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re: Church mission trips to Central America.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 9:52 pm to wmr
Posted on 7/27/14 at 9:52 pm to wmr
quote:
I edited my OP prior to posting. I was going to ask why more missions don't take place nearer to home as that would cut down on what I perceive as touristing behavior and also wouldn't cost as much in travel expense.
that's what your other thread was about. why people go far away to do missionary work when they could help others in their town.
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Posted on 7/27/14 at 9:53 pm to diddydirtyAubie
I'm pretty sure I haven't posted on this topic before, but that is another good thread. There are areas in every SEC state that could use lots of help.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 9:57 pm to wmr
Because people in the US have heard the gospel. the main intention that people leave the country is to spread the word in remote parts of the world.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:00 pm to wmr
quote:
I was going to ask why more missions don't take place nearer to home as that would cut down on what I perceive as touristing behavior and also wouldn't cost as much in travel expense.
A lot of the churches I know taking legitimate mission trips do a lot of stuff in the community too. Stuff like working soup kitchens and volunteering at shelters.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:01 pm to pivey14
quote:
Because people in the US have heard the gospel. the main intention that people leave the country is to spread the word in remote parts of the world.
Not a valid reason for this thread's purposes. Guatemala is 50-60% Roman Catholic, about 40% Protestant, and a tiny majority follow other indigenous religions.
Both Honduras and Guatemala are more Christian than the U.S. (over 97%)
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:01 pm to wmr
quote:
So you're saying it is self-centered?
no, they go to help others.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:02 pm to wmr
quote:
Guatemala is 50-60% Roman Catholic
A lot of Protestants think Catholics are not Christians, but that's another topic.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:12 pm to wmr
You need to give this one up. You're gonna lose.
I haven't been inside a church outside of weddings and funerals for longer than most here have been alive. But churches and church people do a lot of good, including mission trips. With all the waste going on everyday here it makes no sense to me why you're complaining about this. If you have heartburn over Christians in general just say so. (But I don't expect that to go any better.)
I haven't been inside a church outside of weddings and funerals for longer than most here have been alive. But churches and church people do a lot of good, including mission trips. With all the waste going on everyday here it makes no sense to me why you're complaining about this. If you have heartburn over Christians in general just say so. (But I don't expect that to go any better.)
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:14 pm to finestfirst79
quote:
If you have heartburn over Christians in general just say so. (But I don't expect that to go any better.)
I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees the thread for what it is.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:16 pm to finestfirst79
I'm not trying to win, other than to spur critical thought about the whole idea. I don't resent the people who go on mission trips. In the present culture, I am quick to criticize behavior that I view as attention-seeking.
Like the example I provided of kids wearing pink to emulate their NFL heros: my point isn't to support the spread of breast cancer. My point is to point out how absurd the whole "wear pink" thing has gotten, where people are spending 10x as much money on pink accessories as they are spending funding breast cancer charities. At some point, it becomes ugly and self-aggrandizing to me.
Like the example I provided of kids wearing pink to emulate their NFL heros: my point isn't to support the spread of breast cancer. My point is to point out how absurd the whole "wear pink" thing has gotten, where people are spending 10x as much money on pink accessories as they are spending funding breast cancer charities. At some point, it becomes ugly and self-aggrandizing to me.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:17 pm to finestfirst79
quote:
If you have heartburn over Christians in general just say so. (But I don't expect that to go any better.)
I absolutely don't. I think we need more shame in our culture. I'm serious. People have no shame.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:20 pm to wmr
You should stop judging people. You truly don't know where their heart is at.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:21 pm to diddydirtyAubie
quote:
You should stop judging people.
First, let me take a selfie.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:23 pm to wmr
You aren't wrong
what these people need is clothing, food, shelter, and clean drinking water...not a western religion
what these people need is clothing, food, shelter, and clean drinking water...not a western religion
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:28 pm to wmr
I mostly agree about the breast-cancer awareness thing. Like most people aren't aware of breast cancer? And does the Saints wearing pink socks encourage me to contribute to the American Cancer Society? Umm... no.
But I do think you're way off on mission trips. Facebook: people telling friends what they're up to. There's no reason to tie an ulterior motive onto it. I get that Christian FB posts can be annoying, but the mission trip posts are actually interesting to me, as opposed to (wait one...) first one I found, "Hope is an assurance that God will fulfill His blessings to us personally." Oh. Well that's just swell. Thanks for the news.
But I do think you're way off on mission trips. Facebook: people telling friends what they're up to. There's no reason to tie an ulterior motive onto it. I get that Christian FB posts can be annoying, but the mission trip posts are actually interesting to me, as opposed to (wait one...) first one I found, "Hope is an assurance that God will fulfill His blessings to us personally." Oh. Well that's just swell. Thanks for the news.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:35 pm to wmr
quote:
I'm just pointing out mindless behavior that I view as attention-seeking and misses the point.
Projecting?
My brothers stepson does this every year. He helps build, moves food, and does a lot of things that don't take a lot of skill, but do take a lot of manpower. He does it because it helps him to feel better about himself, I see nothing wrong or "attention seeking" about it.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:37 pm to diddydirtyAubie
quote:
You truly don't know where their heart is at.
He knows where his is, and thinks everyone else is the same.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:39 pm to diddydirtyAubie
quote:
A lot of Protestants think Catholics are not Christians
Dumbest motherfrickers on Earth. "THEY DON'T PRAY TO JESUS!!!!!"
I had a Catholic girl say to me one time all Baptists are going to hell
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:41 pm to The Dutch Oven
quote:
what these people need is clothing, food, shelter, and clean drinking water
A lot of times Missionaries provide these things.
quote:
not a western religion
Yeah? Well, you know that's just like.... your opinion man.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:41 pm to RogerTheShrubber
I see a lot of helping, but I also see touristing. I see money spent on "exotic" trips that could be spent better on people who have very little.
I see people scraping up funds for a trip to Haiti or Honduras who come back with a story and a bill for $3k but never donate that much to the same charity without a trip for themselves included. Not all, or even the majority of people involved in missions do that, but a lot do.
I give more than that to churches/charities every year, fyi.
I see people scraping up funds for a trip to Haiti or Honduras who come back with a story and a bill for $3k but never donate that much to the same charity without a trip for themselves included. Not all, or even the majority of people involved in missions do that, but a lot do.
I give more than that to churches/charities every year, fyi.
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