This is why I do not like the concept of missionaries.

[TheMightyFavog]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Asia-Tsunami/Worries-of-backlash-as-evangelicals-try-to-convert-Muslim-orphans/2005/01/13/1105582657252.html?oneclick=true

A US missionary group says it has flown 300 Muslim tsunami orphans from the Indonesian province of Aceh to the capital, Jakarta, where it plans to raise them in a Christian children's home.

The group, WorldHelp, is one of dozens of religious charities providing relief to victims of the tsunami, which killed more than 150,000 people, most of whom were in Aceh.

(snip)

"Normally, Banda Aceh is closed to foreigners and closed to the gospel. But, because of this catastrophe our partners there are earning the right to be heard and providing entrance for the gospel," WorldHelp said in an appeal on its website this week.

(snip)

"These children are homeless, destitute, traumatised, orphaned, with nowhere to go, nowhere to sleep and nothing to eat. If we can place them in a Christian children's home, their faith in Christ could become the foothold to reach the Aceh people," it said.

I know not all missionary groups are assholes like this, but groups like this piss me off to no end. Just let these people live and worship as they fucking please!

[patrice]

1. It's wrong to give charity for a price.

It also will create weaker "christians". Groupthink is like inbreeding; it weakens the line.

I think this is why we have "christians" today who think church is more of a social club than any thing else, and who condition their young like Pavlov's dogs with rewards of candy, pizza, ski trips etc.

[melnjones]

2. A question...

If it were any other religious group doing this, would you be so upset?

I understand that you have a problem with the concept of what they are doing. At the same time, we can't assume they are teaching a message of hate from what you posted here, and this is 300 orphans who wouldn't have a home otherwise. Does that really merit calling them "assholes?"

Yes, I realize I'm gonna get flamed for this, but it's how I feel.

On edit...
They have the right to believe that something is Truth. By their own beliefs, it would be in the child's best interest to put them in a Christian community. You don't have to agree with them, but they still have the right to believe this. If the government there is ok with this, there's not a whole lot anyone can do AND these people are within their rights. I couldn't read the entire article from the link, so if I'm missing some important information that might change my mind on this let me know.

[mutus_frutex]

3. Would you be upset if a muslim charity took a bunch of christian

orphan kids from FL after a hurricane and relocated them in a muslim school in Chicago?

I don't like religions in general, but this goes beyond religion, it is cultural.

Regards..

[melnjones]

5. Let's make this fair...

Comparing situations in FL and Indonesia, well, that just doesn't work. Kids in the states would have other options, and I wouldn't necessarily be for ANY religious school taking in 300 of them. Obviously we have foster care and adoption options more abundantly here. However, if the same situation were to happen in a third world country (a Muslim group taking in 300 Christian orphans), as long as they aren't preaching hate and as long as they don't punish children who choose to keep their own beliefs, no, I don't have a problem with it. I'd rather those 300 children be in a loving children's home that provides for their needs than in a state-run orphanage in a poor country, regardless of the religion.

[mutus_frutex]

6. Of course it is no an exact comparison..

I was just trying to make a point: What would a christian group think if this were the case. I'm pretty sure they would be crying foul and talking about the loss of 300 souls. Besides, it seems we are arguing over a moot point since it's not going through.

Regardless, I think you are a bit naive. The intentions of these people (as they state without any shame) is to "convert" this kids and use them as tools. An I put convert in quotes because we are talking about children. That is why I think you are naive, it would be quite difficult for these kids to keep their faith because quite likely they don't have their beliefs settled yet. That's why I think this is a pretty heinous thing to do.

What is really sad is that I do agree with you: if I died in an accident and the only option for my baby girl would be between these creeps and hunger, it's obvious I would prefer for her to be with them. This truly is a sad state of affairs.

Cheers..

[renaissanceguy]

7. Let's put it this way...

Charity should be done unconditionally. Requiring a conversion of beliefs for basic needs is simply not ethical the way I see it.

Let's say you are a Christian. You're choking. There's only one person in the room who knows CPR. The person approaches you, and sees that you're wearing a cross chain around your neck. This person is Jewish/Muslim/Atheist/whatever. Should that person save your life? Should that person require you to think just like him/her in order to help you, or should the person help you because you're a fellow human being and because helping people is the right thing to do?

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/477698

[MountainLaurel]

4. Won't be happening -- already announced

Because the government won't allow it:

The Virginia-based missionary group WorldHelp has dropped its plans to place 300 Muslim "tsunami orphans" in a Christian children's home, the group's president, the Rev. Vernon Brewer, told news agencies yesterday.

The children were still in the Muslim province of Aceh and had not been airlifted to Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, according to an e-mail under Brewer's name circulating yesterday among his supporters.

In an interview Tuesday for an article published in yesterday's Washington Post, Brewer said that the children already had been airlifted to Jakarta and that the Indonesian government had given permission for them to be placed in a Christian children's home. Brewer did not return calls from The Post yesterday to his home, office and cell phone to address the discrepancy.

In the e-mail, as well as in statements given to Reuters and Agence France-Presse, Brewer said WorldHelp had raised $70,000 to place 50 of the children in a Christian orphanage but had halted its efforts when it learned on Wednesday that the Indonesian government would not allow it.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7535-2005Jan13.html