Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Samaritans Purse/Operation Christmas Child WARNING
Christmas is coming and the scammers are out in force.
Thankfully Polly Toynbee in the Guardian is on the case.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/08/christmas-eva...
There are lots of alternative shoe box schemes out there - that operate with no ulterior motive.
Last year, I supported one run be a church in Enfield and I am sure there are more local churches and organisations too that run them.
The article links to those alternatives and also to a template letter you can send to your children's school if they get involved in this scheme.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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What does Toynbee think Christmas is all about ?
You can't give a Christmas present without mentioning Christ ?
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Permalink Reply by Lesley G on
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It’s not about mentioning Christ.
It’s about a very dodgy evangelical church trying to convert people to Christianity under the guise of giving gifts.
“The head of the charity, Reverend William Franklin Graham III, has also gone on the record as being extremely homophobic and racist, once adding that Muslims ‘should be barred from immigrating to America’ and called on Christians to convert Muslims.”
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What do you think evangelical churches do ?
They evangelise.
Whether you like this church's tactics or not, how is it a scam ?
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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There is a difference John. Christian Aid provide help and assistance because they feel it is the right thing for them, as a christians, to do. They do not attempt to convert recipients of their aid to christianity.
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Permalink Reply by Antoinette on
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I agree with you John. If you see it as your Christian duty to spread Christianity to non-believers, sending Christmas boxes at Christmas seems a pretty obvious route to do that. I am not particularly keen on people trying to convert me (or in my case convert me back), but I don't make any judgement on them for trying.
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I didn't say that at all...but I don't see a Christian organisation distributing books of bible stories as pernicious, no
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Permalink Reply by Geraldine on
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So what was once a message of peace and goodwill has become a "pernicious agenda" and is posted under the subject heading of crime. John D says it best - what does Toynbee think Christmas is all about? I despair of today's rabid, intolerant society.
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Of course I'm not happy with that. But Toynbee says that " After the boxes are dispatched, they are then delivered along with a missionary book of bible stories ". Shock horror !
It is possible that the book of Bible stories is a Trojan horse for the dissemination of anti-Muslim, anti-gay or anti- same sex marriages, but until I see an example I take leave to doubt it.
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I read it...if there's a homophobic or anti-muslim message in there I must have missed it...
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I hope this site won't become devoted to 'whataboutery' - it is a hyperlocal community forum in the main part. For example, the only Harringay-specific connection with this story is that Graham's father, Billy Graham, held many evangelical rallies at Harringay Arena in the fifties.
The other thing I note is that Polly Toynbee is vice-president of Humanists, so one would expect a raised eyebrow from her about all things religious.
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It may be of local concern if local people may be supporting it without knowing the background. Last Christmas people collecting at the check-out of a local supermarket for weeks turned out to be from an evangelical church in Finsbury Park with a questionable history. It is wise to give to charities etc that you can trust and whose motives are positive and clear.
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