Operation Christmas Child

[kangoo]

Someone mentioned this to me and it had me thinking. I've made up shoeboxes in the past and was thinking of doing one or 2 this year. However I heard some things about samaritans purse using the boxes to convert people to christianity

I just had a look and although there isn't a lot there's a few articles about samaritans purse using the boxes to promote christianity, in countries that are predominately non-christian religion. I've even heard that they go as far as saying the gifts are from god and that they should believe if they want better things to happen to them. I don't know how much of this is true so I'm not taking anything as truth at the moment, but I do know that they send a christian leaflet with every box

Here http://www.pursestrings.ca/ there's a lot of quotes from franklin graham who is the president of samaritans pure saying how the whole thing is about evangelism not the shoeboxes. Samaritans purse market themselves as "International Christian relief and evangelism organization" but I'm not sure I agree with targeting children through what they promote as a selfless act

So I'm a little confused. I want to give boxes but I don't agree with the organisation's tactics. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Is it a problem, or it it fair because its a Christian organisation?

[SuzyCreamcheese]

ive heard the same thing about the christmas shoeboxes. Its a ploy to convert other religions to christianity - the more people they bring to the sermons, the more christmas gifts they would get. Its all based on "these poor children dont get christmas presents from anywhere else" Well - no shit? Theyre not usually christian.

I personally wouldnt do anything through that charity. Im sure there are others.

[clementine_the_tangerine]

I heard about this by searching on the Internet after college wanted us to make shoe boxes. I researched the company (forgot the name now..it was years ago) and they were ones trying to manipulate people. I tried to tell people about it at college but I just looked like a party pooper :rolleyes:

[kangoo]

For me Christmas isn't about religion as I am an athiest, but I enjoy giving and sharing at this time of year. I think giving a shoebox of gifts to a poor child is a lovely thing to do, regardless of whether you or they are christian

I'm sad that its so manipulative and that these christians can't give to others without bringing religion into it. I'm going to try and find out if there's a shoebox organisation without an evangelism agenda

Argh it makes me so mad to think of them targetting children who have nothing else. Its the lowest of the low

[Scary Monster]

I know we had the conversation back in 6th form, and the general conclusion that we came to was that while some of us didn't agree with the evangelical side of things at the time the Christian organisations were the only ones doing this kind of thing and if the kids got a present then that was what really mattered.

Having taken presents to give to the kids when I did some work in a school in India I'd day the present is by far the most important thing. The children these go to usually have never had a present before in their lives, or a toy to call their own, and anything I said to the kids that day passed them straight by because the toy was so exciting.