To draw a finer point: charity is a good thing, but it's being warped by inappropriate use.
Using charity as the primary or sole mechanism for needed services is conscience-laundering and ultimately tyrannical.
See also: my growing skepticism of all faith-based charity.
Using charity as the primary or sole mechanism for needed services is conscience-laundering and ultimately tyrannical.
See also: my growing skepticism of all faith-based charity.
Not to say there aren't faith based charities that do excellent work—because so many are
Or that all people in faith based charities have false motives—because so many don't
It's a categorical skepticism of the idea that charity needs to provide the giver some form of control.
Or that all people in faith based charities have false motives—because so many don't
It's a categorical skepticism of the idea that charity needs to provide the giver some form of control.
Charity isn't primarily an act.
Before the act comes an alignment.
Charity is the natural fruit of a deep alignment with the virtue of generosity.
It sure shouldn't be a delivery mechanism for one's own beliefs about worthiness.
Before the act comes an alignment.
Charity is the natural fruit of a deep alignment with the virtue of generosity.
It sure shouldn't be a delivery mechanism for one's own beliefs about worthiness.
It seems to me that there's a great fear in this country that a single dollar might go to someone who might not deserve it; or that a single given dollar might be spent on something the giver deems unworthy.
We'll spend five dollars to prevent the waste of that one dollar.
We'll spend five dollars to prevent the waste of that one dollar.
And of course we want to use wisdom in how we give money. And of course we want to eliminate waste in our giving.
But we have squadrons of NYC cops posted in subways to avoid losing $1.60 fares.
Arresting poor churro ladies.
That's not fiscal wisdom. That's wasteful fear.
But we have squadrons of NYC cops posted in subways to avoid losing $1.60 fares.
Arresting poor churro ladies.
That's not fiscal wisdom. That's wasteful fear.
Again, charity is the natural fruit of a deep alignment with the virtue of generosity.
I think what we have in our giving is a deep alignment with our desire for control.
For many of us, giving is *still* transactional.
We're not charitable.
We're buying conscience points.
I think what we have in our giving is a deep alignment with our desire for control.
For many of us, giving is *still* transactional.
We're not charitable.
We're buying conscience points.
That's what has made the idea of the government giving out needed services so terrifying: they'll give it to *anybody*
It's not a worry about waste. Those who hate government welfare love our government military. No greater waste than there.
But military is about control.
It's not a worry about waste. Those who hate government welfare love our government military. No greater waste than there.
But military is about control.
No, it isn't about waste. We'll spend $5 to avoid wasting the $1.
And it can't have escaped attention, that the moment the government's provision for *anybody* became anathema to lots of very fine people in churches, was when laws changed so *anybody* also meant black people.
And it can't have escaped attention, that the moment the government's provision for *anybody* became anathema to lots of very fine people in churches, was when laws changed so *anybody* also meant black people.
Billionaires certainly use charity transactionally. They use charity to "give" things we'd have if they hadn't taken the money.
They put their name on it, so we start to think that we wouldn't ever have those things if we didn't have billionaires.
They get their money's worth.
They put their name on it, so we start to think that we wouldn't ever have those things if we didn't have billionaires.
They get their money's worth.
Billionaires know not to give to ALL people. Not to the people who we'd rather not see get money—not *them.*
And we don't care about waste, because it was a gift! Free!
Have a tax cut, billionaire! Have another!
When they give, they make sure to receive their reward in full.
And we don't care about waste, because it was a gift! Free!
Have a tax cut, billionaire! Have another!
When they give, they make sure to receive their reward in full.
Charity is good, but like all good things, it can be twisted and put to inappropriate use.
When you give, do it as a free thing, without concern.
Align yourself with generosity and then meet need where it finds you. On the street or on the ballot.
Good morning, by the way.
When you give, do it as a free thing, without concern.
Align yourself with generosity and then meet need where it finds you. On the street or on the ballot.
Good morning, by the way.
Yes, this is exactly the impulse I'm talking about. It's a transactional approach to giving that is antithetical to charity.
