A revealing report from Pakistan says that some Pakistani Christian families are being denied flood aid unless they convert to Islam.
Carl Moeller is CEO of Open Doors USA, an organization that combats anti-Christian persecution. He is quoted as saying “Some Christian refugees are openly denied aid, while others are told to leave or convert to Islam. You can imagine that terrible choice: either you abandon your faith or you cannot feed your child.”
The Fides news agency has collected testimony from several Christians who have been denied aid. Click here to read their stories.
By contrast, the Catholic Church, in spite of hostility from the Pakistani government, is doing all it can to help flood victims of all faiths.
Bishop Max John Rodrigues said today, “The tireless work of Caritas [a large Catholic relief agency] continues in all directions, in every diocese and without discrimination on the recipients.... We help everyone. Many religious and Catholic volunteers are working in the area. I see a lot of solidarity: Muslims, Christians, and Hindus are united in suffering.
“As far as the aid brought by Islamic charity groups, they defend themselves by saying that according to their doctrine, the money from the zakhat [Islamic alms] should go only to Muslims,” he added. “In this country there is a general discrimination against minorities and the poorest workers. It is a widespread mentality which can also affect this tragedy. The fact that the rich are better off than the poor, having saved their own land, is a serious matter which the government must address.”
Lesson: If you want to contribute to the relief effort, do NOT send your money to organizations which work through the Pakistani government. Give instead to Caritas or your own Christian church-sponsored aid effort. God and the afflicted will bless you for it, even if the imams don't.
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