Missionaries in North Korea: is this becoming a thing?

[religiouslyconfused]

It seems like most North Korean refugees are smuggled in using pastors and what not. Surprisingly there is a population of Christians who practice their faith in secret. 

[Lyle Lanley]

On January 18, 2016 at 11:45 PM, adidas said:

I looked it up. There are currently an estimated 50,000-70,000 Christians in labor camps in NK. I'm so relieved that the two families aren't going. 

Open Doors (referenced earlier in the thread) lists NK as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world.

It's unlikely they would be put into a labor camp. More likely it would have caused an international incident where the US government would need to intervene while they were being held in conditions similar to Lisa Ling's sister. The DPRK government isn't going to shoot a foreigner or treat them extremely harshly. They're a great bargaining chip for the propaganda and personality cult of the Kim dynasty. Hey look, the Imperialistic United States of America bowed to our demands!

I'd be much more worried about citizens of the DPRK who came into contact with these people. It's well known that people who had contact with Christian missionaries after escaping and are repatriated back to the DPRK face the worst punishments. These kind of fools aren't putting themselves in danger. They are putting the people they are trying to "save" in grave danger.

[formergothardite]

On 1/18/2016 at 8:23 AM, blessalessi said:

What does she actually DO though, apart from "expose" the shortcomings of fellow grifters for Jesus - I can't work that out.  She seems to have set herself up as the trendy oposition, but I don't see much action?

I was trying to figure that out too. What does she actually do besides blog?

Quote

I'm about organic discipleship. The kind that happens naturally. Although, I usually just call it... ya know... friendsh

Isn't this one of the vague missionary code things she is bashing? What does it even mean? 

Quote

I'm about words. All of them. Even the ones you don't like.

Again, what does this actually mean? She is a blogger for Jesus?

She seems like she is one of those trendy for Jesus folks who talk about how awful the "normal" folks are while not really doing much themselves. Is she an actual missionary somewhere? 

[Criscat]

It's definitely a thing....missions to western countries. I don't side eye it as much with the Eastern European countries as many of them still have the Russian atheistic culture. But Sweden, Norway, England, Spain, all these countries have a Christian population who are perfectly capable of sharing the gospel if they choose. However---it must be said that I've only ever seen the brazen in your face "are you saved? Or do you know Jesus (I.e my form of Jesus?" From stateside missionaries. Most people overseas it seems is turned off by that. They want to see evidence, not a sales pitch. As a Christian, we are called to be a witness, but that style of witnessing does bother me a bit and I've never been comfortable doing that. 

That said it has to be the stupidest thing for a family to go to North Korea with the aim of saving souls. Children do not understand the danger, and blurt out everything. A single man or woman--maybe, but they'd have to get a job that's above board and carry out their mission in secret. Even then it's iffy. Most Muslim countries are the same deal--especially with ISIS active in many of them. I get that some have a genuine calling, but others...well, they ruin it for everyone else.

 

 

[doggie]

well this gy did not get the memo lets just leave a bible in the bathroom that should work well.

 

Why North Korea's Arrest Of An American College Student Should Come As No Surprise

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/north-korea-american-prisoners_us_56a25b29e4b076aadcc659a9

[laPapessaGiovanna]

On 24/1/2016 at 5:38 PM, doggie said:

well this gy did not get the memo lets just leave a bible in the bathroom that should work well.

 

Why North Korea's Arrest Of An American College Student Should Come As No Surprise

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/north-korea-american-prisoners_us_56a25b29e4b076aadcc659a9

The guy who tried to steal the propaganda banner bearing Kom Jong-Il name was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. He "confessed" to "severe crimes" against the North Korean state.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3497017/The-worst-mistake-life-caught-film-Moment-American-student-21-steals-propaganda-poster-bearing-Kim-Jong-Il-North-Korean-hotel-earning-15-years-hard-labor.html

[ShepherdontheRock]

Haha, going to Seoul to get to North Korea? Amateurs. I thought everyone knew you go to China or Russia to get to the DPRK. 

I suppose if you were willing to check any sense of freedom or empathy at the door visiting the DPRK might be an interesting experience. But even Lonely Planet says "Don't even think about visiting to do missionary work or trying to overthrow the regime." 

And when you do things like this, you are not helping shit. You are feeding your own sense of Western Christian moral superiority, at the expense of others. This is even worse than "Let's go to Africa and convert and save the starving babies!"