The Humanitarian Agenda

The Humanitarian Agenda

America is one of the richest nations in the world. The average United States citizen enjoys a better quality of life then the majority of the Earth’s people. Human suffering common to those living in poor and war torn countries would remain unnoticed by most Americans if it were not for the continued and relentless efforts of dedicated humanitarian organizations who educate our society while asking for donations of time and money. Many of these groups exist for the sole purpose of alleviating human suffering and saving lives; they provide aid without the expectation of gaining anything in return. There are many more groups, however, who see the plight of the destitute as opportunity to propagate religion. In America, faith-based charitable organizations often combine their advertised mission of alleviating human suffering with an evangelistic marketing campaign. While many faith-based charities openly admit their intentions, other organizations avoid disclosure and attempt to hide their underlying goal to win souls.

Religious charity financed by the primarily Christian sector of the United States is being distributed all over the world, converting non-Christians to Christianity. When the needy are willing to accept food and medical care for a trade of faith, there is a shortage of spiritual integrity. Those who feel duty-bound to spread the love of Jesus ignore the laws of the land. What begins as humanitarian work often includes theological business that translates into contempt for the very society the faith-based charities propose to be helping.

What compels religious groups to push their beliefs onto the unsuspecting and vulnerable recipients to whom aid is being offered? If you were to ask a self-proclaimed Christian, they would most likely say it is what the Bible commands them to do. The Bible certainly does make the suggestion in the Book of Matthew, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (28.19). Few topics could provoke a more passionate reaction from Christian society than challenging their absolute obligation to win souls in Christ’s name.

Not all humanitarian organizations prosthelytize, but those that do should make their full intentions clear to all participants. Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization headed by the son of evangelist Billy Graham, is an example of an organization that uses humanitarian aid as an opportunity to promote a religious agenda. Through the project Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse collects millions of shoeboxes filled with toiletries, toys, and school supplies, and distributes them to children around the world in areas affected by poverty, disease, war, and natural disaster. On the surface, the project appears to be a wonderful opportunity for people to provide a gift to needy children. However, Samaritan’s Purse also inserts an illustrated book in each box promoting the group’s Christian mission printed in the child’s native language. Additionally, Samaritan’s Purse provides “follow up Bible lessons to touch the lives of children, their families, and entire communities” (Samaritan’s). Operation Christmas Child has distributed gift boxes to over one hundred countries, many of which are predominately Muslim. The founder of Samaritan’s Purse, Franklin Graham, has publicly referred to Islam as a “very evil and wicked religion” (“Franklin Graham”), further propagating the popular Islamic view of America as a nation out to convert Muslims to Christianity.

The line between humanitarian aid and missionary work is sometimes blurred. The inability to separate the two can have dangerous consequences for both those who provide aid and those who receive it. During an interview with Fox News, Hasri Husan, a leader of the militant Muslim group Islamic Defenders Front, made a slashing motion across his throat as he stated, “We will chase down any Christian group that does anything beyond offering aid” (“Tsunami Aid Workers”). Media reports on the dangers faced by foreign aid workers are not exaggerated; the continued aggressive proselytizing by faith-based organizations has fueled violence against native Christian societies as well as those even suspected of converting to Christianity. Humanitarian aid is the point of entry for most evangelical missionaries who do not always realize the dangerous consequences of their efforts.

When it humanitarian aid combines with religion, moral conflicts are sure to surface. The worldwide AIDS epidemic provides an example of how religious views can interfere with the relief of human suffering. While it is a simple solution to supply medication to those already afflicted by the disease,