Iin, that i think this aspect of missionary work should be illegal?

This is something that for the longest time I have not agreed with. Christian missionaries go to other countries to "help" people when really they go there to try to convert the poverty stricken natives. I do not think this is right nor should it be acceptable. If they really were there to help and not force their beliefs on others that would be fine. They have no right to go and try to convert these people, its almost like a slap to their faces. Its disrespectful to their cultures and their original beliefs. There is nothing moral about this and I think that it should be made illegal. IIN?

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Based on 59 votes (38 yes)
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Comments ( 18 )
  • dom180

    I don't see it as immoral at all. Or course people have a right to try and spread their beliefs if they choose to, and so long as the methods they use are not immoral or illegal I have no problem with it. I can see why you would find some methods immoral, but I can't see what is so wrong with the simple aim of trying to convert someone.

    Many of the methods stated in those links are illegal already, by the way.

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    • charli.m

      It is kinda exploiting the situation - taking advantage of people in a vulnerable situation.

      I have no issue with people explaining that they do their work out of service to their god, but I do have issue with indoctrination.

      Didn't look at the links cos I'm lazy.

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    • This is correct. And I know because the cat in the hat knows a lot.

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  • Short4Words

    As I christian I have a few things to say. If they are going into countries and offering food and water, to teach, then I am somewhat disheartened. The fact of the matter is that they can't force anything, as far as I know, they aren't taking kids out of villages anymore like in the old days. This is all going off assumption though, personally, and what I think represents MY beliefs, is that they offer whatever aid and help they can, and if people are then interested in who they are and where they came from, they can tell them. That should be the motivation, demonstrate Christ's love. Not deal it to them. Like I said all going on assumptions.

    Would it be rude of me to ask you to provide some real life and documented examples of missionary work gone wrong?

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    • http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080917233817AAvPmWx

      http://christianaggression.com/tactics.php

      http://www.fpcn-global.org/en/content/Missionaries_Conversion_IS_Violence

      http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/ramdas_lamb/2010/03/missionaries_the_good_the_bad_and_the_ugly.html

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  • AbnormallyAwesome

    If you use the faith as a requirement to be helped or something in that direction, then I fully agree with you.

    But other then that it depends on the point of view. If you have true faith it is not just a religion or a bunch of rules to you. It's simply the truth. And for most christians who go help people their faith is the reason they do it. They try to do as Jesus would have done. So why would they not talk about why they are helping? And if they build a school why would the teach people anything other then what they believe is true? To you it may seem as if they're going there and lie to people. But thats just your point of view.

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  • Sweetbird

    I have mixed feelings about this. It would be a definite wrong to deny people services based on religion, but that is just bad salesmanship and would do nothing. And I'm not a fan of barbaric religious rituals such as putting on gloves of bullet ants or even circumcision. However, I believe in the preservation of culture. Yet some culture is best enjoyed from books....yet none of us is qualified to give a universal opinion as to just how far this goes. A lot of religion is tradition and social, too. And since no one can prove that any one religion is "the best"....it is a choice that these missionaries make, at times, that seems an arbitrary waste of energy when they could be doing more important things.

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  • mismatched_puzzle_piece

    YOUR religion is YOUR business, keep it out of my face.
    my beliefs put simply

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  • richardbturgid

    Any legitimate missionary doesn't force their beliefs on the natives. they meet their needs and teach them as they are willing to listen, and the choice is ultimately theirs :)

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  • Jakki

    They don't go up n slap em in the face. They just wanna help, because all nonbelievers go to hell. It's the truth! Sadly, not many people listen.

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  • thegypsysailor

    Are you aware that to a christian, if you are not a baptised believer, you will go to hell? Even if you have never heard of the christian gods, their teachings or do not know that christianity even exists.
    What god would condemn all those who don't even know he exists to eternal damnation? Certainly not the all knowing, all powerful, all loving god of christianity.
    What a bunch of hypocritical assholes.

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    • AbnormallyAwesome

      Hi Sailor
      I wasn't going to say anything untill you called all Christians assholes. Now I feel I have to defend us hypocrites.
      The bible does in fact say that if you've never heard the word of god and still live after his will (loving your neighbor as you love yourself) you can be saved. I think thats true for a lot of people, even if you live in a "christian" country there's a high possibility that what you've heard from christians were not gods words - If you know what I mean.
      I do believe in an all loving god and Jesus said since we do not see peoples hearts we are never to judge them. So if I told you I know who goes to hell (whatever that may be) then I would not be a christian.
      I could still be an asshole though...

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    • I am aware since I was raised a Christian. I did not agree with the majority of its teachings so I left and converted to something else.

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      • RoseIsabella

        What is that something else?

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        • Agnostic-Atheist. Though there was a time where I originally considered myself to be a Buddhist.

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          • RoseIsabella

            I feel Buddhism is more a philosophy of sorts. I could be wrong be of course. I reckon anyone from a Catholic to an Atheist could study Buddhism and gain knowledge.

            What type of Buddhism did you study?

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            • I can't remember the exact branch. I had gotten books on the subject but I don't think that had enough time to get into the parts about the specific branches before I had to return those books to the library.

              You aren't wrong. In many ways Buddhism can be likened to be a Philosophy more so than a religion. I read in one book that this factor is why Buddhism is so easy to incorporate with other religions.

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