Christianity in Africa stats: <10 MN in 1900, 700 MN today.

[arewethereyet]

Just passing through. Will take the first and last for now, and come back to Angrboda and Brian's post subsequently.

Noone, God obviously does not need anything from me, or anyone else. He chooses however to use men and women to do His work, and sanctifies them in the process.

Arewethereyet, yes, that's true that there has been Population Growth as well. But the %ages show the complete story. Thus, 10 MN of around 140 MN, going by what you quoted, is 7%. That's what it was in 1900. 700 MN today, of 1.2 BN of Africa's Total Population, is nearly 60%. Thus, there has been a percentage growth, and not a merely numerical growth, as well. Percentage growth would not come about merely through birth rates, but through Souls accepting Christ as well.

Christ For All Nations Ministry claims 88 MN Souls came to Christ in the nearly 50 years they've been in Africa since their founding: https://cfan.org/ I know that sounds high at first glance, but the stats check out.

It's pretty crappy to go into a needy area and promise clean water, medical care, food, etc. if the people claim to be part of whatever mission crew is there.  You should all be ashamed.  If you were really out to help people you would do it without adding to your rolls.  Souls accepting Christ is blood money as far as I can tell.

True charity doesn't require anything in return.  Especially not upping your numbers on the who's religion has more people than the other religions.

[Nishant Xavier]

Nope, Christianity promotes both the Temporal and Eternal Happiness of Humanity, as Pope Leo XIII says in my signature. That's why the Catholic Church is the Largest Private Health Care Organization in the world, something very well known and highly appreciated in the developing world especially.

Souls accepting Christ is their Personal Freedom to do so, just as it is their Personal Freedom to accept Atheism if they want to. What are Atheists doing to help solve world problems? Attacking Christianity like Dawkins and Hitchens did? That hardly counts, and in fact worsens the world's state.

I support initiatives aimed at ending or severely reducing world hunger and world poverty by 2030 and I think Christian and Secular Organizations could work toward that goal. I also mentioned another thing even before I read the above, NATO and other international organizations should be equally concerned about the security and welfare of African countries as it is about European countries, only that is a real rejection of Racism.

Many African Missionaries played a large part in ending Slavery. David Livingstone was an Anti-Slavery Crusader. Missionaries were Champions of the People. Missionary Motivation comes from Christ's Love, nothing else. When you love someone, you want them to be happy. Christians love their neighbor as Christ commanded, all their neighbors, hence we want everyone to be happy, first temporally in this life, then eternally in the next.

[arewethereyet]

You are the one who brought up 'claiming souls'. Don't say there isn't an ulterior motive in what you dress up as true concern.

[Angrboda]

Souls accepting Christ is their Personal Freedom to do so, just as it is their Personal Freedom to accept Atheism if they want to. What are Atheists doing to help solve world problems? Attacking Christianity like Dawkins and Hitchens did? That hardly counts, and in fact worsens the world's state.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

@Nishant Xavier

Many African Missionaries played a large part in ending Slavery. David Livingstone was an Anti-Slavery Crusader.

No one’s denying that individual Christians can and do perform good - even heroic - acts.

If Livingstone had been a non-Christian (or even an atheist), would his contributions to Abolition have been diminished?

Boru

[Nishant Xavier]

well, not sure how being concerned about Souls, as well as Bodies, and the needs of both, is not true concern; If morality were to be subjectively determined, then Christians are subjectively convinced Christiaity is true, hence their actions are conscientiously consistent with those beliefs, much more than those who might say they believe in Christ, but neither care about Souls, and even profess an "I-dont-care-ism" when it comes to the affairs of this world. When Tucker Carlson says no one should care about Ukraine because many can't even name it on a map, that's I-dont-careism in action. Christ's command is not that. Christ's command is to love one's neighbor sincerely from one's heart and to help them when one can do it. Love includes care for both bodily and spiritual needs. I mentioned how Christianity came to England, in another thread, the Royal Family was impressed by how Archbishop St. Augustine of Canterbury, with 40 monks, sent by Pope St. Gregory the Great, devoted themselves without ceasing to prayer, fasting, charity (Christians used to give the food they did not eat to the Poor in those days; unlike lax modern days, when ancient disciplines on both have reduced), every good work and to teaching the Truth, and in time, the King of England himself entered the Baptismal Fount.

It's basically the same story everywhere, whether in Africa or England. When Christianity is deeply lived, as opposed to superficially practiced, it changes lives, hearts and souls. The Early Christians used to do this well, and slowly that Holy Spirit Fire is reviving now in this 21st Century.

Angrboda, ok, what is freedom then and how do you define it? Do Atheists and Christians have not equal rights? Don't both have Freedom of Speech?

[Nishant Xavier]

St. Bede on the Ecclesiastical History of the English People in quote box. Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38326/38...html#toc59

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As soon as they entered the dwelling-place assigned to them, they began to imitate the Apostolic manner of life in the primitive Church; applying themselves to constant prayer, watchings, and fastings; preaching the Word of life to as many as they could; despising all worldly things, as in nowise concerning them; receiving only their necessary food from those they taught; living themselves in all respects conformably to what they taught, and being always ready to suffer any adversity, and even [pg 048]to die for that truth which they preached. In brief, some believed and were baptized, admiring the simplicity of their blameless life, and the sweetness of their heavenly doctrine. There was on the east side of the city, a church dedicated of old to the honour of St. Martin,117 built whilst the Romans were still in the island, wherein the queen, who, as has been said before, was a Christian, was wont to pray. In this they also first began to come together, to chant the Psalms, to pray, to celebrate Mass, to preach, and to baptize, till when the king had been converted to the faith, they obtained greater liberty to preach everywhere and build or repair churches.

When he, among the rest, believed and was baptized, attracted by the pure life of these holy men and their gracious promises, the truth of which they established by many miracles, greater numbers began daily to flock together to hear the Word, and, forsaking their heathen rites, to have fellowship, through faith, in the unity of Christ's Holy Church. It is told that the king, while he rejoiced at their conversion and their faith, yet compelled none to embrace Christianity, but only showed more affection to the believers, as to his fellow citizens in the kingdom of Heaven. For he had learned from those who had instructed him and guided him to salvation, that the service of Christ ought to be voluntary, not by compulsion. Nor was it long before he gave his teachers a settled residence suited to their degree in his metropolis of Canterbury, with such possessions of divers sorts as were necessary for them."

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[Nishant Xavier]

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@Nishant Xavier

Many African Missionaries played a large part in ending Slavery. David Livingstone was an Anti-Slavery Crusader.

No one’s denying that individual Christians can and do perform good - even heroic - acts.

If Livingstone had been a non-Christian (or even an atheist), would his contributions to Abolition have been diminished?

Boru

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No. But Christ's Teaching, because it is Universal, clearly had an impact on Livingstone, and through him, for the better of the Good African People. Unlike false ethnic nationalism and other limited philosophies, Christ's Teaching to love one's neighbor as oneself is the best hope for the world imo. It is universal, it does not discriminate. It inspired many Anti-Racists from Livingstone to Wilberforce to Lincoln to Dr. MLK - as is very well known - to Billy Graham, to Reinhard Bonnke etc.

[Angrboda]

Angrboda, ok, what is freedom then and how do you define it? Do Atheists and Christians have not equal rights? Don't both have Freedom of Speech?

Choice without externally provided carrots or sticks. No one is free at the point of a gun, nor when bribed with needed things.

[The Architect Of Fate]

If people require rewards or punishments to make a choice they are not free