Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Atheism is Dead: ExChristian.Net Further Discredits Itself

On his blog Atheism is Dead, Mariano has brought an article posted on ExChristian.Net to attention. Bible Band-aide announces that a group of Christians are sending audio Bible to Haiti, in Haitian Creole and accuses them of proselytizing poor desperate people instead of giving them food, clothes, and basic life necessities. The article is further insulting in that it alleges that the group thinks of Haiti in the same negative terms as Pat Roberston - that the Haitians are a bunch of sinners who need saving - deserving of God's wrath.

Why is this insulting? Simple. Ayhwh who wrote this post on ExChristian.Net obviously knows less about Haiti (which is aaying something) than Roberston. Many people in Haiti are Christians - mostly catholic! My denomination alone has 100 churches in that nation. Ayhwh wrote:
How in the world does Wilke come to the conclusion that there is an “immediate need” for another 3,000 of his groups audio bibles. Buildings are collapsing, people really do need food and water, there are thousands and thousands dead and dying, but what they really need is an audio bible. It is beyond ridiculous.

"We want to equip short-term groups, disaster relief teams, church teams and other ministries with the Word of God in a format the people can use," Wilkes says in a statement on the group's website.”

Because that is what people going down in disaster relief teams should really be concerning themselves with. This shows the complete and utter insensitivity of these people. With over 100,000 people sleeping on the streets, they are attempting to proselytize.

This is assuming that people of Haiti do not know God already. The bible is not just for joining Christianity. For the Christian the bible is a manual and a joy and gift. It can be comforting. It is just as needed as food, clothes, water, and shelter. You - Aywh, an apostate, can't understand that. The have physical and spiritual needs. As Christians, the Haitian people would understand Jesus' words

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" - Matthew 4:4

And in Haitian Creole

Jezi reponn li: Men sa ki ekri: Moun pa kapab viv ak manje ase. Yo bezwen tout pawòl ki soti nan bouch Bondye tou.

Aywh started his "post" writing:

What do you do when praying for the Haitian disaster just does not seem to be enough? When you feel like you should do something more concrete to help? No, don’t send aid money . . . that would be just stupid. You should send solar powered audio Bibles called Proclaimers.

I'd like this writer to ask the people who are living with the results of this disaster if they still want prayer or if prayer works? I've got a huge stake in this. My wife is Haitian. She was born in Port-au-Prince. My children are half Haitian. She still has many relatives there including her father! You can't tell me prayer does nothing because when we heard about the quake we went to praying and everyone my wife knows who still lives in Haiti is still alive! My father -in-law lost his home - it collapsed. Unfortunately, he was in it at the time. Try to tell him that there is no God or that prayer doesn't do anything. He says that he saw a light and heard a voice telling him how to get he and his wife out safely. What about the people being pulled out of the wreckages thanking God and praising him? And there are more miracles than that!






Just to be clear, Aywh also wrote:

If Jesus could bring any sort of help to these people, then there would have been no earthquake in the first place. It just goes to show you that Christians don’t really care about the victims and what they have gone through. The only thing they care about is proselytizing. The virus must be past on, and who better to infect than the weak?

The people of Haiti that I have heard interviewed and allowed to speak out don't see their plight the way you or Roberston see it. That is so very illogical. Arguing that if God was good or even exist there would be no earthquake is no argument at all. I'm not saying that I know why this has happened or even what the purpose. But if the people who are suffering and dealing with this aren't blaming God why should you? By the way I would suggest heeding the words of Jesus Christ!
Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." Luke 13: 1-5

Atheism is Dead: ExChristian.Net Further Discredits Itself

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2 comments:

  1. Most excellent brother Marcus.

    Such people are so misinformed as they react emotionally rather than informing themselves as to the issue first that they do not even note that Faith Comes By Hearing (who are providing the audio Bibles) are in partnership with another org and together they are providing food, water, other goods as well as Bibles.

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  2. Marcus,
    Thank you for taking a stand for truth (both in the Word and in others' actions, namely FCBH).

    A Haitian man outside of Port au Prince emailed me with his location and said please send Audio Bibles because he and others would love to hear the words of God in their own language during this crisis. All the other Haitians we've communicated with have simply said, "Thank you, send more."

    We are responding to their needs and desire. The Haitians' well-being is in our best interest. That's why we are sending these down with other groups who have room for them and will use them.

    In fact, more than 25 groups are now taking solar powered Audio Bibles to Haiti. From well-drilling teams to medical specialists and doctors to water purification experts, etc. The Christian world knows that the Haitian people can not survive at all without faith, hope and love.

    Regardless, some will see our actions as useless, wasteful and opportunistic.
    There is much misinformation out there, and if anyone really wanted to know more they could just visit our website. That requires a desire to know the truth, knowledge of where to find the truth about this situation, and desire to take action (other than just lash out.)

    The misinformation, hate, and backlash have only illuminated their disdain for anything spiritual. The Haitians will have to deal with the loss of loved ones, the memories of what they’ve experienced and lived through, and a long reconstruction process. They know they need religion, comfort and direction in this time.

    And, Faith Comes By Hearing is interested in the long-term recovery of a people who have lost so much, not the pacification of those sitting behind a keyboard.

    BTW...here's another one that has their facts all wrong. http://www.opednews.com/articles/Solar-Powered-Bibles-Misg-by-Daniel-Vojir-100131-914.html

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