Freedom of religion=Freedom FROM religion??

[AChimp]

During an e-mail debate with a bunch of Christian fundamentalist-types, we eventually came to this topic of Hell and believing in Jesus keeping you from Hell.

I asked, what about all the other hundreds of religions that say YOU are going to the bad place for not believing them? Well, they said, those religions are just as valid as Christianity, because Christianity teaches us to be accepting. But, Christianity is the only "true" religion.

Right, I said. So why do you go around trying to convert people if their beliefs are just as valid as yours? "We believe we are helping them see the real truth."

Stupified by this, I asked them how they could view someone else's different beliefs as valid, yet still feel that the "valid belief" is not the correct one. By trying to convert someone, you are basically only paying lip service to the validity of their religion, while attempting to cram yours down their throat... No answer.

Such is the paradox of Christianity. :/