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View Full Version : Why do Japanese missionaries charge so much for their charity goods?


Ojisan
02-15-2007, 02:11 AM
(Disclaimer: I had a bowl.)

I was eating at this low class yet tasteh Mexican food restaurant earlier with my girlfriend for Valentine's Day. As we were about to leave, this little Japanese dude comes up telling us he's a missionary from Japan. Not surprising considering this was Rancho at 8pm.

At first, I was like, "oh shit, please don't start preaching," but after speaking some broken English quietly to me, I was relieved to find out he was just trying to sell stuff. He pulls out this zipper case full of fairly attractive jewelry (perhaps from Japan?), and shows it off. I was entirely ready to whip out five or ten bucks and get a pretty little dolphin necklace for a Valentine's gift, but when asked the price, he says, "twenty-five."

Holy shit, that's a little steep. I reluctantly declined, when this idiotic idea popped in my head. "I've never spoken with a Jap dude before, I wonder if I can bust a little Japanese!" Heh, that lame-ass notion that having watched a few too many subtitled cartoons made me capable of light conversation. I definately avoided the "konichiwa" cause that's trite as hell. I think I threw in an arigatou and felt pretty lame about it.

But by far my shining achievement was when he asked for a small contribution. I reached in my pocket to count my one's, spread them out and said, "san". Heh, he kind of grinned because he caught that I said "three". Then I was thinking how ****ing lame that probably was but didn't care.

My main point was that $25 was too much for his little jewelry.

Milkymagic
02-15-2007, 06:11 AM
This is why I stick to buying their video games, music, or anime related merchandise. :D

Of course, even that has some steep pricing thanks to the import value, but we're talking other goods, so I stand with your opinion. They do make some nice looking crafts, but that's not my avenue, at least not until I work a job that pays me significantly more than my current one does.

And unless he was actually a Yakuza, I would've said "no" to him as well.

Daravon
02-18-2007, 06:31 PM
When counting flat objects, say <number>mai. You should have said 'sanmai'. Or mittsu, which means 'three of <clear from context>'.

Ojisan
02-18-2007, 09:01 PM
No, cause that's lame and I don't care about speaking Japanese.

kyubichan
02-19-2007, 03:34 AM
I don't like missionary people. They usually bug me. They either:
a. try to sell overpriced stuff that I can easily buy at the local bargain shop
b. try to make me agree that their religion is better.

I don't even care much for trinkets and religion :(

Ojisan
02-19-2007, 08:42 PM
I don't like religion either. I just wanted the dolphin bracelet. But by grossly neglecting supply and demand in the name of charity, he lost ten bucks.

7Raven7
02-19-2007, 09:18 PM
I don't like missionary people. They usually bug me. They either:
a. try to sell overpriced stuff that I can easily buy at the local bargain shop
b. try to make me agree that their religion is better.


pfft, not everything that is missionary is bad...

kyubichan
02-20-2007, 04:59 AM
I know that, raven... but so far I am yet to be "enlightened" by any missionary I meet.

7Raven7
02-21-2007, 05:27 PM
well, it was kinda a joke and missed completely...

and seeing as it is Ojisan's thread and even he didn't comment, that's like -10 points for Raven.

Ojisan
02-21-2007, 08:54 PM
Are you making a sexual position pun?

Milkymagic
02-21-2007, 09:55 PM
Are you making a sexual position pun?

This would also change the meaning of the thread title as well!

Why do Japanese "missionaries" charge so much for their "charity goods?"

7Raven7
02-21-2007, 11:08 PM
Are you making a sexual position pun?

This would also change the meaning of the thread title as well!

Why do Japanese "missionaries" charge so much for their "charity goods?"

No, no... *sniff* ... it's too late now. I don't need your charity laughs.


On a side note, missionary types I know 1) raise money by attending local churches, said church does a donation for them and 2) tend to be very giving at their location of choice. A friend of mine works at an orphanage in Kurgastan (sp?), she works for free, basically mother's the orphans and otherwise does what she can for the orphanage house.

So I'm a bit confused but I'm guessing Ojisan's missionary was raising funds by selling trinkets to A. Do some charitable good deed somewhere or B. fund his neighborhood shrine. In which case, said item would be more expensive because he probably bought it at a store at retail and had to mark up for profit. Also, if option B. is true, its quite reverse from the process my friend goes through. Interesting.

Meh, it's like 1:00AM+ here and I'm ranting...

kyubichan
02-22-2007, 12:42 AM
well, it was kinda a joke and missed completely...

and seeing as it is Ojisan's thread and even he didn't comment, that's like -10 points for Raven.

You should have put a "mind in gutter" tag on that.

Ieyasu
02-22-2007, 03:51 AM
No, no... *sniff* ... it's too late now. I don't need your charity laughs.


On a side note, missionary types I know...

I know a few missionary types ifyouknowwhatImeanandIthinkyoudo ;)