[Cronos]

Bottom line, these people need the gospel preached to them in their native language, then need education so that they can read the Bible and understand the folly of their ways. This is an ongoing process.

The Ethiopian Church is among the most ancient. They HAVE the gospel preached in their own native language, they HAVE the education and read the bible. What you see hear is due to the shortness of life. How dare you question their religious faith? Ethiopians have been Christians far longer than your ancestors (or mine).

I don't think their conversion, if any of these people were actually personally converted to Christianity, made them abandon their previously barbaric or anti-Christian behavior

'personally converted'? No, they were born Christian, baptised Christians.

[nwrep]

'personally converted'? No, they were born Christian, baptised Christians.

At the risk of turning this into a theological discussion, no one is "born Christian." That statement is in itself profoundly antithetical to the Christian faith, and is almost sacrilegious.

[Mrs. Don-o]

For more info on Coptic Christianity, check this out:

http://coptic-christianity.biography.ms/

Their religious pedigree goes back to about 60 A.D., when St. Mark, St,Luke, and his friend "Theophilus" apparently converted a lot of Egyptians and Ethiopians to Christianity.

Their customs are a lot closer to those of the Apostles, than ours. If you're a dirt-poor goatherding family, and your people have an infant mortality rate of about 50% and a life expectancy of about 35, you marry your girls very early, to a man you think will be kind to her and, in a sense, carry the expense of "raising" her for you.

Like any of the wives of the Patriarchs!

And yes, it was a Christian wedding.

[cyborg]

good post

[LowOiL]

'personally converted'? No, they were born Christian, baptised Christians.

You must be kidding us, right... The concept of "born again" and "washed in the cleansing blood" must elude you also.

[Ecthelion]

How can one be born Christian? Did not Jesus say, "You must be born again"?

Or did I completely misunderstand you?