Proselytism is the action aimed at getting new followers or proselytes. In its original sense it was used to refer to the evangelizing action of the first Christians, but with the passage of time it was applied to political action. Thus, a religious or political leader tries to gain followers for his cause in order to strengthen his project. In any case, it is about convincing others and for this we resort to oratory, that is, to seduction through the word.
The pejorative sense of the term
Despite being a neutral concept and that in principle it does not incorporate a negative charge, in practice it is used in a derogatory sense. Thus, the phrase proselytizing means that someone tries to convince others for their own benefit. In this sense, proselytizing resembles demagoguery. Both terms are part of the accusations that certain political approaches and strategies receive, especially during electoral campaigns. The electoral campaign is, in short, the paradigm of political proselytism. In most campaigns, leaders adorn their messages, minimize their weaknesses and magnify those of the rival, resort to a highly calculated staging and everything is valued as a theatrical staging and, therefore, as a proselytizing strategy in the worst sense of the term.
To accuse someone of proselytizing is to attribute to them an unworthy intention based on self-interest and not on the benefit of others.
The proselytizing debate
From the religious point of view, this word is associated with a certain controversy. According to the Christian position, proselytism is totally legitimate and should not be understood negatively, since Christian doctrine defends evangelization as a way of bearing witness to the word of God, something that is considered a moral obligation and a precept of doctrine. Christian. However, in some countries with a deep-rooted religious tradition, the proselytism of unofficial religions is considered illegitimate and contrary to the established legal framework.
The etymological origin of the term
The word comes from the Greek word proselytisms, which refers to religious doctrine that tries to convince people who have beliefs to abandon them and convert to the supposedly true religion.
If we take into account its etymological meaning, it is reasonable that the word has acquired a pejorative meaning, since supposing that others are wrong and that they must convert to the authentic religion is a form of intellectual dogmatism.
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