[BRIEF NOTE] You know missionaries are desperate when ...

[rfmcdonald]

Via alt.history.future's ongoing discussion about atheism and the future of the Czech Republic, an American missionary's despairing article about her utter failure to make converts in Prague.

Here, in Europe, you are dealing with a completely different mindset, then that of the United States. In America, nine out of ten people you stop on the street will tell you they believe in God. In Prague, nine out of ten people will tell you they do not believe in God. In America, people live in sin, and they know it. Here, people do not know what sin is. They enjoy a society where there is no right or wrong. In America, there is a church on almost every other corner. Here, the search for a church that is more than a historical building will take a while. And often when you do find one, it will be a church for English speakers only. Many churches do not even make an effort to reach Czech people. Both a Mormon and a Jehovah Witness have witnessed to me on the street since I have been here. Both were from English churches. They find their time is better spent reaching foreigners than the Czechs. They were both Americans that came to Prague to witness to other Americans. That says a great deal, I think.

This article at atheism.about.com goes into more detail about the effects of widespread atheism and agnosticism in the Czech Republic. I guess that the Czech Republic is a country I'll have to visit; it sounds nicely advanced.