Iraq, A faith-based initiative

A faith-based initiative

By Johanna McGeary
Monday, April 14, 2003 Posted: 1:38 PM EDT (1738 GMT)


Steve Weaver is a Christian aid worker. The Pennsylvania Mennonite is an emergency-management consultant for the Church World Service, with which he will shortly cross the border between Jordan and Iraq.
But unlike some of his fellow believers in that great aid caravan, Weaver, 33, will not preach as he goes. "Mixing proselytizing with humanitarian work is not appropriate at any time," he says. And now "it will confirm people's suspicions that this [war] was about Christians vs. Muslims--and the Christians won."
At least two organizations, however, seemed ready to risk that impression. Among those at the border last week were the International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and Samaritan's Purse, which is run by evangelist Franklin Graham. Both operations are associated with sharp criticism of Islam, the faith of 97% of Iraqis.
What do you think of "Mixing proselytizing with humanitarian work? Is it the wrong? If so can anything be done to curtail or stop the practice in Iraq? Could it do further damage to the already frayed relations between Christianity and Islam and add credence to the claim that this is a Christian crusade against Islam?

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/04/14/timep.faith.based.tm/index.html