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I'm laughing a grim laugh. It reads like, "God and my people will take care of my family. But only I can go help those other people."
That does sound egocentric.
Missionarys aside, health care professionals who put themselves in danger in order to try to stop epidemics might seems as though they're being egocentric or it perhaps they understand the need for medical professionals to try to stop epidemics where they start, before they spread to larger populations, and they look at that act as being a way to stop the epidemic before it reaches the area where their families live. Perhaps they look at other humans as part of their extended family. I can't imagine anyone having contempt for someone who is working to help others, who is putting themselves in danger to help a greater cause. As mentioned above, there are plenty of professions where there is great danger, and even being a doctor or health care professional in a first world country is not without risk.
There's a weird sort of mindset that I've seen repeatedly among "missionary types." Not to say they're all like this, but I've seen it enough to alarm and disturb me. Over the years, I've known several missionary families who actually go off to remote rain forest or African villages - and put their own kids in boarding schools in other countries. What the heck????? I've also often marveled at what I personally consider irresponsible behavior, when missionaries move their entire families to very remote, dangerous, unhealthy areas. My gosh, take care of your own family FIRST.
Not everybody thinks spending a few years abroad and going to school in a poor, third-world foreign country is a terrible thing, but quite the contrary. Many would see it as an enriching experience that helps you gain a better perspective of the world. And not every remote African country or village is so dangerous that nobody should even consider spending some time there. Plus there is no place in the world that is 100% safe anyway.
By this logic, we should also condemn policemen, firefighters, anyone in the military, etc. Those selfish, self-centered jerks.
What a disgusting post. Like anyone would go work in a third world country to fight a deadly outbreak where they're getting puked and crapped on for months on end for bragging rights and stories to tell at cocktail parties.
Another narcissistic, self-important doctor without borders. These guys are such simpering little wonks. I work around them. They do this stuff because it boosts their ego, not because they actually want to help people. They are addicted to attention in a way you wouldn't believe. They go on these trips to Africa just so they have conversation material at the sherry-tasting event at the end of the month. I swear half the doctors in this country are medically-diagnosed narcissists.
Lets see
A. Being treated and surviving while being treated by "narcissistic, self-important doctor without borders"?
Another narcissistic, self-important doctor without borders. These guys are such simpering little wonks. I work around them. They do this stuff because it boosts their ego, not because they actually want to help people. They are addicted to attention in a way you wouldn't believe. They go on these trips to Africa just so they have conversation material at the sherry-tasting event at the end of the month. I swear half the doctors in this country are medically-diagnosed narcissists.
Narcissistic, ok. Have you been putting yourself in harms way by traveling to remote or dangerous areas to treat people? Didn't think so.
Another narcissistic, self-important doctor without borders. These guys are such simpering little wonks. I work around them. They do this stuff because it boosts their ego, not because they actually want to help people. They are addicted to attention in a way you wouldn't believe. They go on these trips to Africa just so they have conversation material at the sherry-tasting event at the end of the month. I swear half the doctors in this country are medically-diagnosed narcissists.
Sure, you work around them. I'm curious, but why would a humanitarian organization like Doctors Without Borders ever hire someone with your attitude---for anything, including taking out the trash?
People on the internet just like to HATE on people. Whether it's the poor, the "welfare queens", people from 3rd world countries, Obama-care(which gives healthcare to poor people), and amazingly even doctors volunteering and risking their lives to saves lives! Are you KIDDING ME!? What's next, complaining about firemen? You do realize those docs going over there to help contain the outbreak are helping to stop ebola's spread around the world?
The real selfish people are the one's that complain about helping other people because they think what they're doing doesn't help them.....ME....ME....ME....That's all it is. OP is the true selfish person.
Apparently he went to another country with good intentions of saving others from ebola but didn't have the sense or discretion to at least quarantine himself upon return, potentially ruining and certainly inconveniencing the lives of thousands here.
Not everybody thinks spending a few years abroad and going to school in a poor, third-world foreign country is a terrible thing, but quite the contrary. Many would see it as an enriching experience that helps you gain a better perspective of the world. And not every remote African country or village is so dangerous that nobody should even consider spending some time there. Plus there is no place in the world that is 100% safe anyway.
By this logic, we should also condemn policemen, firefighters, anyone in the military, etc. Those selfish, self-centered jerks.
Blanket statements.
Each situation is different. The scenarios I described were of MISSIONARIES who sent their own kids to boarding schools (for years) while "ministering to" other peoples' kids in foreign lands. I think that's bass ackwards, and having personally known several of these "boarded kids" and their issues over the years, I think their parents should have taken care of their own offspring rather than paying someone else to do it for years at a time while they "ministered" to others.
As for moving families to third world countries, the scenarios are so vastly different from case to case that once again, blanket statements can't be applied. My point though is that my value system tells me that I should protect my own family first. I shouldn't put my family at unnecessary risk.
As for your statement about public servants and the military - get back with me when a fireman drags his family into a burning house with him, or when a soldier brings his family with him on a deployment. Otherwise, we're not talking about the same thing at all. I see nothing inherently wrong with soldiers, public servants, or missionaries going into dangerous situations as long as they've taken appropriate steps to protect their own families first.
By the way, my parents were in full time ministry work with an international organization. In fact, my father resigned from this particular organization after they expected him to put his family's needs on the back burner and to move where they told him to move. In our case, it was simply that he wanted me to be able to attend ONE school for the last three years of high school, since due to his work, I'd attended 9 schools in 8 years but I can assure you that he would have turned down an assignment to Liberia as well if it meant taking his family with him.
I am not criticizing any doctors for volunteering in Ebola zones or other dangerous areas. I AM saying that if they choose to do this, they still need to put their families' health and well being first. It's possible to do both.
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