My answer is no. I go by my own rule that if I wouldn't want it done to me, I don't do it to others. I grew up in a very religious home and was taught through the church to witness to others, but never against that person's wishes. I tried as a teen to invite my friends to church, but never pushed. I feel like it's inviting someone to a party. If they don't want to go, how can you possibly make them? And if they don't want to know your God, again, how can you make them?

Religion/faith is a very, very personal thing. I respect other's wishes and beliefs as I hope they would respect mine.

Specify the religion you are thinking of.

Certainly not...Pushing like that is NOT trying to save someone's soul...it's just wearing them down or pushing them further away to/from whatever it is you're pushing on them. If they're not ready to accept what you're selling, so to speak, then it's not gonna be real if they accept...and what's the point of that, other than to get your numbers up and make you look good?

No it is not okay to push your religious beliefs onto others. Humans have free will, thus, it should be up to them to decide if they want their own soul saved. It shouldn't be an outsider's concern, even if the person with the endangered soul did something heinous. It is up to each person to seek their own salvation, whether that salvation comes in terms of Faith or not.

If people would take care of and mind their own houses first before trying to meddle in the houses of others, the world wouldn't be as fucked up as it is today and people would probably be better able to be tolerant of all faiths, or none, instead of being such judgemental assholes about it.

I don't condone pushing religious beliefs onto others... ever. Like another commenter above, I believe in treating others as I'd be treated myself. I expect others to have enough respect for me as a person not to force their beliefs on me so I don't do it to anyone else. I'm not sure I find it painful, per se, although I see how some would. I mostly find it highly irritating, condescending, and intrusive.

Why is not OK to try to save my soul? First of all, the person trying to do the saving has no proof whatsoever that their beliefs are even correct. It's called faith for a reason. Second, my soul is my own business to worry about, not someone else's. I'm pretty sure that if the deity in question actually exists and would like to get in touch with me in regards to the state of my soul, he knows how to reach me.

Edited at 2010-07-21 06:41 pm (UTC)

No.
Forcing your beliefs (or political view) is the same as rape. You are not giving them the right to chose, you are choosing for them and if you're one of those that believes that "god gave all mankind free will", then why are you undoing your 'god's' work?
If you want to believe then fine, but keep me (and everyone else) out of it. And I'll do the same.

No, people should keep religion to themselves - it's a personal choice and decision. Unless someone is asked about/for it, they shouldn't be pushing their religion or views on anyone for any reason at all.
It's not "trying to save someone else's soul". Not everyone believes the same way so beliefs should be kept private.

Discussing religion is one thing. Forcing one's religious beliefs onto another is different, and I think it's wrong. For one, if your religious views were forced on you, you aren't really a good follower or believer of said religion. My belief is that the most important thing is following what you find works best for you fully. No one else can dictate that to you, and so trying to make you believe somethign against your will may actually be detrimental. Among all the different religions and beliefs in the world, a thread that runs through many is that 'god' or whatever you call it is unknowable and beyond human comprehension, so how can you confine it to one set of beliefs and say other ways of interpreting it are wrong, and how can you know your way is 'right', as opposed to mine?

As for saving my soul, I'd think that I can know my soul better than anyone else and know whether or not what one person says will 'save' it is the right thing for me.

Like what cptlbryant said, one's faith is a very personal thing. The answer cannot, in my opinion, be given or told, but must be found within each person. To shove one religion on to someone else sort of goes against the whole point embodied in having faith in something, doesn't it?

No, I can't "condone" it.

It is a form of violence, just like a man forcing himself on a woman: no one has the right to tell someone else her/his beliefs are wrong, or that not believing at all is wrong.

It is not OK to "try to save someone's soul" because

• What saves a soul in someone's opinion can condemn it in someone else's -salvation is questionable
• If someone questioned her/himself and choose to believe in something (that could also be "the non-existing of gods, deities or supernatural being", i.e.: not believing) different from what others believe, it doesn't means he's the one at fault
• Nobody asked to be 'saved'

By the way, if someone has beliefs different from mines, why should I care as song as she/he doesn't bothers me? Why should I go out of my way to do something nobody wanted or felt the need to do?

I don't think that you should shove religion down a person throat because I believe that a person must choose their own path. I think that history shows what forcing religion does.

1. No.
2. NO.
3. "Saving" a soul is relative. Pushing religion does not save. Willingly welcoming it is "Saving."

I personally hate this. I actually did a post on this a while back.

Also, Freedom of religious beliefs. Point made.

I am sympathetic to proselytism to a point. I understand that many very devout people genuinely believe that their non-religious friends will suffer for eternity if they do not convert to their faith, and their proselytism is well-intentioned and is not really as self-righteous or condescending as many people seem to believe. They legitimately believe they are helping others. And in some cases, they may believe their divine reward is conditional upon converting someone else, in which case I can empathize with their desperation to save!

However, there comes a point when they must back down. It doesn't bother me to hear a religious friend talk objectively about his/her faith when it's important to him/her, as long as it's not all s/he ever talks about. To me, it's something akin to a person talking about a hobby we don't share, and that's nothing to freak out over-- it's just annoying if they don't ever stop, and I will tell them so. I will also listen to the official conversion talk once, because I understand for many it is important to give-- but then that has to be the end of it. You've put the invitation out there, now leave it up to me if I want to respond or not.

Pushing, cajoling, threatening, and outright harming are totally inappropriate. I mean, come on; there's no way you can convince me that God approves of any of that. And I am an autonomous being; ultimately what happens to my mind/body/soul is up to me, and there is only so much you can do. If you push too hard, you will alien me much more than you will bring me to the fold. Besides, allegedly free will came from God. To disrespect my autonomy would be to disrespect the Creator who gave it to me. And you wouldn't want to do that now, would you?

Nope. The sign on my front porch says "no soliciting, no religious queries" for a reason. I have my own beliefs, you have yours, we're fine if we leave each other with our own.

Trying to "save" me according to your beliefs without taking mine into account removes my free will and choice. Since I believe in a God of free will you are depriving me of one of the greatest gifts my God has given me. Would you be okay with someone doing that to you?

Respectful, intelligent discussion which allows both parties to agree to disagree and walk away still friends - as long as both people are into the discussion, that's fine. The moment either party is no longer comfortable with the conversation it's time to step away. Continuing conversation beyond that point - or beginning at all if it's unwelcome - is harassment and NOT OKAY.

I most emphatically do NOT condone this behavior!

It IS OK to be concerned for others. it IS OK to offer a person spiritual guidance/help ONCE. Upon rebuff/refusal/request to be left alone, the conversation should be at an end, unless and until the person reopens the subject or asks for help.

=D I honestly must say I'm quite happy with the replies I've recieved ^_^ You all made my day right there lol.

Just to clarify this, I completely agree with every person who posted, seeing as you all seem to share the exact same answer in different words. This whole question is going to serve as a point I'm trying to make to someone very important to me who tried to shove religion down MY throat, so thanks guys =D

nice answer

nice answer of the society mobile phone deals

I think people talking about how religion has made their own life better and improved them is great. In fact, I like to hear about anything affecting people's lives positively--going to rehab, moving to a new city, etc. It is when people try and tell me that my life would be better with aspects of their life in it that I become upset. I do not think my life would be any better if I spent an hour or so in a church once a week when I really did not want to--that is the problem with forcing religion. The shoe does not fit everyone.

There's one thing I'd like to point out; most of you all are assuming I meant christianity. Honestly, I mean any religion. I've had pagan friends try to force wicca on me, christian friends shove christianity down my throat, athiest friends do the same thing... Nearly every religion, or lack-of, has people who try to shove it down other people's throats. So! Please keep this general :] We don't wanna' insult anyone.

Beliefs are a very personal thing; they define everything about who a person is. Unlike ideas, which a person can change within a fraction of a second, a belief by its very nature implies that something is all but engraved in stone.

I don't believe in a whole lot of anything, really. If really hard-pressed, I might give you a very solid idea which has been gouged into sandstone, but even that can be changed with a bit of persuasion and effort. But they are my ideas. While I don't believe that some all-powerful god created the universe in six days, I do agree with the theories expansion and a cosmic foam.

Both a belief and an idea fall into the category of defining a person, but there's a very small difference, and let's take Russell's Teapot (a totally safe non-diety). I'm pretty almost certainly positive that there's no teapot orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars. Certain to the point that I'll even say that, "No. There's no teapot." But, if Phil Plait posted to his blog tomorrow a NASA photograph with a teapot visible, I would change my mind, no questions, and gladly admit that I was wrong.



This got long. Read the rest here.

Christianity is a missionary religion, and those who don't believe in it will inevitably cross paths with a Christian who thinks they should. I don't think it is right to be judgmental of someone who doesn't share your beliefs, and trying to "save" people who clearly display no interest seems irrational to me. I, personally, am a Christian, but even I have been assaulted with shouts and pleas to accept the Jesus as my one true Lord and savior (is there any subject more uncomfortable to discuss with a stranger?). I think people should spend their energy on being a better Christian- getting more involved in their church and communities.

In Florida, we have Scientologists, and those people are scary. They set up booths in malls and events and harass everyone who walks by. Trying to sell you personality tests and the like. I better stop there before I offend anyone, but locals have really lost all fondness for that group.

When it reaches a certain degree no, when the "conversion target" states they "no longer want to talk about it, and just be left alone". To push beyond that to me feels like harassment. A lot of people believe they can spread faith by being very pushy, and sometimes coercive. Be warned though, this is the very thing that lead to my atheism. I'll make a little story. A story about A and B.

A loves oranges. A wants to spread their appreciation for oranges. B doesn't really care much for oranges either way but doesn't hate oranges either. A asks B about oranges. B says they are okay. A asks "why are they just okay?". Eventually they talk on some more, B says "please just can we stop talking about this?", and A responds with "but it's important" not getting the message B just wants to be left alone. Eventually the discussion ends but B is very stressed out. The next day C D and E give B the exact same treatment A gave.

After this experience B now absolutely hates oranges when B originally didn't care about or may even slightly liked oranges. Replace oranges with "persisted conversion attempts" and you have how I completely lost my faith, and why I think that method of trying to get converts is counterproductive. Long story short being too pushy with attempts to "save souls" can trigger lifelong reverse psychology, which can lead to very hardcore atheists, knowing this I can't see how pushing faith would be good for either the missionaries or the conversion targets.

NO. No. Nonononono!

If you love your religion, I'm happy for you. But while the religion that you've chosen may be right for you, that doesn't mean it's right for everyone. You may offer to talk to me about it, but once I decline. LEAVE ME ALONE.
As for the "saving someone's soul", I think that's an ego-feeding crap of en excuse. You can do whatever you want because you're trying to "save my soul"? Who says it needs saving? You? And what makes you so special that you can save me?
It takes a supreme amount of arrogance to believe that somehow you belong to - out of the many available - the ONE true, perfectly correct religion.
The soul saving concept, in my experience, usually comes from Christianity. Is the Christian God so cruel that he'll send millions of people to Hell just because they're Baptists instead of Catholic? Or Lutheran and not Presbyterian? What about non-Christians? Are we screwed?
Okay, getting a bit off topic. I'm a happy pagan, and if you're a happy Christian, or you're Jewish, or Muslim, or whatever, more power to you. You leave my religion alone, and I'll leave yours alone, and we'll get along great.
I think my soul's gonna be just fine, and I hope everything works out okay for yours.
Blessings on all,
N

It's not that I don't condone this behavior, but I know I won't be the one doing it. I'm all for people becoming saved and going to wherever they believe they'll go, but they should be able to decide. If you pressure them into it, they may just be saying that they believe you so you leave.

No, I don't condone it at all. You're allowed to have your beliefs but I believe each person has a choice on what to believe and what not to. If they want a religion, they can find one themselves.

I don't see how having a religion is saving your soul... there's no such thing as saving a soul. I feel fine without religion, I don't think my "soul" is rotting away.