So I finally get to go to Japan...this sucks!

[mrstickball]

sapphi_snake said:

mrstickball said:

Given that missions trips take place in most nations, even in developed countries, I would say no. Missions trips can happen anywhere and target anyone. I have friends that have done missions in your country by building schools and hospitals.

And your choice of language is pretty disheartening. Its not a ploy to prey on people, Sapphi. Just because you hate religion doesn't mean that everything we do always is to prey on people. Do we want people to come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean that many Christians stop trying to help people if we know they aren't going to become Christian. I've seen a lot of wells dug, hospitals founded, and schools started in the name of this 'ploy' that helped a lot of people. I've seen hungry people fed, homeless people given a roof, and alcoholics/drug users helped with their addictions because of this 'ploy'.

I have to ask this, Sapphi, have you ever in your life helped out someone less fortunate? I'd really like to understand why you have hatred of those that do.

I actually met some Christian missionaries from the US. They were kinda creepy (they wore weird clothes, and sang weird religious songs). One of them was nice though.

I've never haled anyone less fortunate, quite frankly I've been too apathetic regarding this. I hope I'll eventually get off my ass and do something.

And regarding these Christian missions, I'd have nothing against these activities if they weren't proselytism masked as charity. Why can't you just help people, without using it as an ocassion to promote your religion? Isn't helping people the purpose, or am I right and it's all a ploy?

Yes, helping people is the purpose. However, for those that dedicate their lives to helping the less fortunate, it becomes rather difficult to not tie your belief set into what you do. For example, my former church would have a day that they gathered all

If the Christians you met were creepy and wore odd clothing, I am 90% certain they weren't the type of missionaries I am talking about. Likely, you met a creepy subsect called Mormons which are usually considered outside of Christian orthodoxy.