Is It Really a Setback?

A correspondent with much closer first-hand knowledge of missionary work in Kazakhstan has written to say that although he shares my frustration with Borat, he is not convinced that the film will prove to be much of a setback for gospel work there.  In the interests of cultural understanding, I am excerpting some of his comments here:

"I am a little peeved by the negative view this movie will give of Kazakhs and of Kazakhstan. Now they will think they are backward, corrupt (though there is some corruption present in the government, that corruption is improving, especially since all the wheels of the economy are oiled up), and repressive. So, I agree the image of Kazakh's and Kazakhstan will be affected in America, but to relate this to the missionary endeavor in Kazakhstan might not be appropriate.