Yes, that's an idea, not a script. I was in Ghana with a secular volunteer group last year. Lots of the volunteers (including me) talked about our beliefs with Ghanaians and they did the same with us. We visited their churches, learned how they worshipped, etc. This just seems logical - it's part of the process of developing relationships.
You can call it an idea if that is all it is. The problem with youre claim is that there is an execution involved, hence a script. There is a reason why they are called MISSIONaries. Take a look at the mission statement of all the Christian missionaries and tell me I am wrong. It is one thing to talk and share your beliefs, it is another to ADVERTISE that your sole purpose for that mission is to spread the word of god. Take note that this mission is one directional. Meaning, only one party will do the convincing.
A script implies one way of doing things that everyone follows. That's not remotely the case. That's irrelevant to what we were discussing: that both secular and religious groups share information that can lead to some unintended bad outcomes. Everyone shares knowledge when they reach new people; some of it will not work out as intended. I fail to see why we should hate one group for doing it and not others. And you again don't seem to have much experience with actual missionaries. They generally don't try to "convince" people of anything; it's generally not their sole purpose for going; and they learn from the local population too. It's like you created your own caricature of what a missionary does and now hate them for it.
No, but again irrelevant to the particular conversation we were having, which is whether secular groups share their beliefs with people. But most missionaries I know don't go solely for that reason either. They go to grow and test themselves and to make a difference for people in the need; and they hope that, in the process, some of those people will be introduced to their faith.
one of the definitions of a script from free dictionary.. script - to orchestrate (behavior or an event) Where did I state that missionaries needs to be hated ? I have merely provided some infromation about the negative effects of proseletyzing. Since we are talking about religion, one religious missionary group usually has members that share the same belief. So all of these members will teach, preach the same thing and that is one of their missions to do so. Otherwise, they are not called missionaries. If there are 10 people making the same statement to an African kid, it is more likely that this kid will be convinced of this. So if one person has been converted to Christianity - mission accomplished by the group. Secular groups (providing aide) are composed of individuals who's only commonality is to help. They might have different religious belief or non at all. Instead of having 10 people saying the same exact thing, you have different ideas coming from different individuals - no as convincing. So if there are bad advices or outcome based on conversations, it is not because of the secular group (unless that is their mission statement), it is because of that individual. So you cannot blame the whole secular group for that. You are correct, I don't have much experience as I have been to just a few missions. That does not mean that I cannot look up a website and look at an organization's mission statement and make a determination on what their sole purpose it. Even if you can come up with missionaries that don't have "spreading the word" as part of their mission, majority of these missionaries will proudly advertise it. from dictionary.. Missionaries - A person sent on a religious mission, esp. one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country Convince - Cause (someone) to believe firmly in the truth of something It is also nice that you have interpreted our conversation and concluded that I hate missionaries just like LOF label you a LOH because you disagree with them.
Jesus also never had a hand in anything that comes even close to resembling modern religion. That said, you have a good heart, so I say keep doing what you're doing. Better than most people who just sit here in gluttony bragging about what they have.
Awesome stuff. I'm going to the most unfortunate place on earth. I'm going to ask them what they believe. Then I'm going to give them some help and some gifts, and save some people from disease or death. Then I'll specifically mention that I worship Satan and all the gifts are from him and my efforts are inspired by him. I'll tell them Satan really has a bad rap, and if they let me explain and accept my books, it will show how he is really swell and mischaracterized by everyone else and how my life changed for the better ever since I embraced him. I will tell them that my satanic inspiration moved me to save their kids from disease or death. I just want to help, that's all. They don't HAVE to accept my message.
But be careful, if you don't accept the message that I passed on, you will end up in hell...think about what you've been suffered so far and times 1000, yea, thats what you will be facing in hell. Now go read that book!
I'm not sure the relevance, but missionaries don't generally "orchestrate", so it still doesn't apply. What about the positive effects of what these people go and do? Is that irrelevant to judging their actions? Again, this is a very simplistic and caricatured version of missions work. You don't think secular groups have shared values? You don't think Peace Corps groups have certain things they generally believe in? Or the Red Cross? Or other various groups that go do humanitarian work? I don't know what to say if you think that. The point is that bad ideas are shared by everyone - missionaries and other humanitarians. They occasionally lead to bad outcomes. Here, it seems only one group is being judged for it. That's all true. You can look up lots of things on the web - it would probably give you a terrible sense of reality, though. I think it's sad that you judge real people and their real actions by reading a website and picking out arbitrary dictionary definitions. You seem to be more interested in simply attacking missionaries than actually learning more about a topic you admit you have little experience with, so I'll just end our conversation here.
I can tell you mine... I went to the doctor for a checkup and he told me I had high blood pressure. He told me to take certain pills. That night, I prayed to Satan to help me then I took the pills. 2 days later my blood pressure is back to normal. Glory to Satan!!! Satan works in mysterious ways. I could not tell you much about him because my mind will never comprehend his immense intelligence. Substitute 'Satan' with 'God' and all of a sudden, this story becomes more believable
Find a real Christian and it will be a breath of fresh air, That whole attacking others thing is from hell (or whatever other bad thing you can say for it) I would rather you be a deist than a hater.
What you are calling a 'value' on the missionary side is a supernatural belief. There is no equivalent on the secular side to supernatural beliefs. Take that one 'value' away from missionaries and they would be very similar to the other groups you've listed, having good ideas, bad ideas and everything in between. The Peace Corps and Red Cross are made of all sorts of people from atheists to Christians. Their religious (or atheistic) beliefs have absolutely zero to do with the job they're doing. They are going for other reasons. If their religion, or lack of religion, comes up through the course of conversation, of course they'll speak about it, but again, it is not part of the job they're doing. Missionaries are there as tools of god. There is a giant difference, here.
Reading things from the web is bad sense of reality, while reading the bible and believing every word is not - SMH. I have provided examples of studies done by independent authorities in which it was determined that the cause of said actions were due to prosletyzing. If you ask anybody about what they think about missionaries and what they do for their missions, majority will be inline with my definition. That is the reality that you don't want to accept. If we don't use the dictionary to determine the meaning of words, then people can just make their own definition of terms just like what you are doing and it's called "Etymological fallacy" - it's a losing argument. I guess everybody in the GARM has played in the NBA or played a lot of basketball. Otherwise, you are not allowed to critic and post your opinion. This is also my last word on this topic.
I think the deal is that Christians and other religions present their beliefs as if they were true or real, when in actuality it is just a bunch of made up b.s. It could be useful if they would admit that, and then argue their beliefs as useful rather than feed you some b.s. that you are going to suffer for eternity if you don't believe what they believe. Who can take somebody like that seriously?
Was there anything about the resurrection of Christ in the presentation? If so, consider yourself lucky, because the new "hip and trendy" style of evangelicalism has discouraged "traditional" Easter services. But I digress, here is the issue, what if the Christian Gospel is true? What if the whole of mankind is lost in sin and the only solution for the sins of the world is the love of Christ who was our sacrifice, who died in our place? What if it is true? And if it isn't, what is so wrong with those who want to believe it? Why don't they have the right? Why the anger and resentment against them? Why can everyone else have their view and it is cool, but Christians are bigots? Why are secularists not bigots? Why are members of other world religions not bigots? Why are only Christians bigots? Strange isn't it?
There is nothing wrong with Christians believing whatever they want to. Where did I say they don't have that right ? That was not my problem with the service. As I stated, I did not have a problem with it until they started preaching hate and condemning all other religions. If you think that's acceptable, then great. I will never attend or support any church that supports that behavior.
