2018 Darwin Awards
Next Prev Random Honoring Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool--by removing themselves from it.
Selfie Seeker + Isolated Island Tribe + Arrows
2018 Darwin Award Winner
Confirmed True by Darwin
World Explorer or Christian Martyr? The most isolated tribe on Earth kills Selfie Seeker
(14 November 2018, Andaman Islands, India) John Allen Chau, a self proclaimed world explorer inspired by David Livingston and Jesus, was killed by the very tribe of natives he was offering eternal life. According to the BBC in Delhi, Chau bribed 6 fishermen to ferry him to the off-limits island so he could give the Sentinelese tribe gifts of scissors, a soccer ball, and Jesus.
In a letter he wrote to his family, this Vancouver resident and Alabama native said he wanted to make contact with the 60,000 year old tribe because "The eternal lives of this [Sentinelese] tribe is at hand."
He paddled to the island in a kayak and was immediately "attacked by arrows but continued walking," stated the global news agency AFP. The fishermen then witnessed the natives "tying a rope around his neck and dragging his body" along the shore.
The tribe, the most isolated on earth, has taken a well documented, zero tolerance approach to visitors since the British almost wiped them out during an occupation in the 1800's. It's no surprise Chau's body remains unrecovered.
Was he a martyr as his friends claim on Instagram, a missionary according to his parents, or just a selfie seeker potentially subjecting the tribe to life threatening disease because he couldn't "wait to see them around the throne of God worshiping in their own language as Revelation 7:9-10 states"? We'll never truly know, since the tribe doesn't seem to have updated their social media accounts in quite some time.
READER COMMENTS:
"Slings and arrows of outrageous...stupidity." J.Foreman" "The cure for total stupidity: Arrows." -S.Naf
"We'll miss him at the award ceremony."
"Can't say his death was pointless." -C.Hirst
My favorite.
"Does it count as a Darwin Award if he planned to remain celibate?" -P.Carafa
"What piercing insight! he was well shafted, wasn't he?" -D.Jones
"Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, arrow beats bible." -C.Reece
"Hopefully they will bury some clown shoes in his honor." -E.D.Hubbard
"You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day," Psalm 91:5
"He wanted to introduce them to Jesus. Instead they introduced him to Jesus." -M.Barrett
Laurence Lubin says, "And it wasn't a one-off. He attempted to land on the island three or four times. The shot at him the first time he landed and he paddled his kayak back. He returned. The smashed his kayak and he had to swim to the boat. The last time...well. The wages of stupidity are often death."
More at the link.