Can you engage a foreign culture to yourself without entering into it and changing it somehow by your presence and your own ways? We can't remain objective outsiders when doing mission. We become part of the changed equation. Or do we? I think the the cartoon would work just as well with the caption: "Christians! Christians!" or "Missionaries! Missionaries!"
the scientific principle is that the very act of observing something changes it. missionaries are often doing much more than that so their presence changes the culture and the culture must be changing them too.
ReplyDeleteas explained by Schrodinger's cat.
ReplyDeletehttp://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci341236,00.html
I'd like to agree. HOw can we truly enter another culture without beign affected by it? We can't be completely objective. And I wouldn't want to be.
ReplyDeleteooohhh, that is so the-theme-of-lots-of-Star-Trek-shows
ReplyDeleteRev, there's an interesting (interesting here means good but upsetting) book by Mary Doria-Russell called The Sparrow that's sci-fi about Jesuit missionaries in space, w/ concerns similar to the comic.
Jesuit missionaries in space?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds bizarre!! Actually the visual immagery is!
Thanks Pfiin - I'll look out for it!
I've heard there is a sequel, but the story was upsetting enough I'm not sure I can handle another one. Bizarre IS the word for it!
ReplyDelete