Attacked by Proselytizing woman in mall

[razorMirage]

Yesterday when I went to a mall(in US) a lady approached us started talking to me and my wife without any voluntary willingness from us.She started asking you speak Hindi and are you Hindu?
Without listening to us she started taking some material in Hindi.I immediately recognized what she is talking about.As a avid follower or Hinduism and always want to propagate the values of greatness of Hinduism I am surprised to see she have all the answers to my questions. Not that I am convinced but she has a clever way in which she can project the answer where she can scare, blackmail me.
Conversations went on like this
She: Jesus is the only way and he can absolve all our sins, etc.
Me: I believe in Jesus and respect but pls don't try to convert us. We believe in Sanathana Dharma and when we say that we respect every one, we even respect every religion, belief also.
she: Tell me how do you clean your sins?
me: I was thinking what did Hinduism say)
me: I said it is negative way of solving the problem.First do sins and then you talking of cleaning.
She ignored my advice and continued her lecture
"Only Jesus blood can save you from sins" etc, etc.

My wife had a similar experience when is traveling back to India.She could not answer that "Father" asking lot of similar probing questions, who is coming to heal India.
The point I want to tell is we Hindus are becoming more and more and assertive and confident of his own religion. But sometimes these trained 'converters' keep asking these questions here and there.
My questions to people (when I say people I am talking about assertive Hindus and all others pls keep away.If you want to tell about your religion open a new link somewhere else) are
1) Did you guys have any similar experience anywhere in US,India etc? Can you share the same?
2) What kind of questions they asked to generate interest in us.
3) What type of answers you guys gave for those questions.Or, what is the best answers for those answers in Hinduism.
For example, how do we clean Sins in Hinduism.I am sure there shd be some answer in our Vedas etc.It is only my poor convent education which made me ignorant to answer that questions.


Pls share your experiences, knowledge and make all of us assertive about our own religion, culture.Lot of people want answers to these questions in Hinduism.But because of the pseudo culture we live in, it was fashion to avoid religion we could not get answers.

[KirKS]

Pls share your experiences, knowledge and make all of us assertive about our own religion, culture.Lot of people want answers to these questions in Hinduism.But because of the pseudo culture we live in, it is fashion to avoid religion.

You need to handle proselytization attempts (in your case Christianity) in a systematic way. The way religious people do is different from how areligious people do.

First know the basics of why you do certain things. Why we do Aarti? Why we have more than one deities? Why we go around an idol in clockwise direction? Why we offer naivedyam/food offerings?
I had posted some links earlier. Please look them up.

Once you know the basics clearly, which unfortunately, Indian educational system doesn't teach well enough, you need to know how to counter attack by proselytizers.

There are literally 1000s of links you can find. A few 100s in here, right from 2002, neatly compiled.
http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=ARTICLES

Go through some that talk about tactics, frauds & derogation part. The lady you met has been trained effectively. Knowledge is your best bet to counter such attacks. We used to get many of these knock on our doors & my wife was a favorite target of many of these missionary ladies :)


[LIST=1]

I suggest not to engage in talks with most of them as they are trained not to listen to you, but keep harping on their agenda by hook or crook.

If you have time & inclination, do engage, but start probing their weak points after going through a few dozen articles from the link I provided.

No matter what, never abuse or talk cheaply about proselytizers (even if some articles above may give you material to do so) as you need to maintain your dignity.
[/LIST]

Good luck!

[returning_indian]

Well not exactly to your help but I have documented similar experience here.

[R2I-2010]

For example, how do we clean Sins in Hinduism.I am sure there shd be some answer in our Vedas etc.It is only my poor convent education which made me ignorant to answer that questions..

Just say I dont commit any sins :-) Tell him/her than I focus on not commiting a sin rather than commit a sin and then find a way to clean it.

[Froogle]

For example, how do we clean Sins in Hinduism.I am sure there shd be some answer in our Vedas etc.It is only my poor convent education which made me ignorant to answer that questions.

I can speak/share about my faith and not hunduism. I do not think being Hindu you can clear sins. You are not suppose to do any sins to begin with. If you do then you are getting what is deserved being bad karma. Some people also believe that taking a dip in GANGA should clear your karma but I do not believe so. Taking dip in GANGA can be auspicious start or and end of sorrow - Like if I have "VIKALPA" or after dealth of loved one you are begining a next phase. On the long run to clear your sins you need to do "PRAYCHIT".

[moneyIsNot_funny]

This is much ado about nothing. Just say that you are not interested, and move on. Be rude, if necessary after a polite couple of times. Usually, they will not proselytize to the point of rudeness. Dont feel obliged to defend your religion to the non believers.

[razorMirage]

I want to move on. But they will catch hold of my daughter or your son tomorrow. I am sorry I don't 100% take this argument of 'moving on'.
We have to prepare our next Gen or else all these questions they will get and will comeback converted.If we ever prepare them (by first preparing ourselves) then that du-sthe-thi will not arise.

[boca]

We have to prepare our next Gen or else all these questions they will get and will comeback converted.

I presume that you will not be happy if your kid decides to marry a non-Hindu...

By the way, Jesus is a Hindu. :) Have them prove otherwise. :)

[Desi]

I want to move on. But they will catch hold of my daughter or your son tomorrow. I am sorry I don't 100% take this argument of 'moving on'.
We have to prepare our next Gen or else all these questions they will get and will comeback converted.If we ever prepare them (by first preparing ourselves) then that du-sthe-thi will not arise.

Then teach your daughter to not patronize strangers in the mall who stop her to converse - it really is that simple.

When someone wants to teach me bible, I cut them in mid sentence and tell them - "wait, wait, please don't continue, I am not interested in this and have a good day, good bye" and move on. I have had these people knock on my door and tell them to get lost as I do not have time to educate them on another religion and no desire to either.

Were you really looking for how to handle these types of situation or were you looking to discuss Hinduism and its greatness? I mean how can anyone desiring to prepare themselves to answer theological questions from the perspective of Hinduism do so without first not studying Hinduism? Seems to me, they were asking you to study christianity (and convert) and you are asking us to study Hinduism.

[layman]

Where did the woman attack you? Looks like she tried to preach you and you tried to preach her back. If you are not interested you should cut them and walk off (unles the lady is attractive of course) . There is no point in confronting these fanatics. If I were you I would have told the lady that I want to sin and I am happy sinning and would have walked off.