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Nov 21, 07, 02:13 #6
You kind of know me and I am a Protestant in Poland. Most expats are not Catholics in my experience and there are lots of us living here for long term assignments now.
The Hussites and Moravians had a rather large following here for a time, too, in Poland's past (I am a Moravian from the US), so it has not always been 100% Roman Catholic. And, of course, Poland once had a large Jewish population and in its most recent past, some of its leadership was atheistic or agnostic. Then there are the Mariavites and the Polish Orthodox, the Russian and Ukranian Orthodox here, who are not Roman Catholic, either. But you know all that!
There are currently several large Evangelical churches from Europe and the US, which are making inroads into (mainly) Western and Southern Poland right now.
The LDS church has a recently strengthened ministry via its missionaries that were sent on "student visas" here, as well as do Jehovah's Witnesses and lately, the Baptists.
We ran into a group of my fellow Americans on our way to Krakow, coming thru Chicago, that were "English teachers", but whose message was actually conversion of Polish Catholics to Protestantism. While waiting to board the plane, they were discussing ways to insert the message of "born again" doctrine and adult baptism into the English lessons for their Polish students. So, apparently there is a movement in the US to send students and faith groups here for such a purpose.
No disrespect to Jerry Dean, as he seems to be straightforward.
Be aboveboard when spreading the message and I have no problem with that, as it's up to the hearer to choose to accept that message, or not.
But masquerading as a student, an aid agency or helping group, then slipping the Poles a kind of religious mickey, should be outlawed. So should coming here on "student visas" or "charity worker" papers, when the real job they have in mind here is conversion of Poles to LDS or other faiths.
Sorry for ranting, but this kind of thing irks me no end. I was ashamed of those people on the plane and couldn't say so at the time. I guess it came out wrong here.
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Member Posts: 84
Joined: Jul 9, 07
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