Pass the Ensure and prune juice.
I may be SLOWLY approaching the need for reading glasses, but something was brought into sharp focus today. In case you aren't stalking the newsstand, World Vision has loosened their employment requirements. They will now be accepting applications from the gay community (provided they still adhere to World Vision's statement of faith and are in a legally recognized marriage-no cohabitating allowed.).
And starving children in Africa withdrew their applications for sponsorship. "We'll take our chances, thankyouverymuch."* Oh wait. Maybe it was the other way around. Yes. Yes, I think it was. The sponsors are withdrawing their sponsorship. Way to stick it to World Vision.
On the one hand I get it. It's a slippery slope (which W.V. denies). However, I have searched all over their website and, cannot for the life of me, find anything in their mission that says "Our goal is to combat poverty and starvation, insofar as our hiring does not cause conflict with our denomination affiliates and our child sponsors." Yeah, I just don't see it. Their mission is crystal clear:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.Perhaps my eyes are playing tricks on me, but to withdraw financial support for the "widow and orphan" in order to teach W.V. a lesson looks a little white-wash tomb-y and plank-in-the-eye-ish. I've already disclosed the level of performance of my eyeballs, so I'll let you be the judge.
I leave you with one last thought:
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.Now, that supplies me with 20/20 vision.
Matthew 23:23
Washing Smudges Off My Lenses,
Cynthia
*Or at least I think that was the translation.
I was going to post the article today and see what people's thought are. Christ's work perfected the Law, right? And His commandments to those legalistic pharisees (and to us) were to 1) Love God and 2) Love others. I think the problem is that we've gotten so comfortable using politics and business to further the cause of "Christ" that few Christians know how to have a relationship that shows new believers/non-believers who Christ is. Instead, we want to thump them over the head with our rule book and tell them to shape up. We will never win the battle against sin, but the battle against poverty is absolutely "winable" - if we can put our self-righteousness and pride aside.
ReplyDeleteWorld Vision is only one organization - yes, they've been effective, but there are others that are equally (or more) effective that do not compromise God's standards. The ends do not justify the means...and if I had supported World Vision, I would be withdrawing and sending that support to another organization who stands for purity and truth in all ways, without winking at sin in others. As it is, I'll continue supporting those other ministries that deal with heart issues as well as poverty issues.
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed to see both World Vision take this stand and to see AFA call for people to remove their support. I have sponsored a child since 2006 and I will not stop her sponsorship. I sent a note to AFA saying that I thought it would be better to have had sponsors contact WV with their concerns before they stopped sponsorship. It's not the recipient's fault that the WV policy changed. I also sent a note to WV and told them that, while I would not cancel my sponsorship, I would not add another child, commit to a micro business loan, or shop in their catalog. It will be easy for them to track my past support to see how their decision has financially impacted them. And, of course, prayers have gone up for both organizations and all of the people who will be affected by this decision.
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