my cousin sylvia, a christian, wrote the following in reply to an earlier post of mine. since im up at 5 am anyway due to some unexpected disgusting discharge from my neck wound, i found myself taking the time to think about what she said. she wrote. . .
> I have to challenge you on this one. Calling these people evil or even calling their evangelistic efforts evil is rather "over the top." Think about what they believe (since I'm guessing it has similarities to my own beliefs). They care a lot about you in order to brave the cultural and language barriers to even talk to you. They are much more concerned about you than they are about gaining a possible proselyte. This is hardly 'solipsistic' and neither it is selfish. If this world is not all there is, they are not even 'devoid of human empathy.' Rather they are obeying the command +to 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' And how can you be sure they are wrong in what they believe?
i am unconvinced.
if it increases my discomfort and unease, if it causes those around me to flinch, then it it is devoid of empathy. you could argue that they believe that what they are doing is true and that therefore the imposition of discomfort is necessary (like a surgeons knife creating necessary discomfort in order to heal). but that opens the door to the practitioners of all religions having a right to impose their spiritual concerns. voodooists could run in and sacrfice chickens, witch doctors may wish to dance or sing. do these wellwishers of my spiritual health have a right to enter my personal space on my behalf?
no spiritual practice on my behalf has the same right of imposition as the surgeons knife for a very simple reason: i invited the knife. if i were one of those religions where my belief prohibited me from modern treatment, and i refused the knife, would you respect my wishes? likewise, can you respect my wish not to be histrionically prayed for in public, in my personal space? if you cannot, you are placing something in your worldview in a position of moral primacy over mine – invading my moral sphere with yours because you have a strong confidence that you are right and i am wrong. that is not only solipsism, but is unkindness – you give expression only to your intention, your heart, your action, and you deny me mine. allow me my autonomy and follow instead the precepcts of kindness and "do unto others."
imagine you are sick with cancer in a hospital. i care about you and im deeply concerned about not just your health but the wrongness of your beliefs. so i decide to loudly explain to you that a belief in god is wrong and you need to see the truth that there is no god so that you can have the same solace from that that i feel. would you not ask, "really? here? now? are there not more appropriate times for this conversation?"
luke 6:41~42.
hmmm… Have to think about this for awhile.