Western Abrahamic Religions Tend to Proselytize

[MineralMan]

Eastern religions never seem to do that. I've never had someone try to convert me to Taoism, Buddhism, or Hinduism. Have you?

It seems to be a matter of seeking control, somehow. Rope you in and gain control. Maybe that's why cultures that have one of those Eastern religions are so skeptical of the Western religions. You think?

It's interesting, I think.

[TexasBushwhacker]

1. Primarily Christianity

I've never known a Jew to proselytize, although there are Jews who will date non-Jews but would never marry them unless they converted.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. There's not much by Jews, except within various divisions of Judaism.

You aren't likely to see Jews out trying to convert Christians or members of other faiths; their proselytization is usually confined to trying to get non-observant Jews to become observant. I do recall that the Hare Krishnas, who are Hindu, more or less, were pretty aggressive proselytizers but I don't know whether they are still around. They used to be pests in places like airports and shopping malls.

[Act_of_Reparation]

3. Eastern religions do it, too.

Entrepreneurial Hindus have been marketing their particular sects to wealthy westerners for a long time. Krishnas and Rajneesh, for example.

[Gore1FL]

4. Jews don't.

In fact, the Rabbis will turn you down repeatedly when you ask to join.

[Act_of_Reparation]

10. And why is that?

[Gore1FL]

12. I do not understand the tradition in it's entirety.

A friend of mine who is Jewish and I discussed it on a couple of occasions. His wife was raised Catholic, and though he didn't ask her to, she decided to become Jewish herself. She had to ask three times before she was allowed. She had to have legitimate long-term reasoning to back her request.

[walkingman]

5. I would say just the opposite - that most Western Religions view other religions as

not serious or real or else why one would not want to share their religion. In reality these religions operate very differently than Christianity. In most cultures everyone will have the same fate or afterlife. What would be the purpose? Many also believe there is more than one path to spiritual awareness and often encouraged to follow their own path. I also think it might be more helpful when people ask for spiritual guidance versus urging them to follow a particular path. I personally find proselytizing a big turnoff. I view religion as personal and no need to broadcast your beliefs - no one really cares or maybe they simply should not care. None of their business.

[Karadeniz]

6. Hmmm...interesting observation.

Ancient Christianity was far more particular about its converts' jobs, knowledge, life styles. Then it became the state religion, members got tax benefits, etc. I guess that's when things got so shallow, culminating in today's belief that faith and a few rituals equal membership/salvation. I guess it was made easier for mass marketing. Origen's school lasted at least 3 years, I think.

[murielm99]

7. Why are you singling out Western Abrahamic religions?

Islam is Abrahamic.

[MineralMan]

8. I consider Islam as much a Western religion as

Christianity, frankly.

[Igel]

9. That might be a recent feature.

Buddhism spread rather widely. At some point, somebody did the spreading.

Later, it mostly retreated from some areas it had spread to. Something moved in.

Now, some faiths are linked to blood and ethnicity. Judaism, for instance, which tends for the most part to have a kind of fence not just around the Torah but around the ethnicity. Hinduism may (v. supra) be spread to wealthy Westerners, but a lot of the spread is due to huckersterism and a demand perceived on the basis of demonstrated interest (as opposed to "nobody's spread the gospel in this area, so there's obviously a demand!&quot .

Even a lot of Islam spread not so much by saying, "Come with us and you'll be saved" but "come with us and your word will count as much as ours in court, you won't be taken into slavery, and you can hold a job in the government, be educated, and even own land!" It's the kind of proselytizing that the Catholic Church did as it gained power and wanted to oppress the heathen for their own good.

[MineralMan]

11. Judaism is no longer a major relgion, in terms of people

who identify as Jews. People who so identify are only about 0,2% of the global population. In the sense that it is the mother religion of Christianity, it still has influence, but as a separate religion, it is smaller than almost all other recognized religions. Even folk religions make up almost 6% of the global population.

But then, again, less than a third of the world's population is Christian. There is no majority religion.