateful. There is an eternal punishment for sin, but God takes no pleasure in it.

Every situation is different, though. For example, which is worse if you're hiding a child from a murderer: lying or letting the killer have the kid? Both are sins, but we have a greater responsibility to protect the innocent than being honest with psychos.

I agree with you that values are not absolute. For example, I disagree with Kant's categorical imperative. If I was hiding Jews in Nazi Germany,it would be my moral duty to lie if the SS asked me if I was hiding Jews.
You do not believe in hell for those that do not accept Christ?
Actually, that is beside the point. Suppose you were a fundamentalist Christian and believed that anyone that did not accept Christ went to hell. Would it not be your duty to try to convert them?

Being factually correct is not the point of this thread. It is about what is the right thing to do with our limited knowledge. For example, suppose I hypnotized you into believing that the actual gun I give you is a squirt gun. Then I tell you to squirt John Doe in the face. You do! Are you guilty (in a moral sense) of murder? In other words what I am saying is that what is in your heart determines if you are moral or immoral.

It seems quite laudable for people to try to convert other's opinions if that person believes others are in danger one way or the other. So I think it is quite reasonable for those of us with a good scientific education to try to educate those around us who believe in superstition and myths such as creation. But to be fair, if someone has a passionate belief in their religion and they sincerely believe that atheists such as myself are bound for some sort of afterlife in hell fire then the decent thing for them to do is to try to convert me and other like me. I think motive is the most important thing here, irrespective of whatever the opinion is.

Edit: I'll just add that I think it is important to stand up for your opinions but at the same time to be open to explore other opinions too, or it can just become a battle of wills and nobody learns anything new.

I wonder about this sometimes. For example, my sister believes I'm going to hell. I asked her how she feels about that and she said she tries not to think about it. Why isn't she trying harder to convert me? I'm her sister, shouldn't she be doing whatever she can to make me "see the light?". She'll spend eternity knowing I'm spending that time somewhere bad. It's almost a little insulting that she doesn't try

Sooo...

You would prefer her to harangue you 24/7 trying to save your soul?

If you were about to enter a house on fire, would you prefer that your sister remain silent because speaking would imply that she knows better than you? I am like Chomsky, a hard core liberal! Like him I hate postmodernism. This,"all views are equal" is rubbish! My daughter is gay,is very successful and subscribes to that postmodern rubbish. I asked her," what would you think of a person that said that all gay people are evil and worthy of going to hell?" She responded, "everyone is intitled to their opinion ". Duh! Obviously!. However, they are dead wrong!! ! If you want to believe that the earth is flat, that is your right! And I will defend your right to believe something so mind bogglingly stupid. However, do not expect me to not know that you are an idiot!
If an extremely stupid belief is making my daughter's life more difficult (suppose she did believe that she will go to hell because she is gay) it is my duty to destroy that belief. If I was deluded and thought that she would be tortured for eternity because she was gay (obviously an asinine belief) it would be my duty to try and make her ungay,

Last edited by wittgenstein on 27 Nov 2013, 4:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.

to me its a philosophical question as much as a moral one.

Is a so called benevolent god, incapable of unconditional love who would allow his own children to be subjected to unrelenting eternal torture really deserving of worship anyway? Especially if we're referring to the same god of Roman catholic lore or similar.

Moreover faith of the true kind can't come through co-ercion or blackmail. It can only come through a personal journey of epiphany and experience of trial.

Yes, and if she has to endure not being able to see her sister for eternity, can it really be heaven?

See the paradox?

Interestin point. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with the point of this thread. I agree, the Biblical God contradicts itself. The point of this thread is.....can someone do what is right for the wrong reasons? Can someone try to save your soul and that is a noble act even if your soul was not in need of saving?
If I thought you were drowning and risked my life to save you,and you were not actually drowning, isn't that still a noble act?
PS: This is not a response to Thomas's last post. It is a response to the post one above his last post.

I guess I am weird (and proud of it!)! Many times Mormans and Jehovah's Witness have knocked on my door. Not only do I invite them in, when they try to leave I say," aw come on, answer my questions,why is the Bible filled with so many self contradictions." They usually answer," we will be back. We have to consult our church authorities." They never come back!

I agree with Nietzsche ! It is not their love for humanity that keeps modern Christians from burning us at the stake. It is there indifference (lack of love.)
Of course this involves us in what one's morality is. Suppose a train will kill 20 people tied to the track. You can switch the train to another track. Unfortunately, there is one person tied to that track. Would you kill that one innocent person to save 20 innocent people? I would!

Proselytizers are the worst sort of Mind F*ckers.

ruveyn

I think as long as some one does it respectfully and tactfully , trying to convince someone of a position is not wrong.

I think it depends. NAMBLA really believes that there is nothing wrong with their desires and actions. However, I do not think it would be noble of them to try to convince others.