Christian Aid Flows to Tsunami Victims

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/breaking_news/10696765.htm

Posted on Fri, Jan. 21, 2005

Christian Aid Flows to Tsunami Victims

BRIAN MURPHY
Associated Press
LADONG, Indonesia -

(snip)

The forces of faith, fund-raising and globe-trotting volunteerism have opened a stream of private Christian aid to one of the most religiously conservative corners of Muslim Indonesia.

(snip)

"This taxi driver asks me, `Are you a fanatical Christian?'" said Steve Dawson, an SWI team leader from Tacoma, Wash. "I tell him, `Well, maybe I am because Jesus says love your enemies and I love my enemies.' And then I say to him, `I even pray for Osama bin Laden.'"

(snip)

A team from evangelist Jerry Falwell's Liberty University plans to travel to regions hit by the tsunami to bring supplies and "thousands of Gospel tracts in the language of the people," according to an announcement. In 2002, Falwell called the Prophet Mohammad a "terrorist" but later apologized.

(snip)

"Just when our nation's image in the Islamic world was improving as a result of the outpouring of American aid in the tsunami disaster area, we hear from those who would exploit the tragedy to advance their own extremist agenda," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington.

more:
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/breaking_news/10696765.htm

What are these people thinking?

Taking advantage of a disaster to advance personal agendas is abhorrent.

Falwell and Liberty University are being bankrolled by the Reverend Moon so I gguess we could say it's Moon's money being used.

I'm sure that the Catholic Charities people, and similar efforts by, say, Methodists and Lutherans, are not cynically using their relief efforts for "missionary" purposes.

They're just trying to help, and these clowns make them loook bad by association.

Argh. Can't win for losing with these SOB's aroudn, can we?

Redstone

At least not any kind of evangelism that would offend muslims/buddists/hindus. More of the "let's discuss our beliefs and yours to further better understanding" stuff that most evangelical fundies hate. I'd assume that the UMC, most Lutheran denominations, Presbytarians, etc., have similar relief programs.

My Unity church had a Red Cross donation table set up for several weeks after the tsunami. We raised $5000 so far.

Church World Service and CROP are good christian relief agencies without an agenda to tie relief with conversion.

The Salvation Army, which does have a conversion agenda on some level, also doesn't force it upon people they are helping (but they are going to talk about Jesus, that's just the way it is). They also don't waste a lot of money on huge corporate salaries for their employees and are able to deliver a lot of food and necessary items. I know a lot of you don't like them, but they do get the job done.

:puke: The self-centered narcissism is appalling.

I think he should go and give one of his rousing oratories about God. Its the best course for all and I think a lot of good could come from it.



(snip)
Hasri Husan, a leader of the Islamic Defenders Front, a militant Muslim group that is operating a refugee camp in Banda Aceh, made his feelings clear.

"We will chase down any Christian group that does anything beyond offering aid," he said before making a slashing motion across his throat.