Which religions seek to actively convert people (besides Christianity & Islam)?

[Blue3]

Which religions seek to actively convert people (besides Christianity & Islam)?



Judaism is basically a religion only for Jewish people. Jews acknowledge most of Jewish law doesn't apply to outsiders, and that outsiders can still find favor with God without converting (law of Noah). And many Jews don't believe in an afterlife for anyone, Jew or Gentile, or believe in a day of resurrection for everyone.

Hinduism has very different branches, and some of its ideas may be universal. But it's still basically a religion only for Indian people. For those that take reincarnation literally, there's no rush because you'll eventually get it right, even if it's not in this lifetime. I could be wrong, but its factions never seemed to feel the need to spread their beliefs outside India by mass conversion or conquest (and if they've tried it seems they've never been successful).

Buddhism doesn't believe in an afterlife, or any god(s), or even an eternal soul (reincarnation in Buddhism is usually misunderstood in popular culture)... at least in mainstream Buddhism. It preaches a methodology to ending your personal suffering, more of a philosophy than a religion. It has a few weird sects but I don't think any ever sough mass conversion or conquest.

Sikhism (5th largest religion in the world), like Hinduism, has some ideas that may be universal, but it preaches that Sikhism is not the only way, and I remember hearing that (like Judaism) it discourages new converts.

Jainism I don't think has ever done anything.

Shinto I don't think has ever done anything.

Confucianism is much more of a moral and political and social philosophy, definitely not a religion seeking new converts or conquests.

Taoism is much more of a moral and political and social philosophy, definitely not a religion seeking new converts or conquests.

Zoroastrianism, where is still survives, seems to highly discourage new converts.

Baha'i is all about how there is truth in all religions, no need to convert, and preaches nonviolence and world peace... not conquest.




Am I missing any?

Am I misunderstanding any?

Or when we talk about how "religion" always seeks to convert people, or conquer/colonize new places, or believe its way is the only true way... are we really only talking about Christianity and Islam?

[Blue3]

Can I include historical examples?

Yes as long as you specify that it's only historical.

Any religion that didn't evolve out of a culture/nation's paganism would have had to seek converts at some point or they wouldn't be the size they are today. Sikhism, Buddhism, Bahai and probably Zoarastrianism would fall into this category. Hellenistic Judaism was also fairly convert friendly IIRC.

Are you saying those religions still seek converts, or that conversions have been a main part of these religions now or in the past?

Or did it just happen organically?

[Blue3]

Are any of these examples mentioned so far still anywhere near as active with converting people as Christianity and Islam?

I just don't see it with Hinduism and Buddhism in the present time, though prove me wrong. I can see it a bit with Wicca, even if it's very small and heterodox, it seems very active. Scientology only if you count the rich celebrities. But Hinduism, Buddhism, and the others? The vast supermajority of their current followers seem to be uninterested in it, and don't see it as a moral imperative, at least from what I've read and have seen...