Are Missionaries in it for themselves?

Question

Before I turned away from Christianity, I once had the opportunity to go go on a Missionary trip. I refused after I realized that we were supposed to preach to people ignorant of God. I refused to give these people a chance of going to hell if they didn't stop their form of worship.

Why can't Missionaries leave well enough alone? Without knowledge of the Good Word, people are saved because they're ignorant. However, Missionaries still go out into foreign lands and invade tribes preaching about the Good Word, and essentially pulling a rug out from under said tribes.

These people were saved until the Missionaries showed up. Why do these people feel the need to give tribes a chance to worship what Christians worship? Why is it so important? These people are living happy, fullfilling lives as it is. If they we'ren't, you would see them trying to change thier way of life. Why do Missionaries want to ruin the balance these tribes have achieved?

Answer 1

i dont think any one should force their faith own any one. how do we know that the god they pray to isn't the same god. he just has a different name. another strange fact look at the people who are Christan's then look at the tribes who are not most of those tribes get along peacefully with love and respect for each other. i think the reason people spend so much time judging one another is to forget about their own faults

Answer 2

A "missionary trip" is not the same as being a missionary. My parents were missioners to China. They spent 2 years just learning the language before being qualified to go. They might have spent their lives there had they not been forced out twice. First by the Japanese, then by the Communists.

A "missionary trip" which is only a month long or less, has the primary purpose of educating the "missionary" about the conditions that people in other cultures face. They may do something useful, like building a one room school out of concrete block, and even being a "praise team", but it is those missionaries who come back with changed lives because of what they've seen, not so much the people they go to. And that is not bad.

Answer 3

Even though you have turned from Christianity, you should still have a bible laying around. Turn to Acts 17 verses 29-30
They deal with ignorance and gods view of it.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's deice.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:

That pretty much shows that your view on spreading the word is wrong, and you should read and re read this, and pray about it, just because your thinking about spreading the message was wrong, does not mean that you cannot pick yourself back up and follow the path that you were meant to follow.

Get a copy of the movie End of the Spear and watch it, then watch the documenary that preceded it, called Beyond the gates of splendor. These are eye opening missionary videos, that will change your mind about if missionaries are in it for themselves, these certainly werent, they gave their lives to spread the word.

Answer 4

Wow! That is a detailed question and scenario. Some missionaries are probably doing the work for the status they think they will gain from the experience. I think most missionaries are probably sincere in their desire to improve the lives of those they teach by giving them the chance to know more and do more with their lives. You are correct in your belief that ignorant people are saved from the judgment of those things that they didn't know about. However, if they are given the chance to learn about the higher laws of God, then they can improve themselves and receive some of the eternal blessings that they could not otherwise have. Is there a chance of failure, or to not live up to the standards that they are being taught? Yes, of course. But there is also the chance of eternal improvement. That is the motivation behind the missionary effort, to give everybody the earliest possible chance for improvement. If the uneducated natives don't learn about the higher law in this life, then they still need to learn about it in the next phase, beyond mortality. It is better to learn it here, if they can, rather than to wait.

Answer 5

A bit of both. They are sincere, but a lot of times, these are just high school kids that are brain washed into thinking that God has has a special purpose or plan for them. They should stay in college and get a degree first and then if they want to go over there and really help, be a doctor and evangalize.

Beside, with all the unsaved people here in North America, there is no need to go overseas. Its selfish.

Answer 6

i believe you're mistaken. ignorance does not replace salvation. The bible never states that those who don't hear about salvation through Christ alone will go to heaven.

If ignorance did lead to salvation, then your point is well taken, just leave people alone.

the same comparison is fair about babies going to heaven just because they are babies. if that were true the most loving thing would be to kill all the babies, so they are guaranteed to go to heaven, instead of letting them grow up, hear about God, and reject him.

please do some more research. realize people don't hear without a preacher (missionary). Romans 10:15

Answer 7

If you were a christian as you claim then you know why missionaries teach. They believe, as I do, that they are sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. There is nothing in it for them. They are following their Lord's command.

Answer 8

Missionary groups such as World Vision, are little more than terrorist organizations. My term for this is "cultural terrorism".

Answer 9

I am not sure about the missionary position.

Answer 10

missionary are used car salesmen for the church. their sole purpose is to sell sell sell. once sold, they move on elsewhere looking for more prospects. get enough sales, get promoted to minister or priest. just like a business. more you get, the more you get