In the U.S., someone who converts to Christianity might be seen as extremely religious or weak for needing religion. In Laos, people have many misconceptions about Christianity and what it means to be a Christian. Here is a sample of what some Laotians think about Christianity, taken from a flyer posted in several villages recently.
What is Christianity? Please read below and it will be explained.
Christianity is a political tool belonging to the Americans that has the purpose to brainwash society. It has the purpose to get rid of other religions and other cultures opposing of Christianity. Every teaching of Jesus Christ is related to what the Americans teach one another to follow. Also, the religion of Jesus makes a person lose his or her self-identity. It is a political tool. The Christians look only for advantage and gain. They also are dependent on the Americans for support all the time.
The Christians are always making a plan of how to increase its numbers so that can report to the main leader. They also get a percentage of who they can lead to Christ. Whoever they led to Christ is being tricked and used by them.
The people who become Christians then are lost in the teachings of Jesus and have to “drink a water of promise.” They also have to drink each other’s blood to stand firm in Christ. They have to also throw away the culture they grew up with and throw away their tribe which they have been in their whole life. This is why the culture of Christianity is not good at all. Other Christians also marry within their own families, there is no dowry, and also all Christians are allowed to sleep with one another.
The people who have faith in Christ treat their faith as more important than their daily jobs, their future, and the future of their family members. People belonging to the Christian group are very stubborn people. They are enemies of people who want to live peacefully and enemies of the law of the nation.
If this were posted in your town, would you be ready to call yourself a Christian?
I'm taking this opportunity, as the comments are open, to thank all the VOM workers sincerely for their love and passion for the Persecuted Church. On behalf of all our brothers and sisters and on behalf of the Lord, thank you! Remember that "whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you also did for Me" (Matthew 25:40).
This post was very thought-provoking. Truly, even in America, there are misconceptions and pre-conceived notions about Christians (although sadly, sometimes there is a basis for these accusations), and for this reason many Christians even in America are hesitant to be identified by the name "Christian". But such a blatant attack and vicious misconceptions challenge our sense of justice. Would I become angry and bitter? Forgive? And most important, would I still be willing to call myself Christian?
Thank you, Dory, for this challenging post. I appreciate your concern and your work. As Paul said, let us labor to "keep a good conscience, so that those who speak evil of you, as of evildoers, may be ashamed because of your good conversation..." (I Peter 3:16). Let us not be ashamed of the name of Christ!
Posted by: M.F. | February 26, 2011 at 03:46 PM
They afraid of Christianity & they think by spreading lies will make you back up .... Jesus will dominate the heart of all people all over the world . God bless
Posted by: mazen mardini | February 23, 2011 at 10:50 PM