The World Beyond BetterMost > Anything Goes
Why are the poor, poor?
serious crayons:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on May 11, 2008, 04:02:20 pm ---It would be interesting if giving to churches could be parsed out of this. Certainly money given to churches counts as charitable giving for tax purposes. This is not to deny that churches do charitable work--my own runs a sort of drop-in center for people affected by AIDS and H.I.V.--individually and collectively as part of a denomination, but it's also true that money given to churches goes for lots of things that aren't "charity," like upkeep of the church building, utilities, and clergy salaries, just to name three examples. I can't help but wonder what the figures would look like if it were possible first of all to parse out the church giving altogether, and then to parse out what part of the church giving goes to overhead.
--- End quote ---
Yes, somewhere I read that more charitable donations go to churches than anything else.
Some would argue that the money that goes to keeping up the church, paying the clergy, etc., directly benefits the poor and infirm and needy just as much as church-sponsored charitable programs, in that the church provides spiritual comfort and healing. That is, the food shelf feeds bodies, and the church feeds souls.
Artiste:
That is wonderful injest !
All that sharing are great gifts of humanity !
Au revoir,
hugs! HAPPY NOTHER'S DAY !!
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: seriouscrayons on May 11, 2008, 07:14:03 pm ---Some would argue that the money that goes to keeping up the church, paying the clergy, etc., directly benefits the poor and infirm and needy just as much as church-sponsored charitable programs, in that the church provides spiritual comfort and healing. That is, the food shelf feeds bodies, and the church feeds souls.
--- End quote ---
Yes, some would, and with the exception of one individual I know over at DCF, they would probably be Republicans. The trouble with that reasoning is that the poor and needy aren't filling the pews on Sundays in the churches getting in the big bucks. You don't see the poor and needy in those football stadium-sized megachurches that have more money than God. The poor and needy are either in Victorian Gothic buildings in inner cities that are often literally falling down because there is no money to keep up these buildings any more, or they might be in store front-type churches where, like as not, the pastor supports himself with a full-time job (like St. Paul himself) in addition to his church responsibilities.
There are always exceptions, of course. Trinity U.C.C. in Chicago might be one of them. ;D
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: injest on May 11, 2008, 08:01:37 pm ---Actually that is the term that Rush Limbaugh listeners call themselves (like fans of Star Trek call themselves "Trekkie")
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That's where Dittohead comes from? :o ;D
Learn somethin' new every day. ... ;D
optom3:
I have only been in the States for 2 years. But one thing that blew me away was the generosity of the poor.
We have a supermarket in an extremely poor area, lots of food stamps and people really struggling to make a living.
It never ceases to amaze me when if they are a little short at the register,someone else in the queue will make up the shortfall or one of the cashiers will.
When it is another customer we always give them an item free to thank them for their kindness, the cashiers will never take anything.
In terms of amounts it is not very much,as said we are really talking about exceptionally poor people here.In terms of the number of times it happens,too numerous to count,but on a daily basis.
Things like that do renew your faith in mankind.
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