What’s worse than a communist? An “ultra-communist,” of course. And there’s only one cure for that disease: Jesus. AP’s Melinda Leitsinger reports from Cambodia on the conversion of “at least a few thousand” former soldiers of the Khmer Rouge. The Lord’s alleged messenger is the Rev. Setan Lee, described on his website as an “instant missionary.” “Instant” may suggest something about the depth of the conversions. A former Khmer Rouge radio operator describes his Christianity thusly: “I want to change my car to a new one, hoping it’ll give a smoother ride.” And that ain’t no metaphor.
Leitsinger reports with due skepticism, but the short form of an AP “feature” — complete with “human interest” perspective — prevents her from asking the historical questions about power, colonialism, and missionaries that would make this feature more than an “instant” investigation.