On the merits of Charity

[pecunium]

Faith, Hope and Charity. Three virtues.

The Overtly Religious boast of the first, and seem to have the second (though for what they hope, I am not certain, save that I seem not to share it).

But what of Charity? I have posted before on the need for works. On the actual demands Jesus made of his followers (love each other, love your neighbours, love your enemies, forgive those who wrong you and, most of all, help the poor).

So Digby (over at Hullabaloo) did me (and thee) the great favor of seeing what those with Vocal Vocations, and bully pulpits to the Faithful, have done to help those who suffered from the tsunami.

Not bloody much.

Most have not mentioned it at all (though Focus on the Family seems to have added a small squib, it's still less important than remembering them as the new year begins.

Some have gone so far as to thank God for His good works in killing so many perverts (it seems the Swedes are particularly egregious in this. One web site said,"Thank God for Tsunami & 2,000 dead Swedes!!!" asking, "How many tsunami-dead Swedes are fags and dykes?". Yes, it's Phelps, and he is a special case (and Lord, what have we done that You see the need to afflict us with him?, but rejoicing in the deaths of others seems to pass schadenfruede and move over to the range of sociopathic.

If I thought it would help, I'd quote 1 Cor. 13 to them, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal."

Comments

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

So faith, if it has no works, is dead.

Or any sort of translation of all that. (James, ch. 2, in the teens, I thought 14 but looked it up and it was 17, so there ya go. I was raised Catholic when the bible wasn't really studied.)

Just something that keeps cropping up in my life when it comes to me contemplating the whole Christianity thing.

I did read something on a friend's lj, about how some of the Christian charities arent coming in for immediate aid, but are going in long term, and some were already there, so they don't get the big numbers like the red cross, but they're there long term, rebuilding. The red cross is in there just getting people taken care of NOW. Needed, of course, but just part of the picture. The two charities we were discussing about this were the Salvation Army and the American Friends Service Committee. Two charities that will be there long after the Red Cross is gone, trying to make things normal again. Or better. I'm wondering if other Christian agencies are like that, they dont have the resources and know how to deal with disaster relief (a link on my lj takes you to a site that says something like 10 years experience is required to go to a disaster of this magnatutde), but do have the know how to rebuild villages and homes and schools and the like.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Are there Christian organisations out there, down in the weeds, doing good works? You betcha. Some of them are also merely proselytising by works, but I have no beef with them (though railing against the ill, without praising the good can make one seem anti-something, when what one is against is the failure to properly express that thing).

My complaint is with the actions, for by their works shall ye know them. These are the people who rail at my lack of moral values, because I don't see homosexuals as evil, becauase I don't want to have them possessed of the right to shove their brand of faith down my throat (and I was reared in the Church, in much the same time, but I was an altar boy with promise. Our Pastor wanted to make me a scripture scholar, both because I think he knew I had the seed, if not the actual germ, of a calling [it certainly seems I have a vocation] and that without some direction, the difficulties of reconciling doctrine, dogma, faith, practice and text, might lead me further rom the Church than I have;in fact, strayed. But I digress) and prevent me from doing something similar.

So here they are, with millions of people who listen to them. They have the chance to be compassionate, to do to the least of His brethren, that ought to move move them.

IF that doesn't they can do good for their cause (however misguided I might think it) by taking advantage of the fact that millions more people will be looking at what they do, and could be persuaded they aren't just spewing theocratic; narrow-minded hate. They could be cynical, and manipulate this cause to their actual advantage.

But they don't. Mammon, and power, seem to be their credo.

And we have more works by which to weigh them in a balance.

TK

[lazaruslong2004.livejournal.com]

While I agree that there exists the environment for a very nice little PR move by the Church, whatever happened to charity for charities sake. When did doing good and right acts have to be rewarded with a feather in the cap? I seem to remember that in The Sermon on the Mount that there were a few passages about not wearing your faith for all to see, and you will have your reward in heaven. I paraphrase, but the idea still stands.

It just grates that the message of "give until it hurts" comes from marbles halls while they heirarchy lives in guilded luxury.

Whatever would St. Francis say?

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Or, not to put too fine a point on it, what would Jesus do?

[bella-peligrosa.livejournal.com]

I actually remember that quite well. Charity for the sake of charity, not for the sake of reward or recognition. The argument can go pretty far with several different virtues, but is most apparent with charity. Everyday I watch as people pick up a stick and say "look at me! Look at me! I'm helping these poor, helpless wretches." Please! It's not limited to just Christian organizations operating in this disaster. I see it everywhere. Grantors who throw money at a cause just so they can have their name associated with a movement, not because they truly want to support and care,usually attaching so many conditions on the money that it's hardly worth the check its written on.

I know I'm rambling.

Just a random note to say, I agree.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

You know, the more of your stuff I read, the better I like you. I'm just sayin'.

[lazaruslong2004.livejournal.com]

I'll state my religious affiliation right up front: Recovering Catholic.

Of all of the transgressions of the Roman See, the one that really gets under my skin is their need to hoard. Whether it be wealth or knowledge (or both), the Holy See has a bad habit of stashing like packrats. I just wonder how many people they could feed, houses they could build, medicines they could supply, etc. ad infinitum, if they would sell a couple of paintings or even just allow a few scholors into the stash of documents under lock and key in the Vatican archives (for a moderate fee, of course).

They seem to have enough to pay plenty of hush money to victims of pedophilia.

Hmmm.

Priorities?

[zoje-george.livejournal.com]

This is the number one reason my partner became an avowed atheist. He was raised Catholic, went to Catholic schools, and had Catholic church at his doorstep every day until he reached 18.

Lack of compassion.

[lazaruslong2004.livejournal.com]

That's not my number one reason for disavowing myself of the faith. I had plenty of others, but every twig on the woodpile makes the fire higher.

[zoje-george.livejournal.com]

Oh you're quite right, it's not the only reason he's an apostate, but it's right up there. I'd bet he could come up with a reason for every day in the year and then some.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

My greatest problem with the Church (and one, which if sixed would probably bring me back into the fold) is the bull, Ex Cathedra.

The doctrinal infallibility of the Pope is something I cannot abide. I'm willing to grant him the ability to make the rules... keys to the kingdom of heaven, power to bind and to loose, and all that jazz.

But he is man. At his best he is primus inter pares of those who have answered a Calling.

But that doesn't make him perfect, not in the least thing. Saints may attain it, but that is something which can be determined only later (since a saint may blow it, right up to the last moment, just as the most wretched of sinners may haul his ass out of The Fire) and certainly I don't think that a puff of white smoke gives anyone the ability to put God on retainer.

Inspired, yes, infallible, no.

TK

[zoje-george.livejournal.com]

I'm not even Catholic, wasn't raised Catholic, and Ex Cathedra sticks in my craw.

[bella-peligrosa.livejournal.com]

Wait, wait, wait! Did I hear Focus on the Family in there somewhere?

Here's small food for thought. Year after year, Focus on the Family hosts the best breakfast at the state Capitol to lobby our legislators. Part of the price of the huevos rancheros and eggs florentine the poor legislators have to endure is the struggle to keep a straight face when they have to say thank you when they're handed the plate with a brochure on the inherent evil of homosexuality.

Amusing, disturbing. It's all the same.