If a Religion is strong in its fundamentals , it does not need money to propagate it.
One of my reader friends in a comment stated that God’s words needs to be propagated
I disagree.God , if He needs propagation, He is no God.
Religion’s strength lies not in numbers but in the solace offered to Man.
Fixing targets for conversion and calling ‘Age of Asia’ is anathema to Religion.
While some religions resort to sword some resort to bribing.
Story:
This report is released by the Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI, & gives details
of Contribution received by the NGO’s under the Foreign Contribution
Regulation Act 1976:-
1 crore (100,00,000) = 10 million (10,000,000)
1. Highest receivers of Foreign Contribution state-wise:
TAMIL NADU — Rs 2244 crores
DELHI — Rs 2186 crores
ANDHRA PRADESH — Rs 1,211 crores
2. Highest receivers of Foreign Contribution city-wise:
CHENNAI — Rs 928 crores
MUMBAI — Rs 891 crores
RANCHI — Rs 653 crores
3. Largest Donors:
USA — Rs 2971 crores
GERMANY — Rs 1650 crores
UK — Rs 1425 crores
4. List of foreign Donors topped by:
MISEREOR POSTFECH, GERMANY — Rs 1243 crores
WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL, USA — Rs 469 crores
FUNDACION VICENTE FERRER, SPAIN — Rs 399 crores
5. The Highest Contribution received by:
RANCHI JESUITS RANCHI JHARKHAND — Rs 621 crores
SONTHOME TRUST OF KALYAN NEAR MUMBAI — Rs 333 crores
SOVERGEIN ORDER OF MALTA DELHI — Rs 301 crores
To know more about the amounts received by the NGOs for Evangelisation
in India, read the FCRA Report 2006-07, Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI:
http://www.mha.gov.in/fcra/annual/ar2006-07.pdf
Note:-
1. We are not talking of the money that comes from the Arab world which I presume
comes mostly through the Hawala route.
2. Hindus need to donate a lot more to worthwhile organizations. A friend recommended this
site: http://www.bharatheritagefoundation.org as an example of a samstha doing good work.
3. Amongst many others who are doing good work and need to be supported:
i) The Ramakrishna Mission,
ii) Friends of Tribal Society,
iii) Vivekananda Kendra,
iv) Chinmaya Mission,
v) Arya Samaj …
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
( Annual Report for 2006-07 )
*****
Introduction
Foreign Contribution is regulated under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 1976. This Act came into force from 05th August 1976, to regulate the acceptance and utilization of foreign contribution with a view to ensure that institutions, associations and other voluntary organizations as well as individuals working in important areas of national life receive foreign contribution and foreign hospitality, respectively, in a manner consistent with India’s values as a sovereign, democratic republic.
Salient Features
Data pertaining to receipt of foreign contribution for 2006-07 has inter alia the following salient features:
I. As on 31-03-2007, 33937 associations were registered and 522 were granted prior permission during the year 2006-07.
II. For the year 2006-07, 18996, associations reported receipt of foreign contribution (including those which received NIL amount) amounting to Rs. 11336.97 crore.
III. Among the States and Union Territories, Delhi (Rs.2183.03 crore) reported the highest receipt of foreign contribution followed by Tamil Nadu (Rs 2117.71 crore) and Andhra Pradesh (Rs 1,210.82 crore).
IV. Among the districts in different States, Chennai (Rs. 908.09 crore) reported the highest receipt of foreign contribution, followed by Mumbai (Rs. 891.26 crore) and Bangalore (Rs. 628.48 crore).
V. The list of donor countries is headed by the USA (Rs.2,949.35 crore) followed by UK (Rs. 1427.50 crore) and the Germany (Rs. 1035.40 crore).
VI. The list of foreign donors is topped by World Vision International, USA (Rs. 703.75 crore) followed by Gospel for Asia, USA (Rs. 453.58 crore) and Fundacion Vicente Ferrer, Spain (Rs. 399.45 crore).
VII. Among the associations which reported receipt of foreign contribution, Sonthome Trust of Kalyan, Mumbai, Maharashtra (Rs. 332.86 crore) received the highest amount of foreign contribution followed by Sovereign Order of Malta, Delhi (Rs.300.79 crore) and World Vision of India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (Rs. 256.06 crore).
VIII Among the purposes for which foreign contribution was utilised, the highest amount of foreign contribution was utilised for Establishment Expenses (Rs.3058.48 crore), followed by Relief/Rehabilitation of victims of natural calamities (Rs.2534.23 crore), Rural Development (Rs.1956.63 crore), Construction and maintenance of schools/colleges (Rs.1208.92 crore), and Welfare of Children (Rs.1184.38 crore).
(ii)
”
Nature of Use of Funds:
Significant portion of the received funds are used for ‘Establishment Expenses” which is against the basic cannon of charity work. It is expected that Charity involves lesser fixed assets creation particularly of the flamboyant nature. Also the jet setting aspect of the NGO’s provide clues to the nature of expenditure. Whether it is New York or Geneva we find members of Indian NGO community lobbying for some cause mostly of human rights. This creates a closed loop wherein they receive money to further some agenda and for that they receive more money…
Large amount of funds go to Christian organizations whose purpose is conversion. This act of “soul harvesting” or “planting of the Church” is an anachronistic practice of nineteenth century which is totally incongruous in the twenty first century where faith based political movements like the Church movements are disappearing from Europe their cradle of growth. Europe which has given up on the Church is trying to overcome its guilt by exporting Christianity to India. The recipient organizations may argue that they are serving poor but do they need European money to serve Indian poor.
Also some organizations like World Vision appear to be secular or non-denominational in India. But the fact of the matter is that is Christian in origin and membership. This has been affirmed by the Supreme Court of USA. We can take them as a representative example wherein they do not mention much about their exclusive Christian identity when campaigning for funds within India
History of our Christian identity
World Vision was founded 60 years ago as a Christian humanitarian organization. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision’s work with the poor and oppressed is a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people.
As a Christian organization, World Vision has virtually the same Statement of Faith included in its September 1950 articles of incorporation. While about 20 percent of our worldwide staff are of other faiths, all prospective staff at World Vision U.S. are required to sign that Statement of Faith or, as an alternative, the Apostles’ Creed.
Far from being narrow in scope, the Apostles’ Creed and World Vision’s Statement of Faith reflect the basic theological beliefs shared for millennia by the vast majority of orthodox Christian traditions — Roman Catholic, Mainline Protestant, Pentecostal, evangelical, or Orthodox.
Issues of the current court case
The issues at the center of the Spencer case — the plaintiffs’ denial of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ — are central to Christianity. By definition, a Christian believes that Jesus Christ is the only son of God. World Vision believes one can be a good person, a moral person — even a religious person — without believing this. But World Vision believes that one cannot be a Christian unless one can confess, as the Apostle Peter did in Matthew 16:16 (NIV), “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
To be clear, we hire Christians, imperfect and flawed, not because we think they are superior, but because we believe that any real success will come only through the presence of Christ in each employee’s heart and His power through prayer in each staff member’s mind and hands.
The plaintiffs in this case signed the Statement of Faith when they were hired, but later changed their core beliefs. It was only when these staff members stopped attending World Vision’s weekly chapel services and instead began alternative worship and study sessions at work that the change in their beliefs became obvious. We regret the departure of our former colleagues, and we pray they have been able to find areas of humanitarian service that are compatible with their new beliefs.
Hiring people of shared beliefs
World Vision believes that staff commitment to core Christian beliefs as we understand them from the Bible is essential for maintaining our Christian identity. Organizationally, our humanitarian work is done as a reflection of — and an extension of — our Christian faith. We represent Christ in our work.
Hiring people of shared belief is a common practice among charitable institutions, many of whom receive federal funding. A non-profit that advocates for animal rights, for example, would be unlikely to hire a hunter or a non-vegetarian. An environmental organization is unlikely to hire a global warming skeptic. Non-profit organizations are defined by their core mission and motivation. To hire those uncommitted to that mission would be to undermine the organization
Who we are and how we serve
World Vision has worked hard to be clear with our donors in our communication and transparent about our Christian identity. We do not want to take donations under false pretences.
Similarly, World Vision always identifies itself as a Christian organization in the communities where we serve, including many where there are few, if any, Christians. World Vision works in many countries where the majority of people follow another religion, including some areas where Christian teaching is not welcome. In all cases, we respect the local culture and abide by local laws.
World Vision is a signatory to the Red Cross Code of Conduct and does not proselytize. That is, we never require aid recipients to listen to a religious message as a condition of our help, nor do we use aid as an inducement for recipients to change religion. We also never discriminate on the basis of religion in giving aid; we serve every child in need that we possibly can, of any faith …..
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