What is the noblest charity?

[Turtle]

___Just a poll on a reoccuring thought. It may take me some time to vote on my own poll. I simply don't know, so I stopped to ask for directions.

[C1ay]

Heroic sacrifice. Nothing could be nobler than giving one's life to save other's.

[Queso]

a smile

[infamous]

Heroic sacrifice. Nothing could be nobler than giving one's life to save other's.

I must cast my vote with you on this question C1ay. I would like to expand on the thought however, by pointing out that one can give their life to a worthy cause without dying. Keeping this in mind, I would define the noblest charity as a life's work, devoted to helping others in one form our another.

[C1ay]

I must cast my vote with you on this question C1ay. I would like to expand on the thought however, by pointing out that one can give their life to a worthy cause without dying. Keeping this in mind, I would define the noblest charity as a life's work, devoted to helping others in one form our another.

Yes, I was trying to use verbage that would include the local fireman as well as Mother Teresa. I think both are examples of heroes that sacrifice their own life for others.

[infamous]

Yes, I was trying to use verbage that would include the local fireman as well as Mother Teresa. I think both are examples of heroes that sacrifice their own life for others.

Absolutely C1ay, there are many good folks doing courageous and difficult work all over the world that get little or no recognition for their humanitarian contributions. These efforts should be recognized as noble by any standard.

[Buffy]

Charity certainly has some gradations! My initial reaction to the list before I scrolled down was similar to C1ay and infamous: "sacrifice" is essential to nobility. But I also note that the Ayn Rand fans will tell you there is no charity without egoism, and Rand's books are filled with characters who "sacrifice" but only in order to glorify their own image (as some cynically claim about Mother Teresa).

 

And don't get me started about the folks who are righteous to the point of sanctimouniousness because they tithe more than the average amount at the collection plate, but have never worked at a shelter or visited an AIDS patient....or worse think that charity is *bad* because poor/sick people are just suffering from a "wrong lifestyle choice", or at least it would be better to just "teach them to fish" (who cares if they die before they learn?)....

 

Cheers,

Buffy

[pgrmdave]

I think that if the entire world was as educated as the best of us, many of the world's problems would be lessened, if not eradicated.

[Queso]

i think the noblest charity is manipulating as much people as you can into believing you are the son of god.

[Boerseun]

In my opinion, charity is doing for others what they can't do for themselves. If they could fend for themselves financially, or any other way, they would not need your charity to begin with. Therefore, charity enables the weaklings to survive and procreate. Charity is against any natural law you care to mention, and will weaken the human race.

 

We should stop celebrating mediocrity and enabling mediocrity to thrive.

 

Charity, in my mind, should be the financing of mentally able students who are in the slums not by their own doing, and want to get out of it through study and hard work.

 

Charity should not be financing of those who do not want to do anything in return for it.

[C1ay]

Therefore, charity enables the weaklings to survive and procreate. Charity is against any natural law you care to mention, and will weaken the human race.

So the fireman that gives his life saving a babe from the fire weakens the human race? Such a carte blanche characterization of charity seems a little inconsiderate of some circumstances in my opinion.

[Tormod]

Good poll, Turtle...hard to choose and I voted "Educating the ignorant" and "Subsidies". However, "free education for all" falls under both of these categories. In my opinion, teaching people things, and especially helping them help themselves is the most important thang charities can help with.

 

As for ultimate sacrifice...I am not so sure. It does of course depend on the situation.

 

I disagree with Boerseun. Charity is not against any natural laws - if so it would not exist. There are many kinds of charity and some are good whereas some are not. Missionaries, for example, do a lot of good work but some of them require people to convert before they get help - often by denying them any help before they convert (this is not an attack on religion but on how some missionaries practice their work). Others, like the Salvation Army, helps everyone. Then there are the people like the Red Cross, which do marvellous work all around the world. Helping out in times of crisis is also charitable.

 

Then again, the basic stuff is also important - people need to take care of their family and friends, too. That is perhaps the most basic thing.

 

I guess I have no final answer...

[Boerseun]

So the fireman that gives his life saving a babe from the fire weakens the human race? Such a carte blanche characterization of charity seems a little inconsiderate of some circumstances in my opinion.

I think we should differentiate between charities and jobs.

 

A bystander who sees his neighbour's house burning down and risks his life in jumping through the window to save a 'babe from the fire' is much more noble than the fireman who does it 'cause he's getting paid for it.

 

But creating a home industry of figuring out a way of staying on the 'dole' and making it possible for layabouts not interested in bettering their own situation is pointless.

 

I suppose any charity where the donor is getting positive feedback and cooperation from the receiver of said donation is noble.

 

For instance, if I pay a certain amount to go towards a slum-dweller's education, and he/she actively uses the opportunity to better him- of herself, finally getting out of the slums (in which the individual had no choice in the matter) to become an actively contributing member of society, that in my mind is noble. To keep a bunch of slum-dwellers in booze through poorly administered funding, is pointless, and only serves to perpetuate a big problem.

[C1ay]

A bystander who sees his neighbour's house burning down and risks his life in jumping through the window to save a 'babe from the fire' is much more noble than the fireman who does it 'cause he's getting paid for it.

I don't doubt that at all. I'm just saying it is a noble, charitable act to give one's life to save another and IMO it is those whom strengthen the human race, not weaken it.

[rockytriton]

How about "Teaching a man to fish", though I guess that would fall under "Educating the ignorant"

[Turtle]

___I missed the deadline of my own poll! :hihi: I vote for healing the sick. It seems to me that a certain level of good health is either required for or the aim of all the others in the list. :cup:

[Boerseun]

How about "Teaching a man to fish", though I guess that would fall under "Educating the ignorant"

"Build a man a fire, and he's warm for a day. Set fire to that man, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."