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Using toy drives to proselytize to needy families


luckylibrarian

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I signed up for a toy drive through work, and I received the child's information today along with a letter with instructions. Contrary to what I believed, the toy drive isn't sponsored by my university, but one of the professors advertises the toy drive on all of the faculty email lists, so it might as well be. The letter is pretty disturbing.

Dear Gift Buyer:

You may not be familiar with this program so this is to inform you about it. Without your help, these children will have no Christmas presents. We have received these names from Christians, teachers at local county schools, churches, and the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. Many are single parents trying to make ends meet, or someone in the family has serious medical problems. We turn our list into the Salvation Army, so none of them are on the Angel Tree.

They are not all Christians, but may become so through your witness and show of love. Just as Christ gave his best and all for us while we were yet sinners, we have a chance to touch someone through this outreach of love. Along with the Christmas gifts each family will receive Christian witness material. About 480 children were touched through this program last year!

I am disgusted, and I'm not sure what to do. I really wanted to participate, but I am disgusted that these presents would be presented with "Christian witness material" that I don't support or endorse. I also don't like that they are waving expensive presents in front of this kid to get him to join whatever church is sponsoring this. The list of gifts that I'm supposed to buy includes an iPod Touch!

It makes me sick.

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That sucks rocks it is so unchristian and guilt driven. Of course the only reason to help is to flip them. This really shows the lack of caring unless it is to further the cause of Christianity.

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I would withdraw from the toy drive and state your reasons for doing so. Also, ask if it's okay with the university that this professor is pushing an overt religious agenda using university resources. If you want to buy gifts for needy children/families, most shopping malls host an Angle Tree. As far as I know, it's secular.

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I would withdraw from the toy drive and state your reasons for doing so. Also, ask if it's okay with the university that this professor is pushing an overt religious agenda using university resources. If you want to buy gifts for needy children/families, most shopping malls host an Angle Tree. As far as I know, it's secular.

yes good advice. my main store has bins and as I have money I buy toys and drop them in. look for interesting ones on sale so I can get more of them.

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It's a religious university, but very liberal, so pushing a religious agenda would not be frowned upon. I'm on the fence about backing out of it because they never have enough volunteers, and about 20 of the kids did not have sponsors and receive gifts last year. I'd hate for this little boy to be the one who is left out because I didn't agree with the religious agenda. I'm thinking about doing it, but finding an extra gift - like a book on world religions - to throw in as a way of counteracting the fundie-ness. At the same time, I don't want to endorse what they are doing. It's a tough call.

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My kids' schools take part in one of these drives (Samaritan's Purse I think). Of course all the kids want to take part and put a shoebox together, they keep it pretty quiet that they stick evangelical tracts in with the presents. I found a video online via one of the fundy blogs about the organisation with one of the recpients, now grown up, testifying tearfully how the gifts / tract had bought her to Christ etc etc.

Put my foot down that year, told my kids that we'd be donating to a neutral organisation instead, fortunately they were both OK with it.

I wouldn't mind if the tracts were going to Christian families with the parents' OK but the way it was being run seemed pretty manipulative and underhand to me.

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I'm sorry you've been put in this position. On the one hand, I would never knowingly donate to (or through) the Salvation Army. On the other hand, I understand your concern for the boy you were paired with.

A few days ago I told my fiance why I don't donate to the SA. He tried to convince me that the SA is not a church (a cultish church). Of course it is a church, but they have successfully marked themselves as do-gooders to the poor, rather than an evangelicah Christian organization waiving aid in front of the poor in order to proselytize to them.

I'd forget about the book. Save your money, because the SA will never give it to the kid.

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I would withdraw from the toy drive and state your reasons for doing so. Also, ask if it's okay with the university that this professor is pushing an overt religious agenda using university resources. If you want to buy gifts for needy children/families, most shopping malls host an Angle Tree. As far as I know, it's secular.

Angel Tree is part of Prison Fellowship and is pretty far from being secular.

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It's a religious university, but very liberal, so pushing a religious agenda would not be frowned upon. I'm on the fence about backing out of it because they never have enough volunteers, and about 20 of the kids did not have sponsors and receive gifts last year. I'd hate for this little boy to be the one who is left out because I didn't agree with the religious agenda. I'm thinking about doing it, but finding an extra gift - like a book on world religions - to throw in as a way of counteracting the fundie-ness. At the same time, I don't want to endorse what they are doing. It's a tough call.

If they're short 20 volunteers, maybe tell them that knowing that the gifts are going to be serverd with a side of Jesus Guilt and Bullshit is off-putting. (Obviously, say it nicer than that.) I know I wouldn't want to further that kind of agenda. Here's a thought for them- just, you know, give the kids their fucking presents with an open heart, simply for the joy of giving.

If you got a book on world religions, they wouldn't give it to him. They'd throw it in the trash. It is a tough call, I agree.

I realize no charity is perfect but I do prefer to stick to secular ones like Toys for Tots or the Angle Tree*.

*(I did not know Angel Tree was religious. Do they also include religious claptrap in with the donations/gifts?)

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We do Operation Christmas Child every year through Samaritan's Purse. While they do include gospel tracts, or some kind of presentation of the gospel message when they hand out the boxes, the child does not have to 'accept Christ' in order to receive their gift box. I think if they required some sort of response from the child in order for them to benefit from the toy drive, it'd be inappropriate. But, they're a Christian organization and as such they will share the Christian message in whatever they do. I don't think it's wrong to do so in conjunction with a toy drive or gift-giving service. Just my two cents.

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Guest Anonymous
We do Operation Christmas Child every year through Samaritan's Purse. While they do include gospel tracts, or some kind of presentation of the gospel message when they hand out the boxes, the child does not have to 'accept Christ' in order to receive their gift box. I think if they required some sort of response from the child in order for them to benefit from the toy drive, it'd be inappropriate. But, they're a Christian organization and as such they will share the Christian message in whatever they do. I don't think it's wrong to do so in conjunction with a toy drive or gift-giving service. Just my two cents.

That's your view as a Christian Pastor, right?

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Unfortunately I think you should just participate this year and perhaps file an anonymous complaint with someone in HR regarding this. But, don't single yourself out. Then don't participate next year if it goes on. I've seen HR departments squash the mass emailing of stuff like this after receiving letters. Hopefully the kid will just enjoy his gift and toss the tract!

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I don't think it's wrong to do so in conjunction with a toy drive or gift-giving service.

So you'd be totally okay with, say, Muslims, Wiccans, or Satanists leaving their religious tracts with presents they give to needy Christian children?

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When you start adding strings to donations and helping it ceases to be giving and becomes a business of selling christ for a handout. So I am sure god knows the difference between giving from the heart and selling a service.

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*(I did not know Angel Tree was religious. Do they also include religious claptrap in with the donations/gifts?)

Nope, they do it in person.

from helpangeltree.org/what-we-do.jsp:

In most cases, local churches deliver gifts and the Gospel to children in the name of their prisoner-parent. ...

For those children who live in area where there is no nearby participating church, your gift goes directly to have their presents and the Gospel delivered right to their door.

...

Once all the gifts have been purchased and wrapped, it's time to deliver the gifts directly to the families' homes or host a party at the church. Along with the gifts, volunteers share the good news of Jesus Christ with the children and their families. Angel Tree will provide you with several evangelism resources for this task.

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When you start adding strings to donations and helping it ceases to be giving and becomes a business of selling christ for a handout. So I am sure god knows the difference between giving from the heart and selling a service.

Quoted for the mother lovin' truth!!!! :clap:

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We do Operation Christmas Child every year through Samaritan's Purse. While they do include gospel tracts, or some kind of presentation of the gospel message when they hand out the boxes, the child does not have to 'accept Christ' in order to receive their gift box. I think if they required some sort of response from the child in order for them to benefit from the toy drive, it'd be inappropriate. But, they're a Christian organization and as such they will share the Christian message in whatever they do. I don't think it's wrong to do so in conjunction with a toy drive or gift-giving service. Just my two cents.

Whether or not the child has to accept Christ, it is still manipulative, and it still sends a message of quid pro quo. All kids, including disadvantaged kids, deserve to just be kids and enjoy receiving a gift that they otherwise wouldn't get. Attaching strings to it cheapens what should be a generous gesture. There are other ways to bring Christianity and God to people without being so obviously manipulative. Something tells me Jesus wouldn't approve of winning people over to the faith with material goods.

ETA: What doggie said above!

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Nope, they do it in person.

from helpangeltree.org/what-we-do.jsp:

Well, shit. Any secular organizations like the Angel Tree? I've enjoyed participating in that but don't want to be a part of using a present to shill for Christ.

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Well, shit. Any secular organizations like the Angel Tree? I've enjoyed participating in that but don't want to be a part of using a present to shill for Christ.

Toys for Tots in the US is secular (not sure if it operates/has partners abroad). I believe it's run by the Marines. When I googled to double check their secularity, I found an old article about TFT rejecting a large donation of dolls that spoke biblical passages because they couldn't guarantee they would go to Christian families. It seems they later accepted them (maybe they found an organization to distribute them through?), but they seem to watch for appropriate gifts and prevent people from proselytizing through them.

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I participate in Operation Santa through the USPS. I do not believe it is religious in nature as it's run by the government but I don't think they can stop people from stuffing tracts in either.

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Toys for Tots in the US is secular (not sure if it operates/has partners abroad). I believe it's run by the Marines. When I googled to double check their secularity, I found an old article about TFT rejecting a large donation of dolls that spoke biblical passages because they couldn't guarantee they would go to Christian families. It seems they later accepted them (maybe they found an organization to distribute them through?), but they seem to watch for appropriate gifts and prevent people from proselytizing through them.

Okay, looks like we'll be doing Toys For Tots.

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I wanted to add that our local public school takes up a list from teachers of kids that may not get anything at Christmas and I buy some for that. I don't get an real information other than "boy aged 7 likes robots and video games" so sometimes it's hard to know what to buy. I generally put some random "fun things" in with whatever they asked for like some cute school supplies (character erasers/pencils) and then maybe a neat t-shirt or something.

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