[Incorrigible]

I think Ann Coulter made a stronger argument!

[goldstategop]

Ann Coulter would LOVE to see this happen. A Christian Iraq would throw bonkers into the Islamokamizkazis.

[P8riot]

Oh God, just what we need another 24 million Baptists! I don't think there's enough water in Iraq to dunk them all. If they became good Presbyterian 5-point Calvinists, you could get by with sprinkling!

[Russ]

Jesus said "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..." Matthew 28:19

[Illbay]

Franklin's group ought to be banned.

The SBCs can go in if they refrain from making stupid public statements about "evil and wicked religion," "moon god," and "paedophile."

[myprecious]

The Southern Baptist project Operation Shoebox delivered 1000's of gifts to the Afganistan children the first Christmas after we routed the Taliban. We filled shoeboxes with toys, sweets, hairbrushes, so many little goodies. You should see the pictures of the little faces. After the Marines, send in the Baptists.

Flamers will be prayed over.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Plans Under Way for Christianizing the Enemy

GREAT NEWS!!!Nowhere in the Christian Bible can you find scripture stating that Christians must slaughter non-believers. It would be a welcome change...

[freedomcrusader]

Both groups said only private donations have funded their plans thus far...

The more private $$$ that go into rebuilding Iraq, the less gov't $$$ needed to do so. Amen. The more the merrier.

Where are the stories about Jewish, Muslism, Hindu, Buddhist, and atheist charities going into Iraq?

[Servant of the Nine]

They are our enemies, let them go to Hell where they belong.

So9

[Only1choice____Freedom]

I think the Assirian Christians beat us to it a thousand years ago.

I hope it works this time. It would be refreshing to see some sanity in this reagon for a change.

[Lee Heggy]

Terrible idea. Sending in the Evangelical shock troops will be seen as an affront. The oldest Christian sects in the world are in Iraq already let them do any converting if it's possible.

[bert]

The Good will be undone by this misguided opportunism.

[MayflowerMadam]

This has to be done. Otherwise, the kids we're saving there now will be killing our kids in 20 years. Bottom line: Their religion teaches that we're the infidels and we must be destroyed. Gotta change.

[plain talk]

Interesting how we have to be so apologetic about Christians even being allowed to go freely into an arab country, help people and speak the gospel. One goal should be freedom of religion. It should be a foundational principle of the new Iraqi government we help establish.

[George W. Bush]

Alert: Baptists massing for invasion.

Bush, an evangelical Christian himself, has close ties to both Franklin Graham, who gave a prayer at his inauguration, and Southern Baptists, who are among his most loyal political supporters.

This ought to ruffle all the right feathers.

[HumanaeVitae]

The Judeo-Christian Revelation, broadly defined, is based on the doctrine of man created Imago Dei, in the image of God, and thus holds all life as sacred; human life as an end in and of itself, not a means to another end. Base a society on that and you destroy terrorism, or even the thought of terrorism.

Having said that, jumping in here feet-first to evangelize Iraq may create a "stampede" of other denominations and would inflame an already delicate situation. I agree that no transformation of the ME is possible without pushing back Islam, but this probably isn't the best time to go pushing the envelope.

[WaterDragon]

I read there is a small Armenian population in Iraq, so there's Christianity there already. It certainly will not hurt matters for there to be more. Iraq is already so pluralistic, ethnically and even religiously, that an infusion of Christians doing nothing more than just being there and helping is a great idea.

Especially since it will probably send C.A.I.R. through the roof!

[Yo-Yo]

First of all, the title of this article is offensive to me. Iraq was NOT the enemy. Saddam's regime was the enemy. The people of Iraq are not and never were our enemy.

One of the most precious freedoms we have is freedom of religion. I am all for the SBC or any other Christian group going to Iraq to help with humanitarian aid and by their example to introduce a vision of Christendom that does not include "Invading Crusaders" to the people of Iraq.

Likewise, the people of Iraq should have the freedom to choose Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, or atheism.

Secular government and the freedom to choose religion is what Iraq, and the rest of the Middle East need to embrace.

[BunnySlippers]

Unbelievably stupid.

[Louisiana]

Freedom of Religion!

There are those who are posting and will be posting on this thread that do not support freedom of religion in America. They will bash Graham and Southern Baptists.

I wonder what kind of "regime" they would really like to live under? Many of these posts do not sound very American.

These same ones who slam the Graham's and the Southern Baptists of this world for what they say, claim they believe in FREE SPEECH.

Sounds like we have been infiltrated by a bunch of communists or at best a bunch of liberal wackos.

Food for thought
- to those who would restrict Freedom of Religion
- to those who would restrict Freedom of Speech

[Louisiana]

http://www.imb.org/urgent/articledetail.asp?urgentID=30

Churches challenged to send 'gifts of love' to hungry Iraqis
By Mark Kelly



RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- Southern Baptist relief workers expect hunger to be one of the major needs they find in Iraq when humanitarian aid finally is able to cross the border, and churches across the United States are being challenged to help minister to that need.

Iraq's people have suffered under the regime of Saddam Hussein and 12 years of United Nations sanctions have made their lives even more difficult, says Jim Brown, director of world hunger and relief ministries for the International Mission Board.

For less than $60, congregations can assemble a box of dry food that will feed a family of five for about a month. Brown is challenging all 42,000 Southern Baptist congregations to mobilize food relief for hungry Iraqis.

"This is a great way for Southern Baptists who can't actually go themselves to minister in a personal way to Iraqi people," Brown said. "This isn't relief that is going to be mass-distributed in a refugee camp either. It will be specifically delivered to hungry families in the towns and villages of Iraq once peace has been restored to the country."

The food aid will be delivered without regard to ethnic or religious identity, Brown said.

The boxes will contain almost 70 pounds of staple food items: beans, lentils, rice, flour, salt, sugar, loose tea and powdered milk. Packing instructions and a detailed list of portion sizes can be found below.

The boxes must not contain other items or literature of any sort, Brown said. Inclusion of evangelistic tracts could cause the aid shipment to be rejected by authorities.

A label on the outside of each box will quote John 1:17 in Arabic: "For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." It also will identify it as "A gift with love from the Southern Baptist churches in America."

Disaster relief offices of Baptist state convention will receive boxes and, in partnership with the IMB, will coordinate delivery to the shipping point, Brown said. Specific questions about the collection process should be directed to those offices (On-line contact information). People with other questions may contact the International Mission Board.

Churches or individuals who would prefer to make a donation toward the cost of the project can designate checks to "Iraq Response - General Relief" and mail them to: Iraq Response, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230-0767. Make checks payable to International Mission Board and designate "Iraq Response - General Relief." Every dollar given will go 100 percent to relief ministries.

Give online

For more information Iraq relief efforts


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More Iraq news reports


Interactive map of the Middle East

---

A “GIFT OF LOVE” FROM SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
FAMILY FOOD BOXES FOR IRAQ

Directions:

Use only a U-Haul “small box” product (16 3/8” x 12 5/8” x 12 5/8” = 1.5 cubic feet). Same size boxes will help facilitate both bulk packing and transportation. Begin by lining the box with a large trashcan liner - this will protect the contents and prevent spillage outside the box. Pack the items by quantity list below. Begin by layering the 4 bags of rice on one side of the bottom and the sugar and flour (standing) on the other sides. Next stack the bags of beans and lentils on top of the standing sugar and flour bags. Lastly place the salt, tea and powdered milk (10 – 3.2 oz. envelopes) in the remaining air space. Tie the trashcan liner and securely tape the box (making sure the box has also been securely taped on the bottom). (Total weight will be approximately 68 pounds – box capacity is 70 pounds.) Your “family food box” will help provide food for a family of five for approximately one month.

PLEASE do not place any additional item/literature inside the box. We will be providing state conventions stick-on labels to be placed on the outside of the box (John 1:17 in Arabic).

TIMELINE:

FINAL Collection by May 19, 2003.

Deliver them to your state convention disaster relief site by May 21, 2003.
(Phone your respective state office for additional information.)

ITEM QUANTITY/SIZE APPROX. COST PER ITEM
Rice-Long Grained (4) 5 lb. bags $2.50 x 4 bags = $10.00
(not instant rice!)

Flour-All Purpose (3) 5 lb. bags $1.89 x 3 bags = 5.67

Sugar (2) 5 lb. bags $1.99 x 2 bags = 3.98

White Navy Beans (12) 1 lb. bags $ .89 x 12 bags = 10.68

Lentils (4) 1 lb. bags $ .69 x 4 bags = 2.76

Iodized Salt (2) 26 oz. containers $ .43 x 2 containers = .86

Loose Tea (Lipton) (4) ½ lb. boxes $3.69 x 4 boxes = 14.76

Powdered Milk (10) 3.2 oz. envelopes $8.00 for 10 envelopes = 8.00

APPROXIMATE TOTAL $56.71
COST OF BOX $ 1.75