When/if you donate money to charities, do you check to see if said organization is secular or not?
Personally, I do. I really don't want my donation being spent on sandwiches that are gonna be piled on a table in a church in Africa that the starving kids won't be able to have unless they sit through a 4-hour sermon.
I know this doesn't happen in all non-secular situations, but I have heard from former missionaries about things like this happening, so if there's any chance of this kind of thing going on, I sure as hell don't want my dosh being a part of it.
2007-09-26 05:56:24 · 17 answers · asked by Brandon's been a dirty Hore 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If it's religious in origin, as a rule, I do not donate. There are many other secular organizations that help the poor, give medicines, etc.. I don't want money wasted on bibles, church materials or paying the salary of ministers.
My uncle passed away recently and before he died he requested we donate to a particular church. I refused to and instead I donated to a medical charity.
2007-09-26 06:05:47 · answer #1 · answered by spike_is_my_evil_vampire 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I look at the organizations administative costs. The infomation is freely available. If a vast majority of my donation isn't going to the specific cause, I won't bother to donate. It doesn't matter to me if the organization is secular or not. I'm more concerned with how the money is being spent.
2007-09-26 13:15:23 · answer #2 · answered by ? 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have to morally agree with the charity before I'll give money to it.
My favorite charities:
Planned Parenthood
Children's Burn Foundation
Red Cross
Local United Way (specified to give to battered women shelters)
Local elementary school which my kids will be attending
Local police charities
Local food bank (okay, it's St Mary's, but they do a good job getting the food to people in need)
Local political causes, like when we voted down an anti-domestic partnership law
2007-09-26 13:10:17 · answer #3 · answered by KC 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have some specific organizations I donate to that I already know about. Either I've used them in the past (Red Cross) or they've helped people I know (Salvation Army). I don't typically stray from the ones I know.
2007-09-26 13:01:43 · answer #4 · answered by Armless Joe, Bipedal Foe 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The last thing I want is my small donations being spent on junk mail trying to persuade me to send more. (If I could afford it, I would have in the first place.) So I only give to local groups that don't solicit.
One was set-up by Unitarian-Universalists. :-)
2007-09-26 13:09:21 · answer #5 · answered by The angels have the phone box. 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I donate locally so I know what it happening to it. Our local food pantry won't even accept food from people that don't go to their church. Isn't that ridiculous???? So much for "christian" charity. I suppose they think because I'm Wiccan I poisoned it???
2007-09-26 13:01:58 · answer #6 · answered by Keltasia 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
most of the time, yes, I do check it out. I do support one that is through a church, though...heiffer international. it's really a great cause, you donate money to buy a family a certain animal or group of animals and it helps them to earn money to support their families. It's one of my favorites.
2007-09-26 13:12:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I try to avoid doing business with religious organizations.
I donate thousands a year to charities and its always humanist organizations who don;t discriminate against the needy.
2007-09-26 13:00:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't done that (not sent money because of a religious affliation), but if the cause outweighs the belief, I can look past it.
2007-09-26 13:01:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
On principle I don't support any charity with political or religious objectives.
2007-09-26 13:02:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋