Are there times when it is unethical to give money to needy individuals or to a charity?

Answer 1

Well, there are "charities" that waste a lot of money applauding themselves, or simply spending other people's money, rather than doing whatever they claim to do; and there are scams, fronts, etc.

But I wanted to address the question of giving to needy individuals, as this interests me.

Someone said "not if they're going to use it for ..." and I wanted to suggest another view.

At sfgate.com, if you do a search on "Jon Carroll" +"Untied Way" you'll get a bunch of articles by a columnist who advocates giving a 20 dollar bills to anyone who asks for money (take money from an ATM, whatever you're willing to spend, and go to an area where people ask for money; lather, rinse, repeat until the money is gone, then go home).

He points out that 100% of the proceeds go to the intended recipient (no over-head whatsoever) to be spent on "self-identified need areas" -- which, yes, sometimes means things you don't approve of.

One point is, you never know, they may use it for food, or to go to a Goodwill store and buy things they can really use.

But suppose they buy booze or drugs. Jon Carroll's question is, Have you always spent your money wisely? Have you ever been given a break you didn't "deserve" -- in some sense?

You're giving a gift, and they spend it as they see fit.

If this really bothers you, then you don't have to "Give, The Untied Way."

Apparently, a number of people do as he suggests. (He does a column or two during the holiday season every year.)

Anyway, I just wanted to point out this source of one unusual take on this question.

Answer 2

Needy individuals? Yes, when and if those individuals are going to squander your donation on booze or drugs.

To a charity? Sure. One instance might be if that charity is a front organization for some criminal activity. The LTTE, for example, is a terrorist group in Sri Lanka that has been known to use front charities in the US & Canada to launder money & send it to the main group back in Sri Lanka.

Another way that giving to a charity might not be good is if it's one of those evangelical charities that are less concerned with saving lives and more concerned with saving souls. Some of them spend nearly all their money on missionary work, sending bibles & preachers to 3rd-world countries to prey on the desperate. Any food or clothing they dispense is used as a bribe to get the poor people to fill the pews and get converted. Ethically, it's despicable.

Answer 3

If you are unable to purchase things for your own family which are NEEDED, not wanted, I believe that then it would be unethical to give money to charity. If your sick child needed medicine, and you decided that the money were better off in the hands of someone else, I believe that would be unethical. Charity is a wonderful thing to support, but take care of yourself or you will be unable to care for others.

Answer 4

Anyone begging for money on the street who isnt mentally disturbed, old, sick, has two working arms and two working legs should get a job. To give money to this kind of person is not only a waste of money and unethical, its stupid. Save your money for a worthy charity that you know does good work.

Answer 5

Most of western thought and ethics revolves around the question of self and self servingness. Knowing that good serves the self even in self sacrifice, if that self believes is doing good, is self service, despite the fact that in self sacrifice that self receives at that time a good less than the bad experience of that moment; that is why we name it 'self sacrifice', even if that self lives on. So materiality versus spirituality is the struggle here. You must judge the times to know the answer to your question. In time we know the consequence of our actions; at least knowing is our hope. Knowing is for the benefit of our will. Not knowing these others, one has to think on universal concepts or common facts of humanity. Does the material come before the spiritual: yes, meta physic. Does spiritual health come before personal success: yes, ante physic.

So the conditions known at that moment are essential to knowing consequence of our choice to give or not. What do you know at that moment is the only guide for your next action. If you know then that it is not your ethic to give something at that moment, then don't. When you know that it is your ethic at that moment, then do give that something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethic

Answer 6

i suppose when that individual or charity is supporting some unethical actions, then yes.

Answer 7

Ethics vary from culture to culture, certain morals seem always good or always bad. There are exceptions to almost everything. The only thing I am aware of that can never be changed is the truth.

Answer 8

I guess if you had to be judemental about thier need-say if you give a hungry person food-thats good-but if you feed him everyday-he may never learn to feed himself

Answer 9

I don't think so.

It's unethical to judge people.

Answer 10

Yes, when you know they are only going to spend it on themselves.