Christian Missionaries and the tsunami
Christian Missionaries and the tsunami
I've just finished watching a documentary on the CBC (Canadian Television) about the various Christian Organizations and Missionary groups that swooped down upon the hardest hit villages after the tsunami, offering money, new boats, housing, schools etc., for those who would convert to Christianity. In some cases: no conversion - no help. Many Thais converted, having been told that "Christ" would keep them safe from another natural disaster. One missionary, smiling that creepy psychotic fanatical religious smile - said that he hoped every single Thai in Thailand would come to know the "good news" about Jesus. Crosses and new churches popping up everywhere. The whole thing made me sick. You have the most peaceful, harmless spritual philosophy imaginable...and then enter the most violent, superstitious, intolerant, devisive and hateful belief system in the history of human civilzation. Makes me furious.
Maverick
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Vital Spark
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Matthew: I do hope that the desperate ones just said 'Yes', got the help and continued worshipping whichever God or philosophy or religion they had always believed in.
I don't quite understand this 'conversion' thing. You're not actually signing a piece of paper, and nobody checks to find out if you go to church (or not) every Sunday.
Occasionally the God Squad arrive at the universities here, they're always American, young, good looking, and ever so friendly. They stay around the campus for a few days. The first couple of days they just hang around the eateries and chat to the other students. Then they give them a booklet about Christianity and invite the students to discuss it, after they've read it. I've had students ask me what they should do - they've met a really nice young American friend and they don't want to let them down by not going to a Christian meeting. I give them polite advice about not turning up to the meetings, but I know what I'd really like to do...
V.S.
I don't quite understand this 'conversion' thing. You're not actually signing a piece of paper, and nobody checks to find out if you go to church (or not) every Sunday.
Occasionally the God Squad arrive at the universities here, they're always American, young, good looking, and ever so friendly. They stay around the campus for a few days. The first couple of days they just hang around the eateries and chat to the other students. Then they give them a booklet about Christianity and invite the students to discuss it, after they've read it. I've had students ask me what they should do - they've met a really nice young American friend and they don't want to let them down by not going to a Christian meeting. I give them polite advice about not turning up to the meetings, but I know what I'd really like to do...
V.S.
"Properly trained, man can be a dog's best friend"
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Little treefrog
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I saw a documentary of christian missionary that where trying to convert the original population of Papa & new Guinea, one of the tribe member refused to convert, but this nice missionarys said that if he converted he´s asthma would be cured, the asthma was the devil´s work and "God" would cure him if he converted. It was heartbreaking to hear how he reasoned should he convert to the new "better" "God" and give up everything he know, and what was his choises when he was the last one in his tribe to belive in the past and old traditions, and then again he really would like to be well from the asthma.
It is a shame how far some christian´s do to force their religion on other people.
The day Thailand give up there belive in Buddha, it is time to move.
It is a shame how far some christian´s do to force their religion on other people.
The day Thailand give up there belive in Buddha, it is time to move.
The thought appals me that I might be seeing Christian churches, Christian schools, and symbols of the cross popping up around Thailand. No good has every come from the spreading of organized religion: be it Christianity or Islam - or any other book of violent fairy-tales. It's like a bloody infection!
Maverick
lomuamart wrote:
They often turn up at my home in Bristol as well.
Mrs BB always answers the door bell, and if its some religious freak she always invites them in - that reaction always puts them on their guard to start with.
Once in, she takes them straight to the conservatory where she has her Buddhist shrine (or whatever you want to call it). No matter what they say to her, she always swings it around to 'her Buddha' and how good he is. If they get too persuasive, she uses the, "Sorry, I no understand" bit on them. If that happens, the candles get lit and the incense sticks start smouldering.
Whatever, they always leave the house wondering what they've just experienced.
The God squad occasionally turned up at my front door in London.
They often turn up at my home in Bristol as well.
Mrs BB always answers the door bell, and if its some religious freak she always invites them in - that reaction always puts them on their guard to start with.
Once in, she takes them straight to the conservatory where she has her Buddhist shrine (or whatever you want to call it). No matter what they say to her, she always swings it around to 'her Buddha' and how good he is. If they get too persuasive, she uses the, "Sorry, I no understand" bit on them. If that happens, the candles get lit and the incense sticks start smouldering.
Whatever, they always leave the house wondering what they've just experienced.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 1 - 2 Leeds Utd 
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
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margaretcarnes
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Christian Missionaries and the Tsunami
Matthew88s post highlights a disgraceful form of blackmail by people who are supposed to be Christian. Although I'm not a practising member of any God Squad it just stinks IMO.
But there was a huge and generally genuine and well meaning reaction to the Tsunami. Its just a shame that people who donated didn't realise the risk of sending cash, as illustrated by the 'missing' funds in Phuket.
I'd just got back to the UK a few days after the disaster to find collection buckets at supermarket checkouts, and was immediately ostracised for daring to doubt where the donations would end up.
BTW Lomu - I tell the God Squad folks that I'm a witch. Seems to do the trick, and who knows...
But there was a huge and generally genuine and well meaning reaction to the Tsunami. Its just a shame that people who donated didn't realise the risk of sending cash, as illustrated by the 'missing' funds in Phuket.
I'd just got back to the UK a few days after the disaster to find collection buckets at supermarket checkouts, and was immediately ostracised for daring to doubt where the donations would end up.
BTW Lomu - I tell the God Squad folks that I'm a witch. Seems to do the trick, and who knows...
BB
Bristol Eh!
Knew it well. Used to work at the Hewlett Packard research labs there
Was a nice sleepy place and then the M4 and M5 took care of that. Progress I suppose
Bristol Eh!
Knew it well. Used to work at the Hewlett Packard research labs there
Was a nice sleepy place and then the M4 and M5 took care of that. Progress I suppose
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
As stated in my last post to BB
My personal experiences in Religious dogma were weird. Brought up as a Methodist, shipped to a public school, high church was the main focus. Curriculam was Greek, Hebrew and Latin. All masters had to have a religious degree . The focus was as a leaver you would go into the church, classics or armed forces. Languages, art and science were considered 'namby pamby'.
How's this for an upbringing. Church twice a day excluding morning assembly and evening prayers at your bedside
Sundays was a special. Communion at dawn, mid day service, Complin at night followed by punishment. If you had defaulted during the week and you were due to receive a caning that was reserved for Sunday night.
Serious misdemeanors were reserved for Monday morning at assembly after prayers. A caning in front of the whole school
Imagine the impact that has on a boy of 12 to 15 with no Mum or Dad there to support him?
Leaves a lot of scars. Even as a retired person now I dread Sundays and especially Monday mornings
My personal experiences in Religious dogma were weird. Brought up as a Methodist, shipped to a public school, high church was the main focus. Curriculam was Greek, Hebrew and Latin. All masters had to have a religious degree . The focus was as a leaver you would go into the church, classics or armed forces. Languages, art and science were considered 'namby pamby'.
How's this for an upbringing. Church twice a day excluding morning assembly and evening prayers at your bedside
Sundays was a special. Communion at dawn, mid day service, Complin at night followed by punishment. If you had defaulted during the week and you were due to receive a caning that was reserved for Sunday night.
Serious misdemeanors were reserved for Monday morning at assembly after prayers. A caning in front of the whole school
Imagine the impact that has on a boy of 12 to 15 with no Mum or Dad there to support him?
Leaves a lot of scars. Even as a retired person now I dread Sundays and especially Monday mornings
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
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The understudy
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Hi there Y'all
I throughout my life had a strange and wicked expirience with religion, I was born and raised up in Germany but I'm still Thai and went to a Katholic School and it was mandatory to learn Religion there @ that school. We schoolkids there had a choice to learn Evangelical or Katholicism and during the first years both religeous classes where strictly divided. whenwe had masses held @ our small Aula/Auditorium the priest invited others to join the family. as those Masses held everytime every sijgle year the Massage was getting clearer and clearer They wanted to convert others to Join their religion.
What I think whats happenning is that Each religion is trying to woe us to join their so called Good which in their belief is more superior than other God which I think is a wrong point of thought because in my eves all Goods are equal it just the calling of the Names you live in depending of the region you live, in.
Ahh One quote of a Missionary which I find very disturbing [quote]One missionary, smiling that creepy psychotic fanatical religious smile - said that he hoped every single Thai in Thailand would come to know the "good news" about Jesus. Crosses and new churches popping up everywhere. [/quote] I cannot Imagine Thailand with masses of Chruches instead of Temples it's just not Thai! My longtime german fiend has also converted to Bhudism because, as Matttew stated perfectly the most peaceful, harmless spiritual Plilosophy imagineable. What he likes the most is that you can adopt this religion if you want to!!!
Your's The understudy!!!
I throughout my life had a strange and wicked expirience with religion, I was born and raised up in Germany but I'm still Thai and went to a Katholic School and it was mandatory to learn Religion there @ that school. We schoolkids there had a choice to learn Evangelical or Katholicism and during the first years both religeous classes where strictly divided. whenwe had masses held @ our small Aula/Auditorium the priest invited others to join the family. as those Masses held everytime every sijgle year the Massage was getting clearer and clearer They wanted to convert others to Join their religion.
What I think whats happenning is that Each religion is trying to woe us to join their so called Good which in their belief is more superior than other God which I think is a wrong point of thought because in my eves all Goods are equal it just the calling of the Names you live in depending of the region you live, in.
Ahh One quote of a Missionary which I find very disturbing [quote]One missionary, smiling that creepy psychotic fanatical religious smile - said that he hoped every single Thai in Thailand would come to know the "good news" about Jesus. Crosses and new churches popping up everywhere. [/quote] I cannot Imagine Thailand with masses of Chruches instead of Temples it's just not Thai! My longtime german fiend has also converted to Bhudism because, as Matttew stated perfectly the most peaceful, harmless spiritual Plilosophy imagineable. What he likes the most is that you can adopt this religion if you want to!!!
Your's The understudy!!!
In Love with Hua Hin since 19naughty9 and it ain't fading!!!
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
(My fable for All Things Japanese knows no boundaries!) Proud Student of Stamford University Hua Hin Campus from 1999 to 2004 (5th Batch of Graduates.)
“Once you survive Stamford U Hua Hin Campus only you can survive anything!!!”
A Christian
I absolutely abhor proselytizers of any shape or form and have always rejoiced that Buddhist culture IS so wonderfully "live and let live". I find the LDS and the local fundamentalists especially abhorrent. They used to hang out at Stamford from time to time giving out free Bibles in Thai. My students were always more puzzled by them than anything. "Why are they doing this and what do they want ?
Anyway, I am Catholic Christian (still) born and bred and lifelong and for all the faults of the Church, I have never given up on my own personal faith. ( Went to Mass last week in fact. .out of nostalgia perhaps, or a vain hope that they might get it right for once, perhaps a connection, however tenuous to the faith of my fathers? Maybe it is just in my blood. )
But I feel the Catholic Church lost the map long ago, proven by the fact that they are losing members worldwide by the tens of thousands and have faced a shortage of priests for decades. They must be doing something wrong!
In fact, the Church I was born into no longer exists and what is left is nutty as hell. (tambourines & drums, hands waving in the air, god-awful music and liturgy, dumb church policies, you name it)
To give you one local example. . very close in spirit to the Tsunami thing I think. . .look at the huge expensive new Salesian school here in Hua Hin. ( Landscaping alone must have cost them millions of baht) Catholic proselytizing policy is not to knock on your door but to convert you though your children. I would hazard a guess that most of the hundreds of kids attending "Salesian" are Buddhist. ( Then look at St Theresa's Church next door. . .it is an old, neglected, ugly barn. .and what does this say about a religion anyway?)
Bottom line: my spiritual life is none of the Church's business and I have certainly never tried to convert anyone. . .to what? A religion that has completely lost the way. .and elected a GW Bush of a pope?
Anyway, I am Catholic Christian (still) born and bred and lifelong and for all the faults of the Church, I have never given up on my own personal faith. ( Went to Mass last week in fact. .out of nostalgia perhaps, or a vain hope that they might get it right for once, perhaps a connection, however tenuous to the faith of my fathers? Maybe it is just in my blood. )
But I feel the Catholic Church lost the map long ago, proven by the fact that they are losing members worldwide by the tens of thousands and have faced a shortage of priests for decades. They must be doing something wrong!
In fact, the Church I was born into no longer exists and what is left is nutty as hell. (tambourines & drums, hands waving in the air, god-awful music and liturgy, dumb church policies, you name it)
To give you one local example. . very close in spirit to the Tsunami thing I think. . .look at the huge expensive new Salesian school here in Hua Hin. ( Landscaping alone must have cost them millions of baht) Catholic proselytizing policy is not to knock on your door but to convert you though your children. I would hazard a guess that most of the hundreds of kids attending "Salesian" are Buddhist. ( Then look at St Theresa's Church next door. . .it is an old, neglected, ugly barn. .and what does this say about a religion anyway?)
Bottom line: my spiritual life is none of the Church's business and I have certainly never tried to convert anyone. . .to what? A religion that has completely lost the way. .and elected a GW Bush of a pope?
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huahindolly
- Specialist
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Proselitizing
Speaking of proselitizing, some of the most aggressive proselitizers are the Mormons (LDS). We lived in Utah (Mecca-for-Mormons) for 13 years and it was really interesting being a religious minority in a theocratic society. Talk about mind control! Those folks had every day mapped out for them by their church. It got to be too much when us minority gentiles (non-Mormons (the one place on earth where Jews are "gentiles") would do nothing but complain about the society we lived in. Then I visit Phuket and am accosted by none other than Mormon missionaries. Argh! Are there any in Hua Hin? - haven't seen them yet... great strategies to talk about Buddhism with them, or even to say I'm a witch!
HHD
HHD