Does Christianity change (or ruin depending on your outlook) cultures…?

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Does Christianity change (or ruin depending on your outlook) cultures…?

Throughout history they have managed to spread the word as God intended but it appears (and I could be wrong) that after all is said and done the indigenous tribes that was to receive the word of God end up looking like Westerners…Why is this? Is it even possible to spread the word and not completely erasing the culture, like with what happen to the African slaves?
Freddy IU'm all about not going to hell, but at the same time I don't know anything about my ansesters aside from the fact that they had to accept slavery in the name of Christ before they were brought to this "new" world we now call the United States...It would be nice to tell someone about God and what he has done for me in my native language...Is that to much to ask for?
* I'm...sorry for the typo
 
The book "The Poisonwood Bible" is all about an American babtist pastor who takes his family to the Congo to convert the people, but he wants to just Americanize them. It's all about this same issue you bring up. Great book, worth a read.
 
That's a tough question, and I wish I had a good answer. I guess in the end, there are superior cultures, and inferior cultures.
 
Christianity changes individuals. IF enough individuals change then some cultural traits will change. Hopefully only the traits that are evil will change. Cultural differences and traditions should be celebrated.
 
Christianity changes from place to place, religion to religion, denomination to denominnation. Even the basics are argued about. It must be nice tohave a religion that yu can change so easily.
 
Well it essentially eradicated the Mayans, it spread wars in africa, made sure that generations of certain religions would always hate one another. Split the country of Ireland, and many other countries. We will see what it brings next.
 
Or like tribes in far removed areas (Africa, America, anywhere) that seem no longer able to thrive well because people decided to take them Jesus, and expected them to conform to living standards developed in a different country with different resources, habitats, and needs. The people lived off their own land just fine previously, but now they lost the way how. If something is vital in one place but it's *bad* if you're going to be a Christian, the people eventually suffer.

Remember this? I have wondered how soon it is until people feel it necessary to go ruin their world... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1022822/Incredible-pictures-Earths-uncontacted-tribes-firing-bows-arrows.html
 
You should read "Things fall apart" by Chinua Achebe. Very good book with great examples of the huge culture clashes of African tradition and Western religion.
 
I think you are mistaking conversion to a religion and the assimilation of a lifestyle as one thing. They are two separate things however Christians are the majority of the western world so in that respect they go hand in hand.

if you are comparing becoming christian and wearing western style clothing (looking like westerners) maybe its because they don't have to make those clothes
 
It's people, not a belief system that changes cultures. People coerce others into thinking like them, or being like them for fear of ridicule, or worse in some cases. I think that's what changes, or ruins cultures.
 
Yes, it used to happen a lot throughout the crusades and missions but have stopped in modern times.
 
Good intentions, bad practice.

It's intended to spread good however the followers have taken it upon themselves to make it bad (without trying). Society changes but religion doesn't. We all know "hardcore" Christians are against gays but our society has become more accepting of them, but the good book never rewrites itself to follow modern ideals.

Edit: I chose to use "hardcore" instead of "extremist" because most of you will instantly relate "extremist" to terrorist in your futile minds.
 
Of course it changes it. Nearly every war in recorded history has been about religion.
 
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