I've been discussing religion all day, and would like to know everyone's views on Missionaries...?

Question

What do you think? Do they do great work in other countries, or are they intruding on other cultures?

Answer 1

Arrogant meddlers.

Answer 2

...Some cultures need to be radically changed anyway - in Ecuador, Jim Elliott's widow and a few of her friends won the murderous Auca tribe for Christ - the tribe that murdered her husband and others - and the power of God changed their murderous culture into a bunch of loving Christians - their murder rate went down to zero, without any government program.
...Since when is preserving someone's culture a reason to not bring them the Gospel? I know of no missionary who purposed to destroy a culture, but...a culture will pass away - human beings will go on after death being somewhere - in Heaven or Hell. Those who are against missionaries I guess would prefer that people go to Hell but keep their culture?
...And this is not just any Gospel - 1 Corinthians 15 says this is the Gospel by which you are saved.
...Have you read these passages?
...Acts 1:8 says, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
...Matthew 28:18-20 says, "18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
...Acts 4:12 says, "And there is salvation in no one else, for their is no other Name under Heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved."
...Christians are called to take the Gospel all over the Earth. It is imperative that we do this, in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.
...I personally would rather see souls saved, even if someone's culture went my the wayside - a soul's salvation is INFINITELY more important than someone's culture, which will pass away.

Answer 3

Missionaries can do a lot of good in other countries. They don't intrude because those people that want to listen to them do, and those who don't just don't.

It has been my experience to see people from other countries receive missionaries from the U.S. with much love and they give them the very best of the little that they have. It's very humbling.

Answer 4

Intruding on other cultures. What right do christians have to force their religion on others and belittle the faith of others? Rather arrogant of them considering their religion is so young compared the Olde Ways they try to mow down.

Answer 5

Missionaries have big hearts and love God! They are going to other countries to spread the word to people who may not know about it. Ive debated with my mother about this topic before. I'm a very spiritual person and believe you should live your life according to God. On the other hand I do not agree with forcing your own beliefs onto other people. I didn't choose to be a christian. I was brought up that way. As an adult I chose to continue the lifestyle. I find that missionaries should continue to do great work without forcing their beliefs onto others. They can tell others about their lives and how living a christian life has benefited them. They can spread the word but allow others to decide if they want to live the same way.

Answer 6

They dedicate their life to help other people. Someone of them is killed or injured because of that. They don't force anyone to become a Christian (I know, in the past they did, but it's not anymore the case now). How many of us would be ready to leave our comfortable lives behind and move in a poor Country, with no one of our comforts, to help other people? It's easy to talk, more difficult to act.....Please think about that before criticising.

Answer 7

They knew very little about how to make love to their wives. modern missionaries are better informed. I would not listen to anybody who does not subscribe to the Bible telling me what to do or to think.

A man who fiddles with little boys is not a man of God. A church which creates a whole bunch of men whose sole determination is to avoid marrying women is not a church of God.

A modern missionary is one who helps people to actualise themselves by showing them hoew to develop new life enhancing skills and live better lives. without telling them that their culture is wrong when the Bible does not define certain things. Not his job to fill in the gaps.

Answer 8

Missionaries are in place to show God's love through their actions. There are many places in the Eastern hemisphere that would not know of humanitarian aid if it weren't for the combined efforts of mission organizations.

Conversion is secondary, and a byproduct, of providing love & compassion.

Answer 9

I'm not saying all of them are this way, but I believe some are very much in the wrong and only out to push people to convert to their religion. It is not their place to intrude on other people's cultures. That's like some stranger coming into your home and demanding that you redecorate a certain way to only what they want it to be.

Does this seem right and like good 'godly' work??
http://in.news.yahoo.com/050116/139/2j1rp.html

Answer 10

Most missionaries give up their own time and money to teach others, if they didnt think it was worthwhile they wouldn't do it, it is a choice! I think they are amazing and if you dont want to know, just say no thanks politely, they will not bother you again, they dont want to teach people who dont want to hear.

Answer 11

We need more of them here. The US is the largest target of missionaries from other countries.