- Joined
- Nov 10, 2014
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I was looking for a specific type of non-profit group nearby and according to a list of NGOs in Trinidad & Tobago, quite a lot of these groups are religious in nature and upon doing further research, are monitored by the relevant religious organizations/buildings. Now you all know I am an atheist, but I still respect people that use their religion to live honestly etc so this is not a thread condemning religion (<<disclaimer lol).
I once visited a children's home that did not advertise itself as religious, but once receiving children in need, stated that the children would need to be baptized and re-named, given "more Christian sounding" names and only then would they gladly be admitted when they were accepting of Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior.
Seeing as how these children were between the ages of 1-11 I doubt they really understood what was happening or what was wrong with their cultural names in the first place. The people in charge of the children were a very young couple who in addition to their own very young child, also lived off the donations etc given and had no previous training or experience with children, counseling, or treating and interacting with victims of abuse etc. The children were prayed for and referred to as heathens and wild children that needed saving and sinners on the wrong path that needed to be placed on the right path etc.
I feel in that instance, the pastor and surrogate parents chose their words poorly as the children were the ones wronged by their abusive experiences and the abusers and were in no way sinners or heathens for having been victims of terrible actions or for being given cultural names and should have had that explained to them instead of what was repeatedly said to them and in front of them. I also feel it should have been important for them to have been willing to accept the children as they were and not make it a point that something was wrong with these simple children and that they had to be changed in order to be given shelter and shown love and have their basic needs provided for.
I am aware that similar protocols follow suit in other places of need based on religion and that if those in need refuse to convert, change their names, beliefs, etc. they will be turned away. I think these organizations should use their resources to help anyone in need rather than to exercise such discrimination. I don't think this is what non-profit groups are supposed to be about. What are your thoughts on groups like this?
I once visited a children's home that did not advertise itself as religious, but once receiving children in need, stated that the children would need to be baptized and re-named, given "more Christian sounding" names and only then would they gladly be admitted when they were accepting of Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior.
Seeing as how these children were between the ages of 1-11 I doubt they really understood what was happening or what was wrong with their cultural names in the first place. The people in charge of the children were a very young couple who in addition to their own very young child, also lived off the donations etc given and had no previous training or experience with children, counseling, or treating and interacting with victims of abuse etc. The children were prayed for and referred to as heathens and wild children that needed saving and sinners on the wrong path that needed to be placed on the right path etc.
I feel in that instance, the pastor and surrogate parents chose their words poorly as the children were the ones wronged by their abusive experiences and the abusers and were in no way sinners or heathens for having been victims of terrible actions or for being given cultural names and should have had that explained to them instead of what was repeatedly said to them and in front of them. I also feel it should have been important for them to have been willing to accept the children as they were and not make it a point that something was wrong with these simple children and that they had to be changed in order to be given shelter and shown love and have their basic needs provided for.
I am aware that similar protocols follow suit in other places of need based on religion and that if those in need refuse to convert, change their names, beliefs, etc. they will be turned away. I think these organizations should use their resources to help anyone in need rather than to exercise such discrimination. I don't think this is what non-profit groups are supposed to be about. What are your thoughts on groups like this?