this post was submitted on 25 May 2024
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[–] sirboozebum@lemmy.world 40 points 5 months 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.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 32 points 5 months 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.

[–] DeadPand@midwest.social 33 points 5 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 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months 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@lemmy.world 2 points 5 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.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 27 points 5 months 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@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

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

[–] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

I seriously doubt it.

[–] fuckingkangaroos@lemm.ee 2 points 5 months ago

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

[–] barsoap@lemm.ee 0 points 5 months 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@lemmy.world 1 points 5 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 24 points 5 months ago

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

[–] tortillaPeanuts@lemmy.world 13 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months 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@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months 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@lemmy.world 5 points 5 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.

[–] veganpizza69@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

Vulnerable people are easy to recruit.