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?

Are they sent to children who are already Christians?

This from the website itself:

OCC is open to people from all walks of life, faith, race and ethnic background, at both giving and receiving ends. Shoeboxes are given to children who are victims of poverty, war, disease or natural disaster on the basis of need alone. At no time is a receiving child required to become a Christian, sign a pledge, pray a prayer or attend Bible classes; their shoebox is an unconditional gift from someone who cares about their plight

They don't HAVE to convert to receive, everyone gets one.
No, but the charity exists with the explicit purpose of converting children, and their families, to aggressive and bigoted evangelicalism. If I donated presents to the charity they will be used as a way to encourage people to convert and that's absolutely not acceptable as far as I am concerned. Whereas if I go through a secular organisation that doesn't do this, children get toys and don't get people trying to indoctrinate them into said disgusting evangelicalism with presents and gifts.
Profits from the charity also don't go into lining the pockets of the charity's bigoted founder, who has explicitly stated time and time again that Islam is the religion of the devil and Islamic people are child-beating/raping sickos.
Ta-dah, it's not that difficult to understand and it doesn't mean we're all evil Grinches.

If you want to send one, please do. This thread is mostly for people who want to know more and/or want alternatives. I am not trying to convert anyone to my way of thinking!

paulwilkinson.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/the-shoebox-thing-again/
Just given this a cursory read but a lot of my other concerns are expressed in the comments particularly the contents of the boxes/perceived fairness, carbon footprint/1st world values etc.

ex pat is right
go back to my post at the beginning of thread, we lived where they were distributed, we not given out at Christmas.

Also we got them in Kazakhstan. While there are lots of poor children there, nothing like Romania, and the boxes usually went to all children in a neighbourhood, regardless of poverty or not.

The boxes are distributed by the local churches. NOT by an american evangelical organisation. It is therefore up to the local church how they do it, some do it with a strong message, some take them out into the neighbourhood as a gift, simply demonstrating love
(FWIW there are no leaflets inside the OCC ones that arrive in KZ, I don't think they have a leaflet in Russian or Kazakh)

The content of the boxes is well appreciated, the toothpaste, nice soaps etc are a real treat for some, not seen as boring if you don't normally have it. When we do them we put in a lot of practical stuff. (and never put sweets and smellt soap in the same box without wrapping both well )

I am a Christian. But I remain quite ambivalent about the boxes for a lot of reasons.
I like charity to be more cost effective.

Just thought some people might want to read what the UK organisations says about it's work.
The FAQ page answers some of the points made further up the thread

For what it's worth, I still think many people on here are being very patronising. Perhaps it shows that they either have no experience of what these boxes mean to those who receive them, or no idea that most parents are able to give their children a context to any religious information received. I can only guess, if they had access to MN now what they would be saying.

"AIBU to let my child accept a Christmas gift box, whilst at the same time telling them the this Jesus stuff is a load of rubbish"

I have no problem at all with people who do not want to take part, or would prefer to donate to other causes. Franklin Graham is not on my Christmas card list, but the information I have from friends who have seen these boxes distributed is that they are very much appreciated.

I've.told.DS.that.we.won't.be.doing.one,because.it's.a.nasty.organisation.run.by.nasty.people,who.tell.lies.
and.they.have.convinced.his.school.that.they.are.good.people.because.sometimes.bad.people.do.that.(DS'interest.in.the.Jimmy.Savile.business.has.been.useful.teaching.tool.here.)

ucskco.sasktelwebhosting.com/TheGiftMattersSchoolkit.pdf
Also interesting reading!

I have no problem with the shoeboxes per se althoguh i do think the money would be better spent at a more local level rather than being purchased here and shipped round the globe.

My objection is to the OCC one as it is an evangelising tool. Simples.

@ Sparehead. Your DH going to Romania, it that with OCC or Rotary because if it Rotary many people on this thread have suggested them as an alternative to OCC. I don't think anyone is categorising all shoebox appeals as being the same. Just a strong aversion to the evangelising kind.

Heck, Jimmy Savile's even managed to worm his way into a presents and Christmas thread now. Are NO threads on this site safe?!
(Sorry but, FGS!)

I have been too disorganised to do a shoebox the last 2 years, but also have the underlying 'bad message' they are attached to.

I now have 2 DSs of school age, they attend a school with a Christian basis. They had a local vicar who is also a parent come and talk about the shoeboxes, and so both boys are keen to participate.

I would rather do something more local to channel their energies into something else, so will be checking out rotary club.

I used to do the Christmas child one. Not anymore as they shove religion down people's throats who have no other choice than to except it, for the sake of a gift for their children.

If their God was that just he wouldn't put the children in that situation at all. Just so they can feel self righteous and godly for sending them a box of pound shop stuff.

As you can tell it really annoys me. I now do one that has no religious links.

solid gold brass - I actually find that quite offensive. Likening christians giving out shoes boxes to Jimmy savile's child abuse.

I hardly think a leaflet in a box is the same as abuse - do you?

I totally understand why you choose not to do the boxes, but your explanation to you ds is pretty OTT

I'm sure that they just throw away any religious message- I would be very surprised if people read any thing of that sort that comes into their house.
I'm sure that if you were so poor that your DC never got a personal present you would be happy that they got perhaps the only one in their life. It also seems very selfish to have philosophical discussions when your DCs have full stomachs and Christmas presents to open. Of course a bag of rice is more sensible but you wouldn't do it to your DC! And if you did have to choose the rice you might be pleased that someone gave your DC a toy in addition.

It is completely anonymous- you have no idea who gets it so to say that you are worming your way in is utterly ridiculous.

Bit.OTT.maybe.BUT."charity"masking.a.poisonous.agenda...it's.not.unusual.

Nobody is MAKING anyone to convert to anything. I get Jehovah's witnesses calling at the door sometimes, handing out those little leaflet and WatchTower type magazines.
Cos I'm a sap I end up taking a leaflet to get them the feck off my doorstep, but by taking a leaflet I don't automatically get brainwashed and indoctrinated into the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Same with the leaflets that sometimes get handed out in shoeboxes. They'll probably just do what I do and screw it up and not give it a second thought.
Some WILL want to learn more, some won't give a flying fig and chuck it away.
It's up to the individual. They're free to ignore it.

You don't have to take any notice of the literature. They may be poor but they are not stupid! I can't imagine them saying 'oh, Christians have sent this- I shall be a Christian!' - they most likely think a Christian group are being kind.
I hate the idea that the poor are a race apart and we have to be cost effective - all said by people whose DCs will have an obscene amount of presents and will be so well fed they can be fussy about food. You would all hate your DCs to be written off as not mattering as long as they are cost effective! If you had nothing you would be thrilled that your DC had something for themselves that was fun. They are the same as your DCs. By all means find something without a religious message, but don't just stop. And I can't say that the religious message matters - has anyone the figures for conversions to Christianity through a Christmas shoe box?

According to www.samaritanspurse.org/pdf/2011occsr.pdf this from Samaritan's Purse, 'millions of children'.
You also have to realise that this is not a level playing field-the glamour/riches of the western world can make a child feel that their religion/lifestyle are inferior and that by converting (to something that they do not fully understand but may encourage others in their religion/culture to shun them) will benefit them materially. I am a Christian but feel strongly that we should not 'evangelise' anyone, but particularly children.

Still no further to deciding whether or not to do it, so may go along with it to not single out my children as the odd ones out

I wish that the nspcc or shelter or similar would do a shoebox appeal for UK families - I bet that plenty more children are living in poverty in the UK today too :( and charities with some level if trust would be good wherever they send them.

I'd gladly do a shoebox for charities in the UK too, would love to give to a UK Christmas appeal as well but you don't really hear about them...

If your interested in giving with in the UK at Christmas, look out for "giving tree" appeals. I'm aware of these in Glasgow and Reading, suspect there may be others. You pick up a "gift tag" from the giving tree, buy the present suggested on the tag and return it wrapped with the tag attached. The appeal then give the presents to recipients.

When I looked at tags the other year ( yes I did pick one) they varied from children's requests for their mums ( my mum would like...) to " gift for 2 yr old girl" to " gift for pensioner man" .

Will look out for the giving trees, never seen them around here. How do they pick who's eligible for a present, what kind of criteria do they have to tick?
(Sorry for the daft questions, know nothing about it)