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Pastimes : Religion on SI -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IN_GOD_I_TRUST who wrote (865)	9/9/1998 3:05:00 AM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1542

Steve, This is the kind of story I mean. It just doesn't ring true to me. No matter how depraved a society may be, I cannot believe that every one of them deserved to die. Nor can I believe that God would use one group of people as a tool to do this sort of dirty work. It sounds to me like history told through the eyes of the victor, invoking God's name to justify the unjustifiable. Another one that bothers me is the story of the Philistines, who seem to have been wiped out simply for trying to hold onto the land where they lived. The story says that they were warlike and vicious, but it also says that as soon as Goliath fell, they turned and ran away, and that the Isrealites pursued them and slaughtered them. Again, it just doesn't ring true, and the conscience - and common sense - cannot approve. When I speak of those who do not have the right to choose, I don't speak for myself. I made my choice long ago, and will stand by it without fear in life or death. But there are many who do not have it. I've lived my adult life in developing countries, and I've watched many missionaries. All too often I see white people ranting fire and brimstone at brown people who barely understand English. The people being preached to are frequently repelled not by the content of the message, but by the threatening and aggressive body language, facial expressions, and voice tones. If the message is not clear, and is refused, is that the fault of those being preached to? Especially in Asian countries, where politeness and decorum are at a cultural premium, shouting at people through a microphone (which many missionaries seem to feel is effective) is the height of rudeness. Are people who hear the word only from barbarians deemed to have been given a chance? I recall an incident where a group of Christian preachers visited a southern Philippine Island inhabited by Muslims. On their first day of preaching they announced that Allah is Satan, Mohammed was a liar, and the ancestors of their audience were roasting in hell. On the second day they didn't get a chance to say much, as someone threw a grenade on the stage and blew several of them up. Some would call those missionaries martyrs, I would call them bloody idiots. Even if you disapprove of other people's beliefs, it doesn't justify insults. In fairness, I should also say I've met missionaries that impressed me. Perhaps the best was an older Baptist fellow, a farmer, who brought farmers to his demonstration farm and taught techniques for farming sloping land without erosion. When I met him he'd been there 10 years, and spoke the language as well as I do (pretty well). Short of holding optional daily services, he never preached a word, and I think he made more converts than all the roadshow ranting preachers put together. I have mentioned several times to Emile that whatever the merits of the message, if the messenger is harsh, accusatory, and judgmental, the message will not be well received. I think he's driven far more people away from his faith than he has ever attracted to it. What do you think? Steve