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Missionaries in Japan

What is your opinion of foreign missionaries operating in Japan?

  • They are saving the souls of the Japanese infidels.

    Votes: 14 11.0%

  • They are simply offering the Japanese an alternative point of view.

    Votes: 36 28.3%

  • They are harmless as most Japanese avoid/ignore them anyway.

    Votes: 29 22.8%

  • They are naive, aggressive and self-righteous.

    Votes: 41 32.3%

  • They threaten to destroy Japan's unique nature and family-orientated secular culture.

    Votes: 23 18.1%

  • Missionary visas should be withdrawn immediately.

    Votes: 33 26.0%

  • The world would be better off if Japanese culture was more widely spread around the world.

    Votes: 20 15.7%
  • Total voters
    127
Arrowyn,

I have not had a chance to use it in a long time. Recently a little girl, like age nine came to my door, inviting me to some kind of movie! (I guess there were a whole bunch of them, hitting all the apartments in my complex.) I decided not to give her any grief, and just said no thank you.

By the way, if they ever say, "Oh? Why doesn't it work for you?" I have a number of Bible questions that they cannot answer. If they really want to get a discussion going on these topics, I am ready.

However, it has been my experience that many of them do not want to discuss anything. They just want to invite me to their church, and that is it. I did have one lady who was very pushy a few years ago, but that was before I became assertive against the missionaries. If she came today, I would give her a run for her money.
 
i have seen self-righteos display, which applies the concept of "GOD" and "JESUS" to japan. i would guess the concept of the "HOLY MOTHER", "GODFATHER","ANIMAL CRECHE","CRUCIFICATION","SIN" and "DEVIL" as well.

indeed thirty nine percent voted for this option previously.

my personal opinion is they are so peaceful, compassionate to the poor, and they sing nice songs, but should clearly indicate it is outlandish cultural property.
 
Where I live is horror I tell ya @_@

Missionaries come up at your door, FORCING YOU to convert to Mormon @______@;;;

I hate it...they're everywhere...

And they proxy baptise the dead non-Mormon people!!! @__________x;;; That's horrible man!!!!!
 
sketchytiger,

I dare any missionary to come to my door. They won't last long....

If you need ideas on what to say to them, just let me know!
 
I dont mind missionaries, they would stop by my house once in a while but they mean no harm. The missionaries i met are really nice and freindly, i usually just tell them that i am already affiliated with a religion and they leave. People complain too much i think.
 
I've had some very revealing debates with Mormons. The ones that listen are people who where born Mormon. I find converts a bit overzealous for my tastyes. They seem to think what they say is right and you are wrong. People born into a religion and prech seem to have a better understanding and are willing to listen to your views. I have parted on good terms with these people. They haven't converted me and I haven't converted them, but we have both learnt something from each other. BTW scared a Sciencetologist a few weeks back.Knew a bit more about L.Ron Hubbard than she was willing to hear. Fun times
 
Buntaro said:
sketchytiger,

I dare any missionary to come to my door. They won't last long....

If you need ideas on what to say to them, just let me know!
Click to expand...

thank you

and another thing is that since I'm living in a Mormon state, Utah, there are a lot of places that forbids non-mormons to enter or join. That's why Mormon missionaries come up and try to change your religion to "be part of the community"

☝...

it's true!

anyways, um...yeah...sorry for saying something that's out of topic (or maybe i am )
 
sketchytiger,

"...try to change your religion to "be part of the community"

--> I would remind them that I *am* a part of the community, and to even suggest that I am not is insulting and rude. As I listen to such an idea, it really is something a Nazi or Communist would say, and I would point that out.

I would also tell them I am *proud* to not enter any business or establishment that has a Jim Crow rule of Mormons-only - and I expect them to do the same.

Can you name some of these Mormon-only places?
 
This forum is to do with religion in Japan ie: shinto or Buddhism; or to do with problems or help that you could find in Japan to do with your beliefs. If you wish to start a thread on general religious beliefs I suggest you go into the Members lounge and look or start a disscussion in serious disscussions. Be warned: Religion is a touchy subject to deal with. If you want to start a thread on religions be prepared for some strong views and try not to get too wound up about what is being said on them. Another way is not to start a thread on the subject and avoid any upset altogether.
 

good one!
 

thanks for the answer...I don't want to start no trouble..sometimes it takes a while for me to get a feel for a board..and what is and what isn't allowed..
 
"This forum is to do with religion in Japan ie: shinto or Buddhism"

--> This forum has to do with ALL religions in Japan, especially missionaries. I consider dealing with missionaries (Christian and others) one of the biggest religious issues in Japan. (Some of my worst experiences with missionaries were in Japan.)
Certainly, discussing how to deal with all of them is time well spent.
 
I think I worded the original post incorrectly. I think Jarvis wanted to post something on religion in general, not religion in Japan. Sorry if any mistake was taken, I was just trying to point him in the right direction. :sorry:
 
In the town where I live there is a missionary training centre on the outskirts. They call themselves 'Youth with a Mission'. I'm not sure which christain sect they belong to, but they seem to keep themselves to themselves.
 
This is an age of ultra-secularisation. as i see it. And the sarcastic atmosphere here convinces me that a nation can achieve the so-called prosperity without having to mind maintenance of the soul.

What and who can convince anyone of the otherwise?
 
Hell of a way to market a religion, I can't imagine that they've had much success with it.
Click to expand...

actually the mormon religion is the third largest in the world.
 
the only place a non mormon cant eneter is their temples and even then most mormons cant enter them because they a the extremely sacred places. one of my best friends is on a mission and i talk to missionaries here in nara all the time, sure they are you typical american redneck but so are most of you.
 
This is a topic where we have to agree to disagree. I'm not sure Japan is different from anywhere else when it comes to missionaries - they seem to be everywhere. Like most people on this thread I have my own beliefs - raised Methodist, I don't believe that any one religion holds the truth, and I am offended by any god that punishes people for whatever reason. I also have a real problem with 'rules', I am for the spirit rather than the letter of the law.

The view I take is that when a missionary approaches me - and it is usually JW at the door, or Mormons in the street - that it is a chance for me to evangelise right back at them - i.e. to point out why I don't (and never will) believe what they believe, as respectfully as possible. My Dad (an almost Buddhist) has a good one. JW's believe that the word of god is only found in the Bible, so my Dad says "My God speaks to me every day". They cannot come up with one way it is better for god to have said everything 2000 years ago than speak to you whenever you want!

I think this issue is impossible to resolve, like I said at the start, we have to agree to disagree. The only defense is for everyone to become missionaries and tell the missionaries what you believe!

:sorry:
 
but everyone is a missionary of their own beliefs because we express ourselves everyday. a missionary doesnt just want to make you mormon or jw but they just tell you what they believe in. a fun fact about jw's, they say only 100,000 people can go to heaven yet there are far more members then that in their religious organization....
 
We might be our own missionary, but we do not go around and spread our beliefs as our job. Most people defend their beliefs when faced with a missionary, because, for some strange deluded reason, some missionaries
cannot accept that you are not interested.
I always thought it was 150 000. They altered that belief sometime back. The chosen ones, the 100 000 or 150 000, get to live in heaven with God. The rest of the JW are reborn on a remade earthly paradise were they live for eternity. All this happens after Judgement Day, which they have stopped giving dates for as the last few were a little wrong.
 
I have respect for those who try to spread the "good word" or knowledge of their religion to others, but I also expect them to have respect for my desire not to wish to partake of any such discussion.

Many years ago I had 500 business-size cards printed up. Whenever missionaries come to my door I say, "Thank you, but we are quite happy with our religion," and I hand them a card. This allows me to politely close the door without any objection from the missionaries, who are invariably curious and anxious to read what the card says. And this is what my card says:

"I never told my own religion nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed. I am satisfied that yours must be an excellent religion to have produced a life of such exemplary virtue and correctness. For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be judged."
- Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Mrs. H. Harrison Smith (1816).​
 
it isnt a job, they dont get paid for it. and bramicus that is an excellent outlook on things!
 
I didn't intend for the word 'job' to be used in the context of a paid proffession. More of a case as it is their vocation. :sorry:
 
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