Posted on 08/01/2007 2:10:05 AM PDT by Clive
What are Christian Korean women doing in Afghanistan anyway?
Haven't there been enough horrendous incidents involving missionaries, Christian activists, peace-at-any-price zealots in both Afghanistan and Iraq to dissuade others from plunging into the morass, ostensibly to do the Lord's work?
In too many cases, it's fallen to NATO or other soldiers, who risk their lives to rescue such people from their reckless courage, and refusal to recognize the dangers of their humanitarian selfishness. Especially women, foreign or not, who are Taliban targets.
Presuming most are still alive, the Korean Christians held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan pose a huge dilemma for the Korean government, the struggling Afghan government of Hamid Karzai, the NATO troops trying to secure peace and reconstruction in that country.
The only ones in the catbird seat are the Taliban of Mullah Mohammed Omar (how come he's still surviving?) and the al-Qaida of Osama bin Laden.
A series of deadlines have passed in the Korean hostage case, with the Taliban demanding captured prisoners be released before they'll free the hostages. Meanwhile, they, the Taliban, are killing the male Koreans one at a time to encourage Kabul's capitulation.
No word at this writing whether the 18 Korean women are still alive.
Of all governments involved, none know better than the South Koreans the folly of cooperating with, or succumbing to, terrorist demands. Since 1953, South Korea has survived, lived and thrived under perpetual threat from North Korea, the world's most merciless and perverted regime.
The Taliban also have German hostages, whom they seem to be killing one by one.
While one has sympathy for anyone in Taliban (or al-Qaida) hands, one also cannot escape the conclusion that it is largely the fault of captives that they are in such a precarious and frightening situation.
In 2005, Canadian James Loney and four members of the Christian Peacemakers Team (CPT) in Iraq were kidnapped and held as hostages by something calling itself the Swords Of Righteousness Brigade. Before being rescued by British SAS troops and Canadian JTF2 specialists, an American member of the CPT, Tom Fox, was murdered.
The gratitude of those rescued manifested itself in Loney refusing to wear a poppy on Remembrance Day, and refusing to testify against his suspect captors later held by the Americans. A similar response came from Norman Kember, a British CPT member who was rescued.
Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, peace-types made a big hullabaloo about chaining themselves to supposed targets in Baghdad to deter air strikes -- but they cut-and-ran as soon as their demands were ignored and bombs fell.
The martyr complex exists among Christians as well as Muslim suicide bombers. Doubtless the Korean Christians exude sincerity, courage and probably forgiveness. But that's not the point. They shouldn't be there.
The Taliban are not Iroquois whom French Jesuits once felt faith-bound to rescue from paganism -- and suffered torture and death as a consequence. Those were different times, and one would think we, or the church, would have learned a lesson.
Apparently not. Christian groups should be discouraged from dabbling in regions where their religious faith is not appreciated, and where others are required to risk their lives to save them when inevitably they are kidnapped, to be used as political bargaining chips.
On the other hand, the fact that peaceful, decent people like the Korean Christians are captured and killed by such as the Taliban, is more evidence why Canadian and NATO troops are needed in that country -- not for the sake of hostages, but to help bring peace, security and a modicum of freedom to the Afghan people.
Nope. No one made the early Christians stay in the Empire, and no one made em preach the Gospel. Also, the Romans would have let them go if they’d just pour a libation to the old gods, scot free.
Likewise, I’m sure these folks would get off a lot easier if they’d agree that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet.
Why are you choosing to fight and die on this particular hill, anyway? :p
Morons.
PROTIP: The Taliban isn’t the government anywhere.
The size of the world isn’t a surprise to God since He created it. Duh. But when Jesus said to go into “all” the world, He was talking about the known world. God was taking care of the unknown world.
Have you reached everyone in your backyard? Don’t you trust those on the “team” that are living in their neighborhoods?
Pain and danger are two different things. There are plenty of people that hate pain, but really like the thrill of danger. I hate pain too.
I’m not dieing on this hill as you put it, nor am I fighting. I am discussing a subject though. The same questions could be posed to you, my friend?
I think I can safely say that there is no one on the team where I work who has my training and can do my training. Be that as it may, one of my responsibilities is to train nationals as fast as I can. When we're no longer needed, my agency has a reputation for leaving.
Thanks for the tip, but the Taliban is the government in the out reaches of Afghanistan. I wasn’t talking specifically about them though.
What agency do you work for? What kind of work do you do?
Because I work in a moslem country, I respectfully decline to completely answer your questions. I do work in SE Asia and I am on a team which brings God’s Word to those who don’t have it. My specific jobs include coordinating the training events at our center and also leading the middle school chapels at our ex-pat school.
Completely understand. While I don’t agree with missionary work, I wish you well. I can only guess what you do since you gave insight by stating that you work with ex-pats. Say, “Hi” from the folks back home, please!
The only times I know of when we have had problems with any government, it has been where the scripture and the laws of the land conflict, and scripture will always take precedence. I know whereof I speak as I work with perhaps one of the largest, most effective non-denominational mission groups in the world.
BTW. I am not saying that you are a liberal, it's just that, to me, your arguments do not seem well thought out. I am just trying to get you to realize that there is a calling higher than just saving our skins.
As for your reply to my other post to you, I don't know what would've happened. I do believe that God's plan would've been accomplished no matter what, but the examples that these early martyrs gave us would not exist, there would be others.
History has shown, that it is in the times of greatest persecution that the church grows the most. That is not saying that we go looking for it. It is brought upon us. It is saying that during those times, all believers have left is their faith, and if your faith is week, or in the wrong things, you will not survive, at least not thrive. But those who thrive in times of persecution are examples to the rest of the believers that God does love and care for his church, but oft times has to weed out those things that cause us to take our eyes off Him. When all else is removed, and all there is left is God, and your relationship to Him then you grow closer to him, and he can use you more effectively, and more people can see by that example that there really is something to this, and it draws them.
I guess that sounds pretty profound if you're "Larry the Cable Guy." I prefer to take philosophical gems from sources with a bit more substance than "bread and circuses." This country is full of fools who have no more idea than a goat about the worldviews and motivations of those that built this country. Consequently, they have no more vision than their own gratification and security.
You seem to be under the misapprehension I'm questioning your motives and morality. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm evaluating your motives and morality and concluding they are loathsome and contemptable.
I can't begin to have the vulgarity it requires to condemn those following the explicit instruction of the founder of all Western Civilization. Our military men and women join for the specific purpose of defending such as these. They certainly don't join so you can enjoy a nicely manicured lawn and a daughter that sneaks out at night. But God bless them, they do seem to join so they can defend the right of a damn fool to quote stand up comics while deluding himself into thinking he's explaining something above anyone's head.
LOL! Any more questions t30?
Please accept this blessing from a wicked sinner who would rather die defending you because he lacks the courage to walk with you.
I humbly accept the blessing along with a confession that every day I struggle with sin. I confess jealousy, hatred and strife. I am far from perfect and therefore ask that you continue to pray that prayer for me and my family. We cannot do our work without you "covering our back."
I wonder how you reconcile that believe with Christ's mandate that we "go into all the world," etc...
We should be sending more, not fewer missionaries. There are a number who are willing to convert if Afghanistan. Those who believe in the Gospel must go forth and tell the good news to people who are lost in a barbaric “religion” which is nothing more than a death cult. Ultimately, the missionaries’ work is more vital than that of the soldiers.
Interesting conclusion. Not sure what you base that on other than speculation.
What would be the impact of non-missionary contact between cultures? Only benign and beneficial? Only the Christians causing problems?
Nothing in Christian missionary activity has caused as much destruction to cultures as did naturalistic/humanistic/atheistic Marxism-Leninism. Mao's Cultural Revolution comes to mind immediately.
Because rightiousness lost in a war, looses the soul and wins the war for evil. If we become like these blood thirsty kill the innocent terrorists to wipe them out by executing hostages, they win.
Though I agree with you, just not the method. I would say use nukes.
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