Others made jest of the missionary slogan, 'They came to a nation in darkness; they left it in light,' by pointing out: 'Of course they left Hawaii lighter. They stole every goddamned thing that wasn't nailed down.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Critics mock missionary claims of bringing light to a nation by highlighting the material exploitation that occurred.
- In plain terms
- Missionaries claimed to bring light, but they actually stole everything.
- What can you take from it?
- Benevolent claims often mask self-serving actions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What hides behind good intentions?
- How is history written?
Another view
Not all missionary work involved theft.
More from James Michener
It is difficult to be king when the gods are changing.
Permalink to quote #27 On 24 October 1944 Planet Earth was following its orbit about the sun as it has obediently done for nearly five billion years.
Permalink to quote #29 No man leaves where he is and seeks a distant place unless he is in some respect a failure.
Permalink to quote #26
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