Agenda driven “relationships”

Something I keep having to deal with is that in religion, everything comes with an agenda.

When I was in a certain Christian mission organisation, we were taught to see every interaction as an opportunity to share the gospel. We talked to strangers at shops, on buses, and in pubs. If I had a birthday party, I invited mix of Christians and “open” non Christians so there could be spiritual conversation. I was told by one leader “if you haven’t shared the gospel (tract booklet) by the third time meeting someone, then move on and find someone else”.

It’s really hard to de-program that kind of brainwashing.

1. I can meet someone and not try to convert them to my religion
2. I can do what I want, not plan things for other people
3. It’s okay to just have casual friends that never go into deep topics
4. I can love people without an agenda: to have an agenda is not to love
5. I am socially anxious and that’s okay. I don’t have to fake being an extrovert
6. Experiment with not giving a f*ck what other people might think or expect
7. No one is watching over my shoulder checking if I’ve “done it right”

If you can relate, what kinds of things have you been unlearning and replacing that with?