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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I really don't think it was about converting as much as serving.  Our church also hosted a local food pantry, soup kitchen, and clothing closet.  We did collections for kids in foster care.  None of those activities had any pressure to join our church or to become Christian.  It was all about serving those less fortunate.

I'm sure they the work done abroad wasn't perfect, but I don't think any less so than other non-religious charitable endeavors from the 80s and 90s.  [/quote]

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." They have good intentions but they aren't going to serve in a way that doesn't make it about them.

Lots of these people who do service missions would be doing far more good by taking all the money they spend on transportation to these areas for themselves and just sending it to those people. But then they wouldn't be getting the fun experience and it wouldn't be as effective at making themselves look good. A few white christians truly don't care if people convert. Maybe they even realize that conversion would be bad for them. But this is the exception, because the present conception of christianity demands expansion.

People in needy communities know what problems they have. They are working on solutions. Sometimes they don't need outside help. Sometimes they do. But usually missionaries don't ask what these people need or even if they want help. And is there really room in the christian conception of charity and missionary work to honor the wishes of a local, non-christian culture?

I do think that charities can have the same problem. It's all part of the whole white savior complex thing. [/quote]

I agree with a lot of this, but not all. For many Christians, the “present concept” doesn’t demand expansion, that’s just wrong. I do agree that people should save the money they spend on transportation, and while it’s good for kids to see other cultures that don’t live on TicTok, I don’t think this sort of cultural tourism is necessarily good or justifies spending the money on airplanes.

Boy, this thread has really brought out the dramatic haters. The same could be said of Muslim proselytizers, but where would the fun be in that. [/quote]

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