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re: Church mission trips to Central America.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:43 pm to wmr
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:43 pm to wmr
A better question is, how much good are missions doing for the people in these countries? Are they keeping kids from becoming MS-13 gang members, only to resurface inside our borders to wreak havoc?? Many Latin American countries never seem to make any progress, and that's why I'm asking.
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Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:44 pm to wmr
quote:
I see a lot of helping, but I also see touristing. I see money spent on "exotic" trips that could be spent better on people who have very little.
I see people scraping up funds for a trip to Haiti or Honduras who come back with a story and a bill for $3k but never donate that much to the same charity without a trip for themselves included. Not all, or even the majority of people involved in missions do that, but a lot do.
Why do you care? They obviously get something from it and possibly help someone.
quote:
I give more than that to churches/charities every year, fyi.
Attention seeking?
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:45 pm to RogerTheShrubber
No, actually just the opposite. You allege my heart is in the wrong place. I donate money to a number of causes, and I don't get anything out of it. Not even a selfie or a bumper sticker.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:46 pm to Henry Jones Jr
quote:
A lot of times Missionaries provide these things.
Just think the time spent on "ministering" could be spent on other things like education/training etc. Not saying they dont do this but trying to convert a different culture to your views is a waste when there are bigger problems such as overall health and poverty
quote:
Well, you know that's just like.... your opinion man.
Touche my friend
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:46 pm to wmr
quote:
and I don't get anything out of it
No one would donate once cent if they didn't get something out of it. There is no altruism in life.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:46 pm to RogerTheShrubber
quote:
No one would donate once cent if they didn't get something out of it. There is no altruism in life.
Well, now we know where your heart is.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:47 pm to The Dutch Oven
quote:
but trying to convert a different culture to your views is a waste when there are bigger problems such as overall health and poverty
Well your eternal salvation is pretty important to some people.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:49 pm to wmr
quote:
No one would donate once cent if they didn't get something out of it. There is no altruism in life.
Well, now we know where your heart is.
You've already suggested that you're some kind of heart whisperer.
No one does anything without gaining some measure of satisfaction. That's the reason we do things. Some like to see people being helped and it gives satisfaction.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:50 pm to RogerTheShrubber
As per usual, in your eagerness to throw down some "troofs", you've missed the whole point.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:52 pm to wmr
quote:
As per usual, in your eagerness to throw down some "troofs", you've missed the whole point.
No, you have.
Everyone who does any kind of charity work do so because they get a good feeling from doing so. That's reason enough.
BTW:
Giving money to charity, often more times than not it goes to "administrative" overhead. Giving time is better than giving money.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:55 pm to RogerTheShrubber
Tell you what. I'll put out an APB for Libertarian Talking Points from 2005 if I want your usual input. Or if I need to know how "Alaska" something-or-other is. Thanks.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 10:56 pm to wmr
Start a stupid thread bashing people based on your own values, or lack of, and don't like the answers?
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:04 pm to RogerTheShrubber
Nah, you just missed the point entirely, which is your forte, and typical of people who run everything through the same filter.
The question is between attention-seeking charitable behavior vs legit altruism. You see no distinction whatsoever. There is a distinction. For the purposes of Christianity, there's a clear distinction made in the Bible, too.
You throw out freshman philosophy talking points about the lack of genuine altruism as your "proof". That's great. I get it. Heard it all before. Not really relevant here. But do, keep going. I know you will.
The question is between attention-seeking charitable behavior vs legit altruism. You see no distinction whatsoever. There is a distinction. For the purposes of Christianity, there's a clear distinction made in the Bible, too.
You throw out freshman philosophy talking points about the lack of genuine altruism as your "proof". That's great. I get it. Heard it all before. Not really relevant here. But do, keep going. I know you will.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:05 pm to wmr
quote:
...you've missed the whole point.
I think you might have this backwards. I'm not ready to throw you into a pit of damnation yet, unlike others here. But I really think you don't get it. You said in a previous post:
"I donate money to a number of causes"
Good for you, sincerely. I got a glimpse of how my donations were spent after Katrina. The Red Cross and United Way wanted cash, of course. And if they weren't so completely fricked up that cash may have done more good than my donations to First Baptist Church. FBC didn't want cash. They wanted hammers, roofing nails, diapers, gas cans, shingles, etc. for their church members to take to the coast and help rebuild. They weren't all carpenters, of course, and it may very well be that giving money to some other organization would have done more good. But their hearts were definitely in the right place. I have absolutely no interest in attending First Baptist Church services, but they have my everlasting respect. Even if some members post something on Facebook
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:07 pm to finestfirst79
quote:
But their hearts were definitely in the right place.
So are the hearts of people who rush out to a tornado zone to "help". But if they applied a bit of critical thought to their actions, they'd realize that they might better help in other, more effective ways. And that even in those situations, a lot of people are attracted to tourist the tragedy, when the best and most effective help would be to donate funds. But then they'd be stuck with just the self-serving knowledge that they helped, and wouldn't have disaster porn and an adventure tale.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:09 pm to wmr
You know, much like the person in the OP who has no building, plumbing, surgical skills, but throws down $2000 plus on personal travel expenses to go hang out with orphans. Sure, her heart might be technically in the right place. Is it the best way to help? I don't necessarily think so.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:10 pm to Henry Jones Jr
quote:
Well your eternal salvation is pretty important to some people.
I get what they are trying to do, I simply think the human to human aspect of improving someone's health/knowledge so they have a better chance of surviving would go before trying to get them to understand and fully accept another religion from a different culture
Maybe i'm off base there but it is what it is
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:14 pm to wmr
OK, I was wrong. Pit of Damnation for you.
What the hell is wrong with people trying to help other people? Does that really need an efficiency study? I can only guess that you have some deep hate for Christians. That's the only thing that makes sense to me.
What the hell is wrong with people trying to help other people? Does that really need an efficiency study? I can only guess that you have some deep hate for Christians. That's the only thing that makes sense to me.
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:17 pm to wmr
quote:
The question is between attention-seeking charitable behavior vs legit altruism. You see no distinction whatsoever.
No, the point is you actually think you can discern why people do what they do, and you actually think money to charity trumps actions.
1) You don't.
2) Most charities blow a tremendous amount of money on overhead.
I applaud anyone who thinks they are making a difference, which is the reason we do anything for charity. Unfortunately you think you've got everyone pegged and they're wrong..
These people are doing what they do for exactly same reasons you do what you do when you give your tremendous wealth to charity.
This post was edited on 7/27/14 at 11:23 pm
Posted on 7/27/14 at 11:20 pm to finestfirst79
Have you not heard?
Christians are bad, stupid people through and through
Christians are bad, stupid people through and through
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