Charity as the action of lending aid to a neighbor or person in need is something that many people or organizations use as a means to justify taking money from one person and giving it to another. At its core charity is a very good thing, life is a hard thing and very few people can make it through the tough times without the aid of others at some point, whether financially of emotionally.
I learned about charity in Sunday school at a Southern Baptist church. Now when it comes to a community rallying to aid or support a person or family in need nothing, in my opinion, moves with the shear power or grace than a Southern Baptist Church Family. I will forever be thankful to the way my childhood church jumped into my family during the events surrounding my grandmother’s death. The people of that church, many complete strangers at the time, did everything in their power to ease the grief my family was feeling. But I digress.
So for me charity was not always about money, it was about actions, it was being a shoulder to cry on, it was preparing a meal, sharing food, providing clothing, mowing a lawn or even giving a stranger a ride to a doctors appointment. Charity was something that was very personal, something that I would do to help another person that many times had direct results.
I suppose in many ways this is why I have a hard time with the big corporate “Charity” organizations. They rarely want your time they only want your money, and on top of that many of the people that “work” for them make insanely high salaries. I have issue with people making personal money from something called a charity.
Recently there have been many conversation concerning entitlement programs within our local and federal governments needing more money and that by taxing people more it will keep providing for these “charitable” programs. So I ask If you force someone to give money to a charity, is it a charity any more?
I said that I believe charity is a personal thing; so I tend to say no. A compulsory charity is little more than theft. Charity comes from the heart and good intentions of the giver, by forcing people to give it creates waves of resentment from the givers which kills the charitable nature of that person over the longer term. “Why should I give more when I already pay for food stamps, housing, etc..” Sure it makes that person sound cold hearted, but when they presented with a large population of “needy” that have the same possessions and services that they have but have done nothing to earn them they cannot help but feeling resentment.
I have seen how a community will come to the aid of the needy and provide the means for that person to get back on their own feet and then in turn become one of the community. I have also seen people take advantaged of the good hearts of well meaning folks.
I am not really trying to solve the problem, I am only pointing out that it is a problem.
For me, charity is when I make donations to local food banks, volunteer to help the blind or help my elderly neighbor when their basements flood. What is taken from my taxes and given to others… to me that is not charity that borders on state sanctioned robbery.