Misplaced Good.

I understand exactly what you are saying Colin – however, I’m not sure this sort of (justified) criticism applies to, or is deserved by, all faith based charity organisations. I am involved with a faith based organisation working with disadvantaged people in my own affluent country. We do not trumpet our faith – we do not ask or care about the religion of the people we seek to assist, and we do not talk about religion with them – our faith rather serves to motivate us to be involved and to treat those people as our brothers or sisters.

nothing is expected! – we do have hopes they might better their lives, but that has nothing to do with what, if anything, they chose to believe in. All the best in your work!

Very naive analysis. Faith based organizations have saved more starving people than all the secular liberal navel gazers combined. Do good in your own way for your own reasons….

A kind response from a good friend working at a school for Sudanese Refugees in Kenya.

Great piece! We’ve had this conversation many times, but I feel you’re here with me in Kenya, and where I just returned from, Southern Sudan! As a non-missionary doing development work in Africa, I am confronted with this issue daily, and I have to say that I find some organizations near-criminal in their 2-handed aid- in one hand some rice… Read More, in the other, a bible and all the restrictions, stories and false promises that come with it. They are told that if they worship their false gods, they will remain poor- if they accept Jesus, he will bear them many gifts. I’ve seen these people who’ve embraced their “saviour”. They’re still dying. They’re still poor. They’re still hungry, and there’s still a drought devastating Africa and pushing millions towards the brink of death. Most of these areas have been colonized & evangelized, and they’re waiting for those promised gifts, for Jesus to “bless” them. Unfortunately, gifts only come when people do, to bring them goods from abroad, to teach them the positive ways of the developed world and to understand them from their own culture’s perspective- to work within their community and traditions, not from outside of it. The shocked look on foreigners faces here when I tell them I’m not with a church still boggles my mind- my response is always, can’t a non-Christian be inspired by impoverished people themselves to help, aid and assist their development? Their response is usually, you’re a missionary, even if you don’t call it that. You’re doing God’s work, even if you don’t yet realize it. It’s that condescending attitude that will eventually do these types of organizations (and they people the seek to indoctrinate) a disservice. To the desperately poor, Jesus is secondary, but survival is essential.

Thank you for spelling this out.
Well done.

FEATURED MULTI-RACIAL BEAUTY