Thread by @WillHayCardiff

This time of year children all over Wales are being asked to take part on the Operation Christmas Child shoe box appeal.

While it may seem like a harmless bit of Christmas cheer there are very real reasons to be skeptical of the appeal and look at alternatives.

[Thread]

Firstly let me just say this is not criticising the act of giving toys to children who are poor. Who could be against that?

It is also not "shaming" those who have taken .

But it is to say there are very legitimate reasons to not get involved in Operation Christmas Child.

First let's look at who runs it.

Operation Christmas Child is run by Samaritan’s Purse, a registered evangelical Christian charity.

Its income has been reported at over £15.9 million and is one of the richest religious charities in the UK.

The main issue is around accusations that shoeboxes are used by Samaritans Purse to convert children to their particular branch of Christianity.

After the boxes are filled they sent to mainly poor Muslim countries with additional literature to indoctrinate children.

One case study on the organisation’s website boasts of how a shoebox converted a Muslim family in Africa to Christianity.

It reads: “Angella, (a 12-year-old girl from Malawi), received an OCC shoebox filled with presents last year. Since then, she’s led her Muslim family to Christ.”

The caption below the picture reads: "ANGELLA READS THE GOSPEL BOOKLET TO HER FAMILY. ALL ARE NOW FOLLOWING CHRIST."

You may be thinking "religion tries to convert people, hardly news right?"

Of course religions have always tried to convert people.

But it is up to you to decide if you want them to convert/indoctrinate children on the back of toys you have given.

Now let's take a look at the bloke who runs Samaritian's Purse - Reverend William Franklin Graham III.

The Samaritan’s Purse CEO, spoke at President Trump’s inauguration and has been very outspoken on his views on homosexuality.

He has praised Vladimir Putin’s anti-LGBT laws, said that Muslims 'should be barred from immigrating to America' and called on Christians to convert Muslims.

He has also said the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan “may be” the second coming and Armageddon.

He has gone on record several times defending Russian President Vladimir Putin’s crackdown on homosexuality, wrote an article where he praised him for “protecting children from any homosexual agenda or propaganda”.

On his Facebook page he has also said: "We are under attack by Muslims at home and abroad. We should stop all immigration of Muslims to the US until this threat with Islam has been settled...

Adding: “Every Muslim coming into this country has the potential to be radicalised and they do their killing to honor their religion and Muhammad. During World War Two, we didn’t allow Japanese to immigrate to America, nor did we allow Germans. Why are we allowing Muslims now?”

Now I am not saying you shouldn't let your children do a shoebox appeal.

It can be a great way to encourage kindness and giving.

But I would suggest there are more ethical alternatives out there.

I made a list here:

walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-new…

You can read the full analysis of the case for and against Operation Christmas Child here to make your own mind up. This includes comment from the charity itself, @NatSecSoc and @Humanists_UK.
walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-new…

This should read "taken part"