Christian Missionaries

[Guitar's Cry]

Not all Christian's believe in hell or that anyone who isn't Christian is going there. Saving people from hell wasn't the reason I went on a mission.

That's a good point.

I think that the majority of Christians I know don't believe that non-Christians are automatically put into hell. I wonder what the majority of Christians anywhere think about this...

 

[Djamila]

Sorry my question wasn't clear. I wasn't referring to Bosnia. I was referring to the other areas of the world. It seems to me that Bosina isn't home to the majority of Muslims. How was the religion spread throughout Asia and Africa? I'm just asking because you mentioned that the further east you go the more violent the conversions were. I guess that begs the question, can a conversion be violent and if it is, how is it really a conversion?

It's an interesting thought. I'm really unsure. I know the North Africans became Muslim largely because of frustration with Greek rule. The final straw was when Greece took all the grain in North Africa to distribute in Constantinople (Istanbul) and let the North Africans starve. Especially in Egypt this act never... what's the term? It was never okay to support Greek rule after it.

Then the Muslims came, and they were more similar in race, culture, language and so on. So that conversion was largely peaceful.

I believe the Persian conversion was quite violent, and it doesn't surprise me. Persians are and have always been quite proud, similar to Americans. So you can imagine.

Asia I believe converted relatively peacefully - in both cases of Islam and Christianity. But I really don't know much about Asia.

 

[GoldenDragon]

I somewhat feel for you on this one. When I was in my early teen years there was a group of Christian missionaries in the downtown area(a favorite spot) and there was this particular group I don't remember what sect of Christainity they were but I know they weren't Roman Catholic because at first they were bent on converting me to Christianity and when I told them I was Catholic they were bent on converting me to the "right" Christianity.At first they were real nice they gave me handouts which I kindly took they gave me readings from the Bible,nice we could all use that, then they said "You are on the wrong path our faith is the right one the Catholics have gone astray"(i am not making this up this is what they told me.)I tried to properly walk away and they're kind of yelling at me to this point. I think it was just that individualistic group they targeted other people too just about anyone who walked past them.Well not everyone one time I noticed that when an orthox Jew walked by they just gave him a dirty look,at least he wasn't attacked..(talk about terrorism..) years past and I don't see this particular group (maybe they were "fired" for too many complaints?)anymore.I'm still a bit weary of missionaries like that. There are still Mormon and Jehovah's Witnesses missionaries but at least they have manners and haven't attacked me.

 

[Katzpur]

There are still Mormon and Jehovah's Witnesses missionaries but at least they have manners and haven't attacked me.

I am SOOO relieved that the Mormon missionaries haven't attacked you! The Jehovah's Witnesses occasionally come to my door and I always take one of their tracts and read it. Somehow it would seem awfully hypocritical of me, as a member of a Church that sends out thousands of missionaries every year, to be anything but pleasant to them.

 

[Djamila]

I've had much the same experience. Most have been polite, although that doesn't mean I appreciate them or am contented with their visits. Some, though, have been just... absolutely horrid.

There was one group that painted a cross on my front door. My neighbor told me she almost called the police, she thought Christians had murdered me or something.

Our local Churches don't do any of these sorts of things. They know better, I suppose. I remember seeing in the news that a German missionary had been shot at near Travnik, and they interviewed the father of the family - he was hilarious. I forget his exact words, but in English slang it would be more or less:

"I came downstairs and my little girl was at the door talking to two of those Jesus freaks in fancy suits. So I got my gun, came out, shot once in the air to scare them off. They put up their hands and made a cross in the air at us, so I shot at them."

I couldn't stop laughing. Those kind have almost driven me to the same thing.

 

[jonny]

I've had much the same experience. Most have been polite, although that doesn't mean I appreciate them or am contented with their visits. Some, though, have been just... absolutely horrid.

There was one group that painted a cross on my front door. My neighbor told me she almost called the police, she thought Christians had murdered me or something.

Our local Churches don't do any of these sorts of things. They know better, I suppose. I remember seeing in the news that a German missionary had been shot at near Travnik, and they interviewed the father of the family - he was hilarious. I forget his exact words, but in English slang it would be more or less:

"I came downstairs and my little girl was at the door talking to two of those Jesus freaks in fancy suits. So I got my gun, came out, shot once in the air to scare them off. They put up their hands and made a cross in the air at us, so I shot at them."

I couldn't stop laughing. Those kind have almost driven me to the same thing.

Wow. Our cultures really are different. I can't imagine ever laughing at someone being shot. That's the great thing about these forums. We get to learn a lot about different cultures all over the world.

 

[Katzpur]

I've had much the same experience. Most have been polite, although that doesn't mean I appreciate them or am contented with their visits. Some, though, have been just... absolutely horrid.

There was one group that painted a cross on my front door. My neighbor told me she almost called the police, she thought Christians had murdered me or something.

Our local Churches don't do any of these sorts of things. They know better, I suppose. I remember seeing in the news that a German missionary had been shot at near Travnik, and they interviewed the father of the family - he was hilarious. I forget his exact words, but in English slang it would be more or less:

"I came downstairs and my little girl was at the door talking to two of those Jesus freaks in fancy suits. So I got my gun, came out, shot once in the air to scare them off. They put up their hands and made a cross in the air at us, so I shot at them."

I couldn't stop laughing. Those kind have almost driven me to the same thing.

Somehow, Djamila, I don't really find that funny in the slightest. I agree that some missionaries can be pretty obnoxious (I really hope most LDS missionaries don't come across that way), but since when is being obnoxious a capital crime? What kind of a world would this be if we all went around shooting people for reasons like that?

 

[Djamila]

Somehow, Djamila, I don't really find that funny in the slightest. I agree that some missionaries can be pretty obnoxious (I really hope most LDS missionaries don't come across that way), but since when is being obnoxious a capital crime? What kind of a world would this be if we all went around shooting everybody we found obnoxious?

Sorry, Katzpur! He didn't shoot to kill or anything! They were complaining their car was shot up, the back of it. And rural guys, trust me, they hit what they're aiming for.

I just found it funny. It was like a comedy show. There's this big rural house, beautiful landscape. He's in dirty pants and a wife-beater, the daughter is in the back like a prostitute, the mother looks like Mother Theresa with two layers on. It was just... perfect. LOL

 

[gnomon]

I've had much the same experience. Most have been polite, although that doesn't mean I appreciate them or am contented with their visits. Some, though, have been just... absolutely horrid.

There was one group that painted a cross on my front door. My neighbor told me she almost called the police, she thought Christians had murdered me or something.

Our local Churches don't do any of these sorts of things. They know better, I suppose. I remember seeing in the news that a German missionary had been shot at near Travnik, and they interviewed the father of the family - he was hilarious. I forget his exact words, but in English slang it would be more or less:

"I came downstairs and my little girl was at the door talking to two of those Jesus freaks in fancy suits. So I got my gun, came out, shot once in the air to scare them off. They put up their hands and made a cross in the air at us, so I shot at them."

I couldn't stop laughing. Those kind have almost driven me to the same thing.

Don't worry. We are always laughing when we shoot at Muslims here in the states.:sarcastic

 

[Djamila]

Don't worry. We are always laughing when we shoot at Muslims here in the states.:sarcastic

Hahaha, oh be fair! Come on, if you saw on the news some hick family in rural Arkansas that shot at Jehovah's Witnesses, and they said it like it was a perfectly normal thing to do, you wouldn't laugh?

 

[GoldenDragon]

sorry I have to be honest no..I could never laugh at someone being killed besides a great half of my family are Jehovah's Witnesses..

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Hahaha, oh be fair! Come on, if you saw on the news some hick family in rural Arkansas that shot at Jehovah's Witnesses, and they said it like it was a perfectly normal thing to do, you wouldn't laugh?

Sorry- unless a person is being threatened with immediate physical violence, I can't imagine justifying shooting at another.

 

[!Fluffy!]

Yup :sarcastic

Gosh I had something to post but frankly I don't like the tone in here.

Someone's bigotry is starting to show -- kinda like the dirty torn slip under the satin evening gown.

 

[Djamila]

Oh well, I did - I roared. It was almost as funny as the old woman who dynamited the damn outside of Hadzici a few years ago during the Spring because the water was getting close to her house - lol It's just so surreal, I love it.

 

[Ody]

I don't think Mila meant physical damage.. for the record.

 

[Djamila]

Yup :sarcastic

Gosh I had something to post but frankly I don't like the tone in here.

Someone's bigotry is starting to show -- kinda like the dirty torn slip under the satin evening gown.

LOL See what I mean? These things are hilarious.

 

[Djamila]

Or that Christian woman a few weeks ago who tried to kill her father because he wouldn't give her back her cell phone. LOL I posted that here, somewhere.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

LOL See what I mean? These things are hilarious.

Just to clarify: if any other religious group were getting shot at (or at least in the vicinity of), would you laugh if the situation were the same? There may simply be a cultural gap that I'm having difficulty understanding, and I'm trying to 'process' it.

 

[gnomon]

Anyway.

As far as the video it does seem somewhat ridiculous. Perhaps it's that I still cannot reconcile guitar distortion with Christian themes. Never shall the two meet.:no:

As far as proselytizing. How insecure does a person have to be to get so worked up about such things. As long as their not violating any laws or using force then...who cares.

 

[Djamila]

Just to clarify: if any other religious group were getting shot at (or at least in the vicinity of), would you laugh if the situation were the same? There may simply be a cultural gap that I'm having difficulty understanding, and I'm trying to 'process' it.

Oh God yes. If they were Muslims and the family was Christian I'd laugh just as hard. LOL I don't understand how you don't see the humor in this?

If it happened to me, I'd drive the whole way home thinking "What the...!?" and laughing my bummy off!

I don't think I'd laugh if it was another country. But just knowing how these rural people are, it's like... lol

Mercy. God forgive me. LOL