Today, I read of your questions from an article that was on Lankaweb, and at http://geocities.com/focussrilanka.0012.htm/ that was reported by the Google Alert for the word "Christianity". I would like to answer your questions, being a life long Christian, who ardently believes that the words of JESUS to teach all nations as quoted in Matthew 28:18-20 * are true and are absolutely a commandment of GOD.

You raised the question about why Christians believe that they must teach all /convert all people to Christianity, and of course it is because of what we Southern Baptists call The Great Commission of JESUS sending missionaries around the world, and it is found in that same Scripture of Matthew as follows:
*"And JESUS came and spake unto them, saying, "all power is given to ME in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in THE NAME of THE FATHER [in heaven who is GOD] and of THE SON {who is GOD incarnate] and of THE HOLY GHOST [Spirit of GOD, breath of GOD]; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I AM with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen." [King James Holy Bible, my favorite] .

You also asked about the buying of souls. Well of course that is NOT possible for anyone! Human souls cannot be bought or sold by any human. However, JESUS said HE paid the price for our sins, collectively, by HIS blood shed on the Cross. Salvation from JESUS is free but it is not cheap. It cost THE MESSIAH HIS life on the Cross. Of course,HE was raised from the dead on the third day and is alive in heaven now.  HE is alive forevermore according to Revelation 1: 17-18 , which is written, JESUS said, "fear not! I the First and the Last; I AM HE that liveth and was dead, and behold, I AM ALIVE forevermore! Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."  There is a political saying of one having sold one's soul to the devil,and that is well understood to mean that a person who prefers the world's material  wealth and the world's approval to the approval of GOD ALMIGHTY has "sold out" his soul to the devil, the enemy of GOD, who when that person dies, will collect on his soul and  that  condemned soul will spend eternity in h--- or hades, or sheol.  BUT  Christians  are human and  we do not have the power  to send anyone to  h---  or to heaven. GOD Alone has that power.

You repeated a question about why Christians "cheapened" JESUS by offering food and clothing and help with the necessities of life to those less fortunate. I believe the foundation of those deeds is from the words of JESUS who said "as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto ME." And also from the chapter in Matthew five, "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of GOD." [v 9]. Giving to others whether food, raiment, medical help, [many medical missionaries] clean drinking water, etc, is in keeping with the words of JESUS who said HE considered those deeds AS IF one had given food, water,clothing, medical help to THE SAVIOUR who is JESUS HIMSELF. It has a reward on this earth and in heaven. There is nothing humans are capable of doing that cheapens the message that JESUS died for all humans and those who believe in HIM and accept HIS salvation are "saved" from their own sins and their selfish desires, and their names are written in GOD's BOOK OF LIFE. [read Revelation in entirety and also Book of John in BIble]. Humans especially wicked humans have tried to obliterate the salvation news of JESUS but they have not been able to do so. IN fact, the more persecution the more the gospel message flourishes. In 2007 years since JESUS died on the Cross, the good news has spread to every nation and kingdom of the world and it will continue until JESUS comes again and takes HIS people [believers] to heaven with HIM.

As to your question as to why Christians and supposedly other religious groups also, smash idols, the Old Testament Commandments are very clear NOT to bow down to things/ statues/ idols/icons and NOT to make any images of GOD. The Christian Bible includes the same Old Testament of Moses and Abraham and the same Commandments. We believers understand that making images/idols/wooden dolls to represent the ALMIGHTY and ONE and ONLY GOD, is a supreme affront to GOD that HE said HE punishes [read Exodus chapter 20 ], and in our zeal to prevent humans from going to h---, we discourage severely the worship of idols and that may include [in some cultures and by some groups] the smashing of those idols. Better that your idols should be smashed than you should spend eternity in h---, separate from GOD and in the pit with the devil, also known as satan, or the beast [read Revelation] .

JESUS said, " I AM the way, the truth and the life; no man [human] cometh unto THE FATHER but by ME." John 14: 6. There is no way to heaven but by the blood of JESUS, spread over you, accepted by you as the price of your redemption from h---.  The reason we, Christians, and I am absolutely and forever and irrevocably CHRISTIAN, [ a believer in JESUS and follower of JESUS] try/ make the effort to educate the world's peoples is because we believe these words of JESUS,MESSIAH, to be true and that we must live by them.

I hope I have explained this sufficiently. You may email me at gloriapooleRN at yahoo with your questions if you have more questions,and be sure to write some kind of subject line that identifies yourself to me and with a reputable header. I get literally tons of s-p-am in emails and sometimes miss the real messages by trying to avoid the s-p-a-m messages. If that should happen, and your email got overlooked, I apologize ahead of time for deleting a good message. Please just resend it -be persistent, and have integrity.