I was googling the Yao people when i came across this evangelical site that classified them as one of the 'Unreachable People' still unexposed to their religion. The site prayed against "the spiritual principalities and powers that have kept the Yao people bound and in spiritual darkness." (They traditionally practise a religion based on that of Taoism) and basically for them to be converted so that they could experience the fruits of the true religion.
Something told me that this was just wrong, but I couldnt pinpoint it. After all, if these people really believed that theirs was the true religion, what was to stop them from saving the rest of the world that remained ignorant to their faith?
Is this some form of cultural imperialism, that 'my faith is better than yours'?
Is it possible to remain objective when it comes to religion?
2 comments:
Also I have to comment, "is something wrong here?" is putting it extremely mildly, in my humble opinion.
" Is it possible to remain objective when it comes to religion? "
To be objective about a particular topic, would mean brutally subjecting the topic to free inquiry. As Merriam-Webster defines objectivity :
"expressing or dealing with facts or conditions as perceived without distortion by personal feelings, prejudices, or interpretations"
Religion directly contradicts this definition in more ways than one. It's faith-based, it's prejudiced and selfish (you have to believe yours is the one true religion) and the main source of interpretation comes from existing holy scriptures with dubious origins, within which smaller deviations of interpretations can then be made(e.g. old testament VS new testament)
You'll have more luck asking Maggie Q out on a date than asking people to be objective about religion.
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