[Leo R.]

Why do people feel that when a person professes his/her religious beliefs and the life principles that guide them, they are imposing their beliefs on others?

User Detail :  

Name : Leo R., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 38, City : Petal, State : MS Country : United States, Occupation : Administration/Purchasing, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Burrell]

It's because, in a way, the people you are decribing are imposing their views on others. Sometimes these people come off sounding 'preachy' and 'all-knowing.' I've run into this quite a bit, either in business situations or from door-to-door religious salesmen. To impose or air one's personal religious beliefs without being asked to comes off as arrogant, in my opinion. It can come off as a 'my way or the highway' attitude.

User Detail :  

Name : Burrell, Gender : M, Age : 50, City : Indianapolis, State : IN Country : United States, 

[Sarah-Jayne28377]

Think of the Crusades, the Inquisition and numerous more recent attempts by the Catholic Church to control people's lives (e.g. opposing birth control in developing countries). As a Catholic, you are associated with all that. I'm not saying you actually believe in all that persecution, but it is a case of guilt by association.

User Detail :  

Name : Sarah-Jayne28377, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 24, City : Melbourne, State : NA Country : Australia, 

[Burrell19304]

Because in a way the people you are decribing are imposing their views on others . Sometimes these people come off sounding 'preachy' and 'all knowing'. I've run into this quite a bit, either in business situations or from door-to-door religious salesmen. To impose or air one's personal religious beliefs without being asked to do so comes off as rather arrogant in my opinion. It's can come off as a'my way or the highway' attitude.

User Detail :  

Name : Burrell19304, Gender : M, Age : 50, City : Indianapolis, State : IN Country : United States, 

[Ben S.]

It depends how the beliefs are 'professed'. If I don't know you, and you come up to me on the street to tell me about your religion, then that is imposing your views on me. That's also the case if you did it at work, or in a social context. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of places where it's appropriate to profess one's religious views, perhaps because in the West, we have a pretty bad overall historical experience with people trying to force their religious views on others. Also, many religious people who do profess their views are not prepared to engage in rational discussion about their religion and prepare to learn by the process of debate. My opinion is that you should save your views for church, where those who are interested in your faith will turn up. Often, I find that I get asked about my religious views, but that's because I subscribe to a pretty esoteric philosophy which has unjustified but sinister associations in the minds of some people. I don't tend to profess my views as I feel that anyone who is sincerely interested will seek out the organisations that promote my philosophy.

User Detail :  

Name : Ben S., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 31, City : sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : Public servant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Catoga]

I don't consider it an imposition if someone explains their own behavior in the context of their faith or ideology. But when people start suggesting that other people should modify their behavior to fit a particular faith, it's an imposition. It sounds irrational and authoritarian to assume that one's religion is 'the one true faith' that others must follow. All theists have at some point taken a leap of faith, and it just isn't fair for them to expect everyone else to suspend reason and do the same.

User Detail :  

Name : Catoga, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Humanist, Age : 36, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Internet/Web, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Peter Briant]

Hi Leo The moment people express their religious beliefs.People think straight away that youre imposing your beliefs on them. It's always been that way. Many believe for example, that their religious beliefs are very personal.But if we look at the 'perfector' of our christian faith......Jesus Christ. Did he keep quiet about his beliefs, and more importantly the message that he preached? NO. He told as many as he could about the Kingdom that God would give him.That he would be King one day. Infact , he gave signs 'of his presence in Kingdom power' in Matthew chapter 24:1 - 28. Most people see the problems religions have caused all around the world. I encourage you to look at the Life Jesus led whilst on earth , and the kingdom he preached about Peter

User Detail :  

Name : Peter Briant, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jehovahs Witness, Age : 38, City : Melbourne, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : storeman, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[cyd clark]

If you do not immediately refrain from speaking to anyone who does not want to listen, that is not simply imposing, it is persecutorial. It is also a grievous sin.

User Detail :  

Name : cyd clark, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : celibate, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : not sure, Age : 42, City : tuscola, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, 

[Steph C.]

It depends how it's done. If they try to say what you currently believe is wrong, immoral or bad in any other way, then it would be imposing. However, if it's approached as simply suggesting that you might find it to fit what you believe, it's professing. Sometimes, though, professing is seen differently. As the best friend of a Jehovah's Witness, I can state that sometimes the line between imposing and professing can be a bit thin.

User Detail :  

Name : Steph C., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 15, City : Lyndhurst, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : student, Social class : Middle class, 

[Michael20675]

There are guys who stand out in Free Speech Alley here at LSU who shout and scream, calling anyone who's ever had a beer an alcoholic, any female who's ever had sex a prostitute. I'd call it imposing, except that it always draws a crowd, most of whom spend time rebutting him, so it could be construed as a form of entertainment. Then there are the sandwich-board guys who bring their kids.

User Detail :  

Name : Michael20675, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : bi-curious (mostly straight), Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 20, City : Livingston, State : LA Country : United States, Occupation : undergrad, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[Author]

Posts