Religious Aid Groups Pushing For Converts (from ATSNN), page 1

This is a Story From the Uk, Observer. It talks about how the relief effort while appearing selfless on behalf of organizations, may hold a more religious agenda.

www.rense.com
Dozens of religious groups have moved in to Aceh, looking to help tsunami victims - and convert them and others, creating tensions in the disaster area.

The arrival of Western Christian groups with records of aggressive preaching risks confrontation with local Muslim leaders which could jeopardise the provision of aid to the 600,000 local people made homeless by the disaster. The death toll in Aceh stands at around 110,000 and is expected to rise.

Reacting to the attempts of one American group to fly hundreds of local children to a Christian orphanage, Din Syamsuddin, head of the Indonesian Council of Clerics, said any attempt to spread religion under the cover of aid was wrong.

'The Muslim community will not remain quiet. This a clear statement, and it is serious,' he said.

Many survivors of the disaster are deeply traumatised by their experience and thus, experts say, vulnerable to religious groups. The disaster has led to a huge increase in religious sentiment. Many Acehnese speak of the wave as a punishment from God for immorality and lax Islamic practice, pointing out that in many villages only the mosque was left standing.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Well, I find it a fine line of consolation of faith, and taking advantage of the emotionally fragile. If you read the whole article however you will see that the differences between different religious groups can be put aside for the common good. I encourage you to read the entire article, and make your own opinion.

[edit on 16-1-2005 by ADHDsux4me]