300 Muslim Tsunami Orphans to be Christianized: Report

**kadafi** · 01-14-2005

300 Muslim Tsunami Orphans to be Christianized: Report

An Acehnese girl waits her family at a temporary school in a refugee camp in Banda Aceh. (Reuters)

CAIRO, January 13 (IslamOnline.net) - Giving credence to fears that Christain missionaries are exploiting the tsunami distaster to proselytize poor and needy Muslims, The Washington Post reported Thursday, January 13, that a US missionary group plans to christianize 300 Muslim children from the Indonesian province of Aceh.

While many religious charities have policies against proselytizing, Virginia-based WorldHelp is an exception raisning money among evangelical Christians by presenting the tsunami as a rare opportunity to make converts in hard-to-reach areas, said the American daily.

“Normally, Banda Aceh is closed to foreigners and closed to the gospel,” the missionary group said in a fund appeal on its Web site, according to the Post.

“But, because of this catastrophe, our partners there are earning the right to be heard and providing entrance for the gospel.”

The Post

stressed that the Web site was changed, and the appeal was removed after a reporter called to inquire about it.

At least 156,000 people have been confirmed killed, thousands missing and millions displaced in several Asian countries in tidal waves triggered by a 9.0 magnitude undersea earthquake - the world’s biggest in 40 years - which struck deep in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island.

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, lost 110,229 people to the killer sea surges.

The Indonesian government estimated that 35,000 children have been made homeless, orphaned or separated from their parents in Aceh, where Muslims make up 98 percent of the population.

Christianize

In its fund-raising appeal, WorldHelp said it was working with Indonesian Christians who want to “plant Christian principles as early as possible” in the 300 Muslim children, all under 12.

Rev. Vernon Brewer, president of WorldHelp in Forest, Va., said they raised about 70,000 dollars and were seeking an additional 350,000 dollars to build the Christian orphanage.

John Budd, UNICEF Indonesia Communication Officer, said last week that UNICEF's Malaysian office had received an SMS advertising 300 orphans from Aceh aged between three and ten who could be bought.

“It's chilling…What this indicates is that they have got children or they have a network where they can identify a child and take them,” he said.

Also in reaction to the increasing missionary work, an anonymous electronic text message spread through Indonesia this week.

“Please ask among friends who would like to adopt orphans from Aceh. 300 orphans coming soon. Need Muslim homes. Christian missionaries want them. Pls help!” it read.

Immediately after the tidal waves devastated several countries, a number of Christian missionary groups rushed to the affected areas to offer not only relief aid, but more importantly spiritual counseling .

Gospel for Asia, a group seeking to train and send 100,000 native missionaries into the most unreached areas of Asia, was working around the clock to bring food, clean water, medicines, clothing, shelter, and spiritual counseling “in the name of Jesus” to those who lost everything in the killer tidal waves.

Backlash

clear - 300 Muslim Tsunami Orphans to be Christianized: Report

Acehnese children reach for pencils at a school in a makeshift refugee camp in Banda Aceh. (Reuters)

Brewer, a Baptist minister, claimed that the Indonesian government gave permission for the orphans to be flown to Jakarta and was aware that they would be raised as Christians.

Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla announced last week a ban on adoption amid alarming reports about human traffickers spiriting children out of Aceh.

He said the children would be placed in orphanages run by the government, Islamic foundations or Muslim boarding schools.

The government also said that children under the age of 16 would not be allowed to leave Aceh without their parents.

Rev. Arthur Keys, president of International Relief and Development in Arlington, Va., feared overt evangelizing could produce a backlash.

“I think there's a danger that all international groups could be tarnished by this,” said Keys, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.

“I think we have to go out of our way to assure people that we're there to help, period.”

Indonesia asked all foreign troops to leave the country by March 26, a day after the army imposed sweeping restrictions on foreign aid workers in Aceh amid reports that some evangelical groups are mixing Christian missionary work with humanitarian aid.

http://www.islamonline.net/English/N...rticle05.shtml

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Another deceiveful tactic of the missionaries exploited.

**NEM** · 07-01-2006

Originally Posted by Iqram

Is it?

Well, whoever forces one to revert to Islam, that is not Islam.

When Jerusalem was captured, nobody was forced to become muslims.

Allah also states in the Quraan:

"There is no compulsion in religion" 2:256

In acts of "True Freedom" there is "no act" of compulsion ~ Only a perfect
belief in following the right way accordin to the Almighty Man who is a blessed Father to all of His own faithfully beloved Children.

**afriend** · 07-01-2006

He is not our father!

Come on, be rational.......How can you call him father?

**Umar001** · 07-01-2006

I dont get it, whos forcing the children?? i mean the children are choosin right?

**NEM** · 07-01-2006

Originally Posted by Iqram

He is not our father!

Come on, be rational.......How can you call him father?

Redeemed Family Heirachy lesson:

The Almighty Father he Created this Idea that ~
His Son would be accepted as the Final sacrifice as was foretold for generations beforehand.
Those who are swift enough to grasp the Truth - get more blessings than the rest in the way of uninteruptible understandings.
We who have accepted His Son in the way of His Father - Now become
faithfully reedemed Brothers and Sisters reedemed of the Almighty Father.

We Inherit all along with his Son at the end of the way of the unbelieving world. Just after that - His Father recreates the Earth as it was In the Beginning.
Minus the Unbelievers of his Son who was living through his own sanctified mission for his Father.
Praise his Father in the Highest. What a family! Perfect Judgement of the Perfect Man. I will not be a woman about this Truth - and not to any Loving Brother or Sister.
Essentially - one who will not trust in the Son of the Father is without true Brothers and Sisters according to his Father.

In a nutshell...

**Fishman** · 07-01-2006

Originally Posted by IsaAbdullah

I dont get it, whos forcing the children?? i mean the children are choosin right?

The children aren't choosing.

**NEM** · 07-01-2006

Originally Posted by IsaAbdullah

I dont get it, whos forcing the children?? i mean the children are choosin right?

In this day!
Almighty Man does not force a single soul backwards.
Only a spiritual angel of unholyness would attempt such a thing.
In any event ~ you are promised everthing in perfect order when you follow Almighty Man on the remainding part of his mission on Earth - No matter what an unholy angel puts before you in your way to freedom of purpose with your Holy family.

I gotta Love this path were are on or I'd might fall off of a cliff without a hope of Heaven to guide me to a Peaceful rest at the end of my destined path to fulfillment

**afriend** · 07-01-2006

Are you a priest?

You sound very knowledgeable in the field of christianity.

**NEM** · 07-01-2006

Originally Posted by Iqram

Are you a priest?

You sound very knowledgeable in the field of christianity.

No.
Redeemed Brother of His Holy family is what ~ I Am.

**snakelegs** · 07-01-2006

Originally Posted by Woodrow

Speaking for myself. I never had even one Muslim ever ask me to revert or to even encourage me to revert, prior to my reverting.

nope - me either. i've never had a muslim come to my door and try to put their religion in my face.

**afriend** · 07-01-2006

Originally Posted by snakelegs

nope - me either. i've never had a muslim come to my door and try to put their religion in my face.

lol.....Good point

**MRR** · 07-01-2006

I don't see the problem. The missionaries are giving food, clothing, and spiritual counselling. Would you all prefer that the people were left to starve? Better to starve than be helped by a christian? I know, I know, someone here is going to say "they are forcing the religion on them in exchange for food", but clearly the article does not say that. It says they are offering the counselling, not forcing it.
As far as the children go, they are being given the chance at a home, albeit a christian home. Would it be better to remain orphans? Better an orphan than go to a christian home?
Personally, I think it is good that they get to go to a home no matter if christian, muslim, buddist, hindu or athiest. At least they get a chance in life.

Get them while they young.

Muslims don't do this? You mean you don't raise your children in islam? So no children are in mosques? You wait until they are adults and then introduce them to islam?

Poor kids. May allah swt protect these little innocent kids insha allah. Its so hard for them to differentiate what these socalled helpers want. Similar exploits have been proven succesful in several poor countries.

Where are the muslim socalled helpers?

If muslims are so concerned where are the muslim aid groups?

**nimrod** · 07-02-2006

Iqram, I will not respond to this “Well, whoever forces one to revert to Islam, that is not Islam” other than to say, you are not being truthful.

What is Islam’s prescribed punishment for those who abandon Islam? To be given the choice of death or reversion is about as forceful as it gets.

That is what surprised me so much when I read Woodrow’s reply “Speaking for myself. I never had even one Muslim ever ask me to revert or to even encourage me to revert, prior to my reverting”. Surely those Muslims weren’t practicing true Islam.

The truth is what it is. Anything less than that, it is just flapping your gums.

Thanks
Nimrod

**nimrod** · 07-02-2006

Kadafi “Another deceiveful tactic of the missionaries exploited”.

I assume that you mean “deceitful” or maybe you mean “deceptive”?

What I find deceitful, and deceptive, is the linking of this Christian group to “human traffickers” and all the bad things that name implies.

The web-site you cited is so deceitful that they committed the link a second time, just in case the slow folks didn’t make the connection on the first page.

Second page

http://www.islamonline.net/English/N...rticle04.shtml

Gospel for Asia, a group seeking to train and send 100,000 native missionaries into the most unreached areas of Asia, was among the first on the scene of the tsunami disaster in India and Sri Lanka.
According to its Web site, GFA’s volunteers are working around the clock to bring food, clean water, medicines, clothing, shelter, and spiritual counseling “in the name of Jesus” to those who lost everything in the killer tidal waves.
“People's spiritual needs must be met as well. That's why GFA takes the dual approach of physical relief and spiritual sharing. It is the only way to provide true hope to those who have lost so much,” said GFA President K.P. Yohannan.
GFA deployed at three different camps in Tamil Nadu, the second most affected place in India, more than 60 counselors who are “comforting, praying for and offering the hope found in Jesus to the tsunami victims.”

Yet Islamonline manages to link the group to:

Trafficking
In another related development, the UN said it had received reports of adults posing as foster parents and children being shipped from Indonesia to Malaysia for sale, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

If anyone is being deceitful, it seems that it is Islamonline.

In my neck of the woods, we call what www.Islamonline.net did smear tactics

Thanks
Nimrod

**Bittersteel** · 07-02-2006

Christians are well kind of desperate.Number of atheists have grown in Christian countries and yes they need these victims of war and earthquakes and other natural disasters.

**Wahid** · 07-02-2006

Originally Posted by nimrod

Iqram, I will not respond to this “Well, whoever forces one to revert to Islam, that is not Islam” other than to say, you are not being truthful.

What is Islam’s prescribed punishment for those who abandon Islam? To be given the choice of death or reversion is about as forceful as it gets.

That is what surprised me so much when I read Woodrow’s reply “Speaking for myself. I never had even one Muslim ever ask me to revert or to even encourage me to revert, prior to my reverting”. Surely those Muslims weren’t practicing true Islam.

The truth is what it is. Anything less than that, it is just flapping your gums.

Thanks
Nimrod

What are you talking about? in Islam there is no compulsion in religion which means no one can force you to become Muslim and if they do its anti Islamic. however what i think u meant was a Muslim LEAVING Islam after becoming Muslim and after than declaring this to public.. On that case only a proper Islamic state can prosecute that person and no one else!!(and there is no Islamic state in western countries)

**Wahid** · 07-02-2006

Originally Posted by MRR

Muslims don't do this? You mean you don't raise your children in islam? So no children are in mosques? You wait until they are adults and then introduce them to islam?

No, Muslims don’t force OTHERS children to Islam!! That’s the difference here. And Muslims have every right to bring up their children as Muslim, after they have grown up they can make their choice themselves but as children parents have responsibility to bring them up the way they think is best for them (common sense...)

Where are the muslim socalled helpers?

they are there and infact doing majorty of the help, but so are these chiristain groups, the government should ban them if they do this kind of stuff

**Quruxbadaan** · 07-02-2006

Originally Posted by NEM

A Christian work is a perfect work.
The Truth.

now that just doesnt make any sense at all whatso ever

**Quruxbadaan** · 07-02-2006

Originally Posted by NEM

I started in OLD.
I am younger Today than I was before being reborn throught the gracious spirit of the son of the Almighty Father of whom I Love.

Okay honestly you make no sense AT ALL!!!

**Quruxbadaan** · 07-02-2006

Originally Posted by ManchesterFolk

Be honest with yourselves guys. Is Islam any less guilty when it comes to converting people?

People come to islam for their own reasons nobody is forced
islam is the fastest growing religion in the world today and yet the muslims are the weekest people in the world being attacked left and right having their homes taken from them and so on
We just present to you the truth and you decide what you want to do with it(Actually Allah most high chooses if he wants to bless you with accepting the truth)

so actually yes islam is very differnt because muslims dont convert people
they dont say hey lil hungry boy if you want this peice of bread you have to be muslim
like some missionaries do in most poor countries
altho i have to say that the muslims are not nearly as active as the cristian missonaries which is sad to me

Peace

**MRR** · 07-02-2006

Originally Posted by Vahid

No, Muslims don’t force OTHERS children to Islam!! That’s the difference here. And Muslims have every right to bring up their children as Muslim, after they have grown up they can make their choice themselves but as children parents have responsibility to bring them up the way they think is best for them (common sense...)

they are there and infact doing majorty of the help, but so are these chiristain groups, the government should ban them if they do this kind of stuff

Hi Vahid,

after they have grown up they can make their choice themselves

Well actually, depending on where they live, when they grow up if they decide to leave islam they could be put to death. Elsewhere they at least would suffer being disowned from the family. Not really much choice. Raised as muslim, grow up, can't leave islam. No choice.

they are there and infact doing majorty of the help

Can you provide evidence of this please?
As far as the accusations go, the article is from islamonline. So it is an unreliable source when it comes to views on christianity, and christian work, as it is quite biased against christians.
Here is a scenario. "Family is starving. Christian aid worker provides food and clothing. Talks with family about christ after food is distributed. Family has choice to listen or not. They will not be sent away if they don't listen. Either way islamonline uses words like "exploit" to describe what happened." Biased.
Please answer my question regarding evidence in this post, and please have the courage to answer all the questions in my previous post, not just pick the ones that are easy for you to answer. Two other important questions from that post were,

Would you all prefer that the people were left to starve?

and

they are being given the chance at a home, albeit a christian home. Would it be better to remain orphans? Better an orphan than go to a christian home?

.