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[Jon D. Evers]

[whitezulu]

Sorry mac, but I think you're off the issue here. The issue here is not missionaries in Africa, which is a very old, wearying discussion from the seventies, but a much more important question of misunderstanding universality with westerndom as opposed to Christendom.
I agree with Mr. Theroux that some of the happiest people in Africa are the ones living off their lands far from the maddening crowds, so to speak. And I also agree with him in pinning some of the problems in Africa on the do gooders who overwhelm Africa with their western world view.
But I just don't see how this has much anymore to do with the discussion on missionaries and african religion. Those who do their homework will agree that some of the most willing people to let Africa be what Africa wants to be are modern missionaries far from the multinational development organisations.
I am writing this as a European, and might not understand the ways of the American missionaries. But I know my Africa, and have the utmost respect for the selfless, openminded work of many of the missionaries in AFrica.
AND I also have the utmost respect for Africans to say that they should be the judge of whether this is a good thing or not for them.