Why is it that when people have religious "conversions" its to a religion typical/dominant of their culture?

Question

I rarely see a white guy from the bible belt becoming a hindu or a muslim from palestine becoming a rastafarian. Why is it that people mostly convert to religions are are typical/dominant of their culture? Could it be perhaps because religion is a culture effect and not some real connection with a deity?

Answer 1

Their religious experience is nothing more than wishful thinking. They wish to embrace the traditions of their own culture more fully, therefore, when they have a sense of the divine (whatever that is) they automatically assume its their own culture's god.

Sometimes people will join the religion of another culture, but that is usually done just to be a "rebel".

Answer 2

Oh no...not always. In fact, you would be floored to find just how much "conversion" happens in areas where the religion in question is so banned you can be beheaded!! I am reminded first of places like China where that IS what happens if you are found guilty of being a Christian!! And yet there is a HUGE amount of "witnessing in the name of Jesus Christ" over there! I also have a friend who just got back from being in Iraq and often under fire and she has brought several to Christ. And, several of them and even several Muslim people said to her to keep others coming...that most of the country was actually glad that Christians were there! Hard to believe huh? No, it is not just Christianity that this happens with. I have seen Mosques, Temples, and Ashrams built in areas of the US known as the Bible Belt and you would never have expected it and would never have seen it 40-50 years ago.

Answer 3

Actually, there are many conversions to many different religions. Most 'conversions' in third-world cultures are at the hands of missionaries. You don't see many Muslim or Buddhist missionaries in the United States. Still, we see quite a number of Americans adopting these faiths.

It's when something is presented to someone and it either makes sense to them, or it is because those proffering that faith have something to offer that someone needs. I.e. food in a starving nation; medicine to the ill.

Answer 4

Heh...
Well it's a matter of what options are out there. Nowadays more options are available to people, since infomation on just about any religion is easy to access, but all the same, people are bound to be most familiar with, and therefore more likely to gravitate toward, the more common and familiar religions.

Answer 5

It makes sense to fall victim to the predominant form of brainwashing in your locality.

I'm sure plenty of people on the island of Borneo are converted everyday to the idea that spirits inhabit the rocks and trees .

Answer 6

The experiences of thousands of missionaries working today in places where even saying the name "Jesus Christ" is a very dangerous thing to do, would tend to make this question ridiculous.
I personally know a woman from Pakistan who fled for her life because her family discovered her "secret"...that she had become a follower of Jesus!

Answer 7

I'm a Buddhist, and I live in Texas. I think it's just a matter of making ones own decisions.

Answer 8

I dont know if you have quite done your homework, a Christian is not of a certain race!!!

That is like saying all my friends are white. And some of them have know how to do math. So all people who know who to do math are white!


deductive reasoning can either help ya or hurt you, safe middle ground is always GOOD!!!

Answer 9

I have a few white friends who are buddist and some are hindu. Im pagan and some of my beliefs are hindu.

HAIL GANESHA!

Answer 10

You basically answered your question with the last part of your cover question.