Editorial: Christians Taking Unnecessary Risks Abroad

Phaze SG

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200707/200707230006.html

Christians Taking Unnecessary Risks Abroad

Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have kidnapped 23 Koreans, including Christian missionaries and members of the Saemmul Church in Bundang just south of Seoul, as they were traveling by bus in the war-torn country. The church members entered Afghanistan on July 13 to do volunteer work at hospitals and kindergartens and were planning to return to Korea on July 23.

The Taliban is an armed group that traces its roots back to Islamic fundamentalist student cells. They require children to memorize the Koran from age five and raise them to be religious warriors who believe that religions other than Islam are heretical. The Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in 1996 and imposed strict religious law until they were driven out by the U.S. military in 2001. They are famous for exacting gruesome punishment including dismemberment and public execution on those who disobey the Taliban's strict version of Islamic law.

The religious fanaticism of the Taliban gained global notoriety in 2001 when they blew up the priceless Buddhas of Bamyan, calling the UNESCO-designated cultural treasures un-Islamic idols. After they were driven out of power, the Taliban returned to operating as guerrillas, with terror and kidnappings among their modus operandi.

In February, Sergeant Yoon Jang-ho of Korea's Dasan Engineering Unit was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. In April, the Taliban beheaded a translator who had been working with an Italian journalist. The kidnappings of two Germans on July 18, just a day before the Koreans were abducted, appears to be the work of the Taliban as well.

It is simply futile for Koreans to engage in missionary or other religious activities in a country like Afghanistan, which has a history of deep hatred toward Christianity and is wracked by gunfights, kidnappings and suicide bombings. Even the governor of the province where the Koreans were kidnapped said the abductees should have stayed home and should not have been in war-torn Afghanistan. In August of last year, a Christian group from Korea was deported by the Afghan government after attempting to hold a large religious ceremony in the capital Kabul, despite repeated warnings and dissuasions by Korea's Foreign Ministry.

The Korean government has issued a travel restriction for Koreans seeking to go to Afghanistan, which is the third-highest warning in its four-tier scale of overseas travel advisories. Next week, a law will go into effect in Korea under which Koreans who visit "banned" countries such as Iraq and Somalia can face criminal charges. The government should

SturmDerSchatten SG

Actually, IIRC, they were there on a humanitarian mission, like the role UN medical troops play. Not evangelism or anything. Funny how people jump immediately to the conclusion that Christians in war zones are there to evangelise and convert.

AndrewPKYap SG

about right... this topic in Christian Forum, Buddhist Forum and now Atheism Forum... Laughing

Phaze SG

I think you are being naive. They claim to be on a humanitarian mission. That doesn't mean that they didn't evangelize.

They are evangelical Christians. Their primary mission is to evangelize. They may be aware that they can't do it openly, but I highly doubt they would be able to stop evangelizing, even if it is just saying 'Jesus loves you' to each child they help.

Of course, I am not saying that they did evangelize. I don't know what they did. However, you can't say they didn't evangelize anymore than I can say they did.

You could also argue that their very presence there is evangelism. I have been to a number of briefings on evangelical mission trips. They go something like this.

Concept:
1. Before a person can focus on the spiritual, the physical has to be taken care of.
2. When you feed a person and educate a person, you are giving the person the foundation to know god.
3. Your act of helping is a testiment to god's love.

For countries that allow evangelism:
1. Build churches/schoolhouses to educate.
2. Focus on children as they are the most impressionable.
3. Teach them to read, but to read the bible.

In these countries, you ask them to say grace, to bow their heads in prayer, and you preach to them. They will go along because they want to be fed. Even if you say you won't turn anyone away if they choose not to participate, there's peer pressure and the fear that food and shelter may be taken away.

For countries that do not allow evangelism:
1. Do not speak openly. Witness only when asked.
2. Let your works be the witness and testiment to god.
3. You identify yourself as a christian so that people will know your actions are performed in the name of christ.

Phaze SG

It's news after all, and each forum has a different perspective on things. Wink

Oh... I thought your post in the EH did you credit.

Whatever it is, still, lives are at stake and we hope for the best for them.

a group of mostly young and female Christian aid workers from a Seoul church.

Imagine one of them is your sister, your wife, your daughter, your friend and your colleague... even though they are not Singaporeans and you are not a Christian... they are still human beings.

If you believe in prayers, I think you should pray for their safety because there is not much else you can do. If you can reasonably do something positive other than offer prayers, do that.

AFTER they have come home safely, then blast them... if they do not make it, offer you condolences.

Do not kick people while they are down.

Intellectually, I know that hopes and prayers have no effect. But I do hope they will be alright.

AndrewPKYap SG

Just for discussions sake... you have something against that?

Edited to add: Your previous post! hahaha we must have clicked submit at almost the same instance...

hiphop2009 SG

dats when singaporean's kia si (scare to die) can save singapore govt from a lot of troubles Twisted Evil

Phaze SG

Must be god's will. Wink

Sorry, I didn't get you. What do I have something against?

AndrewPKYap SG

Thanks. I try not to post in ~EH~ because it is a waste of time to talk logic to people that base their thinking on "beliefs" and every time ~EH~ people try to discuss anything outside of ~EH~ I want to vomit blood because they do not realise how irrational they are...

but the topic title was way too much...

AndrewPKYap SG

I was referring to your "evangelism post"... for discussion sake you disapprove of what they are doing? You know, oblique attempts at conversions.

Phaze SG

Oh. My views on this, as usual, are somewhat complex. Wink

First of all, I am opposed to being disingenuous. However, in this case, I don't think the Korean Christians are being disingenuous. I think they would openly admit that they want to spread Christianity and that evangelism is that ultimate motive. However, they have to keep it quiet because of the laws against missionary work.

I also don't think the Taliban, or any group, should have the right to stop missionary work. Missionary work, as far as I'm aware, is just telling people about Christ. I see nothing wrong with that. To use a silly analogy, let's say the national chocolate is Cadbury's and everyone is supposed to eat only Cadbury's chocolate. If I tell people that Hershey's chocolate is better, should that be a crime?

I do dislike the fact that in many cases, missionary work is not motivated by helping people, but to bring people to Christianity. Of course, to a christian, bringing people to christ is helping them. That's another issue that I would be happy to engage another time.

As was discussed in another thread, I actually don't see the need for missionary work or organized religion at all. Why can't people know god directly? Why do people need to be taught? When you are taught, it strikes me that you are not getting to know god, but getting to know what people tell you about god.

So to summarize: Wink
I'm opposed to converting (oblique or otherwise) people - but only because I think organized religion is bad.
In principle, I'm supportive of the right to evangelize from a free speech perspective.

SturmDerSchatten SG

Eh. Generalizing people isn't a very smart thing to do. Not all Christians behave like that.

AndrewPKYap SG

some... ok maybe one or two.. ... Embarassed

Herzog_Zwei SG

Right now, I hope that the Korean aid-workers have the good wisdom and bravery to die peacefully so that a greater evil will not be precipitated.

Phaze SG

I'm glad you hold people here in higher esteem then since you post here reasonably often. Laughing

I'm also glad that Strum shares his views here, even though we have obvious disagreements on outlook. :p

SturmDerSchatten SG

Hey, no problem. It's not like we're great enemies involved in a battle concerning the fate of the universe. We just see things in different (yet not so different in some aspects) ways.

AndrewPKYap SG

You are a credit to Christianity... but then, you are not typical are you, when you do not embrace organized religion?