Why do people feel an obligation to force their religion on others?

When people are unconsciously unsure of their belief system, they have to spread it and convince others of it. It's standard psychology.

500 years ago Martin Luther felt the same way as you do, and that began the Protestant Reformation. It was slow progress, but several years after Martin the Puritans in England came to power and turned around to force their religion on everybody else. In the long run, they failed. They crossed the ocean to here, and some generations after that their descendant here and in England realized that religious liberty had to be extended to everyone in order to ensure that freedom for anyone. Today in Western countries you can practice any or no religion without coercion.

This is not true elsewhere in the world where they never heard of the Protestant Reformation nor had to respond to it. It is illegal to not be a Muslim in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries, and religion is discouraged in China.

If you live in the USA you have never had religion forced on you. Someone may have buttonholed you about religion, but they can do that about politics or wearing fur. That is their right. You cannot silence their free speech. You can walk away, or click away on your computer.

We must all respect the liberties won for us by hard work over half a millennium, not just since the American Revolution but by people who worked on creating human rights before that term was even imagined. Be free.

It could be either for two reasons,

1- because they love you and don't want you to follow the things of the world, and wish you to live in a state frame of mind that will lead you to the kingdom of heaven , and also to receive all the blessings that come as a reward when we serve our living GOD. This is an answer that a religious person would give you, someone whom has a religion, but as for my personal opinion, I don't believe in religions, this were all man made, (this will help bring understanding, when Jesus walked on earth preaching the Gospel of God, he didn't call ppl by denominations he gathered them by just saying follow me) 2. ppl misconstrue the scriptures, the scriptures do say that all must be informed of the living God, but it does not say to push the subject to ppl , its freedom of choice whether they accept or not, but that his will must be done, and that is to inform all about him..

well.. some do and some don't .. as for those who do.. i think it's a sort of way for them to have more people believing in the same beliefs as they do.. they might be insecure or having doubts about their own religion.. aside from that.. some people can't handle being different .. so they try to force this religion on others to have more people with them.. i think it's a psychological thing..

A ferocious need for validation, for one thing. The stranger the beliefs, the more divorced from reality the beliefs are, the more the believer needs reassurance that what they believe is real. Hence the driving need to convince others that they are right. Another part is that they might genuinely believe that they are doing you a favor...that they are "saving" you from a fate worse than death. Still others seem to believe that getting their religious dogmas codified in law (such as bans on alchohol in Utah, or dancing in Maine or creationism in science classes) will somehow make everyone else "see the light" and make the "sinful" more inclined to be "saved".

If anyone feels obligated to force anything, especially religion they need to check that ring in their head, to hear whom really is calling them, the devil or God. And do unto others as they do unto you. ok

I am not sure, but it is annoying as hell.

What gives them the right to target me...why should I change my beliefs? Do I look like I need some sort of religious ticket?

I am a highly spiritual person, raised catholic, went to all sort of churches in my adult life, 7th day Adventist, baptist, Methodist, Lutheran etc, I've learned about Islam, have had education in Buddhism and and other eastern beliefs....I am not afraid of Jews, Muslims or others. I recognize and accept them. I am non-denominational but tend towards buddhism.

Most people who push their religion, I noticed, are usually brainwashed and do this as "church-driven" duty. This does not actually increase their spirituality, this only adds more weak-backed "tithers" to the church. Sad.

I really try not to do it but, you know, it's like enjoying a wonderful meal at a restaurant - if you enjoy that meal so very much , might want to share it with someone. I believe that everyone should worship in his own way. If I experience a wonderful dish or meal ,I will still be inclined to share what I liked about it or in which restaurant I found it.

People that are religious mostly are good folks and believe in good and descent things and by their nature want to pass those beleifs on to be either kind or a more selfish reason, like wanting a better world to live in for themselves and there children.

To share in how happy and content they are, and increase the church they attend with good people.

They see good in the person, and can't help themselves?

Maybe the person they are talking to just said something that made them suggest it?

Humans that are happy, want more people in their group, there by making more people happy, which makes the group grow larger, which attracts more people, which makes the group grow, which makes more people happy, etc, etc, etc.....

I can understand a person that just joined and they are all excited and they want you to join with them in this new found high. But the people that have been there it's there duty as a christian to tell you about it not to preach to you. They take into there own hands to try and convince you to join and if you rebuff, they get stupid and it seam as they call on God to kill you, I tell these nuts to take a hike, and then ask them