Missionaries pimped out for sandbag PR stunt for LDS Inc

[_Mercury]

Bah, making fun of good deeds is too cheap of shot.

Exploitation of others misfortune for a PR stunt, now that's good though right?

[_Mercury]

Out of curiosity: What, if anything, have the secularists here done, specifically, to help out with the flooding in the Midwest, or with any of the disasters and humanitarian crises of the past few years, or (above and beyond the taxes that they owe) to combat poverty?

We have done plenty. Thing is, we don't seek out publishing good deeds. We do it because of altruism, not some half baked notion of promoting Mormonism.

[_Daniel Peterson]

I would like to think that, upon further reflection, this statement ended up being one you regret having made.

I'd be interested in seeing your reasons for why I should.

I think that charities ought to tell about their charitable activities.

I don't consider myself a liberal secularist. I see myself more as a conservative, I know... that's hard for you to fathom.

Not even slightly. I know many such.

Many of the folks you see out sandbagging are doing it because it is their own communities that are being threatened by flood waters.

Obviously.

And your point is?

[_Scottie]

Matthew 6

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

Matthew 6

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

You are quoting from the wrong book for the likes of Bishop Peterson.

Remember, the Book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, and that they only believe it as far as it is translated correctly.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

Many of the folks you see out sandbagging are doing it because it is their own communities that are being threatened by flood waters.

Obviously.

And your point is?

The one you just missed. That being charitable is not their driving motivation. Desperation is far more powerful than charity. As for the others who are not in eminent threat by the rising flood waters, many are there, again, not to be charitable, it just comes natural for them to help, when they see their fellow citizens under duress --and all without a PR tshirt.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Many of the folks you see out sandbagging are doing it because it is their own communities that are being threatened by flood waters.

Obviously.

And your point is?

The one you just missed. That being charitable is not their driving motivation. Desperation is far more powerful than charity.

That's obvious, too. I think it's supposed to count against some position that I'm supposed to hold, but I can't see any relevance.

As for the others who are not in eminent threat by the rising flood waters, many are there, again, not to be charitable, it just comes natural for them to help, when they see their fellow citizens under duress --and all without a PR tshirt.

And you think that Mormons lack this instinct or inclination, somehow?

The fact remains that social science research apparently shows that religious folks do more charitable service and give more to charity than do non-religious people. If it were a simple matter of uncoached human nature, one would expect the two groups to be at parity.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Matthew 6

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

I'm familiar with the text.

And, as I've said, I think it applies directly to individuals, but that its application to organizations, and especially to charitable organizations, is not at all obvious.

[_Trevor]

Out of curiosity: What, if anything, have the secularists here done, specifically, to help out with the flooding in the Midwest, or with any of the disasters and humanitarian crises of the past few years, or (above and beyond the taxes that they owe) to combat poverty?

We give thousands every year to charity--the money we used to give to the LDS Church. We also volunteer in soup kitchens.

[_Daniel Peterson]

We give thousands every year to charity--the money we used to give to the LDS Church. We also volunteer in soup kitchens.

I'm happy to hear that you are so generous.