Opinion

We've all heard the saying opinions are like @$$ holes - everyone has one.
That's true, and most are not appreciated.
Yes, its yours but it can not be forced on someone else.
A conviction is something that is in your heart that you can not be swayed from. Everyone needs some type of convictions in the their life.
Opinions however can be changed. With proper research someone can change your mind about something.
My question - why do some try to force their convictions on you?
I have lived that question. My life, up until I was 20, I was raised in a church that had the words conviction and rules confused.
They might have been a conviction to them but when they are forced upon someone else who doesn't feel or believe the same way, it becomes a rule. One they start to begrudge.
I could list many things I was forced to do saying, "its our conviction". They may have been my parents but the way I saw it was "house rules". I didn't feel the same way they did, because when I moved out, I did these things. Were they wrong? No, that's just it, but I was raised to think and believe that something was wrong with doing that or wearing that or going there. When in all reality, it was just a rule.
So, now as an adult, whenever someone tries to force their "conviction" on me, one of two things happened - fight or flight. If it involves my children, a fight is sure to happen.
Nothing infuriates me more than someone telling me that I am doing something wrong with my children just because I am doing it different than them. Different is not wrong, its just different.
Or better yet, try to force their beliefs on my children without coming to me or my husband about it.
So many people need to realize that just because it worked for you, doesn't mean it is going to work for everyone else.
I have some convictions that my children are very well aware of, and have scripture to back them up. Which I feel if you have a conviction you should have something to back it up, a personal experience or something in black and white. Something you can point to and say, "that is why".