this post was submitted on 25 May 2024
127 points (94.4% liked)

World News

37236 readers
4169 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
all 34 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] sirboozebum 41 points 1 month ago (6 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 month ago (2 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 month 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

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

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 1 points 4 weeks 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.

[–] FlyingSquid 27 points 1 month ago (4 children)

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 9 points 1 month ago

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

[–] Tangent5280 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I guess maybe they were there more for the humanitarian rather than the religious?

[–] FlyingSquid 2 points 1 month ago

I seriously doubt it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

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

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

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

[–] FlyingSquid 1 points 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month ago

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

[–] tortillaPeanuts 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

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 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

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

[–] TimeNaan 5 points 1 month ago

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

[–] veganpizza69 0 points 1 month ago

Vulnerable people are easy to recruit.

[–] saltesc 25 points 1 month ago

Don't spread the word of god, kids.

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt 25 points 1 month ago (2 children)

What a waste. The two of them could have just helped people in need in a safer place instead of going to a place where people were most vulnerable and try to covert them. They likely would have lead long productive lives. But instead, they were sacrificed by thier families and religion for the sole purpose of trying to grow the religion so that the people in power of that religion can have more power.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago

People who aren't in vulnerable situations are less likely to believe in religion

[–] jeffw 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

To be fair, don’t people need help in the most dangerous areas? Missionaries mainly spread religion but they also offer aid

[–] Modern_medicine_isnt 14 points 1 month ago

People need help everywhere. These two are unlikely to have been trained or prepared to work in that kind of dangerous area.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

They didn't pray hard enough, probably.

Sucks for the family.

[–] Zidane 8 points 1 month ago

Thoughts and prayers 😞🙏

[–] Linkerbaan 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

People try to free themselves from your colonization

Go to their country

Wololo.mp4

Get shot

[–] Dkarma 11 points 1 month ago

Tale as old as time

[–] Skkorm 13 points 1 month ago

Missionaries are colonizers, let them die