Religion Clashes in Haiti

[Plant Woman]

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

I'm sure the Haitian people are free to refuse help from anyone whose intent they disagree with, but I suspect they aren't quite as picky as you lot.

I don't think so either, especially if your choices boil down to become a Christian or starve?

[viscousmemories]

I was being flippant, but it does bother me when people sit around and pass judgement on those who have given up many of the comforts of life (on a short or long-term basis) to travel to other parts of the world and help people who are less fortunate, simply because their humanitarian values are informed by their religious beliefs. I think it is wrong to refuse help to people who don't embrace one's religious beliefs, but I don't have any problem with people performing charity work because the spirit moved them to do so. For that matter I don't even care if they proselytize in the process of rendering support. I'm not planning a trip to Haiti (or anywhere else) to provide aid and comfort for the suffering, so I'm reluctant to condemn anyone who is doing it because I don't approve of their reasons or methods.

[Plant Woman]

Well I happen to believe that helping someone should come with no strings attached, especially those who preach about love and God in one breath. The problem I am mostly complaining are those groups who withhold help if a person practices another kind of religion that they don't approve of. I don't see that going on in secular groups, everyone is helped with no mandates that a person has to believe a certain way, or has to convert to their belief.

I think it is disgusting whether they are performing charity work or not, it's discrimination in a pretty disgusting form if you ask me, when there are many people in dire need of help. Preying on the weak is how I see someone having to choose to become a believer in the charity's religion or face not eating or receiving medical help. I'm not ok with it, and I think it should be talked about.

And I believe as I stated before, those that do this, if the tables were turned on them, they would be screaming bloody murder about it.

ETA: I also want to add that I think it is wrong when someone is in a weak position and needing dire help that they should be pressured into having to listen to the preaching.

[Watser?]

Originally Posted by Hoss

The Boxer Uprising was a struggle against cosmopolitanism: "Support the Qing, destroy the foreign."
Nativist, more than anything else.
Should a similar movement happen in Europe, it will be led by radicalized nativists (think the likes of Vlaams Belang, but with a much harder edge), and the targets will be... people like you.
You may now get back to your regularly scheduled support for violence.

Cool, I've always wanted a statue