Happy evangelist missionary day

Many, many years ago there was a country. That country was not more, or less, peaceful than any other country like it. It had its good days, and bad. The rain came, the sun shone.

It had people too. No one knows exactly where the people came from, but they had been there for thousands of years. Of course, it wasn't the same people. There had been various invaders from time to time. People came in with weapons, took over the people there. And the people adapted. They absorbed the newcomers into their ranks. And in a few years, in less than a generation, the newcomers became locals. And as locals looked on the country as their country.

This country had a vibrant culture. Arts, music, skills. A fusion of what was there, and what was brought in. They had their songs, their music, their dances. And they had their gods.

Not too far away from this country, was another country. And this country had a king. He was a passionate man. And since he was a passionate man, and a king, he turned his passions to what kings do best - waging war. And wage war he did. For many years he increased his holdings until he ruled a very large area indeed. So much so that he was given the appellation the Cruel. But one day. After a great battle, one that he had started to get more land, he looked around and saw nothing but dead people. So he gave up war, and became the adherent of a new religion that was sweeping through the area. So he left his old religion, and took on a new one. But being a passionate man, and a crafty one, he decided that he was going to continue his conquest. He would do so by sending out missionaries, funded by the state, to promote this new religion that he was so into. After all, there is no adherent quite as fanatical about religion as a new adherent is there? He called this new concept of conquest Conquest by Faith.

This king used his wealth and power to support his new missionaries in their evangelical roles. He funded places for them to stay, Funded their missions, and sent them to every country he could, to spread the word of the new religion that he was into.

And since the first country we were talking about was not too far from this king's country - close enough to be known by him and, luckily for the inhabitants, too far to be conquered by him - he sent some of his missionaries there too. But he picked a special man to lead them. One of his sons. Child of the King's fourth wife of many. He wasn't just passionate about war you see.

When these missionaries came to the country we were talking about, they met the king of that country. Because of the royal connections, the missionaries were given a high status. And managed to convince the king of this country to abandon his faith, and take on this new faith that the missionaries brought.

The people, were encouraged to join the new religion, which was supported by its newest and most powerful convert. The old ways, the ways that had lasted thousands of years were swept away. The old religions pushed aside to make way for the new ones. And more and more missionaries came to the country. to take this new religion to more people. Converts within the country began to evangelise to their friends, their neighbours.

The old priests watched in vain as people turned away from them, turning to this new religion, which was not only being promoted by their society, but had the approval of their king.

And the missionaries were everywhere. The king built places for them to stay. He built places of worship, marginalising the temples and lands of the old religion. He forced young men to join the priesthood of the new religion, taking them away from their families. And soon, he too started to send out his own missionaries. Sponsored by the government.

The country is different now from what it was. The missionaries have completely taken over. Nothing remains of the old religions. Nothing but a few sad ruins.

So happy evangelical missionary day. The day we celebrate the arrival of the first state-sponsored evangelical missionaries to this country. The event that led to the destruction of a culture and religions that were ancient event when the upstart young religion was created. The day when Mahinda came to Sri Lanka.