Why do some of us feel compelled to force our beliefs on others?

Question

Why can't some christians just let the atheist alone? The muslims, jews, pagens, etc. Don't you somewhere in the recesses of you mind hear a voice saying that perhaps somebody else can be right too? I mean we're all human and therefore all of us make mistakes. Do you believe maybe more people would believe if we stopped trying to force feed them our beliefs and actually try to co-exist peacefully?

Answer 1

Well, to answer you honestly, i think it has to deal with two issues to be honest.
1. Because most Christians believe in the eternal existence of the soul, and that, after a person dies it's fate is bound to either one of two places: heaven or hell; i think that most, out of ignorance for someone's personal feelings are blinded to that fact and only care about 'spreading the gospel' so as to 'save the person's soul' from hell.
2. It's a matter of immaturity. Most are not mature enough to see their actions are abrasive and their arguments are neither in the appropriate time and place.

I am a Christian. I pray for a ton of people. BUT i am also respectful of another person's personal religious (or non religious beliefs). If the question of God comes up, well sure, i talk about Him, as i am not ashamed; BUT i also do not berate people or judge them, AND i do not force my beliefs on other people. Though a person may not share my personal beliefs, i can still be respectful.

I think most christians are so harsh because they are immature and well, most really have the person's best interest in mind, although they seem to disregard the individual's feelings. ♥

Answer 2

God has given us the task of being "fishers of men" That is to go out and spread the Gospel. How we do it though can either help or hurt our cause. I try not to get into a debate with an athiest or a muslim because there is nothing that I can say to them that will make them stop and say, "Hey maybe you're right. Maybe I'm doing things all wrong." I'm not that influential of a speaker, and I honestly don't know enough about the Bible to make a good case. The way that I found God and the only way that most people will find Him is when things get so bad, when they are down in a gutter and their life is at the lowest that it can go that the only place they have to look is up to Him.
Some Christians probably don't want to see other people fall for the trap that our enemy sets for everybody so they just go in like a rogue soldier into battle: guns blazing, not looking where they're shooting, and not enough ammo. For most of us, myself included, our best role to "convert" people is to pray for people to come to God, and when somebody asks us who, where, and why then we shouldn't just quote the Bible and say, "Because God's real and I'm right." We should help those people to find REAL answers.
Athiests or people of other religions do the same thing though. They believe that we have bought into a lie created by some man and that we are deluded or mislead and that the only way to lead us to the truth is to try and bash us over the head with it.

The simple truth is that we will never all get along. Not until this world ends, no matter how you believe that will come.

Answer 3

Numerous religious beliefs & cultural differences aside, I think that people don't realise there is often more than one single way to view some ideology. And this does not necessarily mean that one person's belief is more correct. So given this, people believe that their idea is correct. People sat that there are always two sides to a story. I think that there is at least 10, depending on where one is viewing from. Lastly, people often fear what they don't know, so it is easy to see how people "stick" to something if they haven't explored other possibilities. So if we took the time to understand another person's point of view, it doesn't mean we have to adopt it or "convert' someone, we could just respect them for that (people should be able to agree to disagree) and live peacefully/co-exist by this. ***This is one reason why people give others the "thumbs down" in this forum. Not necessarily because someone is wrong, but rather simply due to an opinion difference :)

Answer 4

I really believe, that some Christians, do believe in their god, and believe that everything is because of their god. And they really believe that to feel the way they do that you must believe as they do! Some people have a hard time separating themselves from others. In other words, Everyone else believes and feels the way I do!. I don't think more people would believe if you stopped "forcing" religion. But the world would be a little more peaceful.

Answer 5

I guess a lot of the people responding didn't catch the part about US in the question! I totally agree with you. DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU! If you don't want people of a different religion to push their views onto you, then maybe you should keep your opinions about your religion to yourself...Unless of course you are asked for them! You've got yourself some more of the "Christians" and not enough true Christians answering here. And maybe Christians aren't the only ones to believe in free will!

Answer 6

Letter from an atheist to a famous Christian evangelist:

"You are really convinced that you've got all the answers. You've really got yourself tricked into believing that you're 100% right. Well, let me tell you just one thing. Do you consider yourself to be compassionate of other humans? If you're right, as you say you are, and you believe that, then how can you sleep at night? When you speak with me, you are speaking with someone who you believe is walking directly into eternal damnation, into an endless onslaught of horrendous pain which your 'loving' god created, yet you stand by and do nothing.

If you believed one bit that thousands every day were falling into an eternal and unchangeable fate, you should be running the streets mad with rage at their blindness. That's equivalent to standing on a street corner and watching every person that passes you walk blindly directly into the path of a bus and die, yet you stand idly by and do nothing. You're just twiddling your thumbs, happy in the knowledge that one day that 'walk' signal will shine your way across the road.

Think about it. Imagine the horrors Hell must have in store if the Bible is true. You're just going to allow that to happen and not care about saving anyone but yourself? If you're right then you're an uncaring, unemotional and purely selfish (expletive) that has no right to talk about subjects such as love and caring."

If you take the bible literally, it is their duty to convert you. I myself am a Christian and I struggling with this issue of evangelism. How to do it? How to do it effectively. Unfortunately, Christians are attacked from the getgo. But we feel like we need to convert you because who knows when you'll die? It might be too late.

Answer 7

Religion is like politics - - - the debate goes on.

There mind is set on there beliefs, therefore everyone Else's beliefs or wrong. Religion always seems to come up into conversations because religion (there beliefs) are always on there mind.

When I answered a question, I was told I was nothing but negative and had Narcissistice Disorder. Didn't think question was that intense on God. It wasn't as far as I am concerned, but obviously it sure was thrown in my face. That's when people's religious beliefs get in the way. All I could think about was, now isn't that a Godly- like person.

First she tells me I had honest answers, then says basicaly, I was going to Hell in a hand basket.

The two things you never debate is religion and politics.

Her comment wasn't about me being negative as she says, it all came down to religion.

NO, people like that aren't going to leave it alone. They live, sleep God and wait for the moment to pounce. I don't care one way or the other about other's beliefs. Let me alone with my God, because I don't bother you about your God. That's the way it should be. Amen to that - - -

Answer 8

i think of each physique is insecure of their very very own fragile ideals, so as that they attempt to earnings capability by using attacking and ridiculing others. And the solutions here supply you an excellent occasion of in simple terms what i'm speaking approximately. One sophomoric infant generalizes all the easy to a concept in speaking donkeys, and tries to apply that lame slam as justification for ridiculing others approximately whom he knows no longer something. and clearly does not prefer to comprehend something. there is likewise the undeniable fact that the suggestions interior the human species takes approximately thirty years to advance completely the better orders of reasoning. childrens who're, for the 1st time of their lives, actual attempting to attempt against with lots of the heavy questions, yet having few data and little journey in parsing those questions, get seduced by using the simplistic cock-helpful solutions which incorporate fundamentalism and "atheism." childrens get an concept and by some potential think of that no-one has ever had such an concept till now. it fairly is a been of a downer to think of that mom and pa had those self same innovations an prolonged time in the past and have long considering grown out of them. much less complicated to have faith junior has got here upon something unique for the 1st time in recorded historic previous. actual what's fairly taking place is the assumption tactics of a suggestions no longer yet completely developed. i seem forward to the thumbs downs from all the toddlers. decide for it, childrens.

Answer 9

You do realize you are in a Religion & Spirituality forum, don't you. None of your ramblings hear will drowned out the still and quiet voice of Jesus in the recesses of your heart calling to you to come to Him. Yes, those who try to "force feed" anything are wrong.

Answer 10

We're not exhorted to "force" our beliefs on anybody. However, we are told, in several places in the Bible to preach to the world. For example, in Roman 10:14, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (KJV) This is just one of many.
As for the rest of your comment/question, I agree with you. We should try to co-exist peacefully. Just remember, that as a US citizen, the first amendment gives me the right to practice my religion. Since part of that religion includes spreading the Gospel, I will continue to do so until such time as "Caesar" stops me.