Amen! The individual which is approached to change his faith has only to reject what is presented if he/she is uncomfortable. It boils down to personal choice. I would surely want all options presented to me. That is all missionary work is. It is a presentation of something different for someone to consider. It only becomes unethhical or immoral when one is forced to go against one's beliefs.
Al Shealy wrote: > 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] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
