"Handing out food is a perfect time to talk about Jesus Christ..."

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20040318/ts_latimes/evangelicalsflockintoiraqonamissionoffaith&cid=2026&ncid=1480

Evangelicals Flock Into Iraq on a Mission of Faith

BAGHDAD — An American missionary proudly watches as a sea of Iraqi arms rise in witness to Jesus Christ and choruses of "Amen" compete with distant rattles of gunfire. The faithful sing familiar Christian hymns in Arabic, their voices bouncing off the shipping containers that protect the church from car bombs. snip

The missionaries — a mix of professional proselytizers and novices with little or no preparation — are buoyed by President Bush (news - web sites)'s evangelical bent, his oft-repeated biblical references and his vision of freedom spreading out from a saved Iraq. snip

"God and the president have given us an opportunity to bring Jesus Christ to the Middle East," said Tom Craig, an independent American missionary working in Iraq and Cyprus. "This is my commandment. No amount of danger will stop me." snip

"Extremists, whether Muslims or evangelicals, inspire violence and hatred," said Mahmoud Othman, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council. "The newspapers are screaming about a Christian conspiracy." snip

"Handing out food is a perfect time to talk about Jesus Christ with nonbelievers."

more

[JaySherman]

1. OK. Now I just recycled dinner.

:puke:

[Malva Zebrina]

2. I wasn't aware there was such a career as a "professional proselytizer"

no kidding--

[WildClarySage]

5. "And what do you want to be when you grow up, Johnny? "

"I wanna be a professional proselytizer!"

Is there much money in that? Do you get a dental plan?

[kitkatrose]

21. Yeah, you get a faith-based health plan.

Prayer for all your medical needs.

[Racenut20]

3. I can see the headline now

"Bible Thumpers invade Iraq".....

I wonder how many of these missionaries are from Crawford, Texas. Oh, I forgot. They are at home making sure gay girl scouts are not selling their cookies.

[WildClarySage]

4. "God and the president have given us an opportunity

to bring Jesus Christ to the Middle East"??? Somebody is seriously out of touch with historical geography.

*picking self up off floor after laughing at proselytizing idiots*

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. Amazing, isn't it?

[Forkboy]

6. They're right

I know that every time I'm ready to eat all I can think is,"Jesus fucking Christ I'm starving!".

[Aidoneus]

7. the Muslims already accept Jesus/Issa as a prophet

these fools followed the invaders to exploit a captive audience kept under occupation.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Why do they hate us?

For everyone one of these kool-aid drinking Christian fundies running around Muslim countries exchanging food for souls there will be a Muslim fundie trying to figure out a way to put a stop to what they consider a threat to their religion. These assholes are making it more dangerous for Americans everywhere.

Don

[Supormom]

29. You hit the nail on the head.

These fundamentalist missionaries are giving AlQueda exactly what it wants. No doubt they will use this a a recruiting tool.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

9. But it's NOT a crusade!!!

Oh no! The US military killing some Iraqis while US "missionaries" attempt to convert other Iraqis IS NOT a crusade!

[meegbear]

10. "Handing out food is a perfect time ...

to talk about Mohammed with nonbelievers."

I wonder how long that would last or be tolerated here?

[LeahMira]

11. Crazy!

"Handing out food is a perfect time to talk about Jesus Christ with nonbelievers."

I'd think it might be a perfect time to listen.

[ithacan]

13. Democracy = Christianity

This should make perfectly clear what the Bushies mean by "spreading democracy" ... forcing Jesus down their throats:

"President Bush said democracy will spread from Iraq to nearby countries," Fisk said. "A free Iraq also allows us to spread Jesus Christ's teachings even in nations where the laws keep us out."


So for them "free" means free for THEM to go around dissing peoples' cultures and beliefs...

[kcwayne]

14. How many American soldiers will die trying to protect these morons?

If they want to take their own life in their hands, it is their business. But American GI's are ordered to do hostage rescue or get into fire fights with enraged religious fanatics because these fools think they are acting for the greater good.

When those GI'are killed or maimed will the churches that support their propagandists step in and take care of the families of those GI's who forced to protect people with gooseshit for brains? I doubt it.

[iverglas]

15. "No amount of danger will stop me."

"God and the president have given us an opportunity to bring Jesus Christ to the Middle East," said Tom Craig, an independent American missionary working in Iraq and Cyprus. "This is my commandment. No amount of danger will stop me."

And may his god forbid that a little thing like the INTERNATIONAL BORDER of a SOVEREIGN STATE should stand in his way. No need for a visa issued by the legitimate authorities constituted by a people to act in their interests -- he's got a laissez-passer from GOD AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A.

He's a USAmerican and a Southern Baptist (or whatever variety of Christian that particular one fancies himself), and he can just go wherever the fuck he wants and do whatever the fuck he wants when he gets there.

And he's surprised when someone else slips across his own border and does whatever they want??

He's out to destroy someone else's culture, nothing less. Funny thing is, that's what he'd undoubtedly say the WTC attackers and their backers and supporters were/are out to do, to the US.

How convenient for him that he didn't actually have to get any blood on his own hands to achieve his purpose. Unfortunately for him, there are Iraqis who have no problem seeing how bloody his hands actually are.

.

[opihimoimoi]

16. Bush is doing a Bad........ intentionally too...as he was warned

not to do this..... but he overpowers his advisors...

They Hate us for our arrogance and ignorance

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

22. Serious martyr complex

The sad thing is they'll probably take innocent people with them. :mad:

[Ilsa]

17. Iraqi to a "missionary":

"Yeah, I accepted Christ before lunch last week. So shut up and gimme some bread."

[Bridget Burke]

18. There was a famine in Ireland....

In fact, there were several. But I'm referring to the potato famine that reached its peak in 1847 (Black '47). It was the poorest who suffered since they depended so heavily on the potato; Ireland's other agricultural production did well but most of that food was exported.

The poorest were mostly Catholic. Stories have been told since those dark days that many of the soup kitchens were run by Protestants who demanded conversion before feeding the people. Actually, research indicates that this was rare; the Quakers, especially, were generous with no restrictions.

However, preaching religion to hungry people leads to bad feelings. It did so in Ireland--and among the descendants of the Irish who left. I doubt it will win many friends in Iraq.

[BiggJawn]

19. Hey! isn't Saddam Hussein a Christian?

That's what I've always heard. Not surprised the missionaries are getting a good reception from Iraqi Christians. They're worried about what happens after we leave and the whole country goes under Shia Law dispensed by Ayatollahs....

[NormanConquest]

20. Tariq Aziz was Chaldean

which is the Iraqi version of the RC church...I'm not sure about SH himself, though.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

23. Saddam was/is Sunni Muslim

But far from a fanatic. As long as you acknoledged that "Saddam is the Big Kahuna" he and his regime wouldn't give a rat's ass about your religion.

[jmowreader]

24. Saddam is a "Ramadan Sunni"

In the tradition of the "Passover Jew" and the "Easter Christian"--people who go to church on the major holidays to get their inoculation of religion for the rest of the year--Saddam seems to be a Ramadan Sunni. He likes his wine with meals, doesn't seem too concerned with the finer points of his religion...and I'm fairly certain that gassing Halabja is in the Koran under the heading "don't do this."

Tariq Aziz is a Christian, which goes to show just how weird Saddam's government was over there: does anyone really think the House of Saud or the Kuwaiti royal family would have allowed a non-Muslim to even cross the threshold of the seat of government? Tariq Aziz was one of Saddam's top guys.

[BiggJawn]

27. That's where the confusion came from.

Yes, Tariq...I just thought Saddam was one himself, as opposed to a "Non-observent Muslim"...

Still, I feel that Iraq's Christian population is going to find that Saddam was a LOT more tolerant of their beliefs ("Bow to ME first, then go to Hell for all I care") than what's coming next in the government department.

Burkhas before 2007, I say.

[Az]

25. They are right, tactically

People's belief systems are most pliable when they are under emotional shifts. By associating with the flood of emotions involved the religion associates itself with the beneficial act. Its simply the way the mind works.

Part of the survival kit Christianity has picked up along the way is an aggressive outreach program in order to induct more adherants to its belief system. Religions need to spread to survive. The religions left with us these days are those that have survived and beaten other religions that they have come across.

A religion needs a strong society from which to spread. So they do have many positive traits they bring with them. The religious beliefs that do not build strong societies quickly die out. Unfortunately you get the bad with the good. Thus along with the generousity you get the social oppression inherant to many fundimentalist branches of the belief systems.

[bearfartinthewoods]

26. this is one way usama gained support with the afghans.

religions....sheesh.

[Neshanic]

28. They also get a free Big Gulp on the next fill-up.

What horrors these people are. I will give you food, but then you have to give me your ear. Does it occur to these "Christians" to just hand them food with simply a warm smile, and hug them if they are distressed; not busking for souls?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

30. This makes me sick to my stomach...

A TRUE Christian would just hand out the food, no questions asked. Period. That someone who is hungry is getting fed is ALL that matters. You have done your job.

Spiritual opportunism and blackmail has always left me utterly cold.

[THUNDER HANDS]

31. and people wonder why Christian-bashing exists

Maybe prostelitizing-bashing is more accurate, but it's hard to seperate Christianity from porstelitizing when the two are supposed to go hand in hand.

[hexola]

32. Wil Iraq become Christianity's "Israel"?? (n/t)

With "settlements" ect...we already have "zones"

[hatrack]

33. "Dangling a carrot in front of a hungry donkey . . .

. . . is a perfect time to discuss his work ethic - or lack thereof."

[VOX]

34. In Iraq, Christianity will have all the aerodynamics of a grand piano...

Iraqis won't be buying -- they've had 2000 years (give or take a month) to look over the product, and still no sale.

I'm really tired of fundie nutjobs trying to pull the strings. Talk about proof of man's kinship with the ape!!!

:grr:

[rocktivity]

35. And they can't figure out why they're drive-by shooting fodder.

:headbang:
rocknation