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The Thinker

Does evangelism infringe basic religious freedom?

• Only if you hit them over the head with a hard backed bible. A civil chat that is informing and helpful can free both parties from misconception and be quite liberating.
• Yes, but so does ignorance.
• Gut reaction: If it does you’re not doing it right.
• Evangelism is a part of our basic religious freedom; more than that, it is also our duty. It is a fundamental part of faith that cannot, and should not, be ignored to please anyone else.
• As a Christian, I find it deeply annoying that some Evangelists have tried to ‘convert’ me. However, at least I can understand the background that motivates them. But how people of other faiths (or no faith at all) feel when evangelists try to deny them not only their freedom of choice of worship, but their whole religion, I cannot begin to imagine. Is this the tolerance that Christ preached?
• Evangelism is by definition the seeking of a change in someone’s spiritual life, so by that token it must impinge upon religious freedom. The trick is to impinge just enough but not too much. Both are very fine lines and few can judge them accurately. More power to them.
• It is quite possible for us to evangelise without infringing anyone else’s freedom — after all, we can let our actions speak for God, and so witness by example. However, aggressive evangelism is a problem. It takes a certain arrogance to say “we are right, and you are wrong,” and it is all too easy for sincere enthusiasm to slip into this.
• Does your asking that question infringe my basic religious freedom?

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Last modified: 25th November 2005