True, but if that is the only answer you are looking for, then it should be left in private. This is a discussion board.

And this discussion is off-topic.

I usually oppose moderators being too perfect in their attempt to keep up a nice and tidy order, and i hate too tight moderating. that threads develope a life of their own is common, and often interesting and entertaining. But when somebody has not an abstract issue but a personal thing and for whatever a reason asks for public advise, replies should be kept on topic. That'S simply a question of respect for a board member, and old-fashioned politeness.

Instead this turns into another generalisation "it's not American = it then is necessarily socialistic", and election campaign balking.

Unwanted here.

Somebody asked for some kind of help. Offer what you have to help, and if you haven't anything, step aside.

What do you know?

You would have absolute certainty that you saved the man's life. But when donating to charity, not only you may not know if you ever actually saved anybody (depends on who you're dealing with), but on the opposite, you may even cause additional death! As happened with the staff of a French "NGO" some weeks ago, as happens with other orgs involved with criminals, murderers and terrorists.

You can only be sure of your options, possibilities and consequences after you cease to exist. You can't aprehend the meaning of your life while you're living it. And you can only judge your actions and yourself for the information you had available at each moment.

You are forgetting that the bike you purchased may have paid for a life-saving surgery. Or will in the future. Call the store, call the factory, and ask if any employee has recently been through a life-saving surgery. They probably aren't prepared to receive this kind of question and probably won't have an answer. But even if you could get an answer by pestering a director/manager you still wouldn't know if their salary of the time of the purchase of your bike will pay for such a surgery 3, 5, 10 or how many years into the future, including their family and descendants. As a side note, do you know if the store/factory/the owners/whoever of your bike has a charity policy? Is it a "life-saving" field?

You may have already saved dozens of people Letum, and you simply don't know.

I would just like to know one thing.

Has anyone here ever had a penny/pound/euro donated to them by a charity organisation (ie. Red Cross, United Fraud, ect.) for a surgery, operation, ect? I sure as hell haven't.

I knew someone who went to the United Way after a botched operation who was broke and facing the streets, and they were denied. Why she did not sue the hospital (they accidently cut her liver during an operation) because she couldn't work anymore, nothing, I do not know, but I told her to. That is a bit of malpractice in my book.

I personally couldn't believe it, but the United Way said no. Ahh, hello? What is it there for then? Supporting illegals or something?

Anyway, I refuse to suppport them with one dime anymore.

-S

Blindly giving to charity is more dangerous than giving to an individual.

An individual can thank you for it in person (unless you wish to remain anonymous).

A charity takes money that is never seen again and the "charities" they send to those starving kids in Africa are usually intercepted by local thugs or terrorists before it ever gets to their destination.

So if you haven't thoruoughly checked out the charity and where your dollar is going, you're better off helping individuals and you can witness the results yourself. That would be my satisfaction: Being able to walk away knowing I did some good, rather than wondering why someone isn't being helped when I donate all the time.

oh sure, I didn't just mean organised charities, I meant any kind of charity organised or personal.

Wow, that is a great point TteFAboB!! Many forget that corporations are comprised of people. There is no corporation that is not employing your mother/ father, brother/sister, neighbor, the guy down the street. Its unfortunate that those apposed to free enterprise and corporations can't see that the people they hurt are their brothers, sisters, and everyone else they hold dear. We do not live in a vaccuum and every action has a reaction.

Charity does help. Some charity setups might take advantage of this and steal, but theres still that percentage that gets through and thats what counts this is the point,
at least then you know and will have a clear mind on the matter that your contributing to the needy? You might no be able to help the person that died in hostpital yesterday but at least you know your money is going to give someone food on their plate or a good education or not died before the age of 10 from stavation/disease.

you can't be a saving grace for everybody. how would you decide who to help and who to not?

help yourself, you're here and then you're gone, make the best of your time

however, if you do have a lot of money, charity is certainly not a bad idea, but if you're pressed for cash and giving it away because of some righteous mission, not a good idea. (at least to me)

Well that is what it is it's all about for the secular/progressives. A clear conscience. Go on doing what is morally equivilent so long as you clear your conscience with the sort of indulgences the papacy was selling in the 15th century. You are engaging in the same behavior that is so abhorent to you.

Worst advice I have ever heard.

Quoted out of context.

Shamefull RedMenace. I'm embarassed for you.

In principle we do gambles. I could save somebody from something -and then see that somebody commiting murder, or causing a tragic accident. If I wouldn't have helped him, maybe a future genius that cures cancer will be lost for mankind. In the end, we decide in the actual situation we are in - when the situation has come. Previously prepared rules on how to act, no matter if our personal code or the moral teaching of what we claim to be our religion, cannot prepare us completely for that case. What only makes a difference - at least to me - is if those being affected have a face , or not (are an anonymous crowd that has no real existence for me). But I believe that all is connected and linked to everything else, evcen if most of the times in ways that we cannot perceive and understand. The responsibility to decide is ours. And that for the consequences too. But deciding we must, always. I do not believe in heavenly courts judging our deeds, I do not believe in sin and spiritual guilt, but we are causing consequences, no matter if we act or not act. And we cannot escape them: to bear the consequences is ours.

In a way we create our own heavens, and hells. There is no judge. There is no messiah lifting the responsibility off our shoulders. there are no shortcuts, and no deals to get a bonus.

We must do it, so we do, and then we must live with it. That is what I would call perfect justice.