Busting the 'Shoved Down Throats' religion myths

From Aggie Catholics at Texas A&M University

Once in a while I hear someone say that they don't like it when others "shove religion down my throat" or that Christians need to "stop forcing your faith on me". Is there a proper response to these statements and what is it if there is?

Well, the simple answer is this. It is impossible to force another person to believe as you do. So, the statements are saying either:

1. you shouldn't be allowed to state your opinion about religion - which is a violation of free speech.
2. you shouldn't ever share an opinion with someone if it offends - yet, what if that opinion offends me? It is contradictory and silly.
3. you shouldn't share an opinion about religion if I don't want to talk about it - but this is the closing of the mind and yet most who make the statements above consider themselves "open-minded".

What is really going on is that someone is most likely threatened by religious thought, because it challenges them to go beyond their own formulations about life, salvation, the world, the meaning of life, etc. The word "force" is used as if someone were torturing another person. Rather, when a Christian speaks about faith, they don't "force" it down someone throat or onto someone. Rather, they propose an argument in favor of their beliefs. This is exactly what others do when they offer an opposing argument. An open and free society needs this kind of dialogue to be healthy.

What might be some examples of "shoving"? Maybe it is by those who go door-to-door to evangelize? But, what about salespeople that do the same thing? They aren't shoving vacuums down people's throat.

Then it must be the way the media always talks about religion. But, then we would also have much more instances of sex and violence "shoved" on us and that doesn't add up.

Maybe it is when a parent teaches a child their faith. That must be it! But, what about when an atheist teaches a child there is no God? Are they forcing their beliefs on their child?

Finally, it has to be when our government legislates based on Christian morality. Yet, even here, if one morality isn't accepted, another one will be.

There are not real instances of religion being shoved down someone's throat in our modern Western culture. Rather, it is a saying that the non-religious have made up to reject religious dialogue.

So, I conclude that these sayings are myths and they are busted!