“If I had power and could legislate, I should certainly stop all proselytising. It is the cause of much avoidable conflict between classes and unnecessary heart-burning among the missionaries... In Hindu households the advent of a missionary has meant the disruption of the family coming in the wake of change of dress, manners, language, food and drink. ... The other day a missionary descended on a famine area with money in his pocket, distributed it among the famine-stricken, converted them to his fold, took charge of their temple and demolished it. This is outrageous. The temple could not belong to the converted, and it could not belong to the Christian missionary. But this friend goes and gets it demolished at the hands of the very men who only a little while ago believed that God was there.”
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The objection is to pressured conversion, not to belief itself. Pushing people to switch faith — especially by dangling money or aid to those in hardship — exploits vulnerability and can splinter families and communities. Respect leaves others' convictions, and their bonds, intact.
When to use it
- A salesperson won't upsell a grieving customer who's in no state to weigh the decision.
- A volunteer hands out flood aid freely, never conditioning it on joining their group.
- Relatives stop pressuring a family member to adopt their politics at every gathering.