I went to gamehouse.com to play one of my favorite games - Collapse. And while waiting for the game to load - they had a banner ad for “Christian Childrens Fund”.
Gawd, if the TV commercials ain’t enough…
I’m not against helping kids - but why in the world is the contributions they ask for going to other countries when we have kids right here in America that can benefit from this money. I’ve also been to several of these countries, and what they’re showing you is normal everyday life for these people.
That’s a pretty limiting definition there, tshirts. I’ve seen and helped out in too many charities to say that’s an accurate statement at all. I understand your concern - I’d hate to see any money I send in the name of charity and helping less fortunate go towards church coffers and bible thumping. But I think a few bad apples have spoiled your bushel.
What’s the problem, NightCrawler? It’s not Sally Strothers yapping at you. It’s not UNICEF knocking on your door. It’s a small, nonintrusive banner ad.
Gamehouse.com, like most gaming sites, would be in a world of hurt without ads. If CCF is willing to pony up the bucks, more power to 'em.
Your last paragraph indicates you are grumpy with the whole idea of charity money going to other countries. So, ignore them and give to a local charity. Simple as that.
Hmph. I used to do voluntary work for Traidcraft, an avowedly Christian charity working to create sustainable economic development in the Third World - basically, giving help (advice, training, sometimes low-cost loans) to small businesses in developing nations.
Traidcraft is, as I said, openly Christian - but it does not spend its money on evangelism, and it does not place religion-based preconditions on the help it offers. (At least, it didn’t while I was there, and I haven’t heard of anything changing). It does work with other charities and NGOs, Christian, secular, and based on other religions. And there are a number of Christian charitable organizations like it. Their focus is on practical help, not evangelism, and their aim is sustainable, self-supporting economic growth, not handouts. And I don’t see how anybody could object to that.
To be sure, there are faith-based charities which do evangelize. I don’t know what charities legislation is like in the US, but here in the UK, they have to be pretty open with regard to how their money is actually used… but, there are bad people in all walks of life, so, yes, there may be charities which solicit money for aid but spend it on bible-thumping. (Or whatever else - hypocrisy is not confined to religious organizations, after all). But that is very far from being the whole story, and I feel it’s wrong to suggest otherwise.
If you don’t like the aims of a charity, don’t give it any money. It’s that simple. But, please, at least make sure you know what those aims actually are before you condemn them. That’s only fair - isn’t it?
Yeah, they’re used to not having enough to eat – don’t worry about it. They’re used to not having clean drinking water – don’t worry about it. They’re used to crushing poverty – don’t worry about. They’re used to working 12 hours a day instead of going to school – don’t worry about it.