Not all religions or denominations actively seek converts.

[MineralMan]

Not all proselytize. In that effort, many Christian denominations make proselytism and evangelism a major part of their work. Many other religions either do not actively seek converts or even discourage that activity.

Judaism, Jainism, the Sikh religion and many others will accept converts, but only if they seek out that opportunity on their own and, even then, such conversions are not especially encouraged. Other religions have some sects or denominations that do encourage conversion, as in some branches of Buddhism and Hinduism, although the underlying religion does not promote proselytizing. For example, the Hare Krsna group is active in growing by conversion, unlike most Hindu groups.

One of the reasons for the spread of proselytizing religions, like Christianity and Islam, is their very emphasis on seeking new converts. At times, refusal to convert has spelled the end for some cultures in historical times. Personally, I find that to be saddening and discomfiting.

[marylandblue]

1. It's one of the sad facts of human existence

Sometimes aggression and intolerance pays off. We are fortunate to live in a relatively peaceful and open time and place. Unfortunately, that time may be coming to end.

[MineralMan]

3. Yes. We have had a brief spell of freedom of religion.

Just a couple of centuries or so. Not total freedom, of course, but the appearance of it, at least. We are at risk of losing that, I'm afraid, and that is enough for me to want to help ensure that it sticks around a while longer. The risk of losing that freedom, though, is large.

Even here on DU, there are people who do not truly understand the reasons for it, and dislike open forums like this. They don't care for discussion that isn't in keeping with their own beliefs, and work to suppress it.

That's worrisome, since the battle for religious freedom is a constant issue, and can easily be lost. Many hope it disappears, to be sure.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. On a side note, neither do atheists.

[MineralMan]

4. Since atheism isn't a religion, I didn't think of mentioning it.

You're right, of course. Atheism has no beliefs, so their is nothing that could to proselytize. Heck, it's all we can do to assert our own disbelief. So many try to tell us that disbelief is belief. It's hard to promote a negative.

[marylandblue]

7. Maybe proselytizing is not the right word, but

Atheists have been more open in asserting their beliefs and reaching people through conferences, popular books and billboards. It's different from what it was years ago, when they kept their ideas to themselves or buried them in academic books.

[Arkansas Granny]

11. Not many know that I'm a non-believer. Atheists are really looked down upon around these parts.

It would undoubtedly cause a big change in many of my personal relationships if it was well known.

[marylandblue]

12. Where you live definitely makes a big difference

Where I am, religion is hardly ever discussed and nobody really cares what you believe. Unless you are a Trump cultist, then we hold a shunning ceremony and bar you from Starbucks until you repent.

[Gothmog]

5. Judaism makes it hard to convert

Conversion in Judaism is not easy and you are asked a number of questions. In addition to the classes, our rabbi insisted that we do the mikveh. We converted at a reformed temple and so ended up going to an Orthodox temple for this cermoney https://jewishfederations.org/jewish-traditions/the-conversion-process

Immersion

Orthodox and Conservative rabbis require both male and female conversion candidates to immerse themselves in a ritual bath called a mikveh. This ceremony is called tevillah. Reform and Reconstructionist rabbis do not require the use of a mikveh, but some highly recommend it.

The mikveh can be any body of natural water, though the term usually refers to a specific pool that is built for the purposes of ritual purification. The equipment used varies according to the mikveh. The immersion ceremony usually starts with cleaning the body as by a shower.

The person is covered and the covering removed as the person enters the warm mikveh waters, which are usually about four feet deep. (When the ceremony is done in a public place such as a lake, the candidate wears a loose-fitting garment). Blessings are recited and the person goes bends into the water.

According to traditional Jewish law, three male witnesses must be present, although this rule has been reinterpreted so that, in some movements, Jewish women can be witnesses. When there are male witnesses and the candidate is female, the witnesses wait outside the mikveh room and are told by a female attendant that the immersion has been completed and the blessings recited.

We had to go to class and at the end I had to write a paper on an aspect of Jewish culture for the Rabbi. I learned a great deal in the process and do not regret it.

My paper was on the Jewish burial procedure. Again, it was not meant to be an easy process but I enjoyed it.

[MineralMan]

6. That's what I understand.

It's all very interesting, of course.

[Gothmog]

8. I enjoyed the process and it was interesting

Since we were at a Reform temple, we did not have to do the immersion but the rabbi wanted to to this. Later we heard from some Orthodox friends that our rabbi was considered to be a rabbinic scholar by the Orthodox community even though she was female. It was an interesting process

[MineralMan]

9. I'm sure you did and it was.

I still drop into a Russian Orthodox church a few times a year, both to talk to Russian speakers and to enjoy their old-fashioned liturgy. The practices of religions are very interesting to me, even though I'm a staunch unbeliever.

[bitterross]

10. I beleive you have correctly pointed out one of the worst features of Christianity

As you rightly say, "At times, refusal to convert has spelled the end for some cultures in historical times."

This "feature" of Christianity - the need to spread the good news is one of it's worst attributes. Christians erased entire cultures in Central and South America because of this.

If so many of the Christians had not been, and were not still, so focused on making everyone else see the world from their point of view and insist that everyone live according to their point of view I'd probably not dislike them so much.

[Major Nikon]

13. Another thing that makes them more like a cult is ostracizing anyone who doesn't share their faith

There's no shortage of Christians who only want to associate with other Christians and patronize Christian businesses.

[safeinOhio]

14. Here you go

Q: Why did the Unitarian-Universalist cross the road?
A: To support the chicken in its search for its own path

[Permanut]

15. Proselytism brought more than just religion..

In Africa:

"When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land."

[link:https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/desmond_tutu|

European missionaries were instrumental in bringing infectious diseases to Native Americans and Native Hawaiians, diseases for which they had no immunity. Granted, they were not the only carriers, but did nothing to stop the spread of diseases like bubonic plague, chicken pox, pneumonic plague, cholera, diphtheria, influenza, measles, scarlet fever, smallpox, typhus, tuberculosis, and whooping cough.

[MineralMan]

19. Unintended consequences, really.

Diseases and immunity against them was not understood through most of that period. Some of those missionaries also succumbed to local diseases for which they had no immunity.

I'm familiar with the Spanish missionaries who were early explorers on the Pacific Coast. They brought diseases with them, along with soldiers and attitudes about "heathens." As mission-building occurred, whole villages of indigenous peoples were forced into lifestyles and living conditions that were alien to them. They were enslaved, to make the story short. They died in droves from European diseases, hunger, and other factors.

Religion and foreign cultures were not beneficial to them, and their culture, which had existed for several thousand years, disappeared in a matter of a generation.

The indigenous people in the area where I lived were the Chumash. Nobody who is 100% Chumash exists today, although there are still some Chumash genes in some people in that area.

This process was repeated in many places. Religion played a powerful role, as did the military.

[Act_of_Reparation]

16. Many religions that don't seek converts have a history of violence against others.

Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism all have histories of persecuting others who do not share in their faith. Perhaps these faiths are "better" in the sense Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs, or Hindus will rarely interrupt your Saturday morning cartoons with a knock on the door and prepared speech about your temporal salvation, but in the not-persecuting-others department, they still leave something to be desired.

[MineralMan]

17. As do those who do seek converts.

Human groups tend to use violence at times against those who are "not them." I'm not sure whether religions are more inclined to do that than secular groups, but when they do, they believe they are right to do so because god(s).

Humans appear to be a warlike species, and more's the pity, since we can also think and reason.

[Act_of_Reparation]

18. That's what I mean.

The non-proselytizing religions seem better on paper, but in practice they are more or less the same dog and pony show.

As for being warlike by nature, I'm not sure that's the case. We might be aggressive or even violent on an individual level, but that doesn't necessarily translate to organized slaughter. People tend to do these terrible things because they are convinced by an authority that group X is ultimately responsible for undesirable situation Y. Sometimes that authority is religious. Sometimes that authority is secular.

Maybe looking for simple solutions to complex problems is in our nature as well. Which is doubly unfortunate, because we are perfectly equipped to puzzle these problems out.