What do they mean by "Pushing your religion on someone"

I think you answered your own question. It is because of the few ultra Christians are trying convert the whole world.And to most that sounds and feels pushy.I don't have Muslims knocking on my door trying to convert me. I don't have Buddhist walking up to me in the street trying to convince me Buddha is the Only way to get to heaven.Wicca followers don't get on t.v. and say we all are going to hell unless we pray to their G-ds.I feel sorry for Christians that are not ultra religious because it is the others that get all the press. It is the ultra Christian image that atheists think represents All Christian or people of faith.It is so sad.

I saw this post earlier and had to think on it. I still don't have a great answer. I think when someone says pushing religion on someone, they mean that a person will continuously try to impress their religious beliefs on the other person whether they want to hear about it or not. There is not a willful exchange of thoughts or ideas. I know that there is christianity in almost every country in the world. So, you will find christian people most everywhere. I let my light shine for those to see. I don't broadcast my christianity, but my actions speak for themselves. If someone asks me about my beliefs, I will tell them about it. But only if I am asked, other than that, I just let my light shine and people see me for what I am. I know there are other comments I have heard such as bible thumping or that lady or man is a bible thumper. Which means that they take their bible around with them everywhere and will quote scripture at the drop of a hat if they feel you are wrong in anything. I honestly can't stand people like that. I think a good christian person doesn't have to announce it to the world.

I agree..there are those who can "push" their faith and get away with it and thos who cannot. My understanding of pushing ..is trying to make others accept your standards that you have made for yourself since youare a christian. Even though I embrace the Catholic Christian Faith..I do not believe that pushing my ways on others is acceptable. Jesus was all about allowing others to come to Him...The only ones He actually called out to "literally" were His 12 apostles..who were free to go at any time. Jesus allowed others to come to Him on their own.. He taught in public but never ran after and preached to one soul. His way of life ..his example and the way He spoke publicly drew others to Him. If you are living the Christian life. and are a true follower of Jesus..There is more power in example then by words..Some people have been over preached to ..and are closed to another sermon..so live your Life faithfully ..be kind and loving..and others will want to know more..ONce they come to you and ask questions ..then you can open up and let them know what motivates your Christian life and actions. This is only my opinion..I had to learn things the hard way:)

To me 'pushing your religion on someone' has a totally different meaning than what you described. Though I've studied in convents, I've never been brainwashed about Christianity. But my husband has had a different experience and has had people trying to tell him how their religion (not necessarily christians alone) is better than ours indirectly telling him that he ought to convert. Some things which might be sins in other religions might not be sins in ours (I'm not talking about major ones like harming another living creature which is common in most religions...but little ones...some religions do not allow followers to take garlic or onions in their food...others do not allow their followers to wear any jewellery). I think that is a personal choice about following a particular religion (after making an informed decision)...and as long as one is not really harming another human being...no one has the right to personally criticize another's beliefs. If you do not play the lottery (for whatever reason), how can that be termed as pushing? If you stop someone else who does not follow your church from doing so, then it is pushing.

I guess that depends on who the elusive "They" are. To me it's not pushing your religion on someone by telling them, if asked, that you don't play the lottery or do other things you mention above because it's against your religion. However, if you're in a store, for example, and someone ELSE was playing the lottery and you told them - without being asked for your opinion - that they will go to he11 for gambling because it's a sin, well that is pushing it on them. By the same token if a person were praying silently in a restaurant or other public place and someone came up to them and told them they're not permitted to do that, that's just as wrong! Fact is, we can all pray or not pray as we wish, anytime, anywhere, 24/7. I think it's ridiculous that we can't play Christmas Carols or have the Baby Jesus displayed in public places anymore but I also think people shouldn't use their religion when referring to the laws of our nation. We don't and shouldn't have a government sponsored religion but we all have the right to practice - or NOT practice - any religion we choose. As long as you respect the opinions and feelings of others I don't think talking about your religious faith is shoving it down anyone's throat. Annie

The things you mention are not, in my opinion, 'pushing' Christianity. I must, of course, speak of Christianity when I tell you what I believe pushing is because it is the predominant faith here in the US where I live, and is the one which has been pushed onto me from childhood. Also, before I go there, may I say that I have never thought of you in particular as pushing Christianity. You have stated your beliefs in discussions, but never attempted to ram then down other people's throats and have always seemed to try to understand the beliefs of others, including myself. Pushing to me is such things as this: When I am in a public place or in my own home or yard and someone harasses me in the name of witnessing even though I have asked them to leave me alone. When missionaries come to my door repeatedly after I have made it clear I am not interested in their literature or their rhetoric. When, as a child, I was forced by law to go to public school and once there was forced to pray to a god I do not follow. I was not, nor would be today, allowed to stand skyclad (unclothed), erect rather than bowed down, and sing my worship to my Goddess. When, if in court, I am asked to swear upon a Bible to this same god that I will be truthful. A useless procedure since I do not owe this god any allegience nor fear His retribution. When employers allow Christians to be off work for their religious holidays, yet I am not given paid time off for mine. And yet, once it is known that I am of a different faith, if work is open I am leaned upon to work on those Christian holidays because 'you don't believe in it anyway'. The law has changed to allow me to demand my holidays off, yet employers are not required to pay me nor give me the little 'extra' days most Christian holidays have. When people are allowed to witness to me while on my job. When things such as lottery and gambling are illegal in my state due to Christian influence, while my own Goddess does not prohibit this. When Christians enter a casino and begin to damn those inside. When Christians accuse me of worshipping their Satan when they discover I am Pagan, ludicrous since the Satan is also a Christian figure in whom I do not believe. These are just a few ways in which the Christian faith is pushed. I have been the victim of almost every one. There are many many more of course. Most are insidious yet still unfair in a land which 'claims' a love of religious freedom. Mind you, when I say that I do not 'believe' in Jahovah or Satan, I do not mean that I do not believe they exist, for I do. It is simply that they have no more importance in my life than Allah, Mithra, or any other God or Goddess whom I do not follow. I do know one way you can test this, my myLot friend. Look at any situation where religion is involved. Ask yourself if you would be offended if it were some other God than your own. If the answer is yes, then Chritianity is being 'pushed'. May your God love and protect you and may you live in peace.

It means that your beliefs are yours and that you can't force others to believe as you do. I have people knocking on my door all the time trying to get me to buy their bibles or join their church groups. The answer is always the same, I do not believe the same as them. That is my right and they have to respect it. I have had some who have tried to push the issue, especially when we lived in the bush, and they were the ones who would try and push their way into my home to see how I lived. They wanted to teach me how to live a Christian life, and I'm just not interested in people who think that my way of thinking is wrong. Don't get me wrong, if someone wants to believe in God, then good for them. I don't and that's my choice. There are 3 things in life I think are destroying our world. These are Religion, Politics, War. I don't think you can have one without the others.