I'm incredibly fed up with religion being used as an excuse to judge, for war, to instill fear, and to tear someone down rather than bring them up. I was raised as a Catholic so I'm no stranger to judgement and guilt, at least that was the experience I got out of it. I was told that if I voted for John Kerry in the 2000 election I could not consider myself a Catholic due to his views on abortion. This was literally the straw that broke the camels back and I knew that I would no longer be affiliating myself with that church.
I know that Catholics are not the only group guilty of it (and not all Catholics at that). In general religions seemed to be used today to cause fear and to justify hatred and war. Holy wars in general seem completely backwards to me, although they have been going on well throughout history and religions are what geographically shaped a large portion of the world today. Always forcing beliefs on a new culture, a new group of people that never asked to be "saved".
Missionaries are everywhere, in fact a LDS missionary stopped me in a parking lot on my way into my mothers apartment the other day and would not leave me be, until I told her that I am a homosexual. She didn't want somebody like me tainting her church it seems. My mother who is a devout born again christian believes that all muslims are terrorists, because of the God they follow. That is what her Pastor tells her.
I believe that religion inherintly is a good thing, something to organize beliefs and faith around a place where people can feel at home and develop their relationship with God how they see fit to do that. My issue with it lies with blind faith, it's scary to me what people do in the name of God-even though God is not usually the one they got the message from. The extremist leaders (Pastors, Priests, Prophets) are the ones selling the message and these people hold so much power! They tell people to die for their faith, to kill for their faith, to judge.
Religion the great healer, motivator, the saving grace of so many seems to be causing just as much destruction and hatred as salvation.
This was all inspired from this article posted by Fallon
http://www.witchvox.com/wren/wn_detail.html?id=18508
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That's why I'm agnostic :-)
generalizing isnt really something that is good with such a topic. not all people are as you say.
The sect in your article you linked to is comprised of only one town, not a whole nation of individuals, although I understand your sentiment. The illogical thing is that they are on television, in mainstream culture's knowledge, and nothing is done against them. Polygamy is against the law, but they get away with it, no questions asked? The rest of the Mormons have complied with the country's laws.
Back to your point: witnessing(from any religion) is not forcing your beliefs on anyone. I personally do not believe what the other religions say is true, and I'll say that. I'll offer my way of life as a Christian. When people hurt you because of your beliefs is when it becomes "forcing." I encourage discussion of belief and try to not stereotype, but what you were saying is incongruent with the actions you mentioned...