SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 17: The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a leading civil rights organization, has called on the Bush administration to repudiate missionary groups seeking conversion
of Muslim survivors of Asia's tsunami disaster.
The council made the request following revelations of a second attempt by US missionaries to use the vulnerability of tsunami survivors as a vehicle for religious conversion in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia.
Last Wednesday, Baptist Pastor Rev Jerry Falwell, Chancellor of Virginia-based Christian Liberty University, said he was sending the university's Director of International Crusades to distribute relief supplies and for presenting Bible to that part of the world "where millions have never even heard of Jesus Christ".
In a message, Rev Falwell said his ultimate purpose for this first mission was to set the stage for many other missions to this Asian region by hundreds of his seminary students.
It may be recalled that in 2002 Rev Falwell sparked international controversy when he used derogatory remarks against Islam on the CBS TV network. The Cair's Eecutive Director Nihad Awad said it was inappropriate and immoral for any religious group, whether Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist, to use humanitarian relief as cover for conversion efforts.
