Update March 10th: World Relief won’t hire a Muslim, here.
Update March 9th: Reader defends World Relief, says there is no ‘litmus test’ in Atlanta, here.
Hummm! Here is a letter in The Argonaut, a publication at the University of Idaho, suggesting just that. Is it legal? For new readers, the word volag applies to the Top Ten (now nine) FEDERAL CONTRACTORS that have the inside track and a monopoly on resettling all the refugees (asylees too) that are admitted to the United States by the US State Department. (Asylees are different, they are not admitted by the State Department, they get here on their own steam and then a judge grants them asylum if they can prove they would be persecuted back home, as in the case of Obama’s Aunt Zeituni).
Back to the opinion piece in The Argonaut: the student wishes to work for one of the volags (or volag affiliates) but can’t find one that doesn’t ask about her religious views.
For the last couple years, I have found myself enjoying volunteering and non-profit work more and more. It started during the 2008 presidential election and blossomed from there, and now I am contemplating a career involving non-profit organizations.
Since I’m graduating in a year, I’ve started looking into volunteering and internship opportunities with non-profit organizations, specifically those that help resettle refugees in cities like Spokane. I have discovered a theme in these organizations in that they are heavily tilted toward religious affiliation. I say affiliation, but it is also engrained into the fibers of their entire organization. On their applications they ask you to be committed to their values, which include dedication to the mission of Jesus.
One of the applications for an organization called World Relief had an entire section on their application titled “Spiritual Assessment,” asking about the applicant’s present spiritual relationship with the Lord. They wanted the applicant to describe a situation where they had to be fully reliant on the Lord, and what areas they feel they could continue to grow spiritually. While I understand this particular organization is geared toward missions for church members, it is one of two refugee-oriented groups in the area, leaving those not affiliated with a church little to no options.
Since World Relief is largely funded by the taxpayer, I don’t know how they can legally ask prospective volunteers about their relationship with Jesus. See World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals most recent Form 990 and note that they are getting around 62% of their funds from government (taxpayers). Maybe it’s legal, I don’t know, but I recommend that the student call the ACLU and find out!
To World Relief and your ilk: if you had remained a private organization funded through the good will of private charity, you would have every right to promote your religious views and run your organization as you wish (within the law of course), but once you take money through confiscatory taxes, then we who are paying for your organization have every right to question your practices.
Note that Friends of Refugees has reported this story too. Chris Coen goes into the issue of how these “religious” volags at times attempt to indoctrinate refugees, something we know is illegal.