Religion and Helping the Needy.

[bertine]

Governor Bob Riley of Alabama is pushing a tax reform package where the rich pay more than the poor. This isn't that weird of an idea but he is justifying it based on religious grounds.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week648/feature.html

I never finished this paper but I have the start of a good essay talking about the protestantizing of cultures and how moving from a catholic based theology (where you have to earn your way to heaven) to a protestant based system (through the grace of god only) actually means that the poor become poorer since people are not guilted into giving to the poor. I stopped writing this because I wanted to explore other religions and see if this was true in other cultures too. It actually looks like it is true.

In Hinduism people do not haven't to give help to the poor. They can justify passing beggars in the street by saying they are suffering to learn something in this life. In Buddhism there isn't any guilt to give to the poor yet when combined with other religions (Shinto, Confusisiam) that do give to the poor it becomes a giving religion. I haven't looked into many oral religions and so can't say much about them. Since a lot of oral religions don't survive into industrialization the changes in the culture might be due to leaving subsistence living.

Basically, an outside force such as god or government making you give money to the poor is really the only way that the majority of people will give to the needy. People just don't think about the suffering of others because it is too painful. I could never be catholic but catholic charities have done a lot of good around the world, even while trying to convert people.

I should look into this more, the topic fascinates me

Comments

[pantsthief.livejournal.com]

I gave three dollars to a woman who was soliciting donations for an African orphanage. She was asking in the name of a Mongolian/Christian church somewhere here in Minnesota. She had the proper tax i.d. info and everything but I always feel weird donating to a religious charity. How can you tell where the money is actually going and if it's doing any good?

[jayp39.livejournal.com]

Catholic and other Christian organizations/charities are also responsible for the destruction of many native cultures. (See Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe)

I don't think that people who's religions compel them to give money to charity necessarily give more on average than those who's religions do not press the issue...but you have given examples that indicate that people who's religions specifically tell them that it is pointless to give to charity, will not.

I've actually found that most social activists who are concerned with human rights and eliminating poverty, feeding the homeless, etc., are atheists, non-religious, or non-practicing. This of course is just my experience, which is anecdotal at best.

What's more interesting to think about is that churches actually usually compel members to give their money to the church. From the looks of most churches, it is obvious that a good portion of that money does not go to help needy people, but it goes to pay for the elaborate architecture, stained glass, branching out (building a new church somewhere else), and of course, paying the salaries of all the clerical staff.
When I give money I prefer to support grassroots volunteer (non profit is not necessarily volunteer) organizations where the money is obviously going to the people who need it. Of course, the best thing you can give is your time.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I know, but when you think about it the religious charities are the ones that put the most work into their charities. they have the guilt of listening to all the good works every sunday to listen to.

plus, i am of the belief that just giving money, even if it ends up doing little help is a good thing cause a little help is better than none.

though i am not fond of the united way. bah!

[bertine.livejournal.com]

You know, while the book "Things Fall Apart" does blame the changes in the society on the church I think the more accurate thing to blame would be the need to raise people about subsitance living. Basically Industrualization ruins societies like that. DId you read the sequel to the book? About the son having to deal with the British government yet still being drawn into thinking of his orginal culture? It wasn't religion alone that cause the events in many countries like that though the catholic church is far from blameless.

I wish I could remember the sources of the top of my head but yes, religions that compil their members to give to charities do give more. Yes, some of it goes to the operating expensives of the the group but some of it is also giving to charities or charitable activities.

"I've actually found that most social activists who are concerned with human rights and eliminating poverty, feeding the homeless, etc., are atheists, non-religious, or non-practicing. This of course is just my experience, which is anecdotal at best."

While most individuals that are for these things are not religious in the sense we are discussing, the groups that are the most out spoken are religious. There lies the difference, religious groups in this country ahave a lot of power but that power also makes people unwilling to contribute to them if they do not believe in the religion. One of my best friends wants to become a missonary and help the poor in south america. While I disagree with the idea that anyone needs to be converted, her aim to help the poor is a good one. Pretty much anyone that sets out to help others as part of a group has some higher goal in mind then just helping them.

The best thing you can give is your time and grassroot volunteer groups are the ones I tend to give the most money to but sometimes they are just as badly run as any other group.

I really need to get that essay written, I am back in wanting to write it.