Tis the season...deja vu anyone?

[Morrigoon]

The problem is that most atheists are converts to atheism. And we all know how pleasant religious converts can be*

(* edit: After writing this, it occurred to me that I can't think of one proselytizing pagan, though most of them are converts too. I wonder if it has to do with the individualized nature of their belief system? Maybe the local pagans can suggest hypotheses on this one.)

[Sir Dillon]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

The problem is that most atheists are converts to atheism. And we all know how pleasant religious converts can be

Subjective opinion...

S.D.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

(* edit: After writing this, it occurred to me that I can't think of one proselytizing pagan, though most of them are converts too. I wonder if it has to do with the individualized nature of their belief system? Maybe the local pagans can suggest hypotheses on this one.)

Personally, it's both the individual nature of the religion (I can't expect you to believe something that I feel) and the belief that I have no right to define belief for another. Proselytizing (sp?) has as one of its roots the assumption that I have the right (ability?) to tell another how to believe, or what to believe, or something along those lines. It can be as mild as "this is what I believe, what do you think?" but that hasn't been the approach of the missionaries I've met.