School Cancels Christmas Charity

[Cannot think of a name]

Yeah, it's truly a violation of the law to use government resources to proselytize.

Yes but the government isn't funding this christian organization. All its doing is encouraging people to donate to a certain charity. The charity doesn't get anything out of it, it's just trying to help people.

Giglio, the pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta and leader of the Passion Conferences for college students, knows that packing shoebox gifts allows his congregation to support pastors and churches overseas who are committed to sharing the Gospel with children in their communities.

Through gift-filled shoeboxes, Operation Christmas Child helps link churches and people in the United States with churches overseas. As the gifts are delivered, boys and girls learn that God loves them so much that He sent another gift – His son, Jesus – as their Savior.

A shoebox “doesn’t just carry love and compassion and a tangible expression of that, but it carries the message of Jesus,” said Giglio, explaining why the children’s ministry at Passion City Church participates in the Samaritan’s Purse project.

the charity themselves on their mission and intent.

[Luepola]

Absolutely retarded. Although my Christian faith would obviously cause me to be biased towards the opinion that I do hold, I still think it's stupid that people are throwing a fit over the school supporting a charity that has religious affiliations. It's not like they're carrying out mini-crusades in government schools or something; no one is being forced or even encouraged to convert to Christianity.

[The Emerald Dawn]

Yeah, it's truly a violation of the law to use government resources to proselytize.

How is this charity using government resources? The government isn't giving the charity money.

...sigh.

So...I usually use the three page rule, but I'm severely fucking bored tonight. Obviously, I'm not going to just buy the whole "Haha, fuck you, church" motivation presented, so I thought I'd look into what AHA objects to specifically. Here, from the actual letter sent:

As you should know, Samaritan’s Purse is a self-proclaimed “evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. . .with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.” Its mission is “to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel” and motto is “HELPING IN JESUS’ NAME.”

This, of course, is on the front page of the organizations website:

Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ.

"Helping in Jesus' Name" is across the top just under the title.

The letter continues-

The evangelical booklet delivered with the toys includes a conversion pledge for the child
to sign. As its founder has admitted, Operation Christmas Child “is about introducing children and their families to God’s greatest gift-His Son, Jesus Christ” and that “evangelism is the focus”of the program. He has boasted that the program has converted “tens of thousands of children and their families,”citing an example where “one shoebox prepared the way for nearly two dozen people to come to faith in Jesus Christ.” The shoebox giftsare used to “ support pastors and churches overseas who are committed to sharing the Gospel with children in the communities.”

Here is a report about the booklet in the shoe boxes.
Apparently, this was raised as a concern originally in the UK-

Yet many of the scheme's supporters, who include thousands of schools, are unaware that the organisation behind it is a US-based, evangelical and missionary Christian charity led by a controversial fundamentalist. Parents and teachers are not told that the boxes are in many cases sent overseas with religious literature.

It's important to note that this goal is stated on their website:

Giglio, the pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta and leader of the Passion Conferences for college students, knows that packing shoebox gifts allows his congregation to support pastors and churches overseas who are committed to sharing the Gospel with children in their communities.

So, it's not a conspiracy theory that this church is using the shoeboxes to evangelize, it's right there on their very own website.

Now, that's a very different story. Not the one we were just fed, that they were innocently sending these shoeboxes that didn't have anything to do with their evangelical efforts, but instead they are sending these shoe boxes with the express intent to evangelize. And they're using the efforts of children in a federally funded school, the literal establishment of a religion in this case, really.

I think that the AHA has a point. There are secular ways for them to promote community assistance in the school and Operation Christmas Child does not seem the best fit.

EDIT: Forgot the link to the original letter EDIT2:Forgot the organizations link in the first example as well...

[Benuty]

Well this is one Saturnalia that is sure to be mired in phallic waving.

[The Emerald Dawn]

Absolutely retarded. Although my Christian faith would obviously cause me to be biased towards the opinion that I do hold, I still think it's stupid that people are throwing a fit over the school supporting a charity that has religious affiliations. It's not like they're carrying out mini-crusades in government schools or something; no one is being forced or even encouraged to convert to Christianity.

So...I usually use the three page rule, but I'm severely fucking bored tonight. Obviously, I'm not going to just buy the whole "Haha, fuck you, church" motivation presented, so I thought I'd look into what AHA objects to specifically. Here, from the actual letter sent:

As you should know, Samaritan’s Purse is a self-proclaimed “evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. . .with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.” Its mission is “to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel” and motto is “HELPING IN JESUS’ NAME.”

This, of course, is on the front page of the organizations website:

Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ.

"Helping in Jesus' Name" is across the top just under the title.

The letter continues-

The evangelical booklet delivered with the toys includes a conversion pledge for the child
to sign. As its founder has admitted, Operation Christmas Child “is about introducing children and their families to God’s greatest gift-His Son, Jesus Christ” and that “evangelism is the focus”of the program. He has boasted that the program has converted “tens of thousands of children and their families,”citing an example where “one shoebox prepared the way for nearly two dozen people to come to faith in Jesus Christ.” The shoebox giftsare used to “ support pastors and churches overseas who are committed to sharing the Gospel with children in the communities.”

Here is a report about the booklet in the shoe boxes.
Apparently, this was raised as a concern originally in the UK-

Yet many of the scheme's supporters, who include thousands of schools, are unaware that the organisation behind it is a US-based, evangelical and missionary Christian charity led by a controversial fundamentalist. Parents and teachers are not told that the boxes are in many cases sent overseas with religious literature.

It's important to note that this goal is stated on their website:

Giglio, the pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta and leader of the Passion Conferences for college students, knows that packing shoebox gifts allows his congregation to support pastors and churches overseas who are committed to sharing the Gospel with children in their communities.

So, it's not a conspiracy theory that this church is using the shoeboxes to evangelize, it's right there on their very own website.

Now, that's a very different story. Not the one we were just fed, that they were innocently sending these shoeboxes that didn't have anything to do with their evangelical efforts, but instead they are sending these shoe boxes with the express intent to evangelize. And they're using the efforts of children in a federally funded school, the literal establishment of a religion in this case, really.

I think that the AHA has a point. There are secular ways for them to promote community assistance in the school and Operation Christmas Child does not seem the best fit.

EDIT: Forgot the link to the original letter EDIT2:Forgot the organizations link in the first example as well...

[The Flood]

This is why I am anti secularism. The people in this group of bigots should be in prison, not winning this shit and spreading their hate and bigotry, ruining holidays for everyone for no reason but their own selfish bigotry.

[Mavorpen]

Absolutely retarded. Although my Christian faith would obviously cause me to be biased towards the opinion that I do hold, I still think it's stupid that people are throwing a fit over the school supporting a charity that has religious affiliations. It's not like they're carrying out mini-crusades in government schools or something; no one is being forced or even encouraged to convert to Christianity.

That's a lie. The goal of the organization in charge of the charity event has the express goal of converting children.

[Latinorium]

The AHA is acting like a baby, why do they care what one small school is doing. Also it isn't very humanist of them to detract from a charity for children.

[Cyyro]

That kind of sad. Church and state need to be separated, but not to this degree. If a school can't even do a charity because it's tied to religion in one way, than that's a problem.

[Blahbania]

Absolutely retarded. Although my Christian faith would obviously cause me to be biased towards the opinion that I do hold, I still think it's stupid that people are throwing a fit over the school supporting a charity that has religious affiliations. It's not like they're carrying out mini-crusades in government schools or something; no one is being forced or even encouraged to convert to Christianity.

Well said

[Fascist Russian Empire]

Oh the horror! Giving charity to people on a religious holiday! Oh goodness! How awful!

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if a school gives charity via a religious organization? What matters is that they are helping people in need.

[Neo Rome Republic]

Oh great, the Theocrat-enablers are here.

[Blahbania]

Oh the horror! Giving charity to people on a religious holiday! Oh goodness! How awful!

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if a school gives charity via a religious organization? What matters is that they are helping people in need.

Actually it's about a religious charity, but besides that, I believe you are correct.

[Luveria]

The AHA is acting like a baby, why do they care what one small school is doing. Also it isn't very humanist of them to detract from a charity for children.

Uhuh, caring about the constitution is acting like a baby. Funny how when supporting the right to bear arms, you're manly as fuck for supporting that part of the constitution.

[Mavorpen]

Oh the horror! Giving charity to people on a religious holiday! Oh goodness! How awful!

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if a school gives charity via a religious organization? What matters is that they are helping people in need.

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if I break into a rich person's house and give their stuff to the poor? What matters is that I am helping people in need.

[Kvatchdom]

Evil school.

[Luveria]

Oh great, the Theocrat-enablers are here.

Yup. One already showed up.

Oh the horror! Giving charity to people on a religious holiday! Oh goodness! How awful!

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if a school gives charity via a religious organization? What matters is that they are helping people in need.

[Benuty]

Oh great the enablers are here.

The only enablers I see here are alcoholics, sheep, and phallic symbols.

[The Emerald Dawn]

This is why I am anti secularism. The people in this group of bigots should be in prison, not winning this shit and spreading their hate and bigotry, ruining holidays for everyone for no reason but their own selfish bigotry.

So...I usually use the three page rule, but I'm severely fucking bored tonight. Obviously, I'm not going to just buy the whole "Haha, fuck you, church" motivation presented, so I thought I'd look into what AHA objects to specifically. Here, from the actual letter sent:

As you should know, Samaritan’s Purse is a self-proclaimed “evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. . .with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.” Its mission is “to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel” and motto is “HELPING IN JESUS’ NAME.”

This, of course, is on the front page of the organizations website:

Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ.

"Helping in Jesus' Name" is across the top just under the title.

The letter continues-

The evangelical booklet delivered with the toys includes a conversion pledge for the child
to sign. As its founder has admitted, Operation Christmas Child “is about introducing children and their families to God’s greatest gift-His Son, Jesus Christ” and that “evangelism is the focus”of the program. He has boasted that the program has converted “tens of thousands of children and their families,”citing an example where “one shoebox prepared the way for nearly two dozen people to come to faith in Jesus Christ.” The shoebox giftsare used to “ support pastors and churches overseas who are committed to sharing the Gospel with children in the communities.”

Here is a report about the booklet in the shoe boxes.
Apparently, this was raised as a concern originally in the UK-

Yet many of the scheme's supporters, who include thousands of schools, are unaware that the organisation behind it is a US-based, evangelical and missionary Christian charity led by a controversial fundamentalist. Parents and teachers are not told that the boxes are in many cases sent overseas with religious literature.

It's important to note that this goal is stated on their website:

Giglio, the pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta and leader of the Passion Conferences for college students, knows that packing shoebox gifts allows his congregation to support pastors and churches overseas who are committed to sharing the Gospel with children in their communities.

So, it's not a conspiracy theory that this church is using the shoeboxes to evangelize, it's right there on their very own website.

Now, that's a very different story. Not the one we were just fed, that they were innocently sending these shoeboxes that didn't have anything to do with their evangelical efforts, but instead they are sending these shoe boxes with the express intent to evangelize. And they're using the efforts of children in a federally funded school, the literal establishment of a religion in this case, really.

I think that the AHA has a point. There are secular ways for them to promote community assistance in the school and Operation Christmas Child does not seem the best fit.

EDIT: Forgot the link to the original letter EDIT2:Forgot the organizations link in the first example as well...

[Blasveck]

Oh the horror! Giving charity to people on a religious holiday! Oh goodness! How awful!

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if a school gives charity via a religious organization? What matters is that they are helping people in need.

Nobody is getting upset that they're donating. It's that the charity organization, as shown by their own goddamn website that they are evanglizing, and using public funds and a public school to do so.


How many times does this have to be explained?

[Cetacea]

And people treat the Bible like it is God, putting up on a little pedestal and worshipping it just like some brazen idol. It's even more flawed than the Constitution and has led to more violence, death, inequities, oppression and bigotry than anything else in human history.

hmm, I think given that more people have died since the 19th century due to war and inequality and that the US has been a major contributor to contemporary violence, death, inequities, oppression and bigotry you may in fact have to source this claim

[Fascist Russian Empire]

Oh the horror! Giving charity to people on a religious holiday! Oh goodness! How awful!

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if a school gives charity via a religious organization? What matters is that they are helping people in need.

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if I break into a rich person's house and give their stuff to the poor? What matters is that I am helping people in need.

Yeah...The only difference is that stealing harms people and religious charity doesn't.

[Luveria]

Oh great the enablers are here.

The only enablers I see here are alcoholics, sheep, and phallic symbols.

I'm an alcoholic and I'm not enabling this theocraticism.

[Blahbania]

Oh the horror! Giving charity to people on a religious holiday! Oh goodness! How awful!

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if a school gives charity via a religious organization? What matters is that they are helping people in need.

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if I break into a rich person's house and give their stuff to the poor? What matters is that I am helping people in need.

You are seriously comparing a school helping a charity that helps kids in need, to stealing?!

[Mavorpen]

Seriously people, who the fuck cares if I break into a rich person's house and give their stuff to the poor? What matters is that I am helping people in need.

Yeah...The only difference is that stealing harms people and religious charity doesn't.

Of course it does.

I definitely don't want to be pestered with annoying clergy who view me as nothing but a potential candidate for their cult.