Conversion concerns; wherein I talk to a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses

Sikhs don’t believe in conversion.  If you find a Sikh trying to actively convert people, remind them what Guru Nanak said: There is no Hindu, there is no Musalmaan, there is only God.  Had any Christians been present at the moment, the Guru would likely have added them to the list.  The goal of a Sikh is not to make more Sikhs; rather to make a Christian a better Christian, a Muslim a better Muslim, an Atheist a better Atheist, etc.  Make an atheist a better atheist?  A lack of belief in God does not preclude one from doing God’s work; but that’s a subject for another day.

Today I had a lovely chat with two Jehovah’s Witnesses who wanted to read me two pieces of scripture; one from Micah and the other from Psalms (93, I believe).  Guru Nanak spent years traveling all over the world to visit other peoples, recognizing that all faiths have at least some kernel of truth in them; and so I figure I can spare five minutes with the JayDubs if they can tolerate my post-workout stank.  They were unfamiliar with Sikhi.  That’s more our fault than theirs.  Our PR department has been somewhat lacking for the past century or so; at least in the US.  I began explaining some of our basic philosophies so that we could meet on a something of a common ground and have a meaningful conversation.  

Now it needs to be stated that both of these women were very polite and very friendly (yes, I do draw a distinction between the two); so when I speak in somewhat negative tones about one of them, know that it isn’t intended to slander her but to point out a larger problem that has been bothering me for years; arguably decades.  As I was explaining some of Sikhi’s spiritual foundations, one of the women was attentive and interested and seemed to really enjoy the exchange.  The other one sort of glazed over, politely waiting for her turn so she could try and (again, politely) bring me to Jesus. 

To my thinking there are three types of converters; and they produce three types of conversions: power conversions, 2-point conversions, and currency conversions.  Now a power converter sounds exciting, but they are the least genuine and impressive of the bunch.  The woman with the glazed look in her eyes is the power converter.  I don’t mean power like phenomenal cosmic power.  I mean it like a plug going into a wall.  When the current needs to be changed you use a power converter.  Power converters are uninteresting and uninterested.  They don’t care about your beliefs or your background.  They’re there to perform a function; to do a job.  My feelings towards these people are as bland as their attempts to spread the gospel.  I’m not offended, impressed, opposed, or even interested.  Like the little black box you plug into the wall to power your electronics, they’re usually harmless unless you start tearing into them.

Two-point conversions are my favorite kind, and they very much follow the football analogy.  They could go around just handing out pamphlets (less chance for failure; like kicking a field goal) but instead they take the risky maneuver.  They realize that they might not only miss the points, but there’s a chance that they’ll lose the ball – some of their own faith.  But they go in with energy, and a willingness to fail.  With that willingness comes a more open mind, and with a more open mind comes the opportunity for something meaningful.  She took something positive away from our conversation.  I would like to think that she’s thought of the exchange since we parted ways.  I can’t read the power converter’s mind, but I hope she took something positive away too.

Now the third kind of converter, the currency converter, is where the real trouble begins.  These converters, whether they realize is or not, are predatory – like a pedophile grooming a victim with promises of eternal love.  I call them currency converters because they’re similar to those payday loan companies that charge outrageous interest rates to desperate people.  They swoop in during disasters or into areas that need help and take advantage of people.  They heal the wounds of children, all the while scaring them into conversion; and tell them to convert their parents so they won’t go to Hell, then tout it as a victory rather than the heinous act that it is.  There are many reasons that people today distrust religion, but I suspect this lands in most people’s top-five. 

“But don’t the ends justify the means?  If they would otherwise not have come to God isn’t it better that they come through this kind of method than not at all?”

Short answer: No, they don’t; and no, it isn’t.

The long answer is: why would God want that?  God isn’t a Kardashian searching for ways to boost followers on their twitter account.  God doesn’t need your conversion numbers.  God needs love, compassion, and peace.  “The Commander, by His Command, leads us to walk on the Path. Nanak, He blossoms forth, Carefree and Untroubled. || 3 || True is the Master, True is His Name - speak it with infinite love.” 

With infinite love.  If our main reason for turning to someone is fear of that person, then how can we infinitely love them?  Our every action done afterward isn’t motivated by love, but by fear of consequences and desire for favor.  Sounds more like the actions of a petty sycophant appealing to a tyrannical monarch.

The first section of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (called the Mool mantar, or root mantra) specifically says that God is without Fear and without Hatred.  If God is without hatred, then what do we have to fear in the first place? 

Converters:

Want people to turn to God?  Be the example of on Earth through your actions; because as we all know, words are meaningless.  If you show people God’s infinite love, that is what will bring them closer.  A boastful, fearmongering person may get more people to follow them, but a person who truly shows the light of God in their actions brings people closer to God than any amount of threatening damnation.

Forgive me for any mistakes, condescension, negativity, or thoughtlessness.