I am against Missionaries.

Missionaries do a lot of good. It's just sad to see that they feel like they have to force the bible upon people while they do it. I think that doing good out of pure altruism without any religious purpose is so much more noble. You cannot help but question these people's intentions, no matter how noble they may be. Are they in it because they truly truly want to help people, or because they want to "score a favour" with God.

Not all missionaries are nice college kids either. Some of them are completely fanatic. I've met many missionaries while I lived in Central America. There were some amazing kids, pure in heart and soul, just out on a quest of altruism and faith. At the same time there were complete religion fiends out there who wouldn't feed starving people until after they had mass or such.

People just feel the need to spread Christianity, which really does help certain people alot. I personally disagree with what they are doing, but you can't help but appreciate all the good things that they do at the same time. They do help a lot of people, they go out into the world instead of sitting at home on the computer bitching about how we should help people, and most of them are truly good people.

I think that they should just loose the strong religious affiliation and help people for the sake of helping.

 

I suggest you check out the following Missionary programs which are operated by the Adventist church. They focus on ministering to peoples physical needs. They certainly DO NOT force religeon on native peoples.

Adventist World Missions, Adventist Frontier Missions and ADRA (Adventist Developement and Relief Agency

Yup I for one would hate to see missionaries bring an end to a native religeon that teaches you to kill and eat your neighbor. It was such a horrible tragedy for missionaries to help bring an end to foot binding in China.

 

It's neither your responsibility or your right to interfere with these religions just because you consider their practices immoral.

 

I speak with years of experience of aid work in Africa and would like to say that most of the missionary work is helping the people here. Across the road from where I live is a project that is feeding and educating 500 orphans whose parents have died from AIDS. Without this project the children would probably be living on the streets and eating out of garbage dumps. Just this one example is enough for me when it comes to questioning the value of missionary work. I agree with you that cultural identity of tribes should be respected and missionaries should respect. Unfortunately it is an irresistable offer for most natives to be handed a "free lunch" and it would be good if they could understand fully what the consequences will be to join modern society. Most Africans I have met embrace the changes brought by technology and the developed world. Is the tribal life so idyllic?

 

Heh, only to the casual observer.

Ever read things fall apart? It's an interesting account of missionaries in Africa from a tribe perspective.

 

What about atheist missionaries? In The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins argues that raising kids in a religious tradition is a form of child abuse, and is particularly outraged that anyone should bring up a kid to be Amish. I've always had a soft spot for the Amish, and think the kids might fare better in some respects in that culture than in some of our "modern" suburbs and metropolises with their libraries, art museums, dope pushers, muggers, etc. But Dawkins implies we should intervene. Agreed?

 

dawkins is an idiot.

 

I wouldn't say that. Dawkins is an incredibly smart individual, and an incerdibly well educated individual, he just holds very very very strong opinons.

I do not agree that intervention is nessecary. Is the governemnt going to intervene if a parent tells a child that the only safe way to have sex is to not to (while omitting condoms as an alternitive--although it is not exactly 100%). What does the government have rights over, and what don't they? I guess I am libertarian in that sense...

 

I think Dawkins has daddy issues. Based on his opinions and the way he backs them up a wee bit of a god complex of his own.

 

lol yeah that should be his next book.

You God is fake because I am God.
Richard Dawkins

 

For the most part, I'm with Brave Sir on this one.

However, I understand why many of you are upset that these people go out and preach their religion, and I have a problem with it too. Yet I wouldn't if they didn't introduce it as the ONLY way, otherwise you go to Hell.

If they went about, and told the people their message, this is fine. Aren't we all entitled to atleast this much? The problem arises though when they persist that any other religion gets a lake of fire for eternity.

Peace and Love, John.

 

i think that tribal people live a life that, if disturbed is then endangered.

but i do totally agree with you that all the hell, eternal damnation, the one true way, all other gods are false gods ect, is just wrong and very damaging.

blesssings
xxx
xx
x

 

I think i dont have a problem with missionaries etc but i dont particularly like them. If they were going across and helping people as a person who wants to help then thats fine but theyre not - theyre going as a christian and thats what i have a problem with. Because theyre going as christians the people theyre helping are gonna be more likely to convert to christianity. Having said that i would think the same about all religous groups converting although Christianity is the most well known around here who actually do that.

 

Well,the sooner the those pesky natives are forced to join modern civilization,hotels will have enough room cleaners,fat food places will have enough burger flippers and we can get to those logs,oil and minerals they're not using.And if they can be threatened with everlasting damnation and eternal fire unless they change their beliefs,they'll probably be scared enough to contribute when that ever-popular money plate is passed.It's good for business all around.

 

The long awaited reality check for "Chrisitians" like myself is coming. Our philosophy has been fucked for ages.

The Gospel message is the ONE-NESS of all.

Christendom tries to marry this gospel into a divide and conquer world and it falls apart ... but oh GOD. It's the truth.

ONE GOD, ONE UNIVERSE, ONE LOVE.

That is the message of Jesus.

It doesn't take rocket science to figure that one out.

 

So then the question remains... Why go on missions or aim for conversion to a church in the first place or a paticular "belief system" ?

This is all something people can do on a small scale.

There is the mission

ONE-NESS of all unconditional love. Open your heart and your mind to it.

Let God pull the splinters out of your eye so that u can "repent" and be revealed good so you can always chose good.

That's the best anyone can do...