Is there anything in Christianity that prevents them from converting people by force ?

Question

It almost looks like the rule and not the exception.


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Answer 1

It's impossible to "force" a person to believe in something. If it were possible..Satan would have converted the entire earth long ago.

Answer 2

Of course. By the example of Christ it is obvious that he is a shepherd who leads people, not a driver of cattle.

PNT: 10:14 Shake off the dust of your feet. This was done when there was a positive rejection of the gospel. It was a symbolical act, signifying that all responsibility for the stubborn household or city had ended. Compare Mr 6:11 Lu 9:5 Ac 13:51. Nor can the gospel be forced upon an unwilling people in any age.

I fail to see where Christians force (obviously false) conversions on anyone. However the Roman Catholic Church has done so and the Church in Geneva under the reformer John Calvin (a Frenchman) was not averse to burning those who dared to disagree with its theology. (Servetus comes to mind).
Anyone who believes in anything which would suggest that it is legitimate or required of them to hurt* others who do not share the same beliefs believes something which is nothing to do with Jesus Christ.

(* I use the word hurt in a physical sense. It is too much to expect people not to get upset about what is said verbally or else everyone would be whining and going to the human rights lawyers) !

Answer 3

I doubt that you can find evidence of any such activity outside the third or fourth Century. Any time religion becomes key to political power (witness the history, including present time, of Muslim activity in many places) there will be use of force. But Christianity - the evidence just ain't there, pardner.
But if such a misplaced and unfounded outlook helps you keep up your self-image, more power to you.

Answer 4

The rule of the Catholic Church has been over for a long time. But even when people were being "forced" to convert, making them say they were Christians didn't make them Christians. Just like today, many people say they are Christians and are not. Jesus told us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecuted us. To me, that's not condoning force. Jesus was a tolerant man, and one of the few things he couldn't tolerate was religious people. So, in my opinion, the entirety of Christian doctrine, true Christian doctrine, negates forcing anyone to convert. Peace.

Answer 5

Hello,

This passage for example that says:

Go out to the towns and tell people of the good news. Those that do not accept you just kick the dust of the town off your sandles and move on but I tell you solemny Sodom and Gomorrah will fare better on judgement day.

In other words do not force anyone to convert; God will handle them later, not you.

Cheers,

Michael

Answer 6

Those who try to force people to become Christians are not Christians themselves. I am a Christian, but I do not force anyone to join me. I simply spread the word. It is up to them to believe or not.

Answer 7

How do you think Christianity came to be such a large religion.

From the adoption of Christianity as the religion of the Holy Roman Empire by Constantine to its decline, and even beyond, brutal enforcement of Christianity as a religion was commonplace.

This included Charlemagne throwing members of the Germanic tribes who would not convert into the swamps to drown.

There is just less of it about now.

Answer 8

Yeah. When the Bible talks about preaching the Gospel, and then if the people refuse it, to dust off our feet and move on. It says nothing about FORCING anyone to convert. Just move on and let the Holy Spirit deal.

Edit: Do people NOT understand what the difference is between biblical teachings and what people CHOOSE to do? The Bible does NOT support the actions of those who have forcefully "converted" people to Christianity. Period. End of story.

Answer 9

In Biblical Christianity the answer is no, but in the human interpretation of Christianity - Yes!!!

Answer 10

which christians have been converting people by force? the little tinkers!! our modern system of democracy is based on christian principles and grew out of the christian culture, so I would say that whether or not there's anything in christianity that forbids conversion by force, there's a lot of evidence (ie western democracy) that conversion by force is frowned upon.

saha
actually, muslim spain was muslim because the moors invaded it and took it over. It became christian again because the spanish fought the moors and reconquered their land, back in the 1400's. Nothing to do with conversion. According to the history books anyway.