How do you feel about missionaries trying to convert "primitive" cultures?

Question

I understand their worth when they build schools and teach them useful skills to survive within a multi-cultural society. But how do you feel about missionaries telling them that their ways are wrong, and that they need to be Christian, etc now?

Answer 1

Look at it like this. In the amazon, the tribes had plenty of food and lived well. When Christians came, they plowed down the surrounding rainforest that gave them food. They took the food source from the tribes, and told them they would not provide food less they convert. The Christians also brought diseases. The good Christians said "we will let you die less you convert", and did not give medicine to those who did not convert. Before Christians, the people were happy well fed, and healthy. The Christians came and destroyed their culture. Now they are malnourished (no forest to provide food), they are diseased, live in garbage dumps, and the lucky ones work in sweat shops. But, they found Jesus, and look how it helped them. The christian groups get on TV, and tell you to send money to them, so they can help local tribes. They help them by doing this, or giving out bibles to the ones they already messed up. This is the case all over the world. They destroyed cultures, and starved children into agreeing with them .You can say they were not true Christians, but that does not help those people. Religions need to live up to what they do. That was practice of the church back then. Now we say, "oh they were not true Christians". Years from now Christians will look back on today's Christians and say the same with the gay marriage, and such. The only good the missionaries have done, was to undo a tiny fraction of the harm they caused.

Answer 2

Why do Christians think they have the right to decide what is primitive and what is not? These people already have an established set of beliefs. What makes christians think that these people want them to butt in? Christians need to stay out of other peoples lives. They are not the be all and end all of the world. How do they know they hold the only key to salvation? They don't. They think they do but they don't. THese missionary people need to get over themselves get off their high horse and stop trying force their beliefs on people who didn't ask for it. an earlier post said that some of these cultures make sacrafices and live in fear of imaginary evil spirits so its good that christians are interfering. Well these people probly think the same thing about Christianity. Wow these crazy people base their whole lives on a book? They live their lives in fear of some imaginary monster? Come on people.. honestly

Answer 3

I am not sure they go to foreign lands and tell people that they are wrong. I think they may try and teach them a better way to live, at least in their minds. It is probably destructive in many ways to change culture with a forced doctrine. By example is less destructive, especially if it turns our to be fruitful.
We have been instructed as Children of God to go into every land and preach the Gospel to every Creature. I would say that includes the most remote cultures. It doesn't say to change anything, that is God's business.
I would add to this that it should only be under the instruction of God Himself. If some man tells you to go to Africa and become a missionary, he would have to go with you to tell you when to come home. Also, it is God's business to prepare the vessels, people, to hear what is said. If it is not in Gods timing, it will be a long hot day on the Tundra...............

Answer 4

I don't think it's fair to think that the folks in these primitive cultures aren't able to make their own decisions.

The only problem I have is when a missionary tries to convert them entirely to their culture too, instead of just leaving it at the doctrine.

Answer 5

Your question implies that all beliefs are created equal. I think in the face of that, you should reevaluate your belief system. Female genital mutilation, ritual killing of infants, that the world is flat, etc. suggest that all belief MIGHT not be equally correct.
You can argue the validity of Christianity if you would like, but please don't tell me that missionaries are doing "primitives" a disservice by introducing them to things like electricity and clothing. Please, if you think their ways of living are so great and valid as a way of living why don't you join them? Live in a hut, naked, with a plate in your lip (or a gord on your penis), and a big common pot to eat out of with your fingers. No? Okay then, shut up, stop criticizing and thank people who get off their butts to go bring people out of mosquito infested jungles into the simple conveniences of the modern world.

Answer 6

Perhaps you are not aware of the types of societies you are talking about. People live in constant fear of evil spirits lurking behind every rock, tree, and animal. They make sacrifices to appease them.

Many are living in a murderous, revenge based culture with never ending cycles of vengence because they've never hear of the concept that Jesus taught "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

I would highly recommend watching the movie "The End of the Spear" which is about Wycliffe missionaries and one culture that they encountered.

Answer 7

You need to understand that the bible tells us to spread the word, and as far as I understand its been done. I can't think of any place in the world who hasn't heard the word. I think some of these missionaries were too forceful, but their hearts were in the right places, they were trying to save souls. I think the concept of "spreading the word" got overdone, and some missionairies actually tried to force people to believe. You can't force it, you give the knowledge, then let people make their own decisions. Trying to force God down anyones throat kinda defeats the purpose. It's 2006, so I think the spreading the word thing has been done.

Answer 8

Primitive cultures? Backwards, superstitious, innocent, simple, intellectually underdeveloped - sounds like the perfect target for Christians!

Answer 9

for sure you may desire to tell them to **** off with that. what form of acquaintances attempt to take the very desire and faith from somebody? Its not user-friendly to stay autonomous from human beings, yet once you're able to desire to, then permit it quite is. in case you like to upward push to the project, then study greater sturdy and placed them of their places. Hell, if this doesn`t count selection, wasn`t Isaac Newton a freemason, and weren't the greek philosophers sturdy theists, even of their worldly learn? Who provides a **** approximately Darwin, because it quite is been shown that there are nevertheless gaps in his concept of evolution and it would desire to not even disprove religious ideals? If I`m not wrong, wasn`t a priest in charge for the super advances interior the theories of selective breeding etc? history will continuously instruct a victor, and regardless of if a internet site tells you something isn`t something, then it is going to stress us to look greater advantageous into it.

Answer 10

I am all for helping a culture use their resources to better their community, but I have to ask:

Who decides what's "primitive" and what's not?

Here in America, we do things that (I'm sure) other cultures find primitive. It is said that in Spain, football (American version, not soccer) is barbaric and lacks taste. In England, they refer to our English not as English, but as "American", for they believe that we have butchered the language and do not honor it's roots.

It is the duty of Christians to spread God's word to all. But it is NOT their right to shove the ways of Jesus Christ down anyone's throat by refering to others' beliefs as primitive, for they are not below us.

Hope it helps! ^_^

Answer 11

Like when the spanish came to the Americas and told the Indians to kneel down to the cross and convert or die. I think most of them died since they didn't speak Spanish