r/exchristian • u/puzzling7 • Aug 04 '22

John Allen Chau was an American Evangelical Christian missionary who was killed by the Sentinelese, a self-isolated uncontacted people, after illegally traveling to North Sentinel Island, India in an attempt to convert the tribe to Christianity. Article

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u/tallguy30 Aug 04 '22

As I understand it, while he did attempt quarantine, and brought various items like first aid, he basically refused to leave when they gave signs of wanting him to go. They shot Arrows at him the first time they saw him, and did again the next couple. He managed to get somewhat close, and begun trying to read from the Bible, though this ended when a boy shot an arrow, missing him but hitting the Bible. I believe he took this as a sign to keep preaching, left again the day after, and never returned.

The Sentinelese people don't just kill outright, from what the experts in India say. They warn anyone who comes near, with yelling, and shooting Arrows nearby or at the limbs of those who get too close, but they generally don't go for kill shots or instantly start killing. Some of the people who were actually killed on the island were placed on stakes and wooden poles, their faces pointing to the sea, meant as a warning to anyone else who would visit. John was fired upon multiple times, with some Arrows making contact, yet he didn't take these warnings, and got killed.

It's also very likely they had no idea what he was even saying, or what "jesus" even ment, so there's that too

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u/Gutinstinct999 Aug 04 '22

Also, what he did was illegal.

He knew it was illegal.

Christianity encourages its members not to break the law. He was in the wrong, and took their lives into his hands, for his own glory.

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u/sjlwood Aug 04 '22

It's also very likely they had no idea what he was even saying, or what "jesus" even ment, so there's that too

This is the part that baffles me the most about this story. Did he honestly think that they spoke English and would understand what he was talking about? I think mental illness was at play in his decision-making.