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Samaritan's Purse Christmas Box Appeal |
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Samaritan's Purse Christmas Box Appeal |
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To quote from its Website:
"Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God's love. This program of Samaritan's Purse provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas-Jesus Christ, God's greatest gift. Along with shoe box gifts, millions of children are given Gospel booklets in their own language."
"Evangelism is at the heart of everything we do. Our most important mission is to provide spiritual help by proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. We accomplish this by demonstrating God's love through our relief projects, building churches, providing evangelism training and materials, and by supporting local ministries engaged in this vital work."
Whilst it now acknowledges on its pamphlets that it is "meeting critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ" many schools and donors are unaware of the true nature of its "mission". Following the links below should provide some "education" in the matter.
It seems reasonable to expect that schools should only promote charities that all the children can support without any "conflicts of religious interest" arising.
Information relating to Samaritan's Purse on BHA Web Site.
HomeSpecimen Letter 1 to Local Paper (heavily plagarised from a letter by John Bosley)
Charitable giving
I, along with many others, object to evangelising, but am happy to give to good causes. However at this time of year some schools, businesses and individuals become involved in charitable giving through Samaritans Purse. Many do so without realising that it is an evangelical Christian organisation, distributing proselytising leaflets to (in many cases Muslim) children to whom it passes shoe boxes filled with gifts provided by often unsuspecting donors.
This may make it unsuitable for people who are not Christian - and, of course, many who are.
Here are a few different ways of giving that may suit readers who don't wish to associate their donations with religion:
21st Century Child - a shoebox scheme collecting small gifts for children in Eastern Europe - see www.21stcenturychild.org .
The Aquabox scheme which provides water treatment for disaster areas in numbered boxes so you know where your box went - www.aquabox.org .
Oxfam where you can donate a flock of chickens or a camel, or textbooks or dinners for a third world school. For these and many other life-changing or life-saving gifts go to www.oxfamunwrapped.com .
Then again you can give a goat for Rwanda or a bicycle for a midwife in Cambodia or help to turn weapons of war into farm implements via www.goodgifts.org .
And last but not least, the Blue Peter appeal, which is always carefully chosen so that virtually any family can contribute. Keep an eye on www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter .
More information about the evangelising of Samaritans Purse is available at www.humanism.org.uk.
Specimen Letter 2 to Local Paper
I would like to draw your readers' attention to the operations of Samaritan's Purse, an evangelical Christian charity headed by one of Dr Billy Graham's family. Its aim is to proselytise a particular brand of Christianity. Members of the public who donate gifts in shoe boxes should be aware that evangelical literature will be handed out with the boxes and given to vulnerable, often non-Christian, children. The Rev Giles Fraser has described this appeal as 'gift-wrapped Islamophobia'.
Samaritans Purse is somewhat coy about this aspect of their operation. Indeed until 2003 they made no mention of these 'added extras' until forced to do so by the Charity Commission. Even now their leaflets are hardly explicit:
"Because it is Christmas, then wherever it is culturally appropriate and again working in partnership with local people, we make available to the children a booklet of Bible stories in their own lanquage explaining the true meaning of Christmas - God's gift of His Son, Jesus Christ."
People should also be aware of the type of Christianity that is being promoted. A look at the Statement of Faith on their website is quite illuminating. It includes the following:
Some local schools are giving out the 'Operation Christmas Child' leaflets and making arrangements to collect shoe boxes.
Parents and teachers should be made aware of precisely how their generosity is being used, possibly in a way that they would not feel comfortable with. Further information about Samaritan's Purse can be found at www.humanism.org.uk.
Specimen Letter 3 to School
Samaritan's Purse 'Christmas Child'
******* brought home a leaflet from the Samaritan's Purse organisation today. Ostensibly, this is a charity performing good deeds for disadvantaged children. What is not always so obvious is that this is an Evangelical Christian organisation that seems more intent on spreading it's own brand of Christianity than genuinely helping others.
To this end, they persuade children to donate boxes. The children are specifically told not to include literature of a political, racial, or religious nature; giving the impression that the boxes are distributed in a non partisan fashion. The truth is that this organisation distribute their own brand of Christian Bible stories alongside the boxes. In this manner, boxes donated in good faith, including from non-Christians, are hijacked and turned into propaganda for this evangelical organisation.
The Vicar of Putney describes their evangelical views as "a particularly toxic version of Christianity" while the Rev Vernon Marshall describes it as "an intolerant and racist form of Christianity".
The South Wales Fire Service and the Co-op have both discovered the truth behind this organisation and consequently severed links with them. The BBC has reported on this organisation, exposing some of their less pleasant views.
I attach a summary article taken from the internet.
The efforts of your pupils need not be in vain. There is a similar scheme provided by the charity 21st Century Child www.21stCenturyChild.org who would presumably like to accept prepared shoeboxes.
I would like to raise this issue with the Local Education Authority to prevent other schools from being exploited by Samaritan's Purse. Who would be the appropriate person? Thanks.
Yours sincerely,
N.B. While providing your home address to the editor you might consider asking that the web site of the BHA (www.humanism.org.uk), the NSS (www.secularism.org.uk) or that of your local group be published as your address.
If basing you letter on "specimen 2", you might consider suggesting some of the alternative charities mentioned in the first example.
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