Missionaries should be banned

[Anonymous]

I was a Mormon missionary in Tahiti. The fact that I spent 18 months of my life trying to convince poor, vulnerable people in a developing country that they weren't going to Heaven unless they paid 10% of their income to the Church...biiiiig yikes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I am from South East Asia and was born into one of the eastern religions. It absolutely enrages me to see western Christians come to third-world countries to convert us, trying to destroy our local practices, languages because they think they know better than us. The absolute disdain they have towards us brown people is disgusting. I think they should just be banned by all governments. Want to do humanitarian work - enroll with non-religious AID organizations. Keep your bible and your prejudice to yourself.

Who's to judge what religon is to be banned? The religion-based government?

[Anonymous]

okay but if you REALLY REALLY Believe that your way is the "right" way -- wouldn't it be irresponsible to NOT help others hear the "good news?"

I do not think this. I happen to think all religions, at best , are the same thing. But if you fervently believed otherwise...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you guys don’t believe in freedom of speech?
I’m an atheist but I don’t understand why you would favor banning speech.

Going to other countries, using your money and power to exploit people is not Free Speech.

Trying to convert people to your religion is the very definition of free speech. And, like all free speech that needs protection, many people don’t like it. And, like all free speech that needs protection because people don’t like it, the problem with banning it is that it is a slippery slope to banning more speech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am from South East Asia and was born into one of the eastern religions. It absolutely enrages me to see western Christians come to third-world countries to convert us, trying to destroy our local practices, languages because they think they know better than us. The absolute disdain they have towards us brown people is disgusting. I think they should just be banned by all governments. Want to do humanitarian work - enroll with non-religious AID organizations. Keep your bible and your prejudice to yourself.

You couldn't be more wrong. Christian missionaries shouldn't be destroying "local practices, languages". They're trying to spread the good new of Jesus Christ, and if they're doing more than that, then shame on them. But don't dismiss all missionaries because of a few bad apples.

Christianity, as it is practiced by Christian proselytizing religions, has a culture. It’s not belief in a vacuum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am from South East Asia and was born into one of the eastern religions. It absolutely enrages me to see western Christians come to third-world countries to convert us, trying to destroy our local practices, languages because they think they know better than us. The absolute disdain they have towards us brown people is disgusting. I think they should just be banned by all governments. Want to do humanitarian work - enroll with non-religious AID organizations. Keep your bible and your prejudice to yourself.

You couldn't be more wrong. Christian missionaries shouldn't be destroying "local practices, languages". They're trying to spread the good new of Jesus Christ, and if they're doing more than that, then shame on them. But don't dismiss all missionaries because of a few bad apples.

People are perfectly capable of finding God (whatever that means to them) without the help of judgmental fundie missionary tourists. I grew up in the southern baptist cult. Even as a teen, I knew it was messed up. I became a hospice chaplain because I wanted to help people transition in peace, not convert them to my way of thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:okay but if you REALLY REALLY Believe that your way is the "right" way -- wouldn't it be irresponsible to NOT help others hear the "good news?"

I do not think this. I happen to think all religions, at best , are the same thing. But if you fervently believed otherwise...

Maybe, but problem is with the belief that there is a right way and if somebody isn’t doing something tour way, they are at risk. Lots of religions don’t believe that there is one right way and many more don’t proselytize and try to convert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am from South East Asia and was born into one of the eastern religions. It absolutely enrages me to see western Christians come to third-world countries to convert us, trying to destroy our local practices, languages because they think they know better than us. The absolute disdain they have towards us brown people is disgusting. I think they should just be banned by all governments. Want to do humanitarian work - enroll with non-religious AID organizations. Keep your bible and your prejudice to yourself.

You couldn't be more wrong. Christian missionaries shouldn't be destroying "local practices, languages". They're trying to spread the good new of Jesus Christ, and if they're doing more than that, then shame on them. But don't dismiss all missionaries because of a few bad apples.

People are perfectly capable of finding God (whatever that means to them) without the help of judgmental fundie missionary tourists. I grew up in the southern baptist cult. Even as a teen, I knew it was messed up. I became a hospice chaplain because I wanted to help people transition in peace, not convert them to my way of thinking.

When you use language like that, you cannot be reasoned with.

[Anonymous]

I think the distinction should be made between local missionaries (eg the guy who yells about sin on the street corner in Chinatown, the door knockers in their own community, the Indian Christians wanting to spread their good word, whatever) who are and should be protected by free speech and tourist missions which are often creepy colonialism. You want to proselytize? Cool, learn enough local culture/language to become a citizen and move their permanently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you guys don’t believe in freedom of speech?
I’m an atheist but I don’t understand why you would favor banning speech.

Going to other countries, using your money and power to exploit people is not Free Speech.

Trying to convert people to your religion is the very definition of free speech. And, like all free speech that needs protection, many people don’t like it. And, like all free speech that needs protection because people don’t like it, the problem with banning it is that it is a slippery slope to banning more speech.

we don't allow religious "free speech" even in America, in the schools or by our government. And since religion is declining in American and Western countries, the missionaries have to prey on the poor countries of the world for converts because people just aren't buying it here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you guys don’t believe in freedom of speech?
I’m an atheist but I don’t understand why you would favor banning speech.

Going to other countries, using your money and power to exploit people is not Free Speech.

Trying to convert people to your religion is the very definition of free speech. And, like all free speech that needs protection, many people don’t like it. And, like all free speech that needs protection because people don’t like it, the problem with banning it is that it is a slippery slope to banning more speech.

we don't allow religious "free speech" even in America, in the schools or by our government. And since religion is declining in American and Western countries, the missionaries have to prey on the poor countries of the world for converts because people just aren't buying it here.

imma need you to show your work on that one, big boi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you guys don’t believe in freedom of speech?
I’m an atheist but I don’t understand why you would favor banning speech.

Going to other countries, using your money and power to exploit people is not Free Speech.

Trying to convert people to your religion is the very definition of free speech. And, like all free speech that needs protection, many people don’t like it. And, like all free speech that needs protection because people don’t like it, the problem with banning it is that it is a slippery slope to banning more speech.

we don't allow religious "free speech" even in America, in the schools or by our government. And since religion is declining in American and Western countries, the missionaries have to prey on the poor countries of the world for converts because people just aren't buying it here.

imma need you to show your work on that one, big boi

??? separation of church and state. Ever heard of it? it's Not allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am from South East Asia and was born into one of the eastern religions. It absolutely enrages me to see western Christians come to third-world countries to convert us, trying to destroy our local practices, languages because they think they know better than us. The absolute disdain they have towards us brown people is disgusting. I think they should just be banned by all governments. Want to do humanitarian work - enroll with non-religious AID organizations. Keep your bible and your prejudice to yourself.

You couldn't be more wrong. Christian missionaries shouldn't be destroying "local practices, languages". They're trying to spread the good new of Jesus Christ, and if they're doing more than that, then shame on them. But don't dismiss all missionaries because of a few bad apples.

People are perfectly capable of finding God (whatever that means to them) without the help of judgmental fundie missionary tourists. I grew up in the southern baptist cult. Even as a teen, I knew it was messed up. I became a hospice chaplain because I wanted to help people transition in peace, not convert them to my way of thinking.

When you use language like that, you cannot be reasoned with.

Sounds pretty accurate to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you guys don’t believe in freedom of speech?
I’m an atheist but I don’t understand why you would favor banning speech.

Going to other countries, using your money and power to exploit people is not Free Speech.

Trying to convert people to your religion is the very definition of free speech. And, like all free speech that needs protection, many people don’t like it. And, like all free speech that needs protection because people don’t like it, the problem with banning it is that it is a slippery slope to banning more speech.

we don't allow religious "free speech" even in America, in the schools or by our government. And since religion is declining in American and Western countries, the missionaries have to prey on the poor countries of the world for converts because people just aren't buying it here.

imma need you to show your work on that one, big boi

you only bolded the first part up to the comma; read the whole sentence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a Mormon missionary in Tahiti. The fact that I spent 18 months of my life trying to convince poor, vulnerable people in a developing country that they weren't going to Heaven unless they paid 10% of their income to the Church...biiiiig yikes.

Wow. That’s so predatory and exploitive.