It is somewhat ironical that, at the very time globalization – with the interdependence and increased exchanges it entails – is shaping more and more the lives of people around the world, propagation of religious beliefs by missionary groups arouses suspicions in different areas and varied religious environments across the world.

The purpose of the paper is not only to provide some examples of the dynamics leading to such conflicts over proselytism, but also to understand the underlying issues and to observe similarities in different contexts. Indeed, if one looks at the reactions of Buddhist activists in Sri Lanka, Christian believers in post-communist countries, Hindu nationalists in India, Muslim militants in the Middle East, there are some common features in concerns which are expressed. Missionaries are not just seen as carriers of other beliefs, but also as people with a hidden agenda. Reactions actually reveal as much on hot issues in societies where such reactions are observed as on missionary tactics. When speaking on religious coexistence, there is often a natural tendency to focus on major players, i.e. on “traditional religions” in one area. While such a focus is legitimate, one should not forget that smaller groups will increasingly come into the scene and may sometimes act as “irritants” not to be overlooked. The purpose of the paper will be to bring an awareness of those elements and show how such controversies are not specific to one area or one religious tradition.