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What were the techniques used by Christian missionaries to convert the infidels? To what extent forced conversion was prevalent? And if forced conversion wasn't an option, how did they go about convincing people? Did they by any chance write handbooks about the subject?
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Let us be lazy in everything, except in loving and drinking, except in being lazy – Lessing -
Is it possible they talked?
A ship at sea is its own world. To be the captain of a ship is to be the unquestioned ruler of that world and requires all of the leadership skills of a prince or minister.
Men grow tired of sleep, love, singing and dancing, sooner than war -
One of my favourite examples concerns the actions of the Jesuits in what is now Paraguay. While the Spanish colonial forces and their agents went in for wholesale slavery of the natives, the Jesuits built utopian (albeit very strict and repressive in some ways) communities in which the natives were not treated as sub-humans, but converted and educated.
When the Jesuits communities were threatened by opportunists, the Jesuits actually went to war- and a large part of their motive was to fight for the moral right for the natives to be recognised as human beings with all the rights that should be afforded to Christians. It's an example of missionary work where (as far as I'm concerned) they missionaries come out looking rather heroic.The genesis of the "evil Finn" concept- Evil, evil FinlandComment
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The giving of aid seems to be useful. You give starving people food, sick people medicine... and then talk about your wonderful, merciful, loving God. A lot. Some of them are going to be interested, especially since you've got them feeling all grateful.
edit: along the lines of both this, and Laz's post - in India, the missionaries appear to be making inroads with the "untouchables." The caste system (technically illegal) is manifestly unjust, and the life of a Dalit (sp?) is pretty bad. This certainly provides an opportunity for someone preaching equality...
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The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.Comment
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Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp
One of my favourite examples concerns the actions of the Jesuits in what is now Paraguay. While the Spanish colonial forces and their agents went in for wholesale slavery of the natives, the Jesuits built utopian (albeit very strict and repressive in some ways) communities in which the natives were not treated as sub-humans, but converted and educated.
When the Jesuits communities were threatened by opportunists, the Jesuits actually went to war- and a large part of their motive was to fight for the moral right for the natives to be recognised as human beings with all the rights that should be afforded to Christians. It's an example of missionary work where (as far as I'm concerned) they missionaries come out looking rather heroic.
Indeed.
I'd not heard of that particular instance, but I was aware more generally that some of the missionaries/religious leaders actually acted like they believed in all that "love thy brother" stuff.
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The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.Comment
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I don't know who the **** you are, but when you read someone, assuming he's not a complete idiot helps a lot if you want to understand what he's actually saying.Originally posted by Slade Wilson
Is it possible they talked?
What I meant is that missionaries were probably trained to convince people or, as Schopenhauer would say, trained in the art of always being right. I'm not 100% sure about it, but I believe they even had handbooks on the subject. I was curious if you guys had heard about those handbooks or those treatises and if they could be found online. That's all.Let us be lazy in everything, except in loving and drinking, except in being lazy – LessingComment
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Laz, Arrian, those are very interesting cases.Let us be lazy in everything, except in loving and drinking, except in being lazy – LessingComment
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You seemed to be implying the only way to change ones beliefs would be by force. You dont need to think your always right to convince someone to hold a opinion similar to your own
I think people are actually capable of loving their neighbors, as arrian sarcastically puts it. When people act like that sincerely, what they say has a lot more weightA ship at sea is its own world. To be the captain of a ship is to be the unquestioned ruler of that world and requires all of the leadership skills of a prince or minister.
Men grow tired of sleep, love, singing and dancing, sooner than warComment
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Hey Slade, welcome to 'Poly.
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Its OK.Originally posted by Slade Wilson
You seemed to be implying the only way to change ones beliefs would be by force. You dont need to think your always right to convince someone to hold a opinion similar to your own
I think people are actually capable of loving their neighbors, as arrian sarcastically puts it. When people act like that sincerely, what they say has a lot more weight I agree with you anyway
Oh, and welcome
Let us be lazy in everything, except in loving and drinking, except in being lazy – LessingComment
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