Would you be offended if someone converted to your religion out of amusement?

It wouldn't offend me since I probably wouldn't realize that they weren't serious. And Hinduism doesn't have any official "conversion" process. One is said to be a Hindu if either they are born into a Hindu family or if they agree with it theologically and practice it. Thus, if you don't practice it, you aren't a Hindu. Some people often have this 'officialized' in various groups by adopting a Hindu name, but it is not necessary and it really depends on the Hindu group, ashram, temple, etc, but you have to be practicing Hinduism first before you can do this (you usually get quizzed by the priests or leaders of the groups, ashram, temple to make sure you are sincere and that you indeed actually practice). It's more a way of life than a religion. As for Judaism, I have a friend that is a born Jew and I have a friend that converted to Judaism. Apparently it isn't so easy to convert to Judaism. It took my friend two years to officially convert, receive a Jewish name, etc.

Of course, many people often sort of look into Hinduism without ever actually calling themselves Hindus. They sort of test-practice it. Look at Britney Spears and her taking her baby to a Hindu temple.

In the end, Hinduism teaches that we are all one anyways and that, in essence, would mean that everyone is technically a Hindu...we just happen to have different perspectives. :)

So no, it wouldn't offend me. There is already so much misinformation and misunderstandings about Hinduism (people think that Hindus are polytheistic, for example, which isn't true, they are monotheistic...but if you don't dig deeper into the religion you might assume that the so-called pantheon of gods and images and names are all actualy beings that Hindus worship, but in fact they are merely aspects of the One...just like you are only one person, but you have many parts hands, fingers, head, neck, knee, arm, eyes, nose, stomach, heart, etc...the images represent the parts or aspects of God). So, if you said you were a Hindu and went about it half heartedly, you wouldn't offend me. I'm used to nonHindus spreading misinformation about Hinduism that I know that so long as I know what Hinduism really teaches and that all other Hindus know it and practice it, then it really doesn't matter.

As for my Jewish friends, I know they would be offended. Probably not so much the one that was born Jewish, but definately my friend that went through the lengthy conversion process. It was so incredibly difficult and she often felt like they were really trying to discourage her from converting, but that was where she felt like she belonged and stuck with it because she knew all of the difficulties was worth it.

I wouldn't be offended. But then I'm not religious. I don't think you need to join a religion just for fun and then drop it like a hat. There's no need. Just don't join any religion.

But if you are interested in other religions, even pre-christian ones such as Hindu and Egyptian (I personally love Greek mythology), then just read up on them. Learn what the other religions are about. It's always a good idea to know what someone else's religion is about so you know why they do what they do. It's the first step towards true tolerance and understanding.

Then you will have a wide scope of the world and will be able to see everyone's religion from an outsider's (but knowledgeable) point of view instead of one that you've been assimilated into since birth, thus making you biased.

It would be interesting if you converted just for a laugh, but actually ended up becoming serious about it over time.

As for my being offended by someone doing that, probably not. What you do is your own business.

However, I do admit to initially being a little less than amused when the mayor of a city I once lived in made a big show of joining the richest church in town. A couple weeks after that, I overheard him boasting about being an atheist and saying that all Christians were idiots. If he wants to be an atheist, fine. But he shouldn't have made a mockery out of other people's religion just so he could say that he attended the same church as his friends at the country club. It was intellectually dishonest of him. His religious game was far more mean-spirited than yours.

I actually converted myself to worshiping Aztec and Mayan gods. Come join me, I don't care. It's a free will world.

I'd like to think that people who love their religion would be happy to have someone join them and learn about it, for whatever reason. You might not think it will change you, but it will. I was raised as a Catholic and even though I'm pagan now there's still a lot of Catholic dogma stuck in my head that will probably never leave.

Look, no one should ever be offended over anything religous. If someone is a jerk then they should be forgiven like CHrist forgave. People get so tied up into wanting to be right, that they overlook the teachings in the religion.

But on a practical level,

If you came in my church acting like that, I would pick you up, carry you out into the parking lot, body slam you, then kick the living **** out of you. Don't disrespect. It is rude. Basically what your actions are saying is that you think you are superior to those of faith and your clearly not.

Sorry, nevermind i didn' know you were a girl

i would just peg you with a water balloon filled with spoiled milk in your face

Nothing to get offended about. As far as converting to Hinduism is concerned, in the traditional form of hinduism, you cannot convert to hinduism. You are born a hindu in your particular caste & u die there. I should know - I am an Indian (but not hindu).

By the way whether u convert or not - do a read on the philosophy in hinduism. Its very interesting.

The other night someone posted that a freethinker(my position not religion) could be a christian. That was wrong. I gave information about what a freethinker is. But it didn't matter. Every christian that saw it began saying that they are a freethinker. It made me really mad because to be a freethinker you have to put alot of thought into your position. Not, just follow the leader. I am getting mad just thinking how stupid they sounded when they jumped on the band wagon.

If someone came up to me and said, "I "converted" to christianity only because it's hilarious" I'd probably raise an eyebrow and tell them that they can't really convert to something they don't believe in in the first place.

Choosing a religion just to have one, or to make sure you're going to heaven isn't smart- they might as well not choose one at all.

i'm Christian and that i'm maximum certainly no longer offended. quite often as a results of fact i think of there are various people who call themselves a member of a faith for reasons different than faith, my husband is an occasion. and that i've got heard of such lots of who replace religions so as that they are in a position to get married and not have in-regulation matters. I fairly have in-regulation matters that could come to a variety if I switched over yet i will't as a results of fact i individually have confidence. yet i will placed myself interior the shoes of somebody who could be offended and that i could clarify it this manner. once you're on the Lakers and considered one of your teammates willingly leaves to connect the Magic, you would be offended. yet i think of the offense is purely a masks for harm. so as that they are harm, their emotions have been harm and so as that they get annoyed.

I would pray that God would give that person some enlightenment since religion/spirituality is no laughing matter. Your search for faith has obviously started out on the wrong foot. If you don't take God seriously, how do you expect him to react? As for my reaction: not really