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Johnny Neihu's Mailbag

Saturday, May 26, 2007, Page 8

Live and let give witness

Dear Johnny,

Like your other readers, I laughed pretty hard at your column on missionaries ("Tips for vulnerable missionaries," April 14, page 8), even though I served as a Mormon missionary in northern Taiwan from 2001 to 2003. After all, being poked fun at every now and then keeps you from taking yourself too seriously.

But I was hurt and offended by Alonzo Lively's response, printed in your most recent Mailbag. Yes, a few missionaries are ignorant, inept and intolerant, but that doesn't make it okay to vilify all religious people.

I didn't decide to serve a mission because of some twisted notion that everyone should think like me, or because I thought I was more righteous than the typical "nonbeliever." I did it because my religion had brought great joy to my life, and I wanted to share that joy with others. When people didn't want to listen to what I had to say, I didn't try to force them. But you may be surprised to know that quite a few people did want to listen.

Moreover, I didn't go out with an "I'm right and you're wrong" mentality. Mormon missionaries basically say: "We believe this, and we'll teach you about it if you're interested, but you'll have to decide for yourself whether it's true or not."

Of course I believe my Church is true, but that doesn't mean I have nothing to learn from others. Taiwanese people have taught me so much that I wouldn't have learned on my own.

No one likes to be badgered into anything, especially a system of beliefs. If Alonzo believes in "live and let live," why can't he just let missionaries do their thing? He doesn't have to buy them a bingsha (冰沙), listen to them or even like them, but he could at least be civil instead of throwing around words like "idiot," "elitist" and "cult." His own form of religious narrow-mindedness is scarcely less objectionable than that of the most fanatical missionary.

Prejudice among those of different opinions on religion is like partisanship in politics. Instead of getting together to work toward what we all believe in, like ending poverty, fighting global warming or sticking it to The Man, we choose to argue endlessly (and fruitlessly) about our differences, engendering ill will where there could be mutual understanding. It's such a waste.

Nick "Former Harmless Anachronism" Hawkins

Sindian, Taipei County

Johnny replies: Alonzo was setting himself up for a fall, I have to admit.

Credit where credit's due: The Mormons rate very low on the Johnny Neihu Theologicoercivometer. I can't see Mormons ever strapping explosives to their bodies as they invoke the deeds of Joseph Smith, or putting villagers to the sword as they convert the heathen indigenous populations of the world, then whitewashing the bloodshed a few centuries later (whoops -- um, for the sake of Taiwan-Holy See relations, old Johnny hopes that Benedict XVI isn't reading this).

And, even in Taiwan, Mormons ride bicycles at tremendous risk to their lives, which suggests to me that they will one day be a force to be reckoned with in terms of environmentally friendly mission work.

Mormons are easy targets for humor, partly because they are so conspicuous in their field work, and partly because most wear their "American-ness" on their sleeves, which is not so easy to do in this day and age -- except in Taiwan, perhaps.

But brickbats where brickbats are due, too, Nick. Taiwan has been largely spared the excesses of missionary violence, but there are people here who have had their traditional culture and faith eviscerated by mission work, most notably the work of Protestant denominations in Aboriginal areas. Ask around, and you'll hear tales of destruction of material culture and the severing of bonds that tie people together.

That's a high price to pay for spreading joy to the world.
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