How to reach remote tribes with no written language with the Gospel?

[linux.poet]

Recently, I have become intrigued by the South Sentinel Island problem. Their island is an unreached pocket of individuals that have an unknown language that isn't written down, and those people kill everyone unfortunate enough to wash up there, including a Christian missionary.

In their case, perhaps we should just take their actions as rejecting the Gospel and move on, especially since the Indian government has barred people from going to the island.

But that riddle has left me intrigued: how do missionaries turn merely spoken language into written equivalents? How do they acquire previously unknown languages?

 

[bèlla]

You should reach out to Wycliffe. That’s their specialty and I’ve met with them several times during church events and they can explain their process. Is that the indigenous group that’s really hostile to visitors? If so, I’ve seen them on film and keep it moving is sage advice. It isn’t a pleasant death.

~bella

 

[David Lamb]

You should reach out to Wycliffe. That’s their specialty and I’ve met with them several times during church events and they can explain their process. Is that the indigenous group that’s really hostile to visitors? If so, I’ve seen them on film and keep it moving is sage advice. It isn’t a pleasant death.

~bella

I assume you mean the Wycliffe Bible Translators. If so, I agree. My wife and I get their prayer diary, and we often read there about: 1) audio versions of the bible 2) Wycliffe developing written versions of languages for the first time, and then teaching people to read it.

 

[Pioneer3mm]

Recently, I have become intrigued by the South Sentinel Island problem. Their island is an unreached pocket of individuals that have an unknown language that isn't written down, and those people kill everyone unfortunate enough to wash up there, including a Christian missionary.

In their case, perhaps we should just take their actions as rejecting the Gospel and move on, especially since the Indian government has barred people from going to the island.

But that riddle has left me intrigued: how do missionaries turn merely spoken language into written equivalents? How do they acquire previously unknown languages?

To: linux.poet
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Eternity in their Hearts
- Don Richardson
- Interesting/informative book.
- Stories of how the Gospel was presented (outreach)..to remote tribes.
---
Gospel Recordings Network
- globalrecordingsusa.org
---
Two thirds of the world population are oral communicators.

 

[bèlla]

I assume you mean the Wycliffe Bible Translators. If so, I agree. My wife and I get their prayer diary, and we often read there about: 1) audio versions of the bible 2) Wycliffe developing written versions of languages for the first time, and then teaching people to read it.

Yes, that’s the group.

 

[linux.poet]

Thanks for the references! I definitely will be checking out Wycliffe's online presence, I didn't know that they were that up to date.

Is that the indigenous group that’s really hostile to visitors? If so, I’ve seen them on film and keep it moving is sage advice. It isn’t a pleasant death.

Pretty sure that it is.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

how do missionaries turn merely spoken language into written equivalents? How do they acquire previously unknown languages?

We don't.

Telepathy is the realm of occult.

Sending a group of people to try to "speak in tongues" would result in their throats being cut.

Remember that guy from the Italian Regiment who was given an opportunity to hear of the gospel because of his attitude towards the poor and other people?

Something needs to change on their end, if they don't show hospitality to strangers than they're no different than Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

[linux.poet]

Telepathy is the realm of occult.

Jesus did it.

24 But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to testify about anyone, for he himself knew what was in everyone.

But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

In this case, telepathy would be useless, because we all think in a language. Knowing the thoughts of the Sentinelese or any other unknown tribe wouldn't help me because it would just be more language I could not understand.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Jesus did it.





In this case, telepathy would be useless, because we all think in a language. Knowing the thoughts of the Sentinelese or any other unknown tribe wouldn't help me because it would just be more language I could not understand.

Nice of you to say, reminds me of an old conversation.

Actually, if you really want to reach out through prayer, the phenomena of tongues is similar to baby language. In other words, God can communicate without needing to use the language we learned from our parents. Like with people in some countries who converted after having dreams with Jesus Christ in them and no human witness, it's possible.

The wonder of tongues at pentecost caused all the people to hear people speaking regularly, in their own languages. So adapting a message to an unknown language or hostile culture is not impossible.

However, my original saying still seems to apply: "We don't." However, I would add, God can.

 

[lismore]

But that riddle has left me intrigued: how do missionaries turn merely spoken language into written equivalents? How do they acquire previously unknown languages?

Maybe kenneth Copeland can go:

 

[DragonFox91]

I heard once "how do you teach a tribe that's never seen a Lamb that Jesus is the Lamb of God?" The question comes up when discussing how much can we 'dumb down' the Gospel & not be altering it.

I don't know how people acquire foreign languages like that, but it's been done in the past