In Anthological circles, missionaries are often demonized. Missionaries are commonly posed as the ones who destroy cultures, crusading over the barbarians, making peace loving tribal people conform to some Victorian and prudish norms. Missionaries are the ones who took surfing and the Hula away from the Hawaiians after all.

Yes, missionaries have gone way overboard in some cultures. Sometimes non-moral practices, such as a sport or fashion, have been unnecessarily put down by missionaries who claim the moral high ground. It is a case of missionaries majoring on minor or non-issues, if you will. I believe missions in general has made great improvement in recent decades and has refocused on the essentials of their message.

Cultures, on the other hand, are not necessary always good for people. Preserving a “culture” as if it is something holy is off the scale in the other direction. Some cultural behavior degrade a people group, destroying relationships and diminish social cohesion. Long held common social practices sometimes lead to more social problems. Often a people group doesn’t see the causes of their own social problems because they are in the culture. The old “frog in the kettle” scenario. Slowly, imperceptibly, peoples behavior heats up, causing people emotional pain, and people don’t know why it is. Such practices should be called out by missionaries. It takes an outside perspective, like a missionary, to diagnose a problem and cause social change.

In Cambodia, child molestation is common. I will withhold the specifics in consideration of my reader. Both male and female adults practice what I will call, “inappropriate touching” of children as a means of teasing, playing, or pacifying a child. Such practices, if preformed in other countries, would undoubtably be grounds for criminal prosecution. But to Cambodians, this is an non-moral issue, a cultural pattern that has been practice for who knows how long.

And Cambodians wonder why there are so many family and marriage issues in their culture.

Yesterday, I witnessed such an event as a male neighbor inappropriately touched a young male child from another family. The child’s mother and female neighbor were present as well as my wife and I. No protests were made by the mother. Her reaction was if it was an non-moral issue and was not offended. However, the young boy clearly felt degraded, screamed out in cries, swinging his fists at the older male as he persisted in the assault. It was over in moments. As an observer, I felt anger, but I held my tongue as I watched and waited for the mothers lead in the situation. Nothing came.

Now, what would you do if you were the missionary? Would you: a)walk over and bust the man in the chops for his behavior? b) preach at the man, explaining to him (who doesn’t have the same moral background as you) that he is preforming an immoral act? c) wait for an opportunity share the Gospel and then hope later to address this issue? d) consider this issue as a minor issue and just get over it?

If you think of another option please send me your thoughts.
Jeff