not to contribute to the Shoebox Appeal

[teamboleyn]

because it has a Christian message 'attached'? I have nothing against Christianity but can they not do a charitable act without having an ulterior motive?

It's not about it being a 'Christian charity'. It's about the fact that they use the gifts as an evangelical tool. Their sim us to convert children away from the faith of their family and community, to evangelical Christianity. This can literally tear families apart.

Their Ametican website claims they have converted 'millions' of children, and bangs on quite a bit about the follow up bible study classes and free bibles they provide.

Please be clear, this is not about gifts. This is about finding opportunities to preach, convert, and expand their ministry. I have a problem with that. I'd have a problem with that from any religious perspective. I'd have a problem with people giving g my child a gift with a pamphlet about a religion we don't follow, encouraging them to declare themselves a follower and sign a certificate showing the date of their conversion. It crosses unacceptable lines, no matter how poor you are.

I'm in the process of organising a backpack collection for Mary's meals after reading about OCC on here (AND doing my own research). Our school do OCC and a lot of people are happy doing it, presumably for the 'warm fuzzy glow' aspect. I find the arrogance of the fundamentalist right-wing christians very offensive and many of the children receiving these boxes do not celebrate christmas due to their own religious beliefs. The backpack option is great as my children can pack a backpack, thinking of others at Christmas time, without ramming christian ideology down other children's throats (the packs aren't delivered as christmas gifts). And this is an educational charity, so presumably providing these children with and education and skills so they can make their own minds up about important life-choices such as religion!

I'm doing a box this year, and have done for the past 3 years now. I'm not particularly religious, but at the same time I don't care that they put a leaflet in with some boxes.
The website actually states that they don't put leaflets in all boxes, only where it is deemed appropriate.
I wouldn't be bothered if they did put a leaflet in all boxes though. So what if they do? They're hardly going to physically force a child to read it and convert before they get the box, are they?!
They'd be there IF they wanted to read it.
I find it pretty sad that some people would rather a child didn't get a Christmas box than (shock, horror) have a leaflet in the box instead. If they're anything like most children, they won't even compute that it's in there in the first place, toss it to one side and think "ooh, presents!" and dive straight in
Now wants to do a hundred boxes to compensate for all the miserable farts

we have 2 appeals running around here is run by 2 organisations church of scotland and the salvation army I dont see the salvation army being evangelical distrubuting christmas presents to poor children is there evidence that a 8 year old has been converted and torn them apart ,

I was this close to doing it last year, ordered the leaflets and was all set to take them to work and talk to the school. Nothing on the website set alarm bells ringing but the leaflets did.

I could not support the Samarian's Purse in any way or anything they do after finding out that they spent $150 000 paying for anti equal marriage adverts.

pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2012/06/08/report-samaritans-purse-spent-150k-on-marriage-discrimination-amendment/

Didn't like them before but this was the final straw.

My DD (6) came home last night with a leaflet for Samaritan's Purse. She asked if she could do a shoebox and I explained why I did'nt want to do it. She totally got it and is really excited about picking another charity for us to donate too. I thought she might have got a bit upset but she was really cool with it.
I am also drafting my letter to the school!

Why is it sad that a non Christian child doesn't get a Christmas gift?

Is it really sad that they don't get presents for Hannukah? Shall we send shipments of menorahs? Is it tragic that they don't get Eid fireworks? A feast at Kwanzaa?

Lets not pretend Christmas is a Christian event now.

MrsKeithRichards it still is to some people.

To some people, that's fine. But let's not pretend non Christians have no need to feel included in the huge celebrations. It's more that an important date in the Christian calender now.

Indeed, in the West, it's not. But we aren't talking about the West, are we? And we're not talking about a secular organisation that gives equal weight to the Coca Cola Santa.

Completely agree Welsh - this is what I find really sad - the small minded view that children all over the world are 'celebrating' christmas and will be sad when they don't get anything. If people wanted to be truly altruistic, they should be sending gifts to coincide with other major religious festivals at other times of the year.

I think variations of our interpretation of Christmas can be found all over the world. As can coca cola.

Or maybe supporting these kids year round instead of patting themselves on the back that they sent a poor, pathetic, deprived child a box of tat and not giving them another thought from January to October?

I'm not daft or small minded enough to realise that not everyone celebrates Christmas.
Regardless of whether they do or don't celebrate Christmas, it's still a nice thing for a child to receive a box full of goodies.
Bit petty to say 'well I don't agree, you don't celebrate Christmas, it's all a fairy story, you'll be brainwashed if you open your box so you're not getting one.'
Sure the child won't give a flying fig what type of leaflet is in there, it won't even register with them.

I think the message of these appeals is you do a nice thing at christmas for other people , of course contributing through out the year is great some people can't afford that and our children may enjoy filling a box of 'tatt' for somebody else its kind isn't it,

Coca cola didn't invent Christmas nor Father Christmas in a red suit. MrsKeithRichards

My point was actually that some people are still genuinely religious and celebrate Christmas accordingly.

Exactly, MrsJay. Not everyone can afford to contribute the whole year through (congratulations to those who can) so enjoy doing shoeboxes.
Children like to help fill them too, I know mine do.They like choosing little things to go in like mini colouring books, felt tips, sweets, bouncy ball - all the kinds of thing they would love to play with too.
Just because others deem stuff like that 'tat' from a cynical adult point of view, doesn't mean children do, they love playing with/eating stuff like that.
Mine do, and every other small child I know does.

We do the shoeboxes (almost always OCC as it is a church school) as think it is good for the DC to help others. We do loads of charities-many which are not religious. I don't have a problem with OCC and have read a lot about it and came to my own conclusion.

I feel a bit caught here. DD has, of her own accord, decorated and filled a box with bits bought from her pocket money for the school's OCC appeal. Rather than squishing her careful, thoughtful gesture, I'd prefer to send it to someone, just not OCC.

So, those who do the Rotary Club or other appeals -- how do you get the boxes to them? I can only find details that say 'we will pick up if you have more than 80 filled boxes'!

It's not just about a leaflet - distributing the Operation Christmas Child boxes is part of an evangelical programme aimed at converting as many children as possible to the Samaritan's Purse brand of evangelical (anti-muslim, anti-gay etc etc) christianity. They don't make this clear on the UK website, but they do on the US website.

The Greatest Journey programme has three steps: first is receipt of a Christmas box with 'colourful storybooks that explain the Good News of Jesus in their local language', second is a 12-step bible-study programme, third is acceptance into the local church.

This is not a no-strings-attached, nice gesture to children all over the world. It is an evangelical tool. If you agree with the aims, beliefs and methods of Franklin Graham and Samaritan's Purse, then fine. But I would guess a majority of parents even at church schools in the UK would not be happy supporting that church if they were actually aware of all the details.

Have a look at the Link Romania website Lottue, I'm sure they accept individual donations, they could also let you know if a jagger collection is happening near you.

They also collect boxes for the elderly if you fancied doing another.

LARGER collection. Fingers!

its the leaflet that bothers me. And this year dd's school, Brownies And Beaves are doing the damn things. 3 bloody boxes. We dont celebrate christmas anyway and I dislike the open conversion atempts of this operation.
Thing is, dd is too young to understand. She just wants to be like the other kids. She wont understand about Samaritans Purse etc.