DING DONG, GOD CALLING

I hate missionary work. I struggle to not say 'I hate missionaries' but it's a close one. But really, I do detest everything about the concept of being a missionary. When it comes down to it, every theological belief, every iota of faith is mere guess work. It's assumption piled on top of ego with a side helping of condescension. Whatever your particular theism is, it is a stab in the dark. Having faith might help you get through the day, it might give you courage, strength, determination and resilience but that does not substantiate your beliefs as fact. Which is exactly what a missionary does, s/he presents theory as fact. Furthermore, it is presented more often than not to uneducated, desperate, needy and underprivileged peoples who are ready to believe anything that promises itself as a way out of one's squalor conditions or place in life. I will grant that a large percentage of missionaries go into the field with a pure heart and good intentions. I can't say that a 'majority' do but certainly alot of them at any rate. But as the adage goes 'the path to hell is paved with good intentions'. And ignorance is no excuse for bad behavior. And I am saying that being a missionary is tantamount to 'bad behavior'. The results of missionary work I have seen first hand during my time in the Peace Corps (an organization that rightfully makes every effort to make sure that it's volunteers have no religious conversion agenda), and those results often have devastating effects, despite what the host church wants to believe. Whenever arrogance and ignorance are combined into action the results are negative. The Crusades anyone? September 11th anyone? In short, no person has any business going into another culture or society and attempting to convert its members' speculations for their own speculations. For that matter, no one has any business coming to my door at 1 pm on a Sunday afternoon attempting to do the same. If your guesswork as to the nature of god and existence works for you... awesome... congratulations! Then you will understand when I tell that my conclusions already work for me so go the hell away and stop presuming your assumptions are superior to anyone else's or my lack of having any assumptions at all.