Article Added On: December 19, 2004 - over 5 years ago
Title: 360 Vision Report Raises Questions About Popular Christmas Charity
Author: Mayumi Futamura
Publication Date: January 01, 2004 - over 6 years ago
Faith Groups: Evangelical Christian
Themes: Religion and society

Abstract: Although people may not be aware, the ultimate goal of Operation Christmas Child is to convert young people to Christianity, warns Vision TV in its special investigative report. Moreover, the organization responsible for the popular holiday charity employs various intimidation tactics to silence those who try to raise concerns.

Although people may not be aware, the ultimate goal of Operation Christmas Child is to convert young people to Christianity, Vision TV warns in its special investigative report. Moreover, the organization responsible for the popular holiday charity employs various intimidation tactics to silence those who try to raise concerns.

Operation Christmas Child, which distributes shoe-boxes packed with toys and goodies to children in poverty-stricken countries around the world, is run by Samaritan's Purse, a leading Evangelical Christian organization.

Every year, public schools and a variety of community groups across Canada take part. According to website of Samaritan's Purse, 6.6 million shoe boxes, of which 732,000 were from Canada, were collected worldwide and distributed to children in about 95 countries in 2003.

The world's largest Children's Christmas program was first started by a couple in 1990. Two years later, it was adopted by Franklin Graham, international president of Samaritan's Purse, who repeatedly made controversial remarks about Islam and Hinduism.

Samaritan's Purse has long denied using Operation Christmas Child as a vehicle for proselytization. The charity says it never puts Chistian literature into the shoeboxes.

However, when children receive the gifts, they also receive The Greatest Gift of All, a comic of Bible stories, unless otherwise such distribution is forbidden. In the Vision TV's investigative report aired on Dec. 15., Sean Campbell, executive director for Samaritan's Purse in Canada admitted that its true intent is "to bring souls to Christ."

"I would like to change the religion. I would love to see people come to faith in Christ."

Some Canadians have begun to speak out against the charity. Calgary writer Rita Sirignano, for example, says that sending boxes full of toys does little to help impoverished kids in the developing world. Her son's school promptly halted its participation in the program after she raised the issue with the principal.

United Church minister Leslie Harrison testifies that she is troubled by the way the charity perpetuates a "system of consumerism." She says it is deeply destructive to communities in developing nations.

Harrison and Sirignano say Samaritan's Purse employs intimidation tactics to silence critics. However, Campbell says he is not aware of any threats. He said the organization give young people the greatest gift of all, and the greatest gift of all is to teach them the word of Jesus Christ.

Source: Canada NewsWire