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How would you describe the complicated legacy of colonialism? Have you seen its effects on local cultures in your region or country?
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Colonialism of new worlds by Europe had both good and bad effects. On one hand, the colonial powers built infrastructure like railways, roads, and ports to develop industry and commerce. They improved literacy (mainly in their language though, not the native language) and public health. They set up law and order to govern the colony better. On the other hand, the colonizers were motivated by their own gain. They exploited resources, devalued local cultures and often ruled by force. Where they instituted law, it was often in favour of their own people.
My country had many immigrants from India and China in those years. At that time, they were just here to earn money to send back to their home countries. (Later they would resign themselves to settle down.) They would turn their sail to wherever the wind was. They would learn the language and culture of the colonizers to get ahead. But you cannot say that they respected the foreigners nor their Christianity.
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The time of colonialism was a hard time regardless where Islam had just been pushed back from colonizing Europe, so I don’t see the point in judging European colonialism as an abnormality. Today we have been separated from those times by centuries so we can look at things from a point of taking a “civilizational breathe” that allows us to see things much clearer. I can’t say I have seen any colonial markers on my region as I am in Ohio.
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The effect of colonialism is obvious in many cases. They came with Christianity and many locals were converted to Christ as their savior. They abandoned their local gods and believed in Jesus. The system of governance changed. Many systems of governance now in many countries is the result of colonialism.
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Colonialism not only affected a nation/country’s government, but it also impacted, for better or worse, people’s relationships with Christ. Nearly every time a belief or idea is forced upon someone, people will reject it. So, in many areas around the world, even if a nation’s rule of law came under colonialism, true Christianity came only as a result of missionaries who developed relationships with the people by getting to know the language and culture. So, many people groups simply incorporated Christian worship into their pagan beliefs because they never really understood the full gospel message – sin, the need of a Savior, Christ’s death and resurrection. Many people today are still living in darkness because the message of Christ was never truly lived out before them. Conquering a nation in the name of Christ does not bring about fully-devoted Christians.
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Very well explained. It is as if a false Christianity spread like wildfire through the Roman Empire and colonialism, and this has made the task of sharing the true gospel that much harder because people have already turned their back to what they were told Christianity is. Although, the infastructure the colonists paved a way for the missionaries to come in to these regions. With all of mankind’s efforts, there is good with the bad.
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While Christianity did spread as a result of colonialism, a much bigger impact was made, and continues to be made, by missionaries devoted to the local culture and sharing Christ in the daily needs of a region or country.
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Colonialism has effected many parts our our culture For example, our churches, form of government, and our basic everyday laws. Over the years, groups have tried to change our culture and with some degree they have. America has been the one place where various groups desire to come for refuge. The United States is the light on the hill.