How to go about converting a loved one to become a leftist?

[Comrade Nasser]

I don't know if this is where I should be asking, but here we go:
So, my girlfriend and I have been going on for about a year now (she is a complete jesus-freak). She knows about me being a anarchist and an atheist. She thinks I'm a godless heathen (LOL) and that I will change if I "bring god into my life". She is also under the assumption that anarchy just means that I litter and throw things at Nazis, and won't sit down with me to actually talk about it because she says "it's boring". I do believe I can change her as she is very open-minded (by capitalist social construct standards we are in a "mixed" relationship). Politically I would say she was very influenced by her bible-belt father who is pure conservative through and through (I can't hold a conversation with the man or else my head may explode). So compatriots, how do you propose that I go about changing my girlfriend? (she has seen me on revleft and has met my Antifa/ARA friends who she refers to as "creepers" LOL).

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Well perhaps you could introduce her to Liberation Theology as a gateway drug. I know that's how JMP got into Anarchism

[#FF0000]

You can't make anyone change their mind. Just don't be absolutely insufferable about your politics and they might catch with people around you. Then again, might not.

[Comrade Nasser]

You can't make anyone change their mind. Just don't be absolutely insufferable about your politics and they might catch with people around you. Then again, might not.

Comrade the problem is, I don't think she will just catch onto it. She is firm in the belief that I "must embrace god" and "drop the commie crap" that last comment I heard about a week ago, although I think her father is the one who drilled that disgusting comment into her head.

[Yuppie Grinder]

Don't be an evangelist.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Comrade the problem is, I don't think she will just catch onto it. She is firm in the belief that I "must embrace god" and "drop the commie crap" that last comment I heard about a week ago, although I think her father is the one who drilled that disgusting comment into her head.

I used to be a Tea Party Republican, then I went a step worse and became an Anarcho-Cap, then I went even worse and became an IMT Trot. Yet somehow I managed to become a leftist, so I definitely think you can "convert" her.

[Comrade Nasser]

I used to be a Tea Party Republican, then I went a step worse and became an Anarcho-Cap, then I went even worse and became an IMT Trot. Yet somehow I managed to become a leftist, so I definitely think you can "convert" her.
I want to do it in a way that is very subtle, any suggestions?

[Comrade Nasser]

Don't be an evangelist.

My sides LOL. She really is an evangelist though, her Facebook cover photos are all bible scriptures, then she insists on putting a picture of me, a leftist, next to pictures of bible scriptures. And don't worry, I will NEVER leave the far-left even if I do really love this girl (then again I'm 17 many would argue that I don't know what love is)

[Captain Ahab]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreasonablefaith/2011/08/the-wall-o-socialist-bible-quotes/
Show her this, then find introductory texts to Liberation Theology.

[Fourth Internationalist]

As CaptainAhab's post's link shows, Jesus was clearly a leftist. But did he support a revolution? "I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword" Matthew*10:34. He was a revolutionary leftist. Welcome, Jesus, to RevLeft! :D

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

Yeah, approaching it as "conversion" is a pretty sure recipe for failure. Leading by principled radical behaviour, learning to present your opinions in her language rather than in lefty jargon and in situations where they will be relevant/helpful, etc. are all pretty key.
In the context of a hetero relationship, it's especially important to avoid being another condescending man telling her how to think. Encouraging her to develop her own critical analysis and fostering her self-confidence by being respectful and supportive will probably do more to turn her on to radical politics than any amount of preaching. Offering answers to questions she's not asking is just reproducing the same conservative relationships in "radical" drag' at best it will produce a shallow radicalism. On the contrary, helping her refine and develop her own questions . . .

(Also, dig the English Diggers - weird Christian inspired millenarian anarchists - not because you think she'll be "converted" by their example, but because you might find them interesting!)

[Comrade Nasser]

Yeah, approaching it as "conversion" is a pretty sure recipe for failure. Leading by principled radical behaviour, learning to present your opinions in her language rather than in lefty jargon and in situations where they will be relevant/helpful, etc. are all pretty key.
In the context of a hetero relationship, it's especially important to avoid being another condescending man telling her how to think. Encouraging her to develop her own critical analysis and fostering her self-confidence by being respectful and supportive will probably do more to turn her on to radical politics than any amount of preaching. Offering answers to questions she's not asking is just reproducing the same conservative relationships in "radical" drag' at best it will produce a shallow radicalism. On the contrary, helping her refine and develop her own questions . . .

(Also, dig the English Diggers - weird Christian inspired millenarian anarchists - not because you think she'll be "converted" by their example, but because you might find them interesting!)
I'll look them up! Thank you!

[LOLseph Stalin]

Some people just can't be swayed, I learned this myself. The only thing I can say is that some people just need to see revolution for themselves to finally change their minds to support communism. This is particularly true in America where the words "socialism" and "communism" are essentially swear words. Thankfully the Cold War generation is becoming smaller and smaller though.

[Raúl Duke]

My first reaction was "How the hell you end up together?"

But to be serious, if you want to be subtle you have to stop this mindset of "conversion" or "conscious-raising" and just be normal. Don't jut in political stuff where it may not be called for or appropriate, but don't be afraid that when the time comes (usually when asked or so) to give an opinion on politics to give an honest opinion (just don't phrase it in a condescending manner. Say what you think and your reasons for thinking so. Don't belittle or imply stupidity in your arguments. Be tactful. Show that you're ok with disagreements, don't be sore if you don't manage to convince someone during a certain argument; it takes time for people to come around to your thinking).

Also, to be honest, what you should look for is not to "turn her into a leftist" but aim for her to be a bit more respectful with your "commie crap" and to feel that "you kinda have a point." (As LOLseph Stalin said, some people can't be swayed exactly; who can blamed them? Being a leftist is kinda a drag). It's a bit hard to describe what I'm getting at here without specific examples, etc.

Also, what VMC said.

[Philosophos]

Well it's very difficult to change somebody if I can't say impossible. If she wants to change she will change. All you have to do is show some tolerance and demand that she will have some tolerance on your views too.

One of the biggest problems that humanity has right now is that people can't tolerate each other. That's why we are filled with immature people with huge egos.

[Lobotomy]

Don't try to convert her, thats weird. If you've really presented your ideas to her and she still doesn't like them, there's nothing you can do. Either don't talk about it with her any more, or, if this is something that is really important to you in a relationship, accept that maybe she's not an ideal match for you.

[Comrade Nasser]

We are both in high school that's how we met lol. I don't know if I'll keep trying to convert her to our cause or not. Doesn't really matter. I'm not going to break up with her though. I think she's "the one".

[The Idler]

I'll look them up! Thank you!
I've been to all the Diggers Festivals (last two years) and hope to run a stall at the next one.
http://wigandiggersfestival.org/
there are various books
http://www.versobooks.com/books/479-a-common-treasury
Terry Eagleton has written on Jesus as a revolutionary

[conmharáin]

I don't mean to be unkind, but this bothers me. I mean that the way in which you describe her treatment of you is upsetting. It strikes me as creepy, in fact, the desire to "improve" a person, especially through religion. I don't want to judge; I doubt I have the whole picture. But the situation I imagined reading the original post makes me worried.

On a more serious note: how's the sex?

[Mass Grave Aesthetics]

I don't mean to be unkind, but this bothers me. I mean that the way in which you describe her treatment of you is upsetting. It strikes me as creepy, in fact, the desire to "improve" a person, especially through religion. I don't want to judge; I doubt I have the whole picture. But the situation I imagined reading the original post makes me worried.
How is that any different than him trying to "convert" her to leftism?


On a more serious note: how's the sex?
excuse me?

[conmharáin]

How is that any different than him trying to "convert" her to leftism?

Well, it kind of isn't, is it? It was pretty fucked up of me not to acknowledge that, too, in the first place. This whole thing seems unhealthy from both sides.


excuse me?

I just figured that if they don't respect each other for who they are as people, then the sex has to be epic for them to still be together.

[Slavoj Zizek's Balls]

This isn't some religious group we are in... at least I hope it isn't. My point is, try not to use the word 'convert' because it has religious connotations. Instead of wanting to change her yourself, let her change herself by letting time pass and letting your research continue. She'll either see the merits or she won't. All that can be done really in my opinion.

[Jesus Saves Gretzky Scores]

(then again I'm 17 many would argue that I don't know what love is)

I had a teacher who talked about that. He asked a girl if she liked ice cream, and when she said yes, he said "well since your a teenager, you don't really know that." I thought that was pretty interesting, it seems stupid to say a whole age group doesn't know what one certain emotion is.

[Comrade Nasser]

Well, it kind of isn't, is it? It was pretty fucked up of me not to acknowledge that, too, in the first place. This whole thing seems unhealthy from both sides.



I just figured that if they don't respect each other for who they are as people, then the sex has to be epic for them to still be together.

Were both in high school. We've never had sex because of her beliefs (I'm totally fine with that, I try to respect her beliefs even if at times she doesn't respect mine). Also comrade she really is one of those non-political women who is molded by what people say around her (sadly mostly her glen beck loving father). I still love her even if she believes in a religion that basically contradicts my belief system.

[Comrade Nasser]

I don't mean to be unkind, but this bothers me. I mean that the way in which you describe her treatment of you is upsetting. It strikes me as creepy, in fact, the desire to "improve" a person, especially through religion. I don't want to judge; I doubt I have the whole picture. But the situation I imagined reading the original post makes me worried.

On a more serious note: how's the sex?

Comrade, for the most part we respect each others beliefs. I shouldn't of said "convert" maybe I should have said "sympathize" with our cause.

We have never had sex (mostly because of her firm christian roots, and also because I'm a virgin aswell and not interested in sex)

She's the one. I don't care if she loves Jesus. I love her.

[Brutus]

Get her to read ABC of anarchism by berkman

[Nevsky]

Show her the movie "The Gospel According to St.Matthew" by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Tell her that it's a film about Jesus and his life which follows exactly what the bible teaches (that's not a lie). While watching the film, she should notice how Jesus most certainly wasn't the one propagated by her conservative father. Then you can further expose conservative hypocrisy with the facts and bible quotes which other comrades already posted.

[BIXX]

I have no idea what you two are doing together, like others have mentioned it seems off putting. However, I would consider that if you loved her, you wouldn't try to change her. You'd accept your differences and move on. Cause trying to change her seems to be showing that you saw that you liked some aspect of her, and wanted to change her to be ideal so you could love your ideal, but not who she is. However, this is not coming from someone experienced in these matters, it just seems that way to me.

[Comrade Nasser]

I have no idea what you two are doing together, like others have mentioned it seems off putting. However, I would consider that if you loved her, you wouldn't try to change her. You'd accept your differences and move on. Cause trying to change her seems to be showing that you saw that you liked some aspect of her, and wanted to change her to be ideal so you could love your ideal, but not who she is. However, this is not coming from someone experienced in these matters, it just seems that way to me.

I'm not trying to change her so to speak. Honestly, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm not going to try to change her anymore. If that means I have to sit through a sermon once a week and listen to her dad yell at Rachel Maddow on the t.v. when I hang out at her house, so be it! I looooove this woman.

Someone please close this thread since I gave up on trying to make her sympathetic to our cause.

[TheRedAnarchist23]

I don't know if this is where I should be asking, but here we go:
So, my girlfriend and I have been going on for about a year now (she is a complete jesus-freak). She knows about me being a anarchist and an atheist. She thinks I'm a godless heathen (LOL) and that I will change if I "bring god into my life". She is also under the assumption that anarchy just means that I litter and throw things at Nazis, and won't sit down with me to actually talk about it because she says "it's boring". I do believe I can change her as she is very open-minded (by capitalist social construct standards we are in a "mixed" relationship). Politically I would say she was very influenced by her bible-belt father who is pure conservative through and through (I can't hold a conversation with the man or else my head may explode). So compatriots, how do you propose that I go about changing my girlfriend? (she has seen me on revleft and has met my Antifa/ARA friends who she refers to as "creepers" LOL).

I have experience with converting people to anarchism. I have taught it to 2 religious people, one an evangelist, and another a jehova's witness. The key thing is to make them understand that revolution is necessary. These religious people I taught were very progressive for their religions. The jehova guy is practicaly an anarchist, the only difference is he does not beleive in revolution.

You have to use their religion in your favor. Are not all humans equal before god? Shouldn't they behave as such? This worked with these religious people, who are now sympathisers.
I have heard of how american religious people are like. I have heard they don't even believe in evolution. If she is THAT stupid then I cannot help you.

If I met someone like that I would prove to her there is no god, in the most agressive way possible.

[BIXX]

If I met someone like that I would prove to her there is no god, in the most agressive way possible.

Good luck. There isn't really proof that is definitive. And even if there was, Christians would say "but it's just god testing out faith, he exists".

[conmharáin]

She's the one. I don't care if she loves Jesus. I love her.

So you're saying it's more like this?

xweiQukBM_k

Because that's awesome.

[Comrade Nasser]

So you're saying it's more like this?

xweiQukBM_k

Because that's awesome.

Lol yeah. Basically.

[bcbm]

closed at op request