07-24-2006, 12:40 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In my honest and humble opinion, the motivation is not selfish or to add numbers for self-gratification, but because most Christians honestly think that knowing about Jesus and the salvation he offers to all people is something everyone deserves to know, and decide for themselves (whichever way they decide). Its a job we have to do for others' good, not our own.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It is always about vindication, always about self-gratification. Yes, of course, you are doing it for what you perceive to be others' good as well.
Most <b>missionaries and religious lay christians</b> think that their "Son of God" alone has the access to God, and that all other forms of belief are variants of Satanism and Demonic cultism. They also believe that all idolatry is false belief, which must be eradicated.
Now, lay christians may not live their lives plotting for the eradication of native religions, but the missionary organizations do. That is their raison d'etre. Lay christians finance them mostly on the basis of that doctrine, and lay christians are recruited to them mostly on the basis of that doctrine.
The missionaries may be disrespectful or respectful to the heathen, but <b>the doctrine underlying their beliefs compels them to the same end, a need to convert the heathen for his own good</b>. And, because their doctrine is so intolerant, all respect or disrespect is merely a tactical ploy. In fact, because you perceive to be doing it for others' good, almost any tactic is justified, be it "sensitivity", "insensitivity", "breaking the idols", claiming to be victims, martyrdom, deception, bribery, social coercion, even a threat of death or ostracism, anything goes. Missionaries have a pretty instrumental view of the means, because they think the ends are so just.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Unfortunately, the job gets very complicated because there are always some few nutcase extremist Christians (who don't really understand God at all) who go and say stupid things, or do stupid things or are insensitive and so on. It makes the job of others so much more difficult.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But, you must concede, neither do the mainstream christians. Among christians, no one knows God, really. All you know is the "Christ" and the book. No christian ever claims to have seen or experienced God, they only have seen or experienced "Christ".
So, in this situation how is an extremist christian different from a moderate "mainstream" christian? It is only in how you interpret the book. I submit, that the nutcase extremist christian may not understand God, but he understands "Christ" and the "book" as well as anyone else.
None of you, lay or missionary, can rebut the fundamental doctrine, the nonsense about "No one comes to my Father except through Me". Uttering "stupid" and "insensitive" things is a tactic, just like being "sensitive". Your "Christ" cannot coexist with my God.
It is always about vindication, always about self-gratification. Yes, of course, you are doing it for what you perceive to be others' good as well.
Most <b>missionaries and religious lay christians</b> think that their "Son of God" alone has the access to God, and that all other forms of belief are variants of Satanism and Demonic cultism. They also believe that all idolatry is false belief, which must be eradicated.
Now, lay christians may not live their lives plotting for the eradication of native religions, but the missionary organizations do. That is their raison d'etre. Lay christians finance them mostly on the basis of that doctrine, and lay christians are recruited to them mostly on the basis of that doctrine.
The missionaries may be disrespectful or respectful to the heathen, but <b>the doctrine underlying their beliefs compels them to the same end, a need to convert the heathen for his own good</b>. And, because their doctrine is so intolerant, all respect or disrespect is merely a tactical ploy. In fact, because you perceive to be doing it for others' good, almost any tactic is justified, be it "sensitivity", "insensitivity", "breaking the idols", claiming to be victims, martyrdom, deception, bribery, social coercion, even a threat of death or ostracism, anything goes. Missionaries have a pretty instrumental view of the means, because they think the ends are so just.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Unfortunately, the job gets very complicated because there are always some few nutcase extremist Christians (who don't really understand God at all) who go and say stupid things, or do stupid things or are insensitive and so on. It makes the job of others so much more difficult.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But, you must concede, neither do the mainstream christians. Among christians, no one knows God, really. All you know is the "Christ" and the book. No christian ever claims to have seen or experienced God, they only have seen or experienced "Christ".
So, in this situation how is an extremist christian different from a moderate "mainstream" christian? It is only in how you interpret the book. I submit, that the nutcase extremist christian may not understand God, but he understands "Christ" and the "book" as well as anyone else.
None of you, lay or missionary, can rebut the fundamental doctrine, the nonsense about "No one comes to my Father except through Me". Uttering "stupid" and "insensitive" things is a tactic, just like being "sensitive". Your "Christ" cannot coexist with my God.