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The Nature Of Charity
Topic Started: Nov 3 2007, 01:15 PM (206 Views)
Bill
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This isn't intended to be another thread about Heather but reading some of her comments about her charity work made me think about what charity really is.

I think of charity as a private thing. You do what you can and you keep quiet about it. John Travolta loading his plane with supplies, flying into New Orleans, unloading it and flying out again without any hullabaloo is charity. Robin Williams being photographed in the back of an ambulance donating blood on September 11th was just a photo op.

Whenever I hear Heather talking about her charity work I always think of Edina Monsoon from Absolutely Fabulous. It seems that any time a celebrity wants to do some good, they set up the “ME” foundation.

It must be said that Heather has done a lot of good for a lot of people. But listing statistics and expecting praise for it just seems vulgar and it cheapens the whole exercise. It makes us doubt her motives. It doesn't negate her achievements, but is self-indulgence for a cause any less self-serving than self-indulgence for its own sake?

Your thoughts?
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Dr.WinstonO'Boogie
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You are right! Charity has nothing to do with talking about how long you do it and how many you give away...
Heather still doesn't understand that the public prefers charity work to be done discreetly, and that the figurehead shouldn't be the main beneficiary.


Besides (sorry, but talking about this subject brings me back to HM...): two charities Heather mentioned have said, that they have nothing to do with her:

Quote:
 
Heather boasts on her website she is a leading backer of several charities naming Protect Darfur. But yesterday a spokesman for the charity, which raises money for victims of the war-torn African state said: "We are surprised that Heather Mills has chosen to name us. We have no formalised arrangement with her."

The Sun revealed on Thursday how Mucca promotes herself as the face of charity for No More Landmines. But director Neil Morrans said: "We've not had any discussions. I met her once in August."
(Sun, Nov2)

And she says, that she did this for 20 years now...have a look at her age, does she really think, that anyone will believe her, that she started this when she was 19 years old?? At that time she did something else...


She may have done a lot, no question...but it wasn't for the projects themselves but for the project "Heather Mills"..else she would do it in silence and does not have to tell everybody what she did!
One day, you'll look, to see I've gone - but tomorrow may rain so I'll follow the sun



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~LovelyRita~

Does doing a good thing for the wrong reasons make it any less of a good thing? I feel that as long as people are charitable, it doesn't matter if they did it for self-serving purposes. Sure I respect people a lot more if they're charitable simply out of kindness, but as long as the people who need charity are befitting from it, I don't think the motives behind it really matter.
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Queenbee
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I believe when you donate to the charity of your choice, you should be discreet about it. You should be donating because you believe in the cause and it makes YOU feel better in your heart. You shouldn't feel the need to let the world know what you have done. I feel people like HM do it partly because they want approval of those around them. It's just like church, some people go because they truly feel good in the heart when they go to church, and then their are others who are the biggest hypocrites sitting in the front row ~ who have nothing nice to say about others behind their back. I don't care whether you give to charity or not, I don't judge a person on his giving or lack of.
You should give to a charity only if it feels right and it helps to give to a charity you believe in.
But be discreet about it.


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Dorfliedot
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For one to feel good about ones self. To announce it is for other to give them praise.
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Colin
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Doing good for the wrong reasons could have a detrimental effect on the charity, the charity could suffer in the long run.
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Bill wrote;
Quote:
 
I think of charity as a private thing. You do what you can and you keep quiet about it. John Travolta loading his plane with supplies, flying into New Orleans, unloading it and flying out again without any hullabaloo is charity. Robin Williams being photographed in the back of an ambulance donating blood on September 11th was just a photo op.
I believe in doing the right thing for the right reason, the right way. One shouldn't boast about how much they gave or did in the name of charity, however talking about it is another story. For example I can say I gave blood today or even wear the sticker that says you did and it's not bragging, I like to think of it as advertising, a way to get more people to do the same. I've had many people ask where the blood drive is because they weren't aware of it and want to go. That adds to my charitable donation and I feel that much better about giving blood. You do not know Robin Williams, nor can you read his mind so it unfair of you to say that. I am sure you believe what you said but my objection is that you stated it as a matter of fact, when it is an opinion based on what you believe charity is or how to go about doing it. Maybe Robin and Heather were boasting, I doubt anyone will never know for sure, until then I will not convict them like you just did.
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BeatleBarb
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~LovelyRita~
Nov 3 2007, 07:20 PM
Does doing a good thing for the wrong reasons make it any less of a good thing? I feel that as long as people are charitable, it doesn't matter if they did it for self-serving purposes. Sure I respect people a lot more if they're charitable simply out of kindness, but as long as the people who need charity are befitting from it, I don't think the motives behind it really matter.

I generally agree with this sentiment, but as Bill suggested, chronic boasting cheapens the deed.

But I think the problem goes deeper depending on the type of charitible or philanthropic assistance. Charity cannot be a substitute for good social policy. For instance, if jobs paid a decent wage, those families relying on the services of a food bank would be greatly dimished. If healthcare was reasonable and accesible, less would seek the services of free clinics. Failing to address the problem is costly to society and the aid itself becomes a source of the problem.

I know Heather's work is different, but you can draw parallels and in her instance, while I appreciate the good that does come out of her effort, I do feel she over-identifies with all the good that she does do and gets a major ego stroking while shes at it. It's as if the charity is a by-product.
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Bill
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dantheweatherman
Nov 4 2007, 08:59 AM
You do not know Robin Williams, nor can you read his mind so it unfair of you to say that. I am sure you believe what you said but my objection is that you stated it as a matter of fact, when it is an opinion based on what you believe charity is or how to go about doing it. Maybe Robin and Heather were boasting, I doubt anyone will never know for sure, until then I will not convict them like you just did.

"Convict" is a strong word. I wasn't trying to divine his motives, just talking about how it looks.
But perhaps I should have qualified my comment with a "to me" so your point is well taken. ^_^
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Adilah
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Charity is one of the five pillars of Islam. Helping people who need it the most is considered the right thing to do. Boasting about it is considered vulgar.
"We call 10 American deaths a catastrophe. One hundred European deaths are a tragedy. One thousand Asian deaths are a shame. And 10,000 African deaths we call a Monday." - Lissa (1981-2007) السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
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DCBeatle64
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People dont need to yell from the rooftops they are contributing etc to charity, those who do yell from the rooftops to me sound as though they have an other motive. It doesnt seem sincere.

I say do what you can,every little helps and nobody should be judged for how much or little they give to charity.

I dont need to know who is giving what to who just as long as people are supporting charities or doing what they believe in is all that matters, charity should not be about personal gain, but thats always how it looks when HM goes on about it
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SherryO
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DCBeatle64
Nov 4 2007, 06:57 PM
People dont need to yell from the rooftops they are contributing etc to charity, those who do yell from the rooftops to me sound as though they have an other motive. It doesnt seem sincere.

I say do what you can,every little helps and nobody should be judged for how much or little they give to charity.

I dont need to know who is giving what to who just as long as people are supporting charities or doing what they believe in is all that matters, charity should not be about personal gain, but thats always how it looks when HM goes on about it

Exactly!
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~LovelyRita~

Colin
Nov 3 2007, 05:59 PM
Doing good for the wrong reasons could have a detrimental effect on the charity, the charity could suffer in the long run.

What rationale do you have for that? I suppose the charity could lose some credibility, but I think the person rather than the charity would be the one that would really take the hit.
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DCBeatle64
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~LovelyRita~
Nov 5 2007, 01:13 AM
Colin
Nov 3 2007, 05:59 PM
Doing good for the wrong reasons could have a detrimental effect on the charity, the charity could suffer in the long run.

What rationale do you have for that? I suppose the charity could lose some credibility, but I think the person rather than the charity would be the one that would really take the hit.

really, charities are generally pretty quick to get rid of people who may be showing the wrong image and thats because they know if they are associated with that person during a time of madness then they will also lose out
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