Difference Between Proselytizing And Teaching


The above is a 25 minute video of a PBS series called “I Believe” which covers different religions. The host is Dennis Wholey who is interviewing Randolph Dobbs, a Baha’i from the Los Angeles area.

Most of the interview is softball questions about the general principles and serves as a good introduction for someone who doesn’t know anything about the Baha’i Faith.

For me the interesting part is at the 21 minute mark (to which you can jump to by clicking and dragging chiclet) where the host asks,

“How do you attempt to grow the Faith?”

To which Mr. Dobbs responds,

“You know the message of the Baha’i Faith is shared from heart to heart. We talked about your mother and how she recognized the spiritual truth, that it resonated in her heart. We believe that people recognize truth when they hear it. And although we don’t proselytize, we don’t go from door to door teaching the Baha’i Faith, we do invite people to Baha’i meetings. We invite people to children’s classes, to study circles, to devotional meetings.”

The bold is my own emphasis to draw your attention to the excerpt.

It jumped out at me because lately I’ve been thinking about the difference between the two: proselytizing and teaching. I suppose for everyone it depends. We draw the line at different points and the behavior which you may categorize as teaching, another Baha’i may see clearly as proselytizing.

Although in the Baha’i writings we are prohibited from proselytizing, it isn’t really defined nor clearly delineated. The need for such clarity is vital since we are asked to teach the Faith.

In current Baha’i culture teaching and proselytization can be blurry. For example, did you know that in contrast to what Mr. Dobbs says above, Baha’is have started to go from door to door?

That is, actually knocking on doors and starting to speak to people about the Baha’i Faith? They may not “teach” directly or in the same pushy style as Jehovah’s Witnesses but they are going up to strangers with the intention of converting them to the Baha’i Faith.

So although the actual action is to invite you to participate in say, children’s moral education classes organized by the local Baha’i community, or a devotional event, the intention is teaching. So is that then proselytizing?

In talking with Baha’is about this one person told me that for them proselytizing is when you force someone to change their religion. Or promise them some kind of reward. In other words, bribe them. Anything short of that is ok.

However this definition of proselytism is not correct. In actuality proselytism is “the practice of attempting to convert people to another opinion, usually another religion.

The word proselytism is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix ‘pros’ (towards) and the verb ‘erchomai’ (I come). Historically in the New Testament, the word proselyte denoted a person who had converted to the Jewish religion. Though the word proselytism was originally tied to Christianity, it is also used to refer to other religions’ attempts to convert people to their beliefs or even any attempt to convert people to another point of view, religious or not.”

Clearly, by this definition, what Baha’is are doing is proselytizing, and any assertion to the contrary is really a semantic game, rather than a genuine distinction.

Of course, Baha’is are not the only ones trying to pin down this concept. According to Wikipedia, here are the differences between what some consider to be legitimate versus illegitimate proselytism:

  • No attempt to convert others unless they specifically ask about one’s religion
  • Preaching
  • Providing physical benefits in hopes that recipients will be open to listening
  • Providing physical benefits only to those willing to listen
  • Providing physical benefits only to proselytes
  • Forcing people to become proselytes

What about you? What do you consider to be the the difference between these two? How can they be recognized? How are they defined?

If a friend starts up a conversation with another friend and it leads to religion and they end up talking about the Baha’i Faith is that teaching or proselytizing? What if instead of a friend it is a stranger? What if the Baha’i flat out says, “You know, you should become a Baha’i. Here’s a card.”

What if a Baha’i goes door to door in a neighborhood to invite people to a fireside? to a children’s class? to some other Baha’i inspired and organized meeting or event? Is that proselytizing or teaching?

Where does one begin and the other end? Can you provide specific examples from your own experience or imagination?

Related posts:

  1. Teaching vs. Proselytizing: UHJ Letter
  2. Door-to-Door Teaching: NSA Letter

  • Kam

    I think the definition of proselytizing is clearly defined by the House of Justice as follows in May 5, 1982:
    Proselytizing implies bringing undue pressure to bear upon someone to change his Faith. It is also usually understood to imply the making of threat or the offering of material benefits as an inducement to conversion.

  • Barbruthw

    That’s an interesting definition. It doesn’t fit with my Webster’s, though: to induce someone to convert to one’s faith (induce: to move by persuasion or influence). 2. to recruit someone to join ones party, institution, or cause.

    I’m not sure where the UHJ’s definition came from – perhaps it originated with them? I certainly have never understood proselytizing to be what they say it is.

    Barb

  • fubar

    It is a common practice in many (haifan) bahai communities to attempt to convert people to bahaism. shoghi effendi used to word “convert” in his communications to bahais.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proselytism

    excerpt:

    “Today, the connotations of proselytizing are often negative and the word is commonly used to describe attempts to force people to convert.”

    - – -

    I think that the use of the word “proselytizing” in bahai communities is farily close to the Wiki definition, but even still there are examples of a pattern in which bahais are overly aggressive and/or “enthusiastic” in their attempts at converting people to bahaism.

    (I was coerced into signing a declaration card.)

    The real question is: how much authenticity and spiritual depth is involved when people convert to bahaism? are such people being partly exploited for reasons that are unethical? is psychological manipulation happening? are converts really given enough accurate information prior to conversion to ensure that they understand the implications of conversion?

    In my opinion, conversion to bahaism has dysfunctional characteristics that are part of a larger pattern of dysfunction in most other areas of bahai culture.

  • Amado de Dios

    No clergy?! Well, maybe at one time. What useful difference can you show between a lay preacher for some church (or their equivalents in other religions than Christianity) and a part-time Auxiliary Board member; or between a Counselor / staff person for the “Institute” and any member of any clergy? We had a nice religion without a clergy, with the ideal of all teaching, all learning as Shoghi Effendi described it – and then started to fill up the Faith with a hierarchy!

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  • Jane

    I was doing some research and came across your site.  I was curious and looked up the actual quote from the Baha’i writings and this is what I found.  ”The aggressive proselytism that had characterized efforts in ages past to promote the cause of religion is declared to be unworthy of the Day of God. Each person who has recognized the Revelation has the obligation to share it with those who he believes are seeking, but to leave the response entirely to his hearers”It looks like it’s not proselytism that is unworthy, but aggressive proselytism.

  • Baquia

    Jane, thanks for your comment. The quote you cite is from a statement prepared by the “Bahá’í International Community” titled “Baha’u'llah”. It was published in 1992 to commemorate the centenary of the Revelation of Baha’u'llah and to introduce Him to a general audience. As such, the authorship of the document and quote is unknown – but it is probably a committee. Therefore it is hardly authoritative Baha’i Writings. In any case, even if we were to accept the idea that it presents as a reflection of other authoritative Writings, then the question would be, what does “aggressive” mean? who is to define that? etc.

  • Verhae

    I just want to speak about the door to door issue, because I am one of those people who, because of door to door was able to see the Baha’i Faith. If the Baha’is had not knocked on my door, I would be committing bad things, and for safety I won’t disclose what those may be.  When they knocked on my door, I was an atheist, I didn’t believe in God because I thought, what God would create so many religions that hate each other and didn’t connect. When I opened the door, they greeted me with smiles, and I got a really good vibe from them. They told me about the Junior Youth program, and did not mention the Baha’i Faith or anything regarding the faith, until I asked more questions. My line of questioning was as followed: What does the Junior Youth Program Teach? Reply: We teach spirituality, and the Oneness of Humankind. Me: Is this related some sort of Sunday school? Reply: No, its a program to teach the unity of Humankind, and that all the major religions are from God in a progressive revelation. Me: How exactly are religions connected, and what do you believe in? Reply: I am a Baha’i Me: A what?  Reply: Teaching time!!! :D
    Now weather this is proselytizing or not is up for debate. But the main thing that should be drawn from this is that had they not have told me about the Junior Youth program, and further more the Baha’i faith, I would be contributing to the already massive amounts of pain and suffering this world experiences. 
    I think if your intentions are well placed, and your purpose is not to convert but merely teach, then God will direct you to the souls that need aid. That is the case for me, and for many others. I would only say that for those souls that are not in search, and they are aware of the faith, then let them be. God will take care of them somehow.

  • Desir0101

    Verhae,
    Praise be to you.
    Word is powerful tool and each one must learn how to use it for the best.
    You have allow words create a spiritual vibe in you. Great.
    I wish you great spiritual harvest.

    Bye,