What is the real problem with evangelism overseas by U.S. religious groups?

When we started our weekly online religion section, "On Faith," Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham and I agreed to co-moderate a regular panel of distinguished religion scholars. The idea was to create a diverse assembly of religious voices. The result has been a wonderful running conversation on belief or lack of belief, the search for meaning in our lives, and a sense of the divine. This week's discussion was about proselytizing overseas. A sample of the conversation is below.

-- Sally Quinn

Religious expression is a fundamental right: Freedom of expression, including sharing one's faith with others, is a fundamental human right enshrined in national and international law from the Bill of Rights to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Michael Otterson, head of public affairs, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Proselytism is a dangerous religious idea: Government-supported religious proselytizing, especially in the name of security, is a very dangerously bad idea because it compromises religious freedom and, in fact, renders it unfree.

Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, professor, Chicago Theological Seminary

Proselytize away, just not on my tax dime: Of course there is a problem with American religious groups proselytizing overseas -- not because they don't have a perfect right to proclaim their faith from every rooftop and minaret, but because many of these organizations have long received U.S. government funding for their charitable works. This does no good for the image of the United States in countries where people deeply resent proselytizing.