Expansionist Religions 

An Expansionist Religion is a Religion that attempts to gain power or control over others by 'converting' others  to their Religion.

Expansionist Religions are Religions that attempt to gain 'followers' by various means including using missionaries, television, and advertising, in addition to military conquest, capture, imprisonment, and torture.  In the past, and even to this day, some Religions gained power by war, torture, and murder in addition to conversation. Some Religions, especially Christianity, eliminated members of competing Religions by imprisonment and by having them Burned at the Stake.  Today terrorism seems to be a method of religious conquest especially by radical members of Islam.

For a Religions to gain what could be called market share it is not necessary to convert people to your Religion.  Murdering unbelievers reduces the population of the enemy (non-believers) and increases that Religion's overall percentage of people who believe in that Religion.

Expansionist Religions also attempt to convince people that unless they follow the same beliefs as that Religion then they can never be 'saved' and have a good life after death.

Is this really what the Great Architect of the Universe wants people to do in His name?  Does God really care what Religion you happen to belong to or is He more interested in how good a person you are and how much you have helped your fellow man?  Does God really want you to give a lot of money to your church so that the leaders can live a life of luxury with lots of Gold, silver, diamonds, jewels, fancy cars, expensive homes and be able to travel in personal jets, not to mention supporting various mistresses?

Fortunately there are so many Religions that it is unlikely that any one Religion will succeed in becoming universal, at least in the near future.  Hopefully no one Religion will ever rule the Earth. Our American forefathers were smart enough to understand what religious control of a country could do to harm that country so they separated the Church from the State.  Let's keep it that way.  Remember that America is not and never has been a Christian nation and has never been controlled by one Religion.  Most of our founding fathers believed in a Creator but did not care what name you chose for Him.  We should consider it fortunate that many, if not most, of our Founding Fathers were Deists.

As a Religion expands it gains more power and money which permits that Religion to gain power and money at an even more rapid rate.

Religions expand by convincing people to give money to God which the Religion can then use to expand itself.