Tuesday, 14 October 2008
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Isolated Tribe Found in Brazil: Should Missionaries Visit?
by mr oak
Couple months ago, the Brazilian government found a completely isolated tribe in the rainforest. Immediately critics emphasized the preservation of this tribe - from conveying the risks of logging and even the negatives of bringing western influences that may dilute their culture.
I'm so fascinated by this - to think that for thousands of years, these people had very limited contact with others in the world. Imagine, not knowing that there are cars, airplanes, internet, cell phones - I can't even imagine what it would be like to suddenly be introduced to all of that.
Which made me wonder about how missionaries may feel about this whole scenario.
Historically, we've seen missionaries going from place to place and teaching the Gospel. At the same time, they also bring diseases, cultural changes, and challenges to their culture.
I saw a documentary on a tribesman from Ecuador that killed American missionary Jim Elliot. The basic story culminates with this man becoming a man of God. However, a part of me was saddened that his tribe changed so much - looking at him wearing a button down tshirt and khakis made me wonder if culture was lost in the whole process.
Should missionaries be allowed to visit this tribe?
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Comments (114)
Sure, but I think missionaries should go there whether they are allowed to or not. We are only there to tell them about Jesus. Not to change thier minds. That is God's doing, not ours. We aren't there to bring them our clothes, our food, our beliefs and ways, etc... It is simply all about telling them about Jesus. Not forcing our ways on them.
I am 100% sure that even though they don't drive or fly that each person in the world would havce seen planes and cars....they just choose to keep themselves from them and avoid all the things that come with modernization. As for missionaries....most go in and don't try to change the way they live....just the way they believe.
One can tell a people about Jesus without introducing Western cultural influences. Christianity, after all, is not a "white" religion--it belongs to all peoples, who express it differently.
@alterEGGO@xanga - By changing what they believe, you will probably end up changing the way they live. Actually, by becoming a Christian that should change the way you live. Maybe not in the modern sense, though, obviously. But what if these people have some cultural practice that is completely against what the Bible says to do//not to do? Then, well... they have a problem.
I don't really think it's anyone's say as to whether missionaries should or should not go. My first instinct is "no, don't go in there and ruin their probably beautiful culture!" but then again, my Christian instinct is "by all means, save those people!" but I think it's up to God. He ultimately decides. He'll put it on missionaries hearts if they're supposed to go there or not.
Yes! The Bible commands us to preach the Gospel to every creature! It seems like it would be a good idea for a Christian from a similar culture to go, not necessarily someone from the States.
Missionaries are NOT supposed to change the way people believe. That is NOT their job. Their job is to tell people about Jesus. It is God's job to change the belief. It is the person's job to change his or her heart.
YES!! By all means "Go and make disciples of ALL nations" (Matt. 28:19). Jesus told us "You will be my witnesses...to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). That pretty much includes everyone.
This does not mean completely changing their culture, this means introducing them to Jesus Christ.
@RuthViola@xanga, @jmallory@xanga, @alterEGGO@xanga, @Pickwick12@xanga - If Christians are allowed to preach to this innocent, fully functioning tribe, then Wiccans, pagans, Buddhists, Moslems, atheists, agnostics and every other religion should be allowed to present their ideals.
But don't you think that's a bit of an overload? Their society is already functioning just fine. They've obviously been around for hundreds of years if not thousands, so who are we to come in with our murderous, morally skewed, hate filled society and destroy their lives? If they're meant for Jesus they'll find him on their own time.
You must see a movie called, "The End of the Spear." It deals with this very issue.
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - I believe the Bible, which is why I said what I said
You have every right to disagree with the Bible, but I personally agree with it.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
@Ancient_Scribe@xanga - Good movie
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - Except Jesus told us to go and tell everyone. If they're meant for Jesus, Jesus will send someone to them.
...for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How,
then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can
they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they
hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
--St. Paul, Romans 10:13-15
@Pickwick12@xanga - Just saying, we have to respect the beliefs of others, and we know absolutely nothing about this tribe's beliefs so who are we to go somewhere we don't belong? Besides, it's not like they'd know English and they'd think we're all nutters, anyway. ;)
@ChrisRusso@xanga - My point was that if we don't respect the beliefs of others, how can we expect others to respect us? How can we even respect ourselves? And like I told Pickwick, they most likely don't know English and you'd never get through to them. :)
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - As I said in my comment, I don't necessarily think Americans should be the ones to go, but everyone deserves to hear the Gospel. Christians from similar cultures could go, not necessarily people from Western cultures. I agree with respecting beliefs. It's highly possible to respect someone's belief and to present another one.
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - That's why the first step is to sit and learn their language and culture, or to find a member of that tribe who once encountered English. (It's been done before.) The first step to being a good missionary is to be a good student.
I don't believe that it isn't "respecting" a culture to offer them change. Disrespect would be to force them to change, or to force them to Westernize. But to offer them change, giving them the choice, is the ultimate respect, because it honors them as sentient humans with both free will and discernment.
NO! They should be left alone to live life they're own way. People that have lived like that for so long shouldn't be contaminated. I think they'll be happier if they're left alone. this world might be too much for them.
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - Not exactly. You see, you are forgetting the great commission... you know... When Jesus tells us to tell everyone about him. EVERYONE... Yeah... that includes that tribe. And you are right... if Christians should be allowed, then every other religion should be allowed to share their beliefs.... But it shouldn't stop a Christian from telling this tribe about Jesus.
And you think they will "find Jesus on their own time"? Yeah... even though they know nothing about him. No... we need to tell them about Jesus. It is OUR job.
@ChrisRusso@xanga - But if you sit down and learn their cultures and beliefs and ways of life, if you really came to understand why they do the things they do, why would you want to change something that works better than our own society?
@jmallory@xanga - But like hotpink said, they've been living life perfectly fine - probably much better than our own society - who are we to go and screw that up?
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - Because you're not offering them our society. Christianity is not our society. To be a disciple of Jesus is something that transcends society. It has nothing to do with being American, or with being Western--the first Christians were Jews and Palestinians and Romans and Greeks. And modern America is far from Christian.
By no means should one offer them Western/American society. By all means should one offer them the free gift of God: that they don't have to live the way they've been living, that there is a better way than an-eye-for-an-eye, that there is life more abundant.
I believe the gospel can be presented to different cultures without spelling out a how-to formula or even taking them away from their culture. What is sad is that a lot of American missionaries do not understand this concept, and I think that is why we risk taking away that cultural history when we go to an indigenous group of people. But even Westernized religion is nothing like those who originally received the gospel.
However, bringing up the Waodoni tribe, obviously a lot was lost to their history and culture, but a lot of that was a GOOD thing. These people were murderous, and solved everything with killing each other, and constantly lived in fear and hatred. If they lost some of their culture in the process of losing that, it was worth the loss. And they would probably agree.
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - If we were to force our beliefs, ways, and ideals on them... that would be screwing up thier society. But to simply go there, befriend them, and tell them about Jesus... that isn't going to screw anything up. And then Christians are fullfilling their duties... And the tribe would have the chance to hear about Jesus... it is really win/win. We just don't force it on them. Make sense?
@HeartOfPandora@xanga - We don't need to convert them to our society. We need to offer them Jesus. God is beyond culture; Jesus is the Way for any and every culture.
@quiet_strength - Bingo