Hats off to GoogleApps for developing a great suite of online “software-as-a-service” applications. They emphasize speed, clarity, simplicity and effectiveness. And then, of all things, they give away their services to non-profits. At least they give them away to *some* non-profits. Unfortunately, if you’re a church or missions agency (and you’re willing to be honest about it), you can forget about any special recognition. You see, GoogleApps has a stated position against any organization or network that “presents religious content or proselytizing” on its website. In fact, they won’t even help you if you’re a typical school or orphanage. Now granted — they have the right to provide or deny services to anyone they choose. Just sad that they represent a segment of today’s society that is showing bias against the church, against missions, and against taking a stand for a global belief system.

 

To test their stand, we applied to GoogleApps, hoping the published stand was perhaps a strong disclaimer that would give them the right to rule out hate groups and the like. But sure enough, not long afterward, we received the rejection notice with a reference to their ethics page.

 

I’m not sure churches and organizations can do anything about the position Google has taken. But please hear me when I say — they’re big. Their position will certainly impact certain groups, who, on certain issues, will want to be like them.

 

We live in a changing world. In former days, taking a stand for one’s faith was pretty much respected by all, even if some didn’t agree with the stand. Unfortunately, something has eroded that respect. Modernity is taking aim squarely in the eyes of Christianity and any other religion that seeks to reproduce itself in any way.

 

Do you have an answer for the GoogleApps stand? Do you have a solution for reversing the posture that it represents? If so, please (please!) speak up. Just click on “Comment” immediately below. We’re eager to hear your ideas — not because we’re wanting something for nothing, but because it’s unsettling now to be part of a class of organizations and networks who don’t qualify for a service because of our religious stand. Your thoughts?