Learning From Missionaries of Other Religions
When I was a young(er) missionary I would get confused by what I would here from older missionaries. For example, I was talking to a mentor of mine (Evangelical Baptist Type) and he was talking rather positively about a friend of his who was a Mormon missionary. Of course, in those idealistic days, they were simply the “enemy”— or perhaps more kindly, the “opposition.”
As time went on, however, I began to be able to separate things— a missionary is (1) a person, (2) a professional, and (3) a religionist. One can COMPLETELY reject the religion and/or theological stance of someone while still liking them as a person or respecting them as one who is competent in their profession.
I do admit that I tend to prefer that people I don’t like, or people of a religion that I disagree with are poor a mission professionals. I recall talking to the lead imam (Muslim religious leader) here in predominantly Christian Baguio City, and being rather pleased that he was not very good at making his religion seem desirable. But, really, in many ways it doesn’t matter whether the person is good or bad at their role, or whether he/she is nice or pleasant. It is actually more important what I learn from them.
When I was young(er) JWs (“Jehovah’s Witnesses”) would visit the house. They would always go in twos (a smart idea) normally with one who was older and one younger. The older did the talking while the young tried to look pleasant. JWs got a reputation of being unpleasant. However, I had never really met any that were particularly unpleasant. That being said, I would keep the encounter as brief as possible. I don’t like to talk to salespeople of any kind, and they are, most certainly, salespeople.
Moving to the Philippines, there are quite a few JWs in some places. Some mornings one would see them fan out 2×2 in the neighborhood. They were easy to recognize by the bag carried to hold literature and clothes that were formal and just a bit unstylish.
However, what I saw more of for many years were JWs who would line up down in the city center. They would, again, be standing there with somewhat doudy (is that spelled right?) clothes. No shame in that— no one has confused me with one who was “matikas” (refined or stylish). But they would be holding Watchtower literature in one hand a look so unhappy. Sometimes I almost wanted to pay them to do exactly that every day. What a great way to steer people away from that group!
Eventually, they figured things out. Instead they would stand up straight in clothes that looked professional— although out of place in the setting— in groups of two or perhaps three with a portable magazine rack with some of their literature on it. The literature also looked less ‘old-timey’ compared to what they had in the past. Additionally, the people would be… well, not smiley exactly but alert and looking like they are ready and happy to talk to anyone who shows them any attention.
Today, however, something different happened. I was sitting down at a traditional Filipino restaurant. The others in my party had not arrived yet. Two young ladies behind me started to try to make conversation with me (well, the older one at least). The older one talked and the other tried to look pleasant. That should immediately have keyed me in that these were JW missionaries. However, I did not think so at first. They were, in fact, kind of giving off Mormon missionary vibes. However, the one talking had a wedding ring on so I was pretty sure they were not Mormon. I really don’t like to get into conversations with strangers… except taxi drivers (for some reason) so the older woman (far younger than I… just older than the one she was with) was doing all of the conversational heavy lifting. However, when the others in my group showed up, they took over (my wife can talk to ANYONE). It was very much trivial chitchat to the point that I began to wonder if I was wrong and perhaps they weren’t actually missionaries after all. They both kind of dressed like missionaries but their outfits really did not match in any sense. Then they got up and one started to reach into her purse to get a card and of course I knew that my first opinion was correct.
They were indeed JW missionaries… just very much low-key in their approach compared to others I had experience with. The card was simple and small— QR code to http://www.JW.org and how to contact to set up a Bible study. No Watchtowers or Insights one had to refuse or throw away. No awkward pushing them away… they left on their own.
What do I say to that. Well, first, they have slowly learned and adjusted to changing times. No one in the US wants to answer the door to someone uninvited or one they don’t know. In the Philippines, especially in the cities, this is also true. They have also learned that looking glum or stressed just doesn’t work… and it seems as if they have learned that trying to force a conversation into a specific direction often creates a negative reaction.
Rather than be unhappy about that… it is better for us to learn. I still remember a Christian (I guess) short-term missionary from the United States screaming at a Filipino man leaning against a wall, “YOU GOT TO BE SAVED!!! YOU GOT TO BE SAVED!!” Unless “Irresistable Grace” is true, he absolutely does NOT have to be saved… and regardless, yelling at him doesn’t help. I have a lot of familiarity with gospel presentations that seem more interested in talking about the horrors of hell than the grace of God. I had to read a book on evangelism in a class at seminary (a good class, actually) where the author offered a way of presenting the gospel. Much of it seemed to be good… at least until the person rejects the message… whereupone the evangelizer was supposed to be (frankly) pretty obnoxious until there was no option but to give up. I have become familiar with people who think arguing is a great way to share the gospel— where (as one has said) evangelism is spelled “APOLOGETICS.”
Maybe instead of complaining about other groups, we should learn from them— learn what they do right and learn what they do wrong. And examine ourselves.
