RE: [asa] Reply to Glenn

> -----Original Message-----
> From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu
> [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On Behalf Of Bill Hamilton
> Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 3:45 AM
>
> I wonder if when visiting these exotic countries -- a few of
> which I have visited -- if you have looked up any of the
> Christian missionaries who strive to win these folks to
> Christ. It _is_ possible to reach them, in spite of your doubts.

In some of the countries I have met missionaries. By virtue of living in
one country I met more there than elsewhere. I was appalled at the number of
people who came to Asia supposedly to share the gospel but who are not
bothering to learn the language. I was learning it for personal and business
reasons and within a year am semi-fluent. Some people I spoke with had been
there for 10 years and couldn't say two words. What dedication! But, if
you talk to people who live in Asia you will find that the going is really
tough if you want to share the gospel. The Asians look at us like I look
those pairs of guys in white shirts and nametags who knock on my door to
give me that free book from those golden tablets..They have zero background
in Christianity and even discussions I had about Jesus required going back
to why mankind had sinned. In Chinese, there is an unfortunate word used
for sin, fan zui, and it also means crime. So, of course when you tell
people they have commited a sin, they think they have not committed any
crime. Such are the difficulties. Indeed, I recently had a discussion with
another fellow who also noted how difficult it is in other parts of Asia.
While Christianity is booming in China so is Buddhism and Islam and they
outnumber the Christians by a vast number.

BTW, my doubts are not that on can't reach people, my doubts are about how
to ground Christian faith so that it isn't equivalent to any and all other
religions who also have self-levitating belief systems. Read everything
through that filter and you will understand what I am trying to do here

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Received on Sun Jun 18 18:43:53 2006