# Charity stops at Christians **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 9, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576 "2010-12-09T20:20:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/61 "2010-12-10T14:55:20Z")
You know, _intellectually_, I realize that most Christians are probably _not_ mendacious assholes with massive persecution complexes gained primarily through uncritically consuming what Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and whatever soon-to-be-outed anti-gay preacher is hot at the moment are shoveling. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/62 "2010-12-10T14:55:46Z")
What the fuck does Indonesia have to do with Burma in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![Leon497](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Leon497](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leon497)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/63 "2010-12-10T15:04:36Z")
The discussion was not just about Burma, and I used Indonesia as example of a non-Christian country with terrorists that want to hurt the USA, and I have seen ads to do aid to Indonesia people even recently. I had said I prefer aiding Christian countries over non-Christian ones because the latter often support terror against the USA, which many do including guess what? Indonesia. Now you are all caught up. I clarified that I am speaking of 2001 and beyond to try to keep them from bringing up the Spanish Inquisition or something. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/64 "2010-12-10T15:08:15Z")
Leon, I think that you made the mistake of assuming that “terrorism” is something that only has existed since 2001 (believe me, it’s been going on for much longer than that, and sometimes in worse forms than now), and that “Christian countries” equals “USA”. Before giving that broad statement about “No Christian countries have had terrorism coming from their native population”, I would have tried to check a bit to see if such statement is warranted. Google can be your friend, really. Putting those qualifiers afterwards definitely feels like goalpost-moving. It doesn’t help your position. Also, indeed, if the help was going to Burmese people in Thailand (and it is kept out of the hands of the Burmese Junta), I would say that mentioning Indonesia has no bearing on the subject of that thread, and is basically either spamming or thread-shitting. I am sure that, in your mind, you had a more coherent justification for your feelings than what came through via your writings. I would say that you should take this thread here in the Pit as a small lesson on being careful and precise when expressing your arguments. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/65 "2010-12-10T15:08:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What the fuck does Indonesia have to do with Burma in the first place? Well, um, it’s, um, like on the other side of the world, like, and, like, those whatchamacall’em don’t, um, look like us, like, and, um, I’m sure they’re not Christian. Ain’t that good enough for ya? ETA: And since they’re not Christian, I’ll bet they’re all towelheaded Mooslem terrorists who never heard about Jesus! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/66 "2010-12-10T15:10:29Z")
Having spent time in Indonesia, I know the country and the people to be exceptionally nice. (Its island of Bali is Hindu, BTW.) The Indonesian government does not support terrorism, has its own problems with a small minority of terrorists and is a US ally, and a very valued one seeing as it’s the most populous Muslim-majority country. Obama just visited Jakarta for the first time since living there for a few years as a small child and received a very warm welcome. (But then, Obama’s a secret Muslim, as we all know by now. Heh. :D) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/67 "2010-12-10T15:11:51Z")
> [@Leon497](#): > > The discussion was not just about Burma Yes, it _was_. The thread was only about Burma, and then you showed up and started blathering on about other shit. It looks like you don’t realize how badly you embarrassed yourself there. > [@](#): > > I used Indonesia as example of a non-Christian country with terrorists that want to hurt the USA, and I have seen ads to do aid to Indonesia people even recently. I had said I prefer aiding Christian countries over non-Christian ones because the latter often support terror against the USA, which many do including guess what? Indonesia. _But none of that applies to Burma._ It’s non-Christian (Buddhist), but not known for funneling money to terrorists - and you kept banging on about terrorism. So why bring it up when there’s no connection? Indonesia is not relevant. The rest of your opinion was at least _valid_ (Mexico needs plenty of help and I know some people prefer to give closer to home), but you were still being an ass by bringing it up in the first place. If you want to give money to Mexico, start a thread of your own instead of trying to talk people out of giving money to the Burmese. I’m tempted to cut that charity a check just to spite your stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/68 "2010-12-10T15:19:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > _But none of that applies to Burma._ It’s non-Christian (Buddhist), but not known for funneling money to terrorists … And sadly, the Burmese people would welcome a US invasion. You know how the US government seemed a bit disappointed that so many Iraqis and Afghans didn’t welcome the American soldiers with open arms? If they really wanted that, Burma would have been a good choice. Sadly, many Burmese looked at Iraq and then Afghanistan and then fervently believed and hoped Burma had to be next. They honestly didn’t see how those other countries could be invaded but Burma missed. To this day, hope for an invasion lingers on. Very sad. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/69 "2010-12-10T15:20:19Z")
> [@Leon497](#): > > I had said I prefer aiding Christian countries over non-Christian ones because the latter often support terror against the USA, which many do including guess what? Indonesia. Jesus Christ himself could descend from the heavens and punch you in the face and you _still_ wouldn’t have a fucking clue. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/70 "2010-12-10T15:26:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What the fuck does Indonesia have to do with Burma in the first place? It is full of (non-Christian) people who _might_ become (specifically anti-American [post-2001]) terrorists _just like Indonesia_ (despite being a totally different situation, culture and religion). It’s perfectly clear. Keep up man. ---
**Author:** ![Leon497](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Leon497](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leon497)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/71 "2010-12-10T15:31:32Z")
Well I have my opinion and you yours folks. The only thing I should have said better was terrorism against the USA, such as trying to crash planes, shoot at our soldiers, bomb nightclubs, and doing that because there are Americans there as the goal is the kind of terrorism I was talking about. I thought that obvious but you all can’t fathom that so I will be sure to write at a lower grade level in the future for this audience, agreed. Now if anyone can find me a majority Christian country or one with a Christian church in its government officially and that supports terrorism against the USA, let’s hear who that is? Maybe I did miss something. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/72 "2010-12-10T15:36:46Z")
> [@Leon497](#): > > Nor why a board in Chicago in English wouldn’t mostly be a local USA audience. Do you all really go to boards not in English and participate regularly on boards in foreign domains in foreign languages? I bet only a handful do. I just don’t buy the points you try to make at all. I see you’ve been on this board for a whole month now. I can tell you, unequivocally, that you are wrong on this matter. Add it to the list, and move on. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/73 "2010-12-10T15:39:13Z")
> [@Leon497](#): > > Well I have my opinion and you yours folks. Certainly. Yours declares its ignorance like a shitpile declares that it’s full of poopoo, and it is tainted with unashamed bigotry. Do continue to hold it by all means, but I suggest you stop waving it around - it doesn’t become you. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/74 "2010-12-10T15:39:52Z")
I’m not aware of any Burmese children trying to crash planes, shoot at our soldiers or bomb nightclubs. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/75 "2010-12-10T15:40:18Z")
> [@Leon497](#): > > Well I have my opinion and you yours folks. Right. But we were discussing your stupidity, meaning all the facts you got wrong, and not just your opinion. > [@](#): > > The only thing I should have said better was terrorism against the USA, such as trying to crash planes, shoot at our soldiers, bomb nightclubs, and doing that because there are Americans there as the goal is the kind of terrorism I was talking about. The Bali bombing wasn’t terrorism against the USA. It was an attack on Indonesia - and if anyone is keeping score, Indonesia is the country that you said gives money to terrorists and which also isn’t Burma. There were some U.S. citizens killed in that attack and the club was attacked because it was popular with tourists, but the largest portion of the dead were Australian (88), Indonesian (38), and British (24). > [@](#): > > Now if anyone can find me a majority Christian country or one with a Christian church in its government officially and that supports terrorism against the USA, let’s hear who that is? Maybe I did miss something. Burma doesn’t support terrorism against the US. Neither does the Indonesian government, really, although there is a major Islamic terrorist group in the country. Why did you start yammering about this when people were discussing aid to Burma? ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/76 "2010-12-10T15:44:02Z")
> [@Leon497](#): > > Now if anyone can find me a majority Christian country or one with a Christian church in its government officially and that supports terrorism against the USA, let’s hear who that is? Maybe I did miss something. I don’t think you will find any government “with a Christian church in its government officially”. Separation of Church and state and all that; it applies in many places around the world outside of the U.S.A. Majority christian countries that would fulfill your criteria… First off-the-cuff would be Venezuela… Very heavily Christian country, and its government is in the hands of the kook who called G.W.Bush “the devil”. And his government is buddy-buddies with Iran. The Venezuelan government won’t say it openly, but they don’t look with disgust at things like terrorist attacks against the U.S., or having the U.S. military stuck in Afghanistan. That’s an example of a majority-Christian country whose government supports terrorism against the U.S.A. (Tacit support is support, only with plausible deniability if push comes to shove. And they undoubtedly support Iran and are allied with Iran, who we might agree has a government that definitely wishes ill towards the U.S.A.). ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/77 "2010-12-10T15:44:27Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What the fuck does Indonesia have to do with Burma in the first place? They end with A. Nasty furriners. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/78 "2010-12-10T15:47:12Z")
> [@Leon497](#): > > Nor why a board in Chicago in English wouldn’t mostly be a local USA audience. Do you all really go to boards not in English and participate regularly on boards in foreign domains in foreign languages? I bet only a handful do. I just don’t buy the points you try to make at all. You seem to be unaware that: 1. the Internet does not work on a line-of-sight basis. You don’t have to be in physical contact with the server to read the messageboard. You can, in fact, access it from far away (assuming the hamsters haven’t died again). 2. People speak English outside the greater Chicago area. They even speak English outside the US. Sometimes this is because they come from countries where English is actually spoken like Canada or…what’s that place called?..oh yes…England. Sometimes this is because they are Americans abroad. Sometimes they’re foreigners who actually paid attention in school. English is not a “foreign language” to most of us, although given the comprehension level you’ve demonstrated in this thread I’m starting to wonder about you. 3. Everything you say is wrong on a level that inspires incredulity in all who witness it. > [@Leon497](#): > > Well I have my opinion and you yours folks. No, you have your opinions and we have reality. > [@](#): > > The only thing I should have said better was terrorism against the USA, such as trying to crash planes, shoot at our soldiers, bomb nightclubs, and doing that because there are Americans there as the goal is the kind of terrorism I was talking about. I thought that obvious but you all can’t fathom that so I will be sure to write at a lower grade level in the future for this audience, agreed. Yes, it’s our fault that we can barely parse your incoherent ramblings, let alone actually read your mind to understand what you meant even though what you meant had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with anything being discussed. > [@](#): > > Now if anyone can find me a majority Christian country or one with a Christian church in its government officially and that supports terrorism against the USA, let’s hear who that is? Only if you explain what this has to do with anything at all in that other thread. > [@](#): > > Maybe I did miss something. The sum total of what you’ve missed could fill an alternate universe. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/79 "2010-12-10T15:49:26Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > I don’t think you will find any government “with a Christian church in its government officially”. Separation of Church and state and all that; it applies practically everywhere. Psst…“Church of England”…just sayin,… ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576/80 "2010-12-10T15:49:56Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > They end with A. Nasty furriners. So does USA. We have met the enemy, and they are us. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charity-stops-at-christians/563576.md?page=5)