wakeupcall Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I would like to raise an issue that is quite difficult forme as the episode is recent and also added to my faith questioning. My husband and I had support a lone missionary for a numberof years, not insignificantly, and we had received the usual email regardingthe next overseas 'soul saving' expedition to Africa. At the time I was still a committed Christian and so Icontacted the missionary regarding how to make a payment - to cut a long storyshort I was supplied with the wrong information and then when out of thecountry on business I was hassled by this guy as to why I hadn't transferredthe promised funds. In fact whilst overseas I received a call during my birthdaymeal and this was after having explained, more than once at great cost, thatanswering mobile/cell calls whilst abroad cost me a lot of money. I ended up turning my phone off to stop the calls, whichmeant that members of my family couldn't contact me. When I returned to my home country I contacted the guy andhe was very rude to me regarding the issues I had had so I asked for a fullfinancial statement regarding his missionary activities, which resulted in moreabuse. In fairness his charity partner was more forthcoming and provided me with theinformation required. As far as he was concerned the 'saving of souls' was moreimportant than any issues I may have had and what was my problem...? The financial records did not satisfy us and we only made asmall contribution, which was not acknowledged, as it was significantly lessthan normal. The missionary claims to save 24,000 'souls' each missionbut when you are taking a wad of cash out to the mission field to help the poorin other ways, as disclosed in the financial records, - how many people do youthink would profess to be 'saved' if it meant an extra $ in their pocket? I was not only surprised at the naivety of the missionarybut also again at my own lack of due diligence. I feel sad that the money we have sent to the mission fieldscould have gone to help other people, we might as well have burnt it. During this time I was questioning the validity ofChristianity so it took all of my strength not to give this guy both barrels -verbally of course. The problem is that missionaries take the moral high groundi.e. that what they are doing is far more important than anything you canpossibly be doing or even conceive of doing. Therefore they can speak to you as they see fit - after all weren't theprophets of the OT and Jesus/John the Baptist confrontational? It was very difficult to not just contribute as we had before and others thought we were being judgmental but since waking up I know that we were right not to assist as we had previously. I would be interested to hear if other people have had the same experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted June 24, 2011 Super Moderator Share Posted June 24, 2011 You should give him both barrels and spread the word that he is more interested in badgering his financial dupes supporters than performing his phony job. I would post the information on any religious website I could find. He's a parasite that gives his religion an even worse image, if that's possible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Some people don't know how to make an honest living. A Missionary ain't an honest living. Its like a crook stole your brain for awhile or you were conned. Like the victim of one of the slickest con men around. Ditch this loser and don't give it a second thought. So you made a mistake in supporting him. Forgive yourself and move on. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Margee Posted June 24, 2011 Moderator Share Posted June 24, 2011 Ditch this loser and don't give it a second thought. So you made a mistake in supporting him. Forgive yourself and move on. Ditto Deva! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ Fuego ♦ Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 You owe him nothing. Dump his ass. We had a church that wanted all our free time, wanted my wife to leave work to come to church staff meetings "because this is the work of God". Sorry, we'd rather keep our jobs and have a house. Sheesh! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpheliaGinger Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 If you really want to use your money to help people, donate it to The Red Cross or your local homeless shelter (that's not a front for a church). Money donated to a soup kitchen goes a million miles further than money donated to a missionary. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingLife Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 If you really want to use your money to help people, donate it to The Red Cross or your local homeless shelter (that's not a front for a church). Money donated to a soup kitchen goes a million miles further than money donated to a missionary. +1 I agree. Missionaries are trained in the art of conning folk out of money. Africa need aid not god. God can go fuck himself if he can find himself. He sure has been asleep at the wheel and could have snapped his fingers long ago to address poverty in Africa. After all, he instapoofed all of creation into existence. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chosendarkness Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Expose him for the ass he is so all the other Christians won't be losing their money too. Christianity is already egotistical in itself, when you add asses to it you get nothing but trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 This is the number one reason I do not donate to charities, hardly any of the money contributed goes towards helping someone, the majority of it is consumed by the charity, or missionary for his expenses. I contribute to people, not groups and organizations. A person may get a tax break but a tax break doesn't really do any good unless one makes several contributions in a year or a few of notable size. Also, a contribution is a donation and may be withdrawn with or without notice. Many years ago I pledged a donation to some fire fighter and policeman's fund, in Denver, Colorado. I couldn't send it right away and after 35 days I got a call from the fund saying they were going to send me to collections. I called an attorney who told me to ignore them and the collections and turn over any letters I got from a collections agency concerning the donation to the attorney. I never got a letter. I sent the donation as I had promised and then cut off all communication with the fund raisers. As far as I am concerned, all charities are a tax scam and do little to uphold what they promise. I wouldn't feel guilty about cutting off funding for missionaries or even the Red Cross as far as that goes. I don't believe any of them do enough to justify the amounts of money they squeeze out of hard-working or well-meaning people. I've heard just about every come-on there is from the church to get a person to give one more nickel. I attended a church once where they passed the plate three times to collect donations (tithes) for three different projects that all involved fixing up the church with additions to the building and property improvements. They collected a bunch of money, paid for the addition and improvements and then stuffed a considerable sum into the church savings account, and still cried for more money. None of which went to help the community. I have supported many missionaries when I was a fundy. Some did good work and others did not. But I have also encountered those who exaggerate their growth figures in order to gain fame and monetary support from more churches. I knew of one preacher that claimed his Baptist church was growing beyond all leaps and bounds because he was filled with the Holy Spirit and people were just breaking down the doors to come hear him preach <sarcasm here>! A check of his reports did not match up with any of the member roles. He had gotten several people to donate substantial sums of money every month in order to make it appear the growth was real so that he could get more money and support from the So. Baptist Convention--donors knew what this guy was doing and they supported him believing it would eventually improve their church, and Jesus would bless them too, of course. He lied through his teeth about his good works and everyone who took over his church when he left were more or less bitched at because they could not reproduce the numbers of this other preacher. He brought the money so his word must have been honest, according to the So. Baptist area director. This incident is what made me leave the So. Baptist church and pursue becoming a minister in nondenominational ministry. And, like I've stated earlier, I would not feel bad about pulling support from anyone I feel uncomfortable supporting, missionary or whoever. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eris Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 If you really want to use your money to help people, donate it to The Red Cross or your local homeless shelter (that's not a front for a church). Money donated to a soup kitchen goes a million miles further than money donated to a missionary. +1 I agree. Missionaries are trained in the art of conning folk out of money. Africa need aid not god. God can go fuck himself if he can find himself. He sure has been asleep at the wheel and could have snapped his fingers long ago to address poverty in Africa. After all, he instapoofed all of creation into existence. Funny you should say that. I'm looking for charities to help different issues in Africa over the summer...and most sites I find ARE Christian-based. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
older Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I find missionary work and proselytizing to be some of the most insidious and dangerous aspects of Christianity. These morons can’t realize that folks do not want them standing across the street from their kids’ school handing out sandwiches and then telling the little tykes that their strongly held religious beliefs, which are rooted in their culture, are wrong. Greg Mortensen, recent scandal notwithstanding, made the point in his book Three Cups of Tea that nothing incenses Afghanis and others in those regions more than to have Christian missionaries show up. I know a guy who goes on mission trips to build houses. He made a trip to some island in the Mediterranean and after they built the houses, they went all over the island leaving Bibles at every house. In recounting the trip, he told me, “Our goal was to see that every house had a Bible. Of course, some people threw them at us.” And then he chuckled as though that was funny. It was hard for me not to comment, but I felt like saying, “Well, you idiot! Don’t you realize that they don’t want you there?” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingLife Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 If you really want to use your money to help people, donate it to The Red Cross or your local homeless shelter (that's not a front for a church). Money donated to a soup kitchen goes a million miles further than money donated to a missionary. +1 I agree. Missionaries are trained in the art of conning folk out of money. Africa need aid not god. God can go fuck himself if he can find himself. He sure has been asleep at the wheel and could have snapped his fingers long ago to address poverty in Africa. After all, he instapoofed all of creation into existence. Funny you should say that. I'm looking for charities to help different issues in Africa over the summer...and most sites I find ARE Christian-based. Just do not send money to Nigerians. There are secular charities but most are xian based, the best bet is the Red Cross and tell them it is for Africa. Believe it or not, when my business was failing, my pastor suggested I raise money for charity as taking a 15% commission was par for the course. I am sure if you look at the like of Bono and co, there are international charities that will get your goodwill to the people that need it. There is one I know here in SA that has a mission to drill wells for water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vomit Comet Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I think God is calling me to be a missionary to Costa Rica. I'll need support from faithful believers so that I can do the Lord's work *COUGH*beachhousewithhookers*COUGH COUGH* spreading the true gospel in this poor, Catholic country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Don't allow Christianity/Christians to influence your belief in God. What do you mean by God? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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