Amos

I think these were the girls who were complaining about their treatment while in prison and to make them happy again they were given "fast food." This really was a slap in the face of Americans who like fast food better than Jesus or anything else.

repoman

Good jokes all,

But seriously, I think part of the reason that Muslims now find Christianity challenging is not just that it is a competing religion but that it is not nearly as strict a religion. It doesn't impose dress codes and it doesn't punish with the death penalty (at least as practiced now - So Baptists notwithstanding) for various crimes including apostasy. Not only that the concept of the Grace of God (no, I'm not a Christian) really puts a monkey wrench in their system af rewards and punishment.

It is kind of a hard choice, I don't want any more people in that violent hardcore religion of Islam. But then again, I get tired of all the whiny losers who pray to Jeebus for a parking spot, or who convert after commiting mass murder.

Godless Dave

Wouldn't it be better if they took food and medicine over there instead of Bibles? People are starving over there. I think there are more important things to spend money on than replacing one religion with another.

scombrid

Mother Teresa certainly didn't think so and people think she's a friggin saint.

Ojuice5001

Support them all the way, I say. It's hard to deconvert a Muslim, but the Christians can do it. Christians are deconverting all over the place, so before long (in historical terms, it will be three or four generations at the very least) Christianity and Islam will be replaced by good religions like agnosticism, paganism, and Scientology. But it seems tragic that people are taking risks like that for a god who is only moderately more benevolent than Allah. Still, there is no way to talk them out of it, so we can only wish them luck.

Samhain

While the idea of plunging hundreds of fundies into the middle east in order to "spread the word" of jebus, and most likely get imprisoned or killed in the process, is amusing, I'd definately have to say this is probably a bad idea. I think the last thing we need right now on this self-righteous war on terror is a couple of would-be martyrs going in there and stirring the shit up when they get captured or killed. Some clever politician must have put them up to this, it seems more of a ploy to get put themselves in a position in which the U.S. will inevitably have to go in there and either save or avenge their stupid asses in order to "combat terror", as opposed to actually trying to convert muslims. It's too bad so many flat-earthers would get riled up by something like this and put pressure on the gov't, or else it might be a good idea to throw a few of them into the fray. Although it does seem that our government is learning how to keep a war popular if this is the case.

[ May 15, 2002: Message edited by: Samhain ]</p>

cymbalina

One of my closest friends is a Christian (she's in Campus Crusade for Christ), and she's planning to be a missionary in China after we graduate in June. I am very torn over this. I think that's a foolish, even stupid, thing to do-- rather like going on a vandalism binge in Singapore.
I don't recall the specifics of Chinese law in the matter, but my friend has already discussed the code she and her fellow missionaries will use in their emails to avoid being caught. She's very proud of this, as it brings the secret codes of the early Christians to mind for her.
She's giving a speech about her goals for the missionary work to the CCC meeting this evening, and some of our secular friends are attending to show their support for her. I cannot, in good conscience, do this, and it makes me feel terrible. I don't know how I'll react if she gets caught.

Her organization is also sending missionaries to Mexico City, presumably to convert all those evil Catholics to Protestantism. Idiots.

Amos

You are right, she is wrong, and you can't really go there to support her. However, do as you feel you must and be consoled to know that many go there and come back with a different outlook on life.

Bree

I think we're back to the whole Christians-love-to-be-martyrs thing.

That and the fact that most Christians don't live in reality. It might seem really cool to go and risk death day after day and write secret codes, but c'mon - we don't live in James Bond world!

Fastfalcon

I still want to preserve my life as long as I can you know. Not that I wouldn't want to go out and preach, but I would do something alongside it (like giving the children food and clothing) to help boost their faith.