Christian Medical Missionary

[MoosePilot]

I was simply quoting you because you implied that Christianity is not a religion of mutual respect; I don't think it changed the meaning of your quote. But it doesn't matter. I really hate arguing like this, even if it's on some anonymous internet forum, so I'll be a smart girl and go play some Fifa 2006. I'm sorry we sidetracked your thread. Proceed.

That's the point. You missed what I said because you put a period right about where your agenda needed it.

I contrasted it to a pansy religion that had mutual respect for everything, which in the end is really respecting nothing. If you don't condemn anything, then you don't respect anything, either, because there has to be a difference in your attitude towards multiple things before you can say you "respect" something. If I respect everything equally... what does that really mean? Think about it.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Why? In what sense did the thread invite your off topic diversion?

Because everyone was talking about how great all of these groups are, and no one bothered to mention that there are some bad ones out there and that people have gone along on trips expecting one thing and finding out that what they signed up to do- take care of people- took a backseat to other concerns. That is why I made a comment. I had no intention of this snowballing like it did- but I feel that it has been a meaningful discussion nonetheless.

 

[MoosePilot]

Because everyone was talking about how great all of these groups are, and no one bothered to mention that there are some bad ones out there and that people have gone along on trips expecting one thing and finding out that what they signed up to do- take care of people- took a backseat to other concerns. That is why I made a comment. I had no intention of this snowballing like it did- but I feel that it has been a meaningful discussion nonetheless.

Totally off topic. The topic was stated in the first post. Did you actually go on a mission and have this experience or have you heard about it?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

The thread would be incomplete without some trashin'-n-bashin' of Christians, would it not? You see, medical missionaries short-circuit the tolerance BS; they suggest that there are positive aspects to Christianity. The entire focus of the thread must thus be redirected to coercion, Pat Robertson, and the Crusades. Praetorian, congratulations, you've succeeded in obliterating the thread.

Mercapto, you need to learn the difference between bashing Christians, questioning beliefs, and bashing those who have ulterior motives for their actions (profit, egotism, etc). These three are not the same thing, nor is questioning your beliefs exclude one from being able to have faith.

You seem stuck on this idea that I don't like Christians as a group.... Granted there are Christians whom I don't care for, but that's because they are scumbags, not because they consider themselves Christians.

And when did the Crusades come into this?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

No, I didn't go, but the lead missionary came to our church and spoke about it. Her exact words when I asked about the medical care rendered were (because I was thinking about going on the next trip with them): "Oh, well if you really want to take care of people then you should go through another group. The medical treatment we went down to give was just an excuse to go win some souls for the Lord. We spent most of our time telling these people about our faith." That sounds like a pretty good admission of false pretense if you ask me because the flyers for this trip had talked about how many people they were going to vaccinate, etc, etc.

Could be that this group was just an abberation, but it does serve as a warning to be very, very sure of the people you are getting involved with. All is not always as it seems.

 

[paceac]

This thread makes me realize one has to make this decision himself: either to read the Bible, believe what it says about being a follower of Christ and live it out or he can chose to reject it as false. I think this thread is just one small example that there is no middle ground and there is no compromise. Tolerance doesn't work; if you believe something to be "true" anything that contradicts it must be understood as "false". I am going to believe you are incorrect and you are going to believe I am incorrect. The best I can do is "tolerate" you being wrong and to many this does not sit well and isn't what is meant when they use the word "tolerance".

My true desire is that people would not try and seek after unattainable mutual acceptance nor get caught up in all the relatively superfluous arguments that overshadow the central issue but would instead invest the time and energy to truly examine what the Bible says (the best way is by reading it) and be sure of what they believe.

 

[MoosePilot]

No, I didn't go, but the lead missionary came to our church and spoke about it. Her exact words when I asked about the medical care rendered were (because I was thinking about going on the next trip with them): "Oh, well if you really want to take care of people then you should go through another group. The medical treatment we went down to give was just an excuse to go win some souls for the Lord. We spent most of our time telling these people about our faith." That sounds like a pretty good admission of false pretense if you ask me because the flyers for this trip had talked about how many people they were going to vaccinate, etc, etc.

Could be that this group was just an abberation, but it does serve as a warning to be very, very sure of the people you are getting involved with. All is not always as it seems.

Did you ask if they actually vaccinated the numbers they'd discussed? Maybe medical wasn't her part. There might have been a medical lead that would have downplayed the ministry part.

Basically, though, you interrupted an on-topic discussion to tell us about one bad mission you'd heard of.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

No, this lady was an RN and was openly listed as the "medical contact" for the trip, so I am quite sure that what she told me was correct. As for the vaccination program, one of the EMT's I know who went along said they ended up only using about 1/3 of the supply they took along.

But anyhow, there is obviously an assumption that anything with Christian in the title is a good thing, so I guess my suggestion to exercise caution is falling upon deaf ears. Oh well.....

 

[MoosePilot]

No, this lady was an RN and was openly listed as the "medical contact" for the trip, so I am quite sure that what she told me was correct. As for the vaccination program, one of the EMT's I know who went along said they ended up only using about 1/3 of the supply they took along.

But anyhow, there is obviously an assumption that anything with Christian in the title is a good thing, so I guess my suggestion to exercise caution is falling upon deaf ears. Oh well.....

Is there an assumption? I wasn't aware I needed you to do research for me and tell me to be cautious before I went out of the country with a group of strangers. Can you do specific research for me, or is this caution as good as it gets?

 

[DrRads101]

Basically, though, you interrupted an on-topic discussion to tell us about one bad mission you'd heard of.

That's exactly what he did. Whether he likes it or not, every single one of his posts has been completely antagonistic towards Christianity and one needs only to see what group he saw eye-to-eye with in this thread more... he joined the chorus of haters pretty quick, and the haters are the ones who were supporting him. If this guy does indeed attend church I would love for him to print out this thread and show it to the people around him and see what they think about it.

And no offense but I think we are smart enough, old enough, and able to think on our own enough to not need to hear about all the "bad aspects of Christianity." That has NOTHING to do with seeing who was interested in missionary work and how to get involved. Congratulations though for trampling a perfectly good thread that might have had some real fruit come out of it. Instead we get yet another debate about Christianity and a complete focus on the negative.

 

[Depakote]

I've been on 2 medical missions.

1 with a non-religious group (to Egypt), 1 with a religious group (to Haiti).

Both were the same at the core. We went and helped, we didn't force anything on anybody. The only difference was who was facilitating our trips.

When we went to Egypt, it was a Cardiac EP trip so it was done through some local Cardiac EPs.

When we went to Haiti, it was linked through the local church, they hosted us. Other than that, there was no religious involvement in what we did except we attended their mass on Sunday. We treated everybody, regardless of their affiliation with the church. (BTW. for anyone that has been on missions to Haiti, we were based out of Tourbeck.)

Both of these were life changing, I'll definately continue to go on medical missions as a doc.

 

[cali7925]

i'd just like to say that you guys are a bunch of ******os.

you'd believe anything a preacher told you.

people like you create religious wars like the crusades and massacre millions. its how Hitler controlled an entire nation...because of *****s like you.

not going to "heaven" because you are not a Christian is the dumbest thing i've ever heard in the world. It is an aspect of the religion that makes it just as fanatical as radical Islam or any other radical group.

so convert away, you idiots.

oh Jesus, where art thou, save me, for my collegues are going to tell me that this post will condemn me to the pits of hell, where i shall feel the wrath of the notorious Lucifer himself.

one question, so if a guy is dying in a hospital bed, and he has found faith and hope in a religion outside of Christianity, do you not treat him because he doesnt want to convert or wait while he gets sicker until he converts (oh yeah, God would really want that) or do you cure him and pray for the paegans soul.

you guys are fanatical idiots. i say put you in a huge island with all the other religious fanatics in the world, give you all a machete and let you guys hack each other to little bits....this way would be better than allowing you to kill innocent women and children like our faith loving pressy is doing.

where is the "God" in that?!

by converting someone to give them treatment, i think its the equivalent of stripping the man of his dignity before you treat him. This man or woman has found peace with a belief in something that they have held their entire life. now your telling the guy to give up the belief that gives him peace of mind and changing to your belief, forcibly.

i think i'm going to go on a medical mission myself. i'm going to make all those sick people lick my shoes, after i dipped them in a pile of crap, before i treat them. that way i can strip them of their dignity and self-identity too! (sarcasm implied)

and another thing.....if u saw any other religious group doing what you radical Christians are doing (bc i'm not generalizing this to those Christians who still use their brain to think for themselves), they would be "evil doers".....imagine a group of Muslim doctors doing the same thing, the entire world would be against them.

 

[MoosePilot]

one question, so if a guy is dying in a hospital bed, and he has found faith and hope in a religion outside of Christianity, do you not treat him because he doesnt want to convert or wait while he gets sicker until he converts (oh yeah, God would really want that) or do you cure him and pray for the paegans soul.

Well, you could read some of what we've already said or you could ask a question I had answered, Q had asked again, I pointed out that I'd answered, and then you asked again as your only vaguely readable contribution in an entire post. Did you intend to be a ***** or is it a total accident?

 

[MoosePilot]

Honestly, there are three cases I can see for me going on a Christian medical mission.

1. A person could have no medical knowledge, experience, or interest. They're going along to augment the mission in non-medical ways. Perhaps administrative, but also perhaps to do the witnessing that the medical types might not have time to do. I doubt I would ever go in this capacity, but it's an important role given case 3.

2. I could see going now or as a med student. I would want to be a medical support type. Maybe I could take histories or assist the physicians and nurses in some way, because that's my interest and how I could best help the people. I might have time to witness to people during those times when you're just in the way. I think everyone has had those times as a volunteer. I'm not a super charismatic guy and I'm pretty private, so I'd probably be uncomfortable doing it, but I think it's important.

3. If I was a physician, I imagine I'd spend the entire trip working medical issues. That's where a physician is going to be most useful and help the most people. If I'm not helping a patient, I imagine I'd be eating or sleeping, unless the volume just wasn't that high (which is probably more likely, honestly, isn't it?). I think this could be the way I could help most, because I'm not a minister, not charismatic, probably can't convey the deep belief I have through words, but maybe I can show it through action and help given.

Given the thoughts expressed here, maybe people are beyond help. The first one of you I ran across would probably sour the whole experience. Why help people when they just disapprove of you and think you're trying to manipulate them?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

i'd just like to say that you guys are a bunch of ******os.

you'd believe anything a preacher told you.

people like you create religious wars like the crusades and massacre millions. its how Hitler controlled an entire nation...because of *****s like you.

not going to "heaven" because you are not a Christian is the dumbest thing i've ever heard in the world. It is an aspect of the religion that makes it just as fanatical as fundamentalist Islam.

so convert away, you idiots.

oh Jesus, where art thou, save me, for my collegues are going to tell me that this post will condemn me to the pits of hell, where i shall feel the wrath of the notorious Lucifer himself.

one question, so if a guy is dying in a hospital bed, and he has found faith and hope in a religion outside of Christianity, do you not treat him because he doesnt want to convert or wait while he gets sicker until he converts (oh yeah, God would really want that) or do you cure him and pray for the paegans soul.

you guys are fanatical idiots. i say put you in a huge island with all the other religious fanatics in the world, give you all a machete and let you guys hack each other to little bits....this way would be better than allowing you to kill innocent women and children like our faith loving pressy is doing.

where is the "God" in that?!

You, miss, are the "*****" and "******" in this case. Moose and Mercapto may be religious but are by no means or sense of the word idiots. Quite to the contrary, although I disagree with the extent to which Mercapto takes his religious fervor, he could take care of me any time I needed a doctor. The same goes for MoosePilot (except the part about taking his beliefs too far)

If this guy does indeed attend church I would love for him to print out this thread and show it to the people around him and see what they think about it.

Actually, my father-in-law (or rather the man who will be my father-in-law as of July) happens to be a Reverend in the Episcopal Church and I showed him this. His comment was, "You defended your stance, and you pointed out the shortcomings of certain groups. There is nothing wrong with what you said. There was nothing hateful across the board about it- you singled out certain individuals. Remember, people just see and hear what they want to hear and if they can not deal with that then the problem lies with them for being close-minded. A 'you can take a horse to water' issue if you will."

 

[cali7925]

better yet, i think i'll have them lick my butt

 

[MoosePilot]

Actually, my father-in-law (or rather the man who will be my father-in-law as of July) happens to be a Reverend in the Episcopal Church and I showed him this. His comment was, "You defended your stance, and you pointed out the shortcomings of certain groups. There is nothing wrong with what you said. There was nothing hateful across the board about it- you singled out certain individuals. Remember, people just see and hear what they want to hear and if they can not deal with that then the problem lies with them for being close-minded. A 'you can take a horse to water' issue if you will."

Praetorian, there's nothing particularly wrong with what you said. It could even have been on topic if you'd answered the question more specifically and added that your reasons for not wanting to go on a mission were the RN's speech that you mentioned later.

My big issue is look at the thread prior to your post and then look at it after. Do you see a difference? I would have really liked to have the opportunity to talk to people about medical missions. Hopefully someone with experience would have posted and I could have heard how they did it. How they found a group, where they went, what the experience was like. That opportunity was lost and all we got was a fight. Did anyone really feel anyone's mind would be changed by coming into a thread for Christians to talk about mission trips and yell at them?

 

[DrMom]

I want to remind everyone that this is a professional forum & the conduct here is expected to remain professional.

For clarification & future reference, please read this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=244028

 

[DropkickMurphy]

My big issue is look at the thread prior to your post and then look at it after. Do you see a difference?

Point well taken.

 

[Saluki]

people like you create religious wars like the crusades and massacre millions. its how Hitler controlled an entire nation...because of *****s like you.

Actually, Hitler had some very strong pagan and Satanic links- the broken cross (now the symbol of the Nazis) is a part of this. And many of the Christian churches that preached what mainstream denominations today do got in trouble with the Nazis. It was the ones who dumped Christian doctrine and gave the trumpet call for German nationalism that helped raise national support for that kind of movement. The Crusades like almost any war was not really about religion. The Crusades were partly a response to the fear of the growing power of Muslim groups coming out of the East like the Mongols (who in many cases converted to Islam), the Ottomans who conquered parts of Eastern Europe, and the Moors who would eventually conquer large portions of Spain. The other major reason for the Crusades was the desire for spoils of war among greedy mercenaries. Religion simply provided a way to unite several different countries, which were often at odds with one another, to unite under a common banner. To say that spreading Christianity was the motivation for the Crusades is like saying that the reason Pizarro went to the Americas was to convert the natives to Christianity. The Spanish may have claimed that afterwards, but it was a justification for what was done in the name of political power and financial gain...

 

[Saluki]

one question, so if a guy is dying in a hospital bed, and he has found faith and hope in a religion outside of Christianity, do you not treat him because he doesnt want to convert or wait while he gets sicker until he converts (oh yeah, God would really want that) or do you cure him and pray for the paegans soul.

by converting someone to give them treatment, i think its the equivalent of stripping the man of his dignity before you treat him. This man or woman has found peace with a belief in something that they have held their entire life. now your telling the guy to give up the belief that gives him peace of mind and changing to your belief, forcibly.

i think i'm going to go on a medical mission myself. i'm going to make all those sick people lick my shoes, after i dipped them in a pile of crap, before i treat them. that way i can strip them of their dignity and self-identity too! (sarcasm implied)
.

I think you're misunderstanding the purpose of medical missions, at least as I see it. No one that I know in medical missions is advocating forcing someone to convert before giving them treatment. What they're saying is that while they're over there, giving surgeries for the blind and caring for the dying, they will clearly explain what motivated them to leave behind good paying jobs in America and go to the slums of India. Mother Theresa told the people that worked with her to treat every dying individual as if they were handling the eucharist, Christ's own body, in the view of the Catholic church. It was her faith that motivated her, and I'm sure she told other people about it. But that doesn't mean she was forcing Hindus to convert before giving them a drink of water.

 

[cali7925]

Teresa's philosophy was convert before you treat. save the soul first. no conversion, to treatment.

i am just saying you can help people with having a condescending view of them or their beliefs and acting condescendingly by preaching to them.

if u really want to do GOOD, treat all of them WITHOUT preaching....treat them as you would treat Jesus, Moses or whoever else you believe in...or as you would treat a brother.

thanks Mom for telling me to simmer dunna.

 

[Saluki]

Teresa's philosophy was convert before you treat. save the soul first. no conversion, to treatment.

That's not true. Most of Mother Theresa's patients died without converting and she still cared for them. I don't know where you're getting your info from...

 

[MoosePilot]

Teresa's philosophy was convert before you treat. save the soul first. no conversion, to treatment.

i am just saying you can help people with having a condescending view of them or their beliefs and acting condescendingly by preaching to them.

if u really want to do GOOD, treat all of them WITHOUT preaching....treat them as you would treat Jesus, Moses or whoever else you believe in...or as you would treat a brother.

thanks Mom for telling me to simmer dunna.

I wouldn't talk religion with Jesus, Moses, or whomever? Right...

 

[Saluki]

if u really want to do GOOD, treat all of them WITHOUT preaching....treat them as you would treat Jesus, Moses or whoever else you believe in...or as you would treat a brother.

If you believe, as the mainstream Christians do, that those who die without believing in Jesus are going to hell, then the way to do the most good is to tell people about what you would believe in (aka "preaching"), let them make their own decision, and treat them with compassion regardless of what their choice is. And, most Christian medical missionaries operate on this principle, because Christ healed people before they converted- read the story of the lepers that were healed and you'll see that not only did he not ask them to convert beforehand but that only one even returned to say thankyou.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

What are you talking about? Dr. Mom is hot! Especially if you go for the tall, leggy variety....

 

[cali7925]

take me out of my misery and addiction and kick me out of SDN...PLEASE!!! block me or something,,,,,,erase me.

 

[newguy357]

YES, of course it is after! I agree with you! I wasn't saying that the system is "if you are christian, you get treatment". I know you indoctrinate them AFTER the medical treatment, and that's what's wrong in my opinion. You save someone, they obviously owe you (at least they feel). How can they pay you back for that $10,000 resection? By converting to your faith. It's what you wanted right? You can't go wrong obviously. I'm willing to bet that the liver tumor patient is now a happy Christian...

You said it yourself: the tumor patient is now a "happy" Christian. Why do you oppose his happiness? He is thrilled at his new healthiness and at his new knowledge of truth. You keep declaring that one can either choose to espouse Christian values or else to heal others physical ills but not both. Yet you have offered no logical reason as to why the two must be mutually exclusive. Your only protests come from your own emotions--your "dislike" for what you perceive as exploitation. You have not justified this belief. "Oh they're going to be grateful and this will make them exceptionally biased toward receiving the belief system of their healers!" And how is this bad? Their healers just traveled half-way around the world and healed him. And they're not allowed to say, "You're welcome. The reason we came to help you is because of our religious beliefs. We believe that we ought to follow the example of our Savior, whose name is Jesus Christ. God is perfect and therefore cannot allow us, who have all done wrong things, into his presence. Because of our wrongdoings Jesus was sent as a sacrifice in our stead, that the demands of perfect justice be fulfilled. Jesus paid the debt of our weaknesses and we now live free, with the guarantee that we will come before God as his righteous children."

Now explain with logic why those who HEAL are not allowed to mention the REASON they heal?

 

[newguy357]

Is it possible that others are not lying and that maybe you happened to get in with an honest group as opposed to the more underhanded groups described?

Is it possible that the original poster intended this thread to discuss such honest groups with other interested students before being hijacked by people like you?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Did it ever occur to you that if you don't like what I have to say, then don't respond to me, especially if you can't at least come up with a witty reply to make it worth the glucose my brain burned reading your post?

 

[newguy357]

The problem is that we are educated and they are not.

And, may I ask, why is that?

We have technology and they do not.

Why?

We have medicines and they do not.

Why?

Because they are needy, and we are not.

Why?

Moose, it is wrong to "influence" needy people precisely because those people are so desperate that they might be willing to try anything, to believe anything, in order to be cured or to save their lives.

Snap. And here we have the contradiction. You go on and on about how these people don't have the blessings we have and then have the gall to say that we absolutely must not influence them! Did it ever cross your mind to answer the "whys" above? Could it be, perhaps, the reason we have all those things is because...dare I say this politically incorrect (yet logically true) statement...perhaps our western values are BETTER at producing those things above then their system of values is? It is absurd that you should list all these things we have and they don't but then suggest that we should NOT influence their beliefs in any way. Maybe if their belief system were better suited to existence then they would not need our help in the first place? The "give a man to fish, feed him for a day; teach him to fish feed him for a lifetime" cliche comes to mind.

We are morally obligated to help them, but also morally obligated to do so in a non-coercive way (as much as possible, anyway).

Why? You people keep throwing out these supposed axioms yet have no philosophical or logical statement as to why it must be so.

 

[newguy357]

Did it ever occur to you that if you don't like what I have to say, then don't respond to me, especially if you can't at least come up with a witty reply to make it worth the glucose my brain burned reading your post?

Did it ever occur to you to start your own thread instead of stealing this guy's? No? Thought not.

 

[Tommyk7]

I concur. I would also like to know what the impetus behind these postings are... especially the ones that just flame rather than put in thoughtful comments.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

The impetus behind my postings is to point out that everyone needs to be careful and not to just assume that intentions of groups claiming religious affiliation are honest and pure, although most are.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Did it ever occur to you to start your own thread instead of stealing this guy's? No? Thought not.

Why waste bandwidth and risk the message not being heard when I can just post here and give everything equal billing?

Besides do you think that if I started a post entitled "Christian groups suck" that it would not be immediately locked down because of the complaints from some of the immature and close-minded persons on this board? I'm supposed to (according to a lot of you) have the "decency" to mind my own business, but if I say such things elsewhere you are all immediately on me like a pack of dog on the bloated carcass of a Hurricane Katrina victim (EDIT: sorry for the analogy, but that's what they are showing on TV at the moment).

 

[JimmyG]

To answer the initial question posted, yes, I would do a Christian medical mission.

My duty as a Christian is to love my neighbor and to serve them in order to show them the love that I have come to know through my savior, Jesus Christ. It is not my duty to "convert" anyone to become a Christian because that can only be done between that individual and God; it is out of my hands. As a *healer* (one who has the knowledge and abilities to decrease the incidence of disease and sickness), I am called to reach out to the ones who need help. That includes people here in the U.S. without health insurance as well as individuals in third world countries that do not have access to modern medicine and practices. I do good deeds in order to shine my "light before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Mat 3:16). I, personally, have a reason to reach out to others in the name of God. I will openly tell them why I am there and what my constitutes my reasons for helping them and, hopefully, through those actions, one would be interested in learning more about the love of God and his son. My job is not to convert them. That is too narcissistic of any human to believe that they could be the negating link between another human and God.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

You said it yourself: the tumor patient is now a "happy" Christian. Why do you oppose his happiness? He is thrilled at his new healthiness and at his new knowledge of truth.

What is this "truth" that thrills Mr. Tumor Patient?

 

[XKV]

Anyone else here think they might want to do part time (or maybe not so part time) Christian medical missions either in the US or abroad?

Yea, I was wondering if there were any other Christians doing missions on SDN. I'm going on medical missions in Vietnam this summer, before med school, and I'm really looking forward to it! Are any of you guys involved with CMA/CDMA at your schools? My pastor said I should check them out - they do a lot of good work.

 

[cheer_up]

To answer the initial question posted, yes, I would do a Christian medical mission.

My duty as a Christian is to love my neighbor and to serve them in order to show them the love that I have come to know through my savior, Jesus Christ. It is not my duty to "convert" anyone to become a Christian because that can only be done between that individual and God; it is out of my hands. As a *healer* (one who has the knowledge and abilities to decrease the incidence of disease and sickness), I am called to reach out to the ones who need help. That includes people here in the U.S. without health insurance as well as individuals in third world countries that do not have access to modern medicine and practices. I do good deeds in order to shine my "light before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Mat 3:16). I, personally, have a reason to reach out to others in the name of God. I will openly tell them why I am there and what my constitutes my reasons for helping them and, hopefully, through those actions, one would be interested in learning more about the love of God and his son. My job is not to convert them. That is too narcissistic of any human to believe that they could be the negating link between another human and God.

Very well articulated. May God bless you always.

 

[Sundarban1]

See, all christianity does is start message board fights and large scale wars.

 

[jrae]

If you are not christian you do not see the need, the same is not true for a christian.

By the way christianity is an eastern religion. The fact it is highly practiced in the west does not make it a western religion.

Actually it is a Western religious tradition in that it stems from Judaism/is monothestic. There are three, Judaism , Christianity, and Islam. If you disagree, take a basic academic religous studies class.

 

[kylek044]

Anyone else here think they might want to do part time (or maybe not so part time) Christian medical missions either in the US or abroad?

I have, but I'm a Catholic, not just a generic Christian... so it makes it harder to find an opportunity (without becoming a Priest)

 

[ferreed]

Yes, I've done Christ-centered medical missions in Kenya and Tanzania the past three summers and hope to go again next summer. Our group runs free medical and dental clinics in partnership with local churches. We always treat first and make it clear that there are no strings attached. Our time, meds, supplies, etc. are all given freely and without prejudice-- it doesn't matter if the patient is muslim, Christian, or animist, we treat them all the same. Once we have treated a person, we ask if they'll sit with a counselor who will then offer to share their faith. This is all voluntary, and nobody is forced to listen. Most people will sit and talk with our counselors, and the majority will agree to hear the gospel presented. Some will say outright, "No, I don't want to hear that because I am a Muslim", and our counselors respect their wishes. Some will just ask for prayer for their illness, their family, their job, etc., and our counselors will simply pray with them.

So far as forcing conversions, it is not possible if you look carefully at what the Bible says about salvation. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Salvation through Jesus doesn't come to a person without a genuine belief in his divinity and resurrection. Clearly there have been those who have tried to forcibly convert others in the past, but they were wrong in what they did.

I'd be happy to talk or share pictures with anyone interested in medical missions, so feel free to PM me.

 

[kylek044]

That's not true. Most of Mother Theresa's patients died without converting and she still cared for them. I don't know where you're getting your info from...

I officially disgnose you with "diarrhea of the mouth" It just keeps spilling out.