• bobalot@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    44
    ·
    6 months ago

    This is terrible but I don’t understand why these missionaries go to violent war zones or areas in a state of anarchy.

    • tal@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      32
      ·
      6 months ago

      Same reason missionaries went to dangerous places in past centuries, I imagine. There are people in need to convert, and the risks aren’t all that meaningful if you honestly believe in your message. What’s the worst someone can do, kill you? You’re in heaven then. It’s life that’s the difficult and painful period to get through, not what comes afterwards.

      • DeadPand@midwest.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        34
        ·
        6 months ago

        They go to those places because the poor and downtrodden tend to have a higher propensity to want to believe in something that will improve their life. It’s the best place to get converts

      • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        edit-2
        6 months ago

        There is something extremely depressing about that. Knowing that their beliefs aren’t real, it is incredibly sad to see two people in their early 20’s die for what they believe in. Their one and only life is over because they couldn’t mind their own business. There is no heaven, there is no reward. They spread a fairy tale and got murdered, that’s the summary of their existence.

        • triptrapper@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          6 months ago

          Check out the story of John Chau. He spent a year planning and preparing to be the first missionary to visit the North Sentinelese, a virtually uncontacted people. During his first couple (illegal) attempts, they shot arrows at him. He visited again and they killed him.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      30
      ·
      6 months ago

      The real question here is why American missionaries did it in a country, Haiti, that’s over 93% Christian. The U.S. is only 63% Christian.

      • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        ·
        6 months ago

        Because Haiti is mostly Black and therefore can’t be Christian. It must be full of heathens.

      • fuckingkangaroos@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        6 months ago

        Because people in the US aren’t as desperate and likely to believe in some whacky religious stories.

      • barsoap@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        6 months ago

        Haiti is about 70% Catholic, 30% protestant (mostly Pentecoastal), and 100% Voodoo. Which, to US missionaries, means 70% heathens and 30% heretics.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          6 months ago

          Sure, but the U.S. is 23% Catholic and 37% non-Christian, which makes 60% heathens. It still seems like starting at home first would be the right move.

    • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      25
      ·
      6 months ago

      To shove the bible down people’s throats, which they insist resolves all earthly issues.

    • tortillaPeanuts@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      edit-2
      6 months ago

      They were already there. “They made the decision to remain even when it got worse because they felt like if they left, then those kids would have no where to go" Source

      They were ambushed by gang members, after helping orphans at a church, in an attempted robbery. They were leaving the church and got attacked on their way home.

      • Tangent5280@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        6 months ago

        Damn, so genuinely good people caught in the crossfire. I don’t like how so many commenters are shitting all over them here.

        • TimeNaan@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          6 months ago

          Because even if they are doing charity work, the real reason they’re there is to spread the colonizer’s religion and ideas.