S. Korean hostages beaten for Christ

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070903/wl_sthasia_afp/afghanis tanunrestskoreakidnap_070903115043;_ylt=AtT1ughjgkQjbif2qcc8 APfOVooA

   May their courageous Christian witness be an example to us all. They followed Jesus by going into a warzone and extending a helping hand to people tyrannized by poverty and war.

   Upon capture, some of the men were ordered to renounce their faith in Christ and convert to Islam. They refused and were severely beaten. They also stood by their sisters in Christ and refused to abandon them, even though this earned them more beatings.

   I find it shocking how after all they have gone through their courageous witness is subject to so much condemnation by their government and society. Instead of support they are being criticized and lambasted for going into this impoverished country to help its people. I can only imagine how painful this must be for them, perhaps even more that the blind and idiotic hatred of the Taleban from whom perhaps little else could be expected. I would have thought though that a country that prides itself in being working for 'democracy' in the world would not be condemning its citizens who went in courageusly and without regard for their own safety to help people who the 'war on terror' is supposedly 'liberating'.  

   I think we need to keep them in our prayers. May their strong faith that carried them through their captivity in Afghanistan continue to allow them overcome these obstacles they are now facing. Pray that God will provide brothers and sisters in their home country who will realize the sacrifices they have made and appreciate their witness to the Gospel. May the love of their brothers and sisters drown out the hateful blather spewing from the lips from the hypocrites who spend millions to support the war on terror' but throw a fit when they need to spend a fraction of that to help their citizens who actually went to help the people of Afghanistan and carried medicine instead of automatic rifles.

   May all Christians take example from them. Praise Jesus.

   Cristo Vive!
         - Tomasz

Tom123 I think your naive thinking has taken over your rational judgement.

These so-called christian missionaries endangered themselves by trying to preach the "word" and although in the eyes of Christendom, it is a noble act such acts alone are ignorant. God has given us intelligible faculties and the ability to utilize these faculties. I don't see why one would praise Jesus after a group just endangered themselves. So you think they should get a medal for not practicing common sense?

Israfil wrote: Tom123 I think your naive thinking has taken over your rational judgement. These so-called christian missionaries endangered themselves by trying to preach the "word" and although in the eyes of Christendom, it is a noble act such acts alone are ignorant. God has given us intelligible faculties and the ability to utilize these faculties. I don't see why one would praise Jesus after a group just endangered themselves. So you think they should get a medal for not practicing common sense?

   Israfil,

   I don't know how my stance has affected my rational judgement, but I think maybe your hatred and contempt for these people may have taken over yours.

   The aid workers actually went on a strictly humanitarian mission, Had they been preaching the Gospel verbally as well as helping the people materially that would have been awesome too, but they didn't.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6915268.stm
   So they were not 'preaching the word'- at least not in the way you meant it. However they were certainly preaching in a different way. By going into a warzone and providing aid to people they didn't know and whose religion they didn't even share, they were preaching Gods' love through their actions. Jesus tells Christians to reach out to people who are impoverished and oppressed- and they did exactly that.

   True, they took a great risk. But then again, following Jesus was never supposed to be comfortable or safe. He said to His followers that others will hate them and persecute them for following Him.

   Maybe in your eyes the hostages did not have 'common sense'. Instead of going into Afghanistan unarmed they could have joined am armed group like NATO or the Taleban and have been bombing the countryside and killing thousands of civilians as 'collateral damage' while fighting to 'liberate them'. Or they could have been doing what so many are doing- sitting on their butts from a safe and comfortable location and doing absolutely nothing.

   They did neither of these. They entered Afghanistan and actually reached out to the victims of this horrific and unjust war by providing them with aid. And yes, they were kidnapped. And beaten. And two were killed.

   But Jesus said that those who lose their lives for Him will gain them, and Bae Hyeong-gyu  and Shim Seong-min
   have gained an eternal reward for their martyrdom. They have laid down their lives for the Gospel and have gained everything in return.

   So praise Jesus!

   Cristo Vive!
        - Tomasz
 


Edited by Tom123

Tom123 wrote:      May their courageous Christian witness be an example to us all. They followed Jesus by going into a warzone and extending a helping hand to people tyrannized by poverty and war.

Sawtul Khilafah wrote: Hahahaha, Classic! I hope you're joking cause if you're not you probably dont have the slightest clue about what actually happened.

   So what 'actually happened', Sawtul Khilafah? What evidence can you provide me that these people were not helping the people of Afghanistan?

   Even Al Jazeera says they were doing aid work.
The South Koreans, a group of church volunteers who were undertaking aid work in Afghanistan, were snatched from a bus in Ghazni province on July 20.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/37DE2ECE-2DD1-474F-B8 E6-37D8785ACF3A.htm

   I guess you find it funny when people cross borders to help victims of poverty and war and get killed, huh? Were you also laughing when Margaret Hassan was murdered in Iraq? Did that tickle you, too?

Tom123 wrote:      Upon capture, some of the men were ordered to renounce their faith in Christ and convert to Islam. They refused and were severely beaten. They also stood by their sisters in Christ and refused to abandon them, even though this earned them more beatings.

Sawtul Khilafah wrote: How do you "know" all this???

   I provided you with sources. What sources can you provide me that say otherwise?

   Cristo Vive!
         - Tomasz