Prodding versus Pushing

I was inspired to write this piece by Mark Davis, a VCU classmate of mine, who wrote a very insightful piece for our Focused Inquiry blog.

Many a day, there is a man standing outside of Commons who loudly attempts to force his Christian views upon us. He utilizes inflammatory propaganda to help make our decision for us. Check yes, and you will not be judged poorly by the Lord, says the flier covered in fake blood. Check no, and prepare for a post-life of Hell. Literally. By checking no, you will not automatically submit to this screaming maniac’s wishes, you admit that you have, are, will lead a life of hate and atrocity.

I have walked past this man many a time, each time considering myself fortunate not to be the target of his rage. The one time I did find myself face-to-face with him, I just took his pamphlet and peaced out. (It may help his act if he used some mouthwash. That was one of the worst smelling conversations I’ve ever had.) However, after reading Mark’s blog, it was brought to my attention that his forceful have led to shouting matches that may have gotten physical had the individuals not been restrained.

Obviously, this man is very passionate about what he feels and believes. There is no amount of money you could pay me to act like that, to be that forceful and confrontational with people, especially with something as sensitive as religious beliefs.

Everything that has happened in my life has somehow shaped my morals and beliefs. Having nearly reached the light at the end of the tunnel regarding my beliefs, I can say the people who have been most influential on me have shared several common traits. They are all kind, supportive, and informative; but mostly, they are all very respectful of the fact that it never was and never is there decision to make for me. It is just my personality to shrivel up and shy away from something that I am forced to do, especially if I do not see the good in it; others might attack the situation head-on. Either way, the result is not positive.

If Person A believes in X, and Person B believes in Y, and I am person C, trying to decide between the two, I obviously want to make the decision that is best for me. Let’s say that hypothetically, Person A is forceful and over-the-top in sharing his convictions, whereas Person B is much more give-and-take, and much more patient and understanding. This could go one of two ways. I would either be much more turned off by the brutality of Person A’s argument, or I would submit to his ways just to make him relent. In the first example, I immediately rejected his beliefs; in the second, I went with them, but not necessarily because I believed in the reasoning behind them. So either way, it did not go well for Person A, if his goal truly was for me to embrace his views.

In a country as diverse as the United States, many different political and religious views attempt to co-exist. I have my convictions, and another person might have theirs. So long as they are strong in their faith and belief, it would be wrong to question them, because their belief is just as strong as mine. So while I might try to show them the light, and convince them that my beliefs are truer, I would never bombard them or accuse them of wrongdoing. Everyone in this country has a right to practice whatever religion they please, and law aside, it is disrespectful to call them a sinner because their beliefs differ.

So maybe, Person A standing in the middle of Student Commons, you do believe your views are correct above all others. And I’m sure in a school of 21,000 undergraduate students, you can find at least a few willing to listen to your points, to impart your beliefs on. But literally forcing yourself on them is not the way to go. And trying to trick students with the bold imagery of your shameless propaganda is not the right way, either.