beetlejuice's ghoulish wife
Regarding the thing about people asking for money on here and whether they NEED it - St. Augustine has a thing about charity where basically when you give money to someone who says they need it you are absolved from what they do with it. Like. It's none of your business from a moral point of view!
Apr 29, 2023 at 10:03pmWeb
Show threadbeetlejuice's ghoulish wifeApr 29, 2023
Even if you're not Christian, I think... if you have money to donate you kind of have to operate on the assumption that people aren't lying to you about their need, because otherwise... you're never going to donate to anyone because there's never going to be proof enough to convince you!
And if you ARE Christian, every time someone asks you for money is... morally equivalent to Christ asking you for money. You should be overjoyed by the opportunity!
Show threadbeetlejuice's ghoulish wifeApr 29, 2023
and like - I don't donate to all or even most of the requests that come along here, just because I don't have very much money right now. But at the very least don't begrudge people for needing help!!
Show threadjohanna, at the cafe counterApr 29, 2023

@mark Havin' a struggle with this, just today. Came across ask for "gifts". Thing is, both the account asking and the "buy me gifts" wishlist thing look terribly sus to me.

My natural inclination is to extend benefit of doubt. But also, there's the "I only have so much cash". And when it looks really scammy - do I have an obligation to NOT support it or let someone get away with that, as they are hurting others in doing so.

Show threadrustcellarApr 29, 2023
@mark @mtrkdjoyce Francis Joseph Hall had a good line of this despite being a fussy moralist on a lot of matters:
Show threadrustcellarApr 29, 2023

@mark @mtrkdjoyce screenshot is of Francis Joseph Hall’s Moral Theology page 157, in relevant part saying:

"In the matter of giving to the poor, careful judgment may be needed to avoid hurting instead of helping,and to escape the evil of wasting resources which should be administered to the best advantage But in doing this we incur the danger,generally over-looked, of forgetting a vital Christian aim in alms-giving,…“

Show threadrustcellarApr 29, 2023
@mark @mtrkdjoyce “…which is to show personal love, and to win persons to God. Accordingly, we always incur a risk when we refuse to give money to persons because w e do not feel sure that the gift will be properly used. [Footnote 1]…”
Show threadrustcellarApr 29, 2023
@mark @mtrkdjoyce
“…[Footnote 1] Bp. Butler, Three Sermons on Human Nature, serm.ii, "Because some are unworthy we cannot excuse ourselves from all giving." Morally the position taken by the man who says "I never give to beggars" isapt to be very questionable. While we should observe the findings of sound sociological science,the requirements of visible Christian love may not give way to them, lest we become mere utilitarians."
Show threadSamApr 29, 2023

@mark Jesus is just absent from the lived theology of so many conservative Christians. I’ve finally moved to a more liberal church and it’s like I’m finally focusing on what Jesus focused on.

No way Jesus cares about work requirements for welfare.

Show threadBB Apr 30, 2023
@mark
Imho what someone does with their donated money is a mark of their character. Being generous with your donations is a mark of YOUR character. 🤷‍♂️