US man killed by endangered tribe in india

mfin

Singleton wrote:

What he did would be seen by many as a great personal sacrifice for the love of others.

...and those people would be idiots I'm afraid.

thistle_

PBlakeney wrote:

“I hollered, ‘My name is John, I love you and Jesus loves you,’” he wrote in his journal. One of the juveniles shot at him with an arrow, which pierced his waterproof Bible, he wrote.

I'd have taken the hint.

Sounds like something from Monty Python's Holy Grail.

tangled_metal

Safety pins? Wtf? What did he think they would be used for?

Perhaps he could have brought vacuum bags and ice lolly moulds too.

Mind you the scissors might be useful if they make them into something. The tribe apparently used iron or steel washed up for arrow heads. Scissors could he useful source of steel.

Darwin award to society? As harsh as it sounds he's done humankind a service by his pointless death before he had a chance to procreate. One less religious crackpot bigot on the planet.

ayjaycee

All in all, the world will be a better place with one less religious nut job (IMHO anyway!).

bompington

Tangled Metal wrote:

....One less religious crackpot bigot...

It's kinda funny, it's never the bigoted religious crackpots that I seem to hear coming out with that kind of contemptuous language writing off a whole class of people.

Clue: the definition of "bigoted" is not "somebody who believes, or does, things I don't agree with".

shirley_basso

Bloody non-religious nutjobs murdering one peaceful religious man who just wanted a game of footer and to mend their clothes.

tangled_metal

bompington wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

....One less religious crackpot bigot...

It's kinda funny, it's never the bigoted religious crackpots that I seem to hear coming out with that kind of contemptuous language writing off a whole class of people.

Clue: the definition of "bigoted" is not "somebody who believes, or does, things I don't agree with".

obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, and intolerant towards other people's beliefs and practices.

I think going against the islanders wishes for isolation at the risk to your own life classes as being obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief. They shot arrows at his first visit but he only came back.

Of course if you're calling me a bigot then I think you're wrong. I believe I have posted on this site before that my personal views on religion are my own and whilst I don't share others religious views it doesn't bother me that they practise them with the proviso they don't try to impose on others or try to convert others. I believe if someone wants to find religion they should look for it my it come to look for them.

That doesn't stop me having the view that a missionary that's not wanted is a bigot if they pursue the unwanted contact. To invoke a fictional character, for God's sake leave them alone!

tangled_metal

Shirley Basso wrote:

Bloody non-religious nutjobs murdering one peaceful religious man who just wanted a game of footer and to mend their clothes.

OMG! The missionary was a polytheist! God and football! Two religions in some parts of the world.

I think they had a lucky escape. Starts with a kick around then ends with a massive sky sports bill!

shirley_basso

Tangled Metal wrote:

Of course if you're calling me a bigot then I think you're wrong. I believe I have posted on this site before that my personal views on religion are my own and whilst I don't share others religious views it doesn't bother me that they practise them with the proviso they don't try to impose on others or try to convert others. I believe if someone wants to find religion they should look for it my it come to look for them.

That doesn't stop me having the view that a missionary that's not wanted is a bigot if they pursue the unwanted contact. To invoke a fictional character, for God's sake leave them alone!

laurentian

Heard an interesting snippet on the radio last night saying that a murder investigation had been launched but it would be illegal for it to be pursued as nobody is allowed to visit the island to investigate . . . interesting conundrum

tangled_metal

Their my own views and I stand by them. You don't have to hold the same views but I don't think any views are above taking the pi$$ out of neither. I do that for rabid atheists as well. I have commented when some very intolerant views against religion have been expressed.

I often take the view that it's the extremes of belief / lack of beliefs that are a big problem and the majority in the middle are quietly getting on with their life and beliefs/lack of beliefs without actively looking at imposing beliefs on others.

One question I have about this guy is what was his real motives? I believe some Christian sects have a thing about converting people. Converting a soul to b Christianity gets you into heaven kind of thing. For the total believer I can see how important that could be. IMHO it's as daft as the similar thing for paradise and jihad in some Islamic sects.

In case you were wondering I come from a family of non-practising Christians. With one generation back being a someone converted to Catholicism from CofE. As ofter the converted are the most committed. I was brought up with the impression I was likely to be a Christian but that was up to me. I had to humour my Catholic gran when about 10 by going to Xmas Mass when down there. Other than that the only church stuff was through cubs and scouts. I did believe I was a Christian. But didn't believe in it all. After being taught by a deeply evangelical Christian I realised I no longer identified with Christianity or religion. I became bigoted like the devotion of a convert. I grew up through school and university to become more middle of the road atheist.

By that I accept I'm not a believer and can't see why anyone would but they do so OK live with it. Unless they try to impose on you or anyone.

It's why I've probably been a bit obnoxious over this guy. I see his actions as threatening an isolated culture and peoples. No personal belief is worth that.

tangled_metal

laurentian wrote:

Heard an interesting snippet on the radio last night saying that a murder investigation had been launched but it would be illegal for it to be pursued as nobody is allowed to visit the island to investigate . . . interesting conundrum

I read that contact was made resulting in an elderly couple and two children being taken to another island. They got ill and the couple died so they took the kids back. Later on it was believed the kids took the pathogen back and there was a widespread death in the population. That wasn't too long ago and probably within oral traditions.

So could it be a case of self defence?

I find their wish for isolation understandable, don't you?

bianchimoon

Tangled Metal wrote:

laurentian wrote:

Heard an interesting snippet on the radio last night saying that a murder investigation had been launched but it would be illegal for it to be pursued as nobody is allowed to visit the island to investigate . . . interesting conundrum

I read that contact was made resulting in an elderly couple and two children being taken to another island. They got ill and the couple died so they took the kids back. Later on it was believed the kids took the pathogen back and there was a widespread death in the population. That wasn't too long ago and probably within oral traditions.

So could it be a case of self defence?

Yes. He was no better than any other criminal, he knew it was against the law, yet he deliberately committed the crime. It could be argued that he was mentally ill, it seemed he knew he could be killed by doing what he was doing (with no thought to the lives of this tribe) although from what I've read he was an 'Instagram Missionary' and possibly just looking for his 5 mins of fame.

pblakeney

DeVlaeminck wrote:

OK so they may not be being prevented from sailing away to join us, but have we shown them what the alternatives are so they can make an informed choice.

Present them with this?

joe2008

or this

mfin

I think it highly likely that this guy prayed to god to keep him safe, and this particular god, not existing, just like all of them, did f**k all.

mfin

Tangled Metal wrote:

laurentian wrote:

Heard an interesting snippet on the radio last night saying that a murder investigation had been launched but it would be illegal for it to be pursued as nobody is allowed to visit the island to investigate . . . interesting conundrum

I read that contact was made resulting in an elderly couple and two children being taken to another island. They got ill and the couple died so they took the kids back. Later on it was believed the kids took the pathogen back and there was a widespread death in the population. That wasn't too long ago and probably within oral traditions.

So could it be a case of self defence?

I find their wish for isolation understandable, don't you?

Yes, their wish for isolation could be out of fear, it might be, it might not, it might be just protecting their resources, whatever the reason is though, they have protected themselves against a complete t1t with an utterly pointless agenda born out of his own hocus-pocus brainwashed mad mind.

mfin

PBlakeney wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

OK so they may not be being prevented from sailing away to join us, but have we shown them what the alternatives are so they can make an informed choice.

Present them with this?

Yeah, or maybe some photos of white bible weilding americans attacking other americans based on nothing but the colour of their skin.

tangled_metal

Or show them the intolerance of those who think people with a different view to them are wrong or deluded.

shirley_basso

Like they did by murdering the guy?

tangled_metal

Was that why they killed him? Do you actually know that they had any idea of what he was saying or what his beliefs were? How did they know his views to be intolerant about them when they were a nearly completely uncontacted peoples?

More likely they were defending their lands and community. In a way that the modern world has done for as long as there's been communities to protect. Now this protection is mostly done in a more "civilized" way such as diplomacy and international agreement. However taking a life is wrong in our modern society we still do it and are doing it. In their society we don't know if that's their way. Whatever it is condemning then for defending themselves in their way is a bit like imposing our views and laws on them. Their isolation and desire of isolation tends to mean on their lands it is their laws that matter. It's partly that situation that has forced the Indian government to enact the law making it illegal to approach within 3 miles of their island.

Whatever their laws it's not our laws that matter IMHO but theirs.

slowmart

Common decency or a gnats pecker of humanity means any right thinking individual would not risk causing a epidemic in an indigenous tribe through unnecessary human contact.

The arrogance of the deceased defies rational belief and makes you wonder what his thought process was to risk people’s well-being or existence by pushing his own self beliefs.

bianchimoon

Lord, is this island Satan’s last stronghold where none have heard or even had the chance to hear your name?” he wrote in a diary of his last days provided to The Washington Post by his mother.

Serious delusion issues.

rolf_f

Shirley Basso wrote:

Like they did by murdering the guy?

How do you know it was murder? Who knows what the laws of this tribe are. They might have a low arsehole tolerance.

bianchimoon

Shirley Basso wrote:

Like they did by murdering the guy?

You are judging these people by western/modern standards, don’t you think that’s rather foolish?

shirley_basso

It's a joke.

bianchimoon

Shirley Basso wrote:

It's a joke.

Eek, to subtle for me sorry shirls

rolf_f

bianchimoon wrote:

Shirley Basso wrote:

It's a joke.

Eek, to subtle for me sorry shirls

Me too! The internet is no place for subtlety!

laurentian

Tangled Metal wrote:

laurentian wrote:

Heard an interesting snippet on the radio last night saying that a murder investigation had been launched but it would be illegal for it to be pursued as nobody is allowed to visit the island to investigate . . . interesting conundrum

I read that contact was made resulting in an elderly couple and two children being taken to another island. They got ill and the couple died so they took the kids back. Later on it was believed the kids took the pathogen back and there was a widespread death in the population. That wasn't too long ago and probably within oral traditions.

So could it be a case of self defence?

I find their wish for isolation understandable, don't you?

Totally, and furthermore the wider world recognises this wish - the missionary's actions were illiegal to start with. If I go to Russia, I am subject to the laws of Russia. This guy went to this island and was subject to the laws of that island.

robert88

One might compare this with somewhere much nearer home : the island group of st Kilda. It was an environment in which humans could live quite comfortably.

Contact with the modern world destroyed it as a community. It is now a missile tracking station.