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Iago
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Hmm?
 
2010-01-21, 12:38

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
So a country that is 90% Christian won't have requests for Bibles during a national calamity where churches and houses have been utterly destroyed? Who is kidding whom?
Not within the first week of the disaster. And if they did, they should be politely told there are more important things to worry about first. Hopefully God will give them a break over missing Bible study while they're rebuilding their national infrastructure, although maybe not if what I've read in the Bible is true

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
Every Christian is a missionary. Period.
That's not quite true, theologically speaking. Every Christian is/ought to be a 'witness', but mission is something quite different. You have a mandate from God to go forth and make believers of all men, but only specific people are 'called' to mission, just as only specific people are 'called' to the gift of prophecy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
Not worth the comment.
Because it's inarguably true that getting food and medical aid to these people is infinitely more important than any book of bronze age myths ever could be.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
Nobody in any position on the ground has alleged that processing shipments of Bibles is in any way, shape or form delaying the relief effort.
That doesn't mean it isn't happening. It stands to reason that the Bibles take time to process.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
This is a manufactured controversy, pushed by the usual suspects, most of whom have never gotten off their butts to deliver humanitarian disaster relief anywhere in the world.
Do not judge so that thou may not be judged. You don't know anything about what the people writing the stories in the newspapers, or indeed on this forum, have done or are doing.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
Every time there's a situation like this, you hear people stateside complaining about these "converting missionaries"
I'm complaining about the religious overtones for charity work. It's tragic that people need an invisible fairy in the sky telling them to help their fellow man.

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Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
But despite being watched by news crews from around the world, you never hear such reports from the field.
If someone came and gave me much-needed medical aid, then started preaching, I'd probably put up with it too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank777 View Post
If there was one single relief agency created and supported by atheists, I might be more inclined to listen to such complaints.
That's infantile at best. Atheism isn't an organisation like Christianity. Most of the world are atheists about Christianity, just like you're an atheist about all the other crackpot theories of gods and fairies. Atheism is a religion in the same way as not collecting stamps is a hobby.

There are also plenty of secular charities and foundations set up, and many of the people who support them happen to be atheists. See also: this post.

Atheists on the ground in Haiti are going about their business and doing good. They don't care about being rewarded in heaven, and they aren't on a recruitment drive for their non-faith. I'm sure a vast majority of Christians and Buddhists and Hindus and Muslims on the ground in Haiti are doing equally good work and are measured and reasonable enough to shut the fuck up about their individual religious beliefs, but you can guarantee that there are some misguided zealots who are so hyped up on Jesus juice that they just can't keep quiet. Would it be better if the charities weren't there at all? Of course not. Would it be better if the charities were to reform, drop their religious overtones and simply act in fellowship with their fellow man? Absolutely.

How about instead of sending 3,000 robot Bibles to Haiti, which retail at $150 each, they sent a cheque for $450,000 to be used as the people on the ground see fit?

I'm Joseph Fritzl, and no windows was my idea.

Last edited by Iago : 2010-01-21 at 12:51.
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