Chaplain has calling to Appalachian Trail - Winston-Salem Journal

[WhiteBlaze]

Chaplain has calling to Appalachian Trail Winston-Salem Journal A decade after falling in love with the Appalachian Trail as a child at summer camp, Josh Lindamood finds himself back on the storied 2,200-mile trail. Boots broken in and beard grown, Lindamood, 27, left Springer Mountain in Georgia on Thursday, his ...

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[JustRob]

$5.28 a mile is somewhere around $11,500. Yeeeaaah buddy!

[HikerMom58]

http://www.thedailytimes.com/Local_N...rail-id-031566

[The Cleaner]

I wonder what he'll do when someone fires up a fattie at the shelter.....

[JustRob]

I wonder what he'll do when someone fires up a fattie at the shelter.....

With that much cash on hand I can't see him staying in some lowly shelter.

[Lone Wolf]

slim chance of makin' it. he should wait to do a newspaper bit if and when he makes it

[shelterbuilder]

Oh, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he makes it all they way. The trail is, after all, at least as much of a spiritual and mental journey as it is a physical one. And I, for one, am curious enough to consider opening an account on Facebook just to follow his journey. One never knows how another can be influenced by his actions.

[Hot Flash]

"The United Methodist Holston Conference is covering the costs of the hike and has raised more than $8,300 so far. Ashworth estimates the hike will cost about $5.28 a mile, leaving the conference with more than $3,000 to raise to keep Lindamood on pace."

Shenanigans like this make me angry. That much money would feed 500 people for a month in Africa, or provide more than 38,000 rounds of malaria treatment to sick children there. But of course, his imaginary friend thinks that hikers "need" this guy out there pushing his religious agenda more than starving kids need to be fed.

[Tuckahoe]

"The United Methodist Holston Conference is covering the costs of the hike and has raised more than $8,300 so far. Ashworth estimates the hike will cost about $5.28 a mile, leaving the conference with more than $3,000 to raise to keep Lindamood on pace."

Shenanigans like this make me angry. That much money would feed 500 people for a month in Africa, or provide more than 38,000 rounds of malaria treatment to sick children there. But of course, his imaginary friend thinks that hikers "need" this guy out there pushing his religious agenda more than starving kids need to be fed.

And what makes you think that they are not already involved in those sorts of missions both at home and overseas? The young man has been hired to be a minister on the trail for those that seek him out. And as such I dont understand the hostility, but its pretty sad really.

[whatnot]

Good point, Hot Flash. Sell your hiking gear and etc. Send that money to Africa.

[chief]

Shenanigans like this make me angry. That much money would feed 500 people for a month in Africa, or provide more than 38,000 rounds of malaria treatment to sick children there. But of course, his imaginary friend thinks that hikers "need" this guy out there pushing his religious agenda more than starving kids need to be fed.

Yep, lots of starving babies in Africa, lots of skeeters too. So why get mad, just send your own $11k to Africa. I know this guy in Nigeria who can hook you up. Let the chaplain save hiker souls and you be Mother Teresa.

[Rocket Jones]

Some people think they know better than you how you should spend your money.

[HikerMom58]

"The United Methodist Holston Conference is covering the costs of the hike and has raised more than $8,300 so far. Ashworth estimates the hike will cost about $5.28 a mile, leaving the conference with more than $3,000 to raise to keep Lindamood on pace."

Shenanigans like this make me angry. That much money would feed 500 people for a month in Africa, or provide more than 38,000 rounds of malaria treatment to sick children there. But of course, his imaginary friend thinks that hikers "need" this guy out there pushing his religious agenda more than starving kids need to be fed.

You can disagree with this man's mission and think that it's a huge waste of his time and other people's money, that's fine. But the way you came across- it's quite rude.

[58starter]

I believe to money will be well spent on his journey. I just finished a section in Tn and all of the young folks I met were very nice and he should fit in fine. There were no weed smoked in the shelters or anyone drinking anything but water and coffee. Yes, I have run into the other, but he is not out there to stop this but to be a witness for what he believes.
My hat is off to him. I may follow his facebook and catch up with him somewhere on the trail to see if I can help him.

[Hot Flash]

Good point, Hot Flash. Sell your hiking gear and etc. Send that money to Africa.

False analogy. Look it up if you don't understand what that is.

The difference between someone like me and someone like that chaplain are that I'm not in a business that claims to be a charitable organization, nor am I receiving tax-free status or any of the other perks that churches and pastors benefit from. Christian churches on the other hand, claim to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Pretty sure he didn't take thousands of dollars from people in order to go out for his forty days and nights in the desert. Not only that, but hikers on the trail aren't without the ability to go to church when they're in town every three or four days, if they really feel like they need a fix from their imaginary friend.

[Hot Flash]

You can disagree with this man's mission and think that it's a huge waste of his time and other people's money, that's fine. But the way you came across- it's quite rude.

Don't really care if people think it's rude. I think it's rude when someone tries to proselytize to me, so I guess it evens out.

[HikerMom58]

Don't really care if people think it's rude. I think it's rude when someone tries to proselytize to me, so I guess it evens out.

Don't you think you are jumping to conclusions that might not be the case or actually happen with this person on the trail? I doubt if you were on the trail, he would try to proselytize you or anyone else. You are pronouncing him to be guilty of something that he may never do.... can't you see that?
Besides that, calling someone's belief in God an "imaginary friend" is rude. I'm fine with you not believing in God, if that's the case. Apparently your not fine with someone who does believe. You feel the need to belittle them with words like that?

If we got word that he was bothering people or really trying to engage people in conversation when they weren't interested in talking, that's one thing- But to accuse someone of this behavior when there's no evidence of this happening? Wow!

[shelterbuilder]

Don't really care if people think it's rude. I think it's rude when someone tries to proselytize to me, so I guess it evens out.

I believe it was Gandhi who said that "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". Why can't we all just get along?

[Tinker]

Don't really care if people think it's rude. I think it's rude when someone tries to proselytize to me, so I guess it evens out.

Misguided or not, someone out there cares about you. You're giving your roots away. Proselytizing (as I know the word) is something used in the Jewish community.

Don't be offended. As I said, someone cares about you, both now and in Olam Ha bah (the time to come).

Don't shoot a friend for trying to help.

[Train Wreck]

"The United Methodist Holston Conference is covering the costs of the hike and has raised more than $8,300 so far. Ashworth estimates the hike will cost about $5.28 a mile, leaving the conference with more than $3,000 to raise to keep Lindamood on pace."

Shenanigans like this make me angry. That much money would feed 500 people for a month in Africa, or provide more than 38,000 rounds of malaria treatment to sick children there. But of course, his imaginary friend thinks that hikers "need" this guy out there pushing his religious agenda more than starving kids need to be fed.

Hot Flash,
I will assume that you aren't all that familiar with the concept of mission work and how churches and individuals answer a calling to do the same. On the one hand, there is home-based mission work, such as what this young man is attempting to do. Then there is the international, worldwide field of mission work, two examples of which you described in your OP.

Since you are so interested in what the United Methodist Church is doing worldwide, here's a search link for you which connects you directly to their mission project database. BTW, they have 50 projects going in Africa alone.
http://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mi...h-for-Projects
And this is just one of the areas, worldwide, that they are providing support to.

Maybe providing spiritual support and positive encouragement to hikers isn't as media-appealing as feeding the hungry or combating disease, but we are all called to minister to each other in many diverse ways. "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."
Helen Keller