To want to know why Mumsnetters are so against the christmas shoeboxes?

[MrsWinnibago]

As far as I can tell, it's due to the religious nature of Operation Christmas Child and Samaritan's Purse....from previous threads I've seen that people resent the fact that the volunteers pray with the kids and include religious leaflets in the boxes.

But is this really enough reason to not send a box? I can't help but think, if my kids were in a war torn country and had nothing...no toys or anything...they'd rather hear a few prayers and get their box than NOT hear a few prayers and get nothing.

Or am I missing something?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a1907038-AIBU-to-ask-you-to-watch-this-video-about-Operation-Christmas-Child

A member of the parent charity came on to explain things on this second thread last year.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a1868481-AIBU-to-hate-charity-Christmas-shoe-boxes
and again on www.mumsnet.com/Talk/charities_noticeboard/a1862903-Operation-Christmas-Child#42163156
If he was supposed to be reassuring people, then it sure as hell only made me feel more sick again it.

exexpat deserved a medal for showing him up.

Yes I did - apparently they don't like criticism and want to take ordinary people to court for daring to have opposing views - which is very Christian - what about turning the other cheek?

I can't beliee they have trawled Mumsnet to look for posts to object to

this is the complaint btw:

The complaint was made Brian Bennett of Samaritan's Purse about this post:

"Firstly it's August !

Secondly it's not because they are religious you'd have to be a bit daft to object to a CHRISTmas gift being religious

The objection is to their nasty inflammatory anti-Islamic beliefs

Hth"

. The reasons why he considered it to be defamatory are:

"The suggestion here is that Samaritan’s Purse holds ‘inflammatory anti-Islamic beliefs’. To suggest that Samaritan’s Purse, as an institution, is anti-Islamic, is utter nonsense. Through our work and ministry, we reach out to support people of all nations, from all walks of life, regardless of their colour, creed or religion. You only need to look at the work we are doing around the world on our website to see that such an accusation lacks any substance. This is personal opinion being expressed as fact, it is therefore defamatory and must be removed."

What we need from you now is your response to her complaint - so could you please let us know:

• whether or not you'd like your post to be deleted
• your full name and address, if you'd like your post to remain
• whether you agree to us sending on these details to the complainant

If you don't agree to us passing on your details, we won't release them unless we're ordered to do so by a court.

If we don't hear from you by the close of play Tuesday 14th October, chances are we'll have to remove your post anyway, so do please get in touch before then if possible, and shout if you have any questions at all.

so HQ remove the post and I shall instead write

I refuse to donate to them because I do not support organisation that bully people who oppose them

hth :)

I will also continue to object loudly to any of my childrens school having any involvement with them

and spread the word about their tactic

gordy thanks for updating with their bullying tactics. Shows exactly the kind of organisation they are.

vile behaviour in my opinion - of course that is just my opinion and could be wrong - obviously - just the musings of my own - still free - mind

yep so they can start court proceedings - if we don't withdraw our posts

going to court, as a lone parent with 3 kids, would mean us losing our home just to defend my opinion - which is not very Christian of them in my opinion

I will also object to any organisation that chooses to keep on as it's chairman, president and CEO a man who publicly announced Islam to be a "very evil and wicked religion". He, certainly, would appear to be anti-Islam.

mad isn't it - such overkill - protesting a bit too much!

"The suggestion here is that Samaritan’s Purse holds ‘inflammatory anti-Islamic beliefs’. To suggest that Samaritan’s Purse, as an institution, is anti-Islamic, is utter nonsense.

"It's run by the Rev Franklin Graham - chosen by George Bush to deliver the prayers at his presidential inauguration - who has called Islam "a very wicked and evil religion".

www.theguardian.com/world/2003/nov/10/religion.society

I'm going to call bullshit.

And who in their right mind thinks it's a good idea to give Christmas gifts to people who may not celebrate it and think it's more important to give tat than, oh I don't know.. food, clean water, medical care. You know, things they may actually need to survive.

Because any reputable organisation would rather have cash they can spend on the ground, than a box containing random items of dubious use that some well meaning numpty spent UK retail price for - & most of which will have been made in the developing world before being shipped to Poundland so said well meaning numpty can pay to ship them back.

Because OCC's own literature tells you all you need to know about why no decent human being should support them.

The thing that really irritates me is that they know people will object to their distasteful practices, so they lie by omission (same as lying by commission was what we dragged up as Catholics were taught to believe), so preying on the goodwill of naive people to get stuff to bribe converters in desperate need. Cynical, dishonest, disgusting.

I do wonder if Brian's performance on here was considered to be so disastrous that they're particularly keen not to have it thrashed out again this year.

& yy to lying by omission & preying on goodwill.

we need T shirts Suffolk 'Free the MN two'