I sometimes wonder when these tragic things happened like today (bombings) (America, atheist)
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I never hear of churches donating money to these families who are injured or lost people, yet thats left up to non profit organizations by people who mostly volunteer their time and money. Am I completely wrong to think how screwed up it is that a non-taxed money rich organization doesn't spare a dime but has no problem sending up millions of pray for free. Anyone else find the backwardness in this.. I have tons of friends on facebook posting pictures of prayers for Boston and prayers for this, yet not one offered to donate to the Red Cross funds I've seen set up.
I suspect that some churches / religions organizations will do some good connected with the bombings and that some religious people donate to practical secular causes like the Red Cross. But I do agree that prayer is a waste in terms of actually helping (you know there were plenty of prayers before the race, routinely, for safety for the participants, and look what good that did). It will help some people personally, and I think this is the real reason people pray seriously, it is really for their own calmness / meditativeness / comfort.
I would like to see less excusing of suffering and misery and more action to prevent and ameliorate it. In my view, emergency responders, doctors, nurses, and law enforcement are doing more practical good right now than all the prayers of all the pious people in the world. Later, it will be counselors and therapists, and true friends and neighbors of the victims.
After seeing that poor guy being hustled out of the blast zone in a wheel chair with his legs reduced to a couple of shattered femurs, I just want to see the sick bleeps who did this caught, preferably in a fatal shootout.
Other than that the best thing we can do is not live in fear. This is, after all, terrorism, so terror is what they're gunning for. This is the first successful attack on American soil (assuming it's even foreigners behind it) in a dozen years, so we're doing a pretty good job of preventing them, obviously.
Churches are run like businesses. "Not for profit" is garbage. I suspect they are all about profit! It's a travesty that they get tax exempt status, and groups of people such as veterans have to pay taxes. Who does more for the country????
Sorry about that rant.
I feel for the victims and the families of today's tragedy. I hope they find the courage and solace to deal with it. Would anyone be suprised if it's religious ideology that's behind the explosions? I wouldn't.
Am I completely wrong to think how screwed up it is that a non-taxed money rich organization doesn't spare a dime but has no problem sending up millions of pray for free.
I don't know just kind of thinking I guess. I was just watching footage and thinking how much money the churches hold and receive more and more every day and yet I don't hear of them stepping up to help, but they will pray pray pray for someone to help.. Usually not in the form of god but rather people.
Location: Sitting on a bar stool. Guinness in hand.
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Being close to the area right now (in newton ma. for time being). I have very little doubt the the catholic church will help in some way with the victims. Exactly what they do is unknown. Really it hard to tell exactly what each individual will need at this point. The situation in general is still confusing and we are unsure of where all the chips may fall. So I'll hold judgment off until this start to settle.
Boston/Massachusetts/New England produces tough folks with strong spirits. Our will is unbroken. And while there is some fear...we just keep chugging along and enduring. Saw it today. People going about there business. Now let up in the usual traffic going into the city from what I saw. So what else can I say.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mordant
After seeing that poor guy being hustled out of the blast zone in a wheel chair with his legs reduced to a couple of shattered femurs, I just want to see the sick bleeps who did this caught, preferably in a fatal shootout.
Actually the guttural response from the folk here would be to take baseball bats to him/her/them. Guns are to quick. With that said. Actually I'm very proud of the folks up here for not just jumping to conclusion and at the moment seem to be patient and trying to help the authorities up here any way they can with finding out who did this and why. We want justice....not just revenge.
I never hear of churches donating money to these families who are injured or lost people, yet thats left up to non profit organizations by people who mostly volunteer their time and money. Am I completely wrong to think how screwed up it is that a non-taxed money rich organization doesn't spare a dime but has no problem sending up millions of pray for free. Anyone else find the backwardness in this.. I have tons of friends on facebook posting pictures of prayers for Boston and prayers for this, yet not one offered to donate to the Red Cross funds I've seen set up.
First, there would have to be a known need for Red Cross funds.....the same for churches.
What are they going to donate to?
Perhaps if it comes to light that certain people or families are in financial trouble due to that event, you will see that they do get donations (and even if they do, it may not be something you'll know about)
I don't see a Red ross type of situation here though.
Actually, when I read the thread title combined with being in the Atheist forum, I figured it was going to be speculation that the bombing is a religiously caused event,....specifically an Islamic jihad one
First, there would have to be a known need for Red Cross funds.....the same for churches.
What are they going to donate to?
Perhaps if it comes to light that certain people or families are in financial trouble due to that event, you will see that they do get donations (and even if they do, it may not be something you'll know about)
I don't see a Red ross type of situation here though.
Actually, when I read the thread title combined with being in the Atheist forum, I figured it was going to be speculation that the bombing is a religiously caused event,....specifically an Islamic jihad one
I don't know, militant Islamists pretty much always take credit for their attacks, and in this case several prominent groups, like the Pakistani Taliban, have called in to pointedly deny having been responsible for it. Given the amateurish design of the bombs and the lack of an announcement, I bet you this ends up being some domestic nutjob like the Unibomber. Not claiming responsibility for a high profile attack isn't a hallmark of political terrorism.
As for the church thing, to be fair, while the churches don't always donate, it is worth noting that religious people do give to charities at statistically higher levels, and are often encouraged by their churches to donate directly to groups like the red cross rather then through the church. There's tons of things wrong with churches, but credit where credit is due, reminding parishoners about charity and generally encouraging it is one of their few redeeming qualities.
First, there would have to be a known need for Red Cross funds.....the same for churches.
What are they going to donate to?
Perhaps if it comes to light that certain people or families are in financial trouble due to that event, you will see that they do get donations (and even if they do, it may not be something you'll know about)
I don't see a Red ross type of situation here though.
Actually, when I read the thread title combined with being in the Atheist forum, I figured it was going to be speculation that the bombing is a religiously caused event,....specifically an Islamic jihad one
I don't know, militant Islamists pretty much always take credit for their attacks, and in this case several prominent groups, like the Pakistani Taliban, have called in to pointedly deny having been responsible for it. Given the amateurish design of the bombs and the lack of an announcement, I bet you this ends up being some domestic nutjob like unibomber. Not claiming responsibility for a high profile attack isn't a hallmark of political terrorism.
As for the church thing, to be fair, while the churches don't always donate, it is worth noting that religious people do give to charities at statistically higher levels, and are often encouraged by their churches to donate directly to groups like the red cross rather then through the church. There's tons of things wrong with churches, but credit where credit is due, reminding parishoners about charity and generally encouraging it is one of their few redeeming qualities. Prayers are a cop out for people who can't or won't donate, but so are all the equivalent acts of solidarity expressed by people who aren't religious who also don't help in concrete ways. I don't know we can say they're more guilty then the rest of us when it comes to this very human foible, they just express it differently through a religious lens.
Location: Sitting on a bar stool. Guinness in hand.
4,428 posts, read 6,517,483 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mordant
After seeing that poor guy being hustled out of the blast zone in a wheel chair with his legs reduced to a couple of shattered femurs, I just want to see the sick bleeps who did this caught, preferably in a fatal shootout.
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