07-30-2006, 09:32 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->... just pointing out that it's impossible to find people working without motives, without aims and objectives. 95%, if not all, work with motives and desires, so isn't it hypocritical to blame missionaries for expecting something in return, in this case, conversion to their religion? You honestly don't expect them to invest millions and not even seek one good return on their investment, do you?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So, all those non-missionary NGOs that are working in fields llike education, tsunami relief, Sardar Sarovar dam protests, the Chipko movement to save the trees, etc., are all working to convert people to their religion? The problem with your argument is: <b><i>you have accepted conversion as a legitimate objective to spending money</i></b>.
When most organizations have aims, those aims are directly related to their work. For eg., the aim of tsunami relief is to save people from starvation in a post-tsunami situation. In contrast, the aim of a missionary organization in tsunami relief is indirect: to seek conversion using the disaster as a tool to subvert a suffering people's religious beliefs.
In fact, going by your argument, the missionary organziations can actually make a case that all convent-educated Hindus are <b>actually obligated to convert to Christianity</b>! After all, if the objective is legitimate and the the missionaries have spent money to give the Hindus an education, you could make the argument that the Hindus should be appropriately grateful, and convert.
Also, if the objective of conversion is legitimate, then why aren't the missionaries upfriont about the motivation <b>at the point of giving relief, that is, to the person they seek to convert?</b> They aren't. They always seek to pretend to seek their welfare as the ultimate objective. Turns out that a component of that "welfare" is your need to be "saved".
So, why the need for such deception? The reason is simple. The people, and the community they wish to convert does not accept the idea of conversion. Which is why the missionaries approach their victims initially under the garb of welfare, or nowadays, social justice. Then, once the victim has been placed under obligation (convent school, financial aid, etc.), the hard-sell begins.
The saleswomen who sell soap products door-to-door practise less deception.
So, all those non-missionary NGOs that are working in fields llike education, tsunami relief, Sardar Sarovar dam protests, the Chipko movement to save the trees, etc., are all working to convert people to their religion? The problem with your argument is: <b><i>you have accepted conversion as a legitimate objective to spending money</i></b>.
When most organizations have aims, those aims are directly related to their work. For eg., the aim of tsunami relief is to save people from starvation in a post-tsunami situation. In contrast, the aim of a missionary organization in tsunami relief is indirect: to seek conversion using the disaster as a tool to subvert a suffering people's religious beliefs.
In fact, going by your argument, the missionary organziations can actually make a case that all convent-educated Hindus are <b>actually obligated to convert to Christianity</b>! After all, if the objective is legitimate and the the missionaries have spent money to give the Hindus an education, you could make the argument that the Hindus should be appropriately grateful, and convert.
Also, if the objective of conversion is legitimate, then why aren't the missionaries upfriont about the motivation <b>at the point of giving relief, that is, to the person they seek to convert?</b> They aren't. They always seek to pretend to seek their welfare as the ultimate objective. Turns out that a component of that "welfare" is your need to be "saved".
So, why the need for such deception? The reason is simple. The people, and the community they wish to convert does not accept the idea of conversion. Which is why the missionaries approach their victims initially under the garb of welfare, or nowadays, social justice. Then, once the victim has been placed under obligation (convent school, financial aid, etc.), the hard-sell begins.
The saleswomen who sell soap products door-to-door practise less deception.