How come most religions don't try to convert?

[Alienist]

It actually occured to me that most religions aren't really big into converting. The only religions I can think of that really focus on that is Christianity and Islam. Judaism was never into converting and neither was Buddhism or Taoism. It's not like others haven't converted to those religions but you don't see too many Taoists or Buddhists or Jews or Hindus going around trying to convert. Maybe there are religions that are big into that but I don't see to many of them doing it. Wiccans aren't big into it and neither are any of the Greek, Norse or Egyptian religions do that or Zoroastrians. Most of the religions might talk about their ideas but really most religions tend to keep to themselves. So why is it mostly Christianity and Islam that are big into converting and put forth more effort into converting?

[Aeran]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

I'd say it's in large part a doctrinal. When you think you have the 'true path' to heaven, and that only by joining up can people save their souls, it creates a motivation to recruit.

[anunitu]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

I "Think" that in the conversion field of Christian and Islam there seems to be if you "Save" someone you rack up points toward going to "Heaven" I will not say that I actually know this to be true,but I seem to remember something like "Build up your treasures in heaven" thing from when I was growing up.

[Unus Mundus]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

Like Aeran said, when you believe your path is the "only true path" then you are immediately more inclined to wish to bring others into your fold, especially in a more militant group such as the Westboro Baptists or certain Evangelical groups.

Also, a secondary reason that Christianity (and sometimes Islam) in particular often seems to be a "Converting Powerhouse" is due to its very nature and the concepts that it holds of Sin, Heaven, and Hell. In the Catholic Christian mindset, non-Christians are shown to be lowly sorrowful people ignorant to the "one truth." They are meant to feel some level of pity for those not on the "true" path, and then are told that all those non believers are going to hell (obviously with the reformation and splitting of Christianity, this isn't always true, but I'm talking about Orthodox Catholicism here). Many priests back in the days of exploration actually believed they were on a holy mission to save the souls of the damned "natives" of far off lands. Of course this wasn't always true, and money and power-hungry-ness played roles, but many Christians truly believed they were saving the eternal souls of the "savages."

They literally thought/think they are saving the world (or at least the human souls here on Earth) by trying to convert people, and this tradition has somewhat continued on in certain groups within Christianity.

[jcaternolo]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

Also, most of the older religions were limited to certain peoples/castes. And Pagans today know that going around trying to get people to convert isn't a good idea. Well at the very least we don't go around disturbing people when they're just trying to relax.

Edit: Also, most Pagans have spent months/years searching for the correct spiritual path, and have studied numerous pantheons and only settled on a path when they were contacted by a particular god/goddess to let them work through them. What might be the right diety for one might not be the right diety for another.

[Medusa]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

Has anyone actually been approached my a Muslim on the street with a pamphlet? Maybe it happens in other countries. But I've never once been approached by any religion except Christianity.

[Unus Mundus]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

Has anyone actually been approached my a Muslim on the street with a pamphlet? Maybe it happens in other countries. But I've never once been approached by any religion except Christianity.

In my experience, I've never had it happen to me, or hear of it happening to others.

It really comes down to Christians being one of the major "modern day" people that still try to convert others.

[Rae'ya]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

Not all Christian denominations proselytize, at least not here in Australia. The ones who door-to-door knock or stand out in the street with flyers tend to be Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons or Baptists. Many other Christians just try to spread the word so that they can save you, and many of those legitimately feel that they are doing you a good deed by trying to save your soul from the fires of Hell. They are also continuing Jesus' work, and many feel it is an act of honoring him to continue his tradition of going out among the people and teaching them the word of God in order to bring them into the flock (proselytizing).

And I'm with Medusa... I've never heard of Muslims proselytizing here in Aus. Interestingly, there's a line in the Qur'an that says something along the lines of 'let there be no compulsion to religion' and that it is only allowed to convey the message, not to compel people to believe it. To me, this would seem to allow teaching but not active proselytizing.

[Riothamus12]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

It actually occured to me that most religions aren't really big into converting. The only religions I can think of that really focus on that is Christianity and Islam. Judaism was never into converting and neither was Buddhism or Taoism. It's not like others haven't converted to those religions but you don't see too many Taoists or Buddhists or Jews or Hindus going around trying to convert. Maybe there are religions that are big into that but I don't see to many of them doing it. Wiccans aren't big into it and neither are any of the Greek, Norse or Egyptian religions do that or Zoroastrians. Most of the religions might talk about their ideas but really most religions tend to keep to themselves. So why is it mostly Christianity and Islam that are big into converting and put forth more effort into converting?

Well some religions feel that these beliefs or practices were specifically meant for their people and thus do not proselytize. Others do accept converts but consider proselytizing against their code of ethics or believe that each and every religion is just as valid. The Sikhs for example avoid it because they see it as actually against the will of God to try and convert people and believe that too much suffering has come of it but accept others who wish to adhere to Sikhist doctrines and ways. Taoism, even in it's more liturgical terms tends to see other religions as just different perspectives on the same truth. Pagan religions have also had a general tendency toward allowing a greater level of syncretic belief since ancient times. Buddhism also tends to act more as an amendment to existing beliefs rather than something to overtake over belief systems. However, while they do preach and accept converts, like Jainism, the general philosophy looks down on more forceful forms of conversion.

[Luce]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

I'd say it's in large part a doctrinal. When you think you have the 'true path' to heaven, and that only by joining up can people save their souls, it creates a motivation to recruit.

I think it's more of a power thing. The ones that don't recruit are largely non-political.

[Wonderland]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

I think it's pretty much because God tells them to do so:

http://www.openbible.info/topics/spreading_the_word

[Threshold]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

It's part of their doctrine. And in some denominations it is considered mandatory, they get some sort of spiritual credit. Some really think they are doing you a favor by saving you from hell.

Also, there is a HUGE fear of Satan/hell/evil, and they want to rid the world of it lest it steal their soul or the soul of their loved ones. Spiritual warfare...that fear leads to a crusade against evil. And for some, anything not like them is evil and must be made gone...by conversion or any other means.

[Shahaku]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

Also, there is a HUGE fear of Satan/hell/evil, and they want to rid the world of it lest it steal their soul or the soul of their loved ones. Spiritual warfare...that fear leads to a crusade against evil. And for some, anything not like them is evil and must be made gone...by conversion or any other means.

This kind of touches on what I want to say here. Christians believe that if you aren't worshiping their God and Jesus, you are worshiping the devil. No matter what you believe, have seen, heard, experienced, it's the devil tricking you. They don't want the devil to have a path through you to corrupt people in their church. So, in essence, believing anything other than the Bible and Christian doctrine is a direct threat to their church.

I asked a Pentecostal friend once, if I only use magic to heal, and do good, how is that going against God? How am I doing anything wrong? She responded, after a long pause, "It's the devil's work and it's wrong." I think we were 12... her parents stopped letting her be around me when I kept "backsliding" because I didn't believe every word they spoke... Yes, I was caught up in the Jesus camp, brainwashing, plague. Managed to surface for a breath of air though. I'm relatively sure their church held the belief that demons were constantly whispering in my ear by the time I got out because I kept "backsliding" into Pagan beliefs...

[Optimistic discord]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

Has anyone actually been approached my a Muslim on the street with a pamphlet? Maybe it happens in other countries. But I've never once been approached by any religion except Christianity.

Here in the UK you can encounter most faiths in the big cities trying to out-preach each other, in Birmingham I've seen pretty much all flavours of the Abrahamic faiths almost next to each other trying to get converts.
These days you get a lot of people just giving out information to educate people about what their religion is really about, its usually done to prevent fear through ignorance, but there is always some effort to convert people too (this is from all faiths, not just Islam).

I think one of the reasons why we dont see many pagans out there trying to convert people because its much easier to accept other peoples faiths if you yourself follow a pantheon of multiple gods. Its only if one of the gods has an issue with "Bubba-Ho-Tep" that problems arise....
I also tend to think there is a lot of :

Pagan: "Oh you worship God-bob? thats nice, I dont but its your faith and has nothing to do with me"
Pagans inside head voice" of course we all know God-Bob is really Loki in a blue hat!! so really you follow Loki...of course you dont know that because my knowledge is superior to yours, and I will never tell you..I may be smug though"

That and many become pagans to escape that atmosphere of conversion and preaching and thus view it as "Bad".
Although I do think we need to get a bit more active with the educating the masses.

[Alienist]

Re: How come most religions don't try to convert?

This kind of touches on what I want to say here. Christians believe that if you aren't worshiping their God and Jesus, you are worshiping the devil. No matter what you believe, have seen, heard, experienced, it's the devil tricking you. They don't want the devil to have a path through you to corrupt people in their church. So, in essence, believing anything other than the Bible and Christian doctrine is a direct threat to their church.

I asked a Pentecostal friend once, if I only use magic to heal, and do good, how is that going against God? How am I doing anything wrong? She responded, after a long pause, "It's the devil's work and it's wrong." I think we were 12... her parents stopped letting her be around me when I kept "backsliding" because I didn't believe every word they spoke... Yes, I was caught up in the Jesus camp, brainwashing, plague. Managed to surface for a breath of air though. I'm relatively sure their church held the belief that demons were constantly whispering in my ear by the time I got out because I kept "backsliding" into Pagan beliefs...

That's what I never understood. I've always disliked that kind of thinking. So if I worship Vishnu or The Jade Emperor or Odin, I'm worshipping the Devil? What sense does that make? Hinduism or Wicca or Taoism isn't devil worship. Devil worship is devil worship. Christianity has magic as well as well as Buddhism or Taoism or any other religion. After all, performing healing or curses or exorcisms seems pretty magical to me. The only difference is they call their magic "miracales" but it's still magic or spritual power. Christianity does have good morals and teachings and I do agree with many of Jesus' teachings as I agree with the Buddha, or The Jade Emperor, or Ganesh or Odin. The whole "believing in Jesus will save you from hell" I believe is purely human made. It makes no difference to me if one worships or not. As long as you follow the rightous path, that's all that really matters. All of those deities I believe are teachers and guides to help people follow a more rightous path and code. It shouldn't matter if one worships Jesus or Odin or any other god, well, as long as you worship a deity that is actually good and not an evil one, you should be fine.

But most religions just aren't into making an effort into converting except for Christianity or Islam. Some Christian denominations however will try to convert more than others like Jehova's witnesses, Mormons or Penecostals, but I guess they feel it's their duty to try and convert. I feel that it's uncesseary. I think it's fine to talk about your ideas, but to go out of your way to try and convert I think is rude. I think people will be less likely to accept it if people act forceful about it.