Rick Adams wrote: Then if there really IS no feeling of superiority, justify the existence of missionaries! A person who sees him/her-self as not being superior to others does NOT go into their communities and try to convert them to his/her belief system in an attempt to "improve" their beliefs. That kind of behavior is so offensive it justifies Michael Sylvester's tirades against Eurocentricism--yet it is EXACTLY what both Christian and Islamic sects have been doing for centuries (and are STILL doing in both cases).
To which I reply: I thought someone else might jump on this, but I'm guessing most people already know to ignore Rick's despicable characterization of missionary and evangelical activity. In case anyone out there's still reading this thread and nodding in dazed agreement with Rick, he just doesn't get it. Suppose I was walking down the street and saw smoke coming from a house. Acting on my belief that the house was on fire I would knock on the door and advise the residents to get out. If they didn't believe me, I would try anything to persuade them. I would argue that there is an ethical obligation for anyone who believes that the house is on fire to do anything to persuade the people to get out. What if I'm wrong and the house isn't on fire? I was acting on my belief out of genuine concern for the people; so there is still an ethical obligation to act (even if I might be wrong). Does this behavior classify as "feeling superior"? Christians simply believe that your house is on fire. The existence of missionaries is justified by this same concern. A missionary's life is not a fun one (ask Dayna Curry). When I started writing this message I was furious with Rick. Now I just feel sorry for him. He's probably spent a great deal of his life fighting for social justice, etc.; but he's too blind to see the injustice in his own beliefs. Sad. AS Al Shealy, Ph.D. Dept. of Psychology Columbia State U. --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
