The best investment in difficult times is to help those that are less fortunate. The

investment goes into the bank of the eternal. All the other banks stop at the wall.

(Some of you may not understand this because it hasn't been scientifically proven)

Do you mean something like sponsoring an african child elbeau? ,,, ie: Childfund?
... sets me back a bit over $11 per week >> helps provide permanent potable water & schooling .... priceless.

Geez I really struggle with charity, I absolutely hate that the CEO's of these charities draw hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary whilst a few cents of every dollar donated ends up where it should be.
But on the other hand if you don't have the right corporate structure then the charity goes arse up anyway. Maybe directorship of charities should be limited to a year or so, at a capped salary of 100k or something. Then that position becomes an act of actual charity rather than a career.
Such a difficult situation and I'm buggered if I know the answer.

elbeau said...

The best investment in difficult times is to help those that are less fortunate. The

investment goes into the bank of the eternal. All the other banks stop at the wall.

(Some of you may not understand this because it hasn't been scientifically proven)

Does there have to be a spiritual element to charity? YUK. And, "Investment"? "Investment"? "Bank of the Eternal"? FFS, are you expecting a return on you "investment"? ............ Well if you are expecting a return........ you've just blown it. You can't buy your way to heaven and Gody would know what your thinking , cause Gody knows everything, right?

smicko said...

Geez I really struggle with charity, I absolutely hate that the CEO's of these charities draw hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary whilst a few cents of every dollar donated ends up where it should be.
But on the other hand if you don't have the right corporate structure then the charity goes arse up anyway. Maybe directorship of charities should be limited to a year or so, at a capped salary of 100k or something. Then that position becomes an act of actual charity rather than a career.
Such a difficult situation and I'm buggered if I know the answer.

Athiests have morals too. They came from choice not fear.

buy more boards,cause when your broke at least you got something to surf

elbeau said...

Scientific reasoning probably sees this type of "magic"thinking as unsound yet I have found it immensely powerful and helpful

spot on there- it's a fallacious way of reasoning (and even has a cool latin name: post hoc ergo proptor hoc) and is completely unsound. but then logic and spiritualism have never been great friends.
but if the end result is that you help others, then it really doesn't matter if you're motivated by the flying spaghetti monster or self-satisfaction or insanity or whatever

log man said...

Yeah Elbeau, Why the Hell(oops!) would Gody be vaguely interested in YOUR little world? Aren't there more important things he /she would be more interested in..... golf for example? or defeating the prince of darkness, Sato?

Omnipresence doesn't mean a ticket to the big screen movies in your stocking at Christmas

I think Thomas Aquinas had a similar argument. Trouble is, elbau, it's nothing but wordplay. Pascal could say he loses nothing and gains everything by assuming the existence of god. I could say I gain nothing and lose everything by doing the same. I'd be just as correct.

Sorry I couldn't help it. No more. Nothing really to be gained for either of us debating the issue. Time alone will tell. See you in the next world.... Maybe

smicko said...

Perhaps I should have said I struggle with charities rather than charity.

Was discussing this with my wife last night, when Lise was eight she saved up $10 and donated it to the Blind Association. Ever since she has received a monthly letter from them, alms open.
This is my problem with charities the 10 bucks that Lise originally donated has been consumed many times over with postage, admin fees etc etc.

Elbeau the Big Issue costs money to print and is full of drivel penned by self righteous pratts who feel they have to force their views down others throats. Not surprised you dig it. Your mate in the vid has partially got the idea though, if you see some poor bugger on the streets with three socks and no shoes, help him out. Take your shoes off and go "here ya go mate" or as Flysurfer says leave 'em at the bus stop.

Charity is about helping someone out, not patting yourself on the back and saying "Hey God look at me"

I've only bought one or two copies of the Big Issue so will have to take your word about content. I posted the vid to show I agreed with you regarding being skeptical about the big charities. I take your point about self righteousness though.

smicko said...

Geez I really struggle with charity, I absolutely hate that the CEO's of these charities draw hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary whilst a few cents of every dollar donated ends up where it should be.
But on the other hand if you don't have the right corporate structure then the charity goes arse up anyway. Maybe directorship of charities should be limited to a year or so, at a capped salary of 100k or something. Then that position becomes an act of actual charity rather than a career.
Such a difficult situation and I'm buggered if I know the answer.

Not all charities are the same. Most sadlyare just like you said. Raising money so that they can use that money to raise more money. But if you are wanting to help you can. Many charities do an amazing job on less. Many that i am involved with pay little to no money to staff. In Fact there is a Charity register that many are tested by to show just how much money they put back or spend on campaigns.

To give you a idea the SSCS has a annual budget of about 3 to 3.4 million a year. About 2.5 of that goes in just the Southern Ocean campaign. the rest is used in other areas and i think there admin costs are less than about $25000o in total world wide. On the flip side Greenpeace just built a new ship for $33 million euros. That's one ship alone

My daughter raises money for a Orangutan org and i checked out about 4 before we invested our money. Same as our Sponsor kids offshore. We can even talk to them and right monthly so we know just how much she gets from what we send.

You sadly just need to research it more.

But i really hate people who raise money in the name of charity for there own benifit.

I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods (zeus, shiva, to name 2 of 10,000 odd who have been worshipped by humans), you will understand why I dismiss yours.

The biggest charity in terms of turn over is the Salvation army. The CEO of the salvation army gets $13000. This is Salvos america.

The Salvation army in Australia is the same. They get a pittance compared to the other commercial charities and they will always be there no matter what the issue is to comfort ,support and in a quiet non religous way (more by the example of their behaviour) guide people through the issues they face.
If I am giving to people I tend to give to them.

Otherwise I give to Sea Shephard.

I am very happy to see my charity dollar at work ramming the shizen out of a Japanese whaler.

"Thank God for the Salvos."

They get my prayers, my money and my vote always.