# Religious charity refuses to hand out water to hurricane victims **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 30, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552 "2005-10-30T03:37:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/61 "2005-10-31T01:49:25Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I can third the “no fool can mistake this for beer” cans it was packed in. A-B has, for decades, been on the spot with disaster-relief supplies whenever needed. [Here’s a picture](http://www.anheuser-busch.com/news/H2O_dntons_Katrina082905.htm) of one of the cans. They’re distributed by The Anheuser-Busch Foundation. > [@](#): > > Over the past decade the company and the Anheuser-Busch Foundation have donated more than $330 million to charitable organizations, including those that support education, health care, the arts, cultural enrichment, social services and environmental conservation. A-B does an amazing amount of extremely diverse charitable and environmental work throughout the country. [http://www.anheuser-busch.com/Citizenship/MakingFriends.pdf](http://www.anheuser-busch.com/Citizenship/MakingFriends.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/62 "2005-10-31T05:38:40Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Um, no. It’s not safe to say that. > > Read a bit about the [Southern Baptist Convention](http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/default.asp). It makes absolutely no sense, based on the quotes in that article, to say that the priest in question was speaking for the SBC as a whole. Since we know is a Baptist, it makes no sense to say he is a priest. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/63 "2005-10-31T05:40:35Z")
_Since we know **he** is a Baptist_, that is ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/64 "2005-10-31T05:51:14Z")
> [@zagloba](#): > > Since we know is a Baptist, it makes no sense to say he is a priest. avoiding the actual point made by nit picking. Nice going. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/65 "2005-10-31T09:39:44Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Thanks for the facts. I’m confused though. Is there medical coverage unmarried hetero couples? If so then certainly gay couples should be included. If not then this new law should include all unmarried couples shouldn’t it? The SA is primarily a church which does humanitarian aid. A lot of cities utilize the SA as a channel for public aid because the SA is already set up to deliver that aid. However, the SA is resisting selling-out its religious convictions to the demands of the state. If the state wants to defund the SA over that issue, then the state can set up its own aid-delivery system. Basically, it comes down to- does the state need the SA or does the SA need the state? I bet the state gives in. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/66 "2005-10-31T10:28:58Z")
> [@The Flying Dutchman](#): > > For what. What did you do that deserves an apology to non-Christians only? > There is nothing obscure about your clear and unambiguous scorn for a good segment of the American Christian population. Would you characterize them as lukewarm Christians? > > The OP can certainly be forgiven for having a low opinion of religion. “I’m right and you are wrong, I’m a better Christian than you are etc” Every religious person is subject to judge the faith of another. I’ve never heard an atheist describe himself as a better atheist than another atheist. > -formerly grienspace I apologized to non-Christians because, as evidenced by the OP itself, some people are going to read about this pastor’s actions and think they’re typical of all Christians. I consider it part of my duty to God to correct such impressions, and my priest backs me on it. I told a few people at church about this story, and they were as flabbergasted by it as I was. Is it arrogance to think I’m serving God by telling people not all Christians are like this? Yes. By my beliefs, it’s arrogance to presume I know what pleases God and I succeed in doing so. Nevertheless, I serve Him as best I can and hope I don’t get it too wrong. I’m not a better Christian than anyone else. I daily in loving my neighbor as myself, and, no doubt, when I’m surrounded by rush hour traffic, I’ll fail at it again, especially if I find myself stuck behind someone who wants to go significantly slower than the person behind me wants to go. I’m also acutely aware, even as I type, that when I feel obligated to point out that the actions of this pastor are specifically condemned in the Bible, the emotions I’m feeling, including the outrage, are probably nearly identical to those felt by someone who comes on this board and speaks of the evils of homosexuality or who condemns non-Christians to eternal torment. I’m no better than them. All I can do is point out why this pastor’s actions go against what I believe as a Christian and give people the reasons I believe this, including citing the chapter and verses behind my beliefs. I still find this pastor’s actions outrageous, as do other members of my church. CJ ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/67 "2005-10-31T12:57:15Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > The SA is primarily a church which does humanitarian aid. A lot of cities utilize the SA as a channel for public aid because the SA is already set up to deliver that aid. However, the SA is resisting selling-out its religious convictions to the demands of the state. If the state wants to defund the SA over that issue, then the state can set up its own aid-delivery system. Basically, it comes down to- does the state need the SA or does the SA need the state? I bet the state gives in. That’s helpful but doesn’t answer thge question. I was asking about the law being passed not the SA. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/68 "2005-10-31T22:16:36Z")
[And then this happened](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051031/ap_on_re_us/pastor_electrocuted;_ylt=AgnZvP8reMhLD4Qm1NUqCPqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-): > [@](#): > > WACO, Texas - A pastor performing a baptism was electrocuted inside his church Sunday morning after adjusting a nearby microphone while standing in water, a church employee said. > > The Rev. Kyle Lake, 33, was stepping into the baptistery as he reached out for the microphone, which produced an electric shock, said University Baptist Church community pastor Ben Dudley. Utterly bizarre event? Truly, but one that happened soon after the unchristian snubbing described by the OP. Odd, that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/69 "2005-10-31T23:04:41Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > [Utterly bizarre event? Truly, but one that happened soon after the unchristian snubbing described by the OP. Odd, that. Not really. A lot of Christians have died since that incident, and it ain’t even over yet. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/70 "2005-10-31T23:49:34Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > There is no Biblical injunction against drinking, although drunkeness is condemned. [There’s a discussion about that going on in GD right now.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=341921) > > Jesus does, however, have something to say about those who refuse to give something to drink to those who are thirsty, and it’s not pleasant. [It’s in Matthew 25:31-46,](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:31-46;&version=31;) which goes like this )bolding mine): > I think someone needs to write to these people and ask them why they’re _directly_ disobeying the words of Jesus and indulging behaviours which Christ, Himself, says will get them condemned, even though the claim to know Him. > > To the non-Christians out there, once again, I apologize. I realize some folks can cite obscure verses to justify the Rapture, homosexuals being more sinful than heterosexuals and (literally) God alone knows what other nonsense! I’m just amazed by how they can overlook Christ’s clear and unambiguous teachings as recorded in the Gospels. It’s not that these people’s actions contradict the teachings of my Episcopal Church; considering we serve wine at pancake suppers, it’s not like we have a lot in common anyway. It’s that their actions are directly contradicting the teachings of the One they (and we) claim to have accepted as Lord and Saviour. > > I _am_ sorry. When I’m more awake, I may be outraged. > CJ I wish we could get your message out to more people. Sadly, the ones who need to hear it most probably wouldn’t listen anyway. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/71 "2005-11-01T07:39:06Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > > [@zagloba](#): > > > > Since we know is a Baptist, it makes no sense to say he is a priest. > > avoiding the actual point made by nit picking. Nice going. That was meant as a facetious remark. **Metacom** ’s point is correct, of course, and I thought he made it strongly enough that he didn’t need me to carry his water for him. I did think it was mildly ironic that in a post proving that the SBC is decentralized, he gave one of its members the title of a cleric of that most centralized of Christian denominations. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552/72 "2005-11-01T16:30:34Z")
I agree that it’s not clear that the folks in line were completely denied water, or that the Baptists just refused to give out that particular delivery of water. Jesus also said to do anything to avoid sin, including cutting off your hand or plucking out your eye. If you honestly believe that, through the actions of your private organization, publicizing a business that you feel is doing something immoral is immmoral, you couldn’t in good conscience do it. A-B is not being completely charitable, since they are publishing their name on the cans, which is perfectly understandable, just don’t expect everyone to help spread that around. I could make various extreme analogies but I don’t want to go overboard. 🙂 Unrelatedly, I hate the taste of water and the idea of it in a can is doubly horrible. This thread is making me slightly nauseous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-charity-refuses-to-hand-out-water-to-hurricane-victims/328552.md?page=3)