These “missionaries” seem far more interested in promoting Korean culture than respectfully learning about the host country.
I found this statement especially telling.
“Living in a Christian culture, they celebrate Easter every year, but most people are not familiar with the gospel in Latvia.”
Comparing figures from the Wikipedia articles for “Religion in Latvia” and “Religion in South Korea”, nearly 100% of Latvians self identify as Christians, compared to about 30% in South Korea. These “missionaries” would have us believe that Christians from South Korea know the gospel but Latvians do not. What is the evidence for that? Is there any at all? Or is it nothing more than sectarian arrogance and racial prejudice?
What bothers me most about this mission report is that I used to think like this. When UBF leaders told me “those so-called Christians in country xxx (wherever) are not REAL Christians like us” I believed them and even said many things like that myself.
Who are the truly generous, loving and righteous people in this story? And who has a better understanding of the gospel? The natives who were willing to attend this event and learn about God from strangers from another culture? Or the missionaries who are convinced they have nothing to learn and are determined to remake everyone else into their own peculiar image?
My cartoons are indeed based in fact 🙂 I actually don’t have to invent anything; I am just portraying bits of my life.
I am of course leaving out a lot of context and raising numerous questions.
One valid question here, which you picked up on quite well Joe, is this: What are the missionaries at ubf trying to do? Are they trying to share the gospel through Bible study or expanding their Korean culture and influence?
We are told to accept them as God’s servants and not to question their purpose. While it is true we cannot see a person’s intent or purpose, we can see what they do.
There are multiple levels of thought here. One one level, the question is about how much the missionaries themselves should adapt to the host culture. I think missionaries can be effective with or without adopting to the host culture. For example, it has always been fine for me to let Koreans be Koreans in ubf. That’s not the problem.
The issues arise in the other levels.
The ubf Koreans have gone several steps further. Not only do they keep their Korean identity and culture themselves, they expect the Americans, Germans, etc. to adopt the culture. They go another step and deem the native culture as “unspiritual” and Korean culture as “most holy”. And then they go even further and create a Korean-based culture called ubfism and demand that the ubfism be lived as the best model of Christian life.
The serious issue here is that there is much danger in such cultural bastardization. Thus for the sake of levity, I find it helpful to humorously sum up ubfism as “kimchi Bible”.
It’s a bonus Monday!
Hi Brian.
Lest anyone say that your cartoon has no basis in fact…
Check out this report on a recent UBF conference in Latvia.
http://ubf.org/world-mission-news/cis/riga-ubf-easter
These “missionaries” seem far more interested in promoting Korean culture than respectfully learning about the host country.
I found this statement especially telling.
“Living in a Christian culture, they celebrate Easter every year, but most people are not familiar with the gospel in Latvia.”
Comparing figures from the Wikipedia articles for “Religion in Latvia” and “Religion in South Korea”, nearly 100% of Latvians self identify as Christians, compared to about 30% in South Korea. These “missionaries” would have us believe that Christians from South Korea know the gospel but Latvians do not. What is the evidence for that? Is there any at all? Or is it nothing more than sectarian arrogance and racial prejudice?
What bothers me most about this mission report is that I used to think like this. When UBF leaders told me “those so-called Christians in country xxx (wherever) are not REAL Christians like us” I believed them and even said many things like that myself.
Who are the truly generous, loving and righteous people in this story? And who has a better understanding of the gospel? The natives who were willing to attend this event and learn about God from strangers from another culture? Or the missionaries who are convinced they have nothing to learn and are determined to remake everyone else into their own peculiar image?
My cartoons are indeed based in fact 🙂 I actually don’t have to invent anything; I am just portraying bits of my life.
I am of course leaving out a lot of context and raising numerous questions.
One valid question here, which you picked up on quite well Joe, is this: What are the missionaries at ubf trying to do? Are they trying to share the gospel through Bible study or expanding their Korean culture and influence?
We are told to accept them as God’s servants and not to question their purpose. While it is true we cannot see a person’s intent or purpose, we can see what they do.
There are multiple levels of thought here. One one level, the question is about how much the missionaries themselves should adapt to the host culture. I think missionaries can be effective with or without adopting to the host culture. For example, it has always been fine for me to let Koreans be Koreans in ubf. That’s not the problem.
The issues arise in the other levels.
The ubf Koreans have gone several steps further. Not only do they keep their Korean identity and culture themselves, they expect the Americans, Germans, etc. to adopt the culture. They go another step and deem the native culture as “unspiritual” and Korean culture as “most holy”. And then they go even further and create a Korean-based culture called ubfism and demand that the ubfism be lived as the best model of Christian life.
The serious issue here is that there is much danger in such cultural bastardization. Thus for the sake of levity, I find it helpful to humorously sum up ubfism as “kimchi Bible”.
“Woe to those who are wise in their own opinion
and clever in their own sight” (Isaiah 5:21, HCSB).