Operation Christmas Child Oddly Criticized for ‘Proselytizing’

Republicans in Congress set conservative agenda, and many other stories from online sources from around the world

Christianity Today November 1, 2002

Samaritan’s Purse dissed again Parents in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta, want the Samaritan’s Purse program Operation Christmas Childbanned from public schools, reports the CBC. The program, which is in 1,100 Canadian schools and thousands of other sites in the U.S., U.K., Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, and Finland, asks students to pack a shoebox full of gifts for kids in developing countries. But some parents say it’s all just a ploy for proselytizing.

“They’re not just flying into a country and dropping boxes to whatever little child is standing there wanting this box,” Rita Sirignano told the radio network (audio). They’re really pressuring the children into conversion. “If I wanted my child to be proselytizing … I would send him to a Christian school,” she said.

Samaritan’s Purse spokesman Ivan Giesbrecht says Sirignano is missing the point. “In countries that we have been given permission to do so, we do tell these children we are Christians and that we are compelled by the love of God to do this and we want to bless these children,” he said. About 6 million shoeboxes will be distributed in 100 countries on six continents.

We’ve been here before. In March 2001, The New York Timesinaccurately criticized Samaritan’s Purse, saying that while workers aided earthquake victims in El Salvador with government funds, they found time to “preach, pray, and seek converts among people desperate for help.”

Call the hate crime police. Between this and the coverage of slain missionary Bonnie Penner Witherall, it’s clear that many people see aid and relief work motivated by Christian mission as a force for evil, not good.

GOP agenda: Abortions, faith-based initiative, abstinence, and fatherhood “With Democrats no longer blocking their way in the Senate, President Bush and Republican congressional leaders plan a more vigorous push on their social policy agenda by trying to limit abortions, provide greater support to religious groups, and increase funding for sexual abstinence and fatherhood programs, according to White House officials and key lawmakers,” The Washington Post reported on Monday’s front page.

“The only places where these ideas are considered bad are on the two coasts,” says Senate Majority Leader-elect Trent Lott. “Where the meat is in the sandwich, the rest of America, these are pretty mainstream ideas.”

Happy Thanksgiving, AmericansWeblog will be on vacation Thursday and Friday for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll be back Monday.

More articles

Bioethics:

  • ‘Human clone’ unlikely say experts | But controversial Italian doctor Severino Antinori has announced that the first human baby clone will be born in January 2003 (BBC)
  • huMouse™ | A design for creatures that are half man, half animal has raised fundamental questions about what it means to be human. Two critics of biotechnology want the U.S. Patent Office to answer them (Legal Affairs)
  • Australia’s Dr. Death | Spreading the assisted-suicide gospel (Wesley J. Smith, National Review Online)
  • Deadlock over bill on female feticide continues | The main objection to the bill is the provision which requires mandatory registration of all ultrasound clinics, irrespective of whether they were used for diagnosis for gynecological purposes or for other purposes such as kidney and liver disorders (The Hindu, India)

Abortion:

Islam:

Christians and Israel:

Persecution and violence:

Crime:

Church and state:

What Would Jesus Drive? campaign

Sexual ethics:

Sex abuse scandals:

Church life:

Missions and ministry:

  • Truckstop ministries bring church to those on the road | One man has made it his mission to help truckers go to church while they’re on the road (Voice of America)
  • Teen preacher displays winning ways | It was the first time he’d preached at what has been his family’s place of worship for seven years, but it was not the first time Theon Hill has preached before a largely white audience (Chicago Sun-Times)
  • Good deed called into question | He’s not stealing that shopping cart. It’s his ministry (The Troy [Ala.] Messenger)
  • The children’s crusade | Hotel Chaplaincy Australia (HCA), a 500-strong team of young Bible-literalist Jesus-freaks, is out to temper the savage heart of the annual schoolies bacchanal on the Gold Coast (The Sydney Morning Herald)
  • Pentecostal pastors float new Christian association | A new Christian body, Pentecostal Christian Association of Nigeria (PCAN) has been inaugurated to unite Christians and address what the leaders call the problem of confusion, disillusionment, loss of faith and exploitation in churches in the country (This Day, Lagos)
  • Solomon Islands Health Ministry rejects religious criticism | Rejects calls to ban campaigns promoting the use of condoms as a means to avoid sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies (Radio Australia)

Money and business:

Education:

Bible:

Pop culture and music:

Other articles of interest:

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere

Suggest links and stories by sending e-mail to weblog@christianitytoday.com

What is Weblog?

See our past Weblog updates:

November 26 | 25

November 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18

November 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11

November 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4

November 1 | October 31 | 30 | 29 | 28

October 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21

October 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14

October 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7

October 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | September 30

Our Latest

News

Ghana May Elect Its First Muslim President. Its Christian Majority Is Torn.

Church leaders weigh competency and faith background as the West African nation heads to the polls.

Shamanism in Indonesia

Can Christians practice ‘white knowledge’ to heal the sick and exorcize demons?

Shamanism in Japan

Christians in the country view pastors’ benedictions as powerful spiritual mantras.

Shamanism in Taiwan

In a land teeming with ghosts, is there room for the Holy Spirit to work?

Shamanism in Vietnam

Folk religion has shaped believers’ perceptions of God as a genie in a lamp.

Shamanism in the Philippines

Filipinos’ desire to connect with the supernatural shouldn’t be eradicated, but transformed and redirected toward Christ.

Shamanism in South Korea

Why Christians in the country hold onto trees while praying outdoors.

Shamanism in Thailand

When guardian spirits disrupt river baptisms, how can believers respond?

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube