Haven't the Haitians suffered enough?
To his credit, actor John Travolta used his own Boeing 707 jetliner to take relief supplies and doctors to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Unfortunately, he also "gifted" the Haitian people with "ministers" from the Church of Scientology. If those ministers are hauling rubble and tending to the injured, that's one thing. But I've got a problem with it if their intention is to proselytize for their "religion" during this terrible time for the island nation. What are they going to do, hook up devastated Haitian people to their little auditing meters – which I'm convinced are just repurposed Milton Bradley "Operation" games – and make their troubles float away? Again, the supplies and doctors were a great gesture. The ministers? Not so much.
Labels: Religion
posted by Brant at
12:51 PM
8 Comments:
I think that an unfortunate byproduct of a disaster like this is the practice of unabashed self-promotion under the guise of doing something good.
Anderson Cooper "rescuing" children? Brad and Jolie donating $3 million is nice, but in my book, true charity is anonymous. And now we have Travlolta doing something that seems generous and humane on the outside, but it turns out that he's also promoting an agenda.
I'm reminded of the old adage, "Class is when you do the right thing when there's no one around to see you do it."
Travolta advancing his own agenda, tell me no, it isn't so. Surely not.
Not unlike Jason Altmire, Fast Eddie Rendell, UPMC, Mary Beth Buchanan and others in SW PA (and Washington DC) for pulling the strings to get the plane to Haiti to take out orphans. How shameless! To be sure, great that the kids are in Pittsburgh, and it made a great story. The orphans are far better for what happened. But, the dirty, dirty politics of working the political channels to get permissions, clearances, and other provisions, all for the sake of "taking credit." Travolta may be chastised (although a huge number of other groups are doing the same thing, there is no reason to single him out), but the SW PA politicians and the DC contacts for the Haiti orphan lift is just disgusting. Pox on all their houses!
What sounded like a great effort is tainted badly with the politics involved.
Perhaps the earthquake wasn't God's wrath but the engine wash of one of those alien spaceships taking off from under a volcano in Haiti.
My bet is that Travolta voodoo dolls will be big sellers soon.
The best thing for the Haitians is to ask the Dominian Republic to overtake it's land. The building improvements alone would be worth it.
As for the people that went there to help. Famous,man of the cloth, whatever... atleast they went! I wonder how much the muslim world sent to help? Africa? Anybody got the numbers on Africa? Cuba? Venezuela? I didn't see the United Atheist of America group there.
Here are some of the secular charities that are assisting Haitians after the earthquake:
ActionAid International
International Relief Teams
AmeriCares
Doctors Without Borders
Partners In Health
Humanist Charities of the American Humanist Association
Muslims helping Haiti
International Muslim World News
By Wajahat Ali
United by their religious tradition of charity, Muslims have emerged as effective partners in aid and relief work.
The international effort to aid Haiti by individuals, Islamic relief organisations and the governments of Muslim-majority countries reflects a proactive generosity and empathy espoused by the Prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Qur'an. Charity, in fact, is one of the five obligations for Muslims, and Muslim organisations have been working alongside other faith-based groups to fulfil this duty.
Islamic Relief, one of the most respected and successful disaster relief charities in the world, has used technology, new media and social networking sites to mobilise people. Along with "Seekers Digest", a popular Muslim community blog run out of Canada, Islamic Relief hosted the "Muslim Online Haiti Fundraiser" and raised over $100,000 in two hours. The organisation also used its existing partnership with the Mormon Church to send hygiene kits and temporary shelters to Haiti, in addition to pledging a total of $2.5 million.
Islamic Relief also sent an emergency response team to directly assist victims in Haiti. These Muslim aid workers have been updating a daily blog with sobering first-hand accounts of the tragedy.
Assisting Islamic Relief, Muslim American artists and community activists convened to put on a concert in New York City, hosted by the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), and used the opportunity to raise donations for Haiti. In Chicago, IMAN partnered with a local synagogue and church to raise aid money.
In the Middle East, Dubai Cares, a non-profit dedicated to ensuring education for young children, is providing immediate assistance to 200,000 children in Haiti through its international partners who are already on the ground. And the governments of Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco and Turkey have each pledged $1 million in aid, in addition to sending cargo planes filled with medical supplies, food, tents and blankets.
Iran donated 30 tons of humanitarian aid, including food, tents and medicine through its Red Crescent Society. And Palestinians, through the Red Cross, have begun an effort to send donations. Lebanon sent a plane with 25 tone of tents and three tonnes of medical supplies. And Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, sent $2.1 million in aid. World Food Program (WFP) today, which is proving critical in Haiti currently."
Link:
http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/emergencies/haiti-earthquake
E, I give to Doctors Without Borders every year. They do great work! If you need a good tax write off, there you go!
I have to say, cause they are secular, doesn't mean individuals don't have their own faith. Kinda like the Mother Teresa stamp. People are bitching cause she got a stamp. So if you are a good person and have faith, you can't be honored with a stamp? Some Atheist make me sick! They didn't honor her religion, they honored the person. Please, Atheist and ACLU GROW UP!
"Islamic Relief, one of the most respected and successful disaster relief charities in the world, has used technology, new media and social networking sites to mobilise people. Along with "Seekers Digest", a popular Muslim community blog run out of Canada, Islamic Relief hosted the "Muslim Online Haiti Fundraiser" and raised over $100,000 in two hours. The organisation also used its existing partnership with the Mormon Church to send hygiene kits and temporary shelters to Haiti, in addition to pledging a total of $2.5 million."
WOW! BOY THEM MUSLIMS KNOW HOW TO GIVE! I wonder while the Kings of the Middle East sit on Gold bars to eat the freshest fruits and best meats think about the whole 2.5 million they sent? I think the taxpayers here in the USA gave a 100 million the day after. Then we even poured more into the pot with we are the world telethon thing that went on. So don't tell me about the $2.50 the muslims sent. Remember we are a broke ass nation! Yet we always seem to find an extra 100 million on the floor to send!
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