World Vision - A Christian Evangelical charity

onweb

Just saw an ad on RTE for World Vision, featuring lots of famous Irish celebrity faces. They forgot to mention in the ad that it's an evangelical Christian charity.

More on this evangelical Christian charity at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Vision_International#Criticism
http://www.wvi.org/
http://www.worldvision.ie/about-us/wv-history
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/valerie-tarico/many-dont-know-world-visi_b_308362.html

car.kar

Are they required to mention that, by law?

Passenger

Do the celebs know that they're promulgating the word of Jebus?

Custardpi

Haven't seen that ad yet, what "celebrities" are in it?

PopePalpatine

I fear this might end up like the discussion on Mother Teresa, where one of the fundie Catholics was foaming at the mouth defending her.

Geomy

Like a greyhound out of trap no 5.........
And they're offf.....

mambo

Custardpi wrote: »

Haven't seen that ad yet, what "celebrities" are in it?

See for yourself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMEPBSLhP2s

Peregrinus

car.kar wrote: »

Are they required to mention that, by law?

No. They make no secret of it, as onweb's links attest, but there's no legal requirement on them to mention it every time they open their mouths.

sbsquarepants

Peregrinus wrote: »

No. They make no secret of it, as onweb's links attest, but there's no legal requirement on them to mention it every time they open their mouths.

There really should be some sort of "The value of your investment may rise or fall. Past performance is no indication of future performance" rider attached.
Something along the lines of "Your well intentioned donation may in fact be used to indocrinate children into a life of guilt shame and hatred, or at least to teach highly dubious unproven and unproveable 'facts' and bad science."

Peregrinus

Well, let's try to stick with the real world for a bit. If World Vision were required to identify their Christian motivation in their ads, it's very unlikely they would do that in the terms you suggest. In the first place, onweb's links suggest that World Vision does not do these things. In the second place, if you believe in the separation of church and state, you have to accept that the state doesn't get to dictate how religions are to characterise themselves. If the state requires charities to discuss the motivations for what they do, you can be sure that World Vision will discuss it's Christian motivation in positive, laudatory terms.

What you're suggesting, in fact, is a state-imposed requirement for more religious witnessing in the public square. Are you sure you want to run with that?

sbsquarepants

It was really only a throw away smart arse comment aimed at religious charities in general rather than world vision per se.
I do think though that if any group, religious or otherwise, goes on telly and asks for money, they should really have to tell you what they're going to spend it on and there should be some sort of penalty for spending it otherwise. I don't know how the details of that would work, but as a starting point i think it's fairly laudable.

Cabaal

mambo wrote: »

See for yourself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMEPBSLhP2s

well, I must be out of touch,
I know only who one of those people are

recedite

Why are they so interested in five year olds, in particular?
Is it anything to do with the traditional Jesuit indoctrination boast "give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you the man" (Ignatius Loyola, 1557)

Benny_Cake

Cabaal wrote: »

well, I must be out of touch,
I know only who one of those people are

One more than I do then!

World Vision are an organisation that was founded by evangelical Christians but it's work is entirely in relation to development aid and disaster relief. They don't proselytise or otherwise promulgate the word of Jesus (or Jebus for that matter). If I had a criticism of them, it would be that like a lot of large international charities, it can be hard to see how much aid actually makes it to the people who need it rather than large amounts being spent on administration.

recedite

Benny_Cake wrote: »

World Vision are an organisation that was founded by evangelical Christians but it's work is entirely in relation to development aid and disaster relief. They don't proselytise or otherwise promulgate the word of Jesus (or Jebus for that matter)..

Fair enough if true, though there has been some criticism of operations in India.
Also if it was set up "as a service organisation to support missionaries" and operates in tandem with missionaries, in the precise areas where missionaries are proselytising, will the locals be able to distinguish between the two?

keane2097

Tbh it's up to individuals to research the charities they're handing over their hard earned cash to. If someone who doesn't agree with World Vision's world vision is dumb enough to give them money that's their own look out.

I'm not really too into the whole charity thing anyway tbh, prefer things like Zidisha.

recedite

keane2097 wrote: »

I'm not really too into the whole charity thing anyway tbh, prefer things like Zidisha.

But giving alms is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, whereas lending money and charging interest is considered a naughty thing.