Americans set new mark for giving

[nevadamedic]

Story Highlights
• Americans gave twice as much as next most charitable country
• Individuals gave a combined 83.4 percent of the total, with bequests counted
• Biggest chunk of donations went to religious organizations, followed by education
• Report: About 65 percent of households with incomes less than $100,000 gave

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/25/cha....ap/index.html

This definatly restores my faith in my fellow Americans.

[diuretic]

American philanthropy is acknowledged by the rest of the world (well, those who aren't anti-American nutters anyway).

[Lightning Waltz]

Story Highlights
• Americans gave twice as much as next most charitable country
• Individuals gave a combined 83.4 percent of the total, with bequests counted
• Biggest chunk of donations went to religious organizations, followed by education
• Report: About 65 percent of households with incomes less than $100,000 gave

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/25/cha....ap/index.html

This definatly restores my faith in my fellow Americans.

I think the stats are different if you look at giving as a percent of how much you have. Obviously, poor nations wouldn't be able to give nearly as much as rich ones would be able to (if not normalized for wealth).

Personally, I don't think giving to churches should count for those dollars that go to supporting the church, rather than helping those that need it. Supporting the church's in building the next mega-church complex, IMO, isn't really chairty, but supporting a form of entertainment. If that church gives a percent to a relief fund or something...that amount should be included.

[Kathianne]

I think the stats are different if you look at giving as a percent of how much you have. Obviously, poor nations wouldn't be able to give nearly as much as rich ones would be able to (if not normalized for wealth).

Personally, I don't think giving to churches should count for those dollars that go to supporting the church, rather than helping those that need it. Supporting the church's in building the next mega-church complex, IMO, isn't really chairty, but supporting a form of entertainment. If that church gives a percent to a relief fund or something...that amount should be included.

I wonder if you have any idea of how much good religious affiliated organizations do to help the poor in the US and abroad? The #1 reason that kept organizations like Hamas, CAIR, etc., from being 'squelched' was their charitable work, yet you have the gall to put down Christian and other religious organizations?

[Lightning Waltz]

I wonder if you have any idea of how much good religious affiliated organizations do to help the poor in the US and abroad? The #1 reason that kept organizations like Hamas, CAIR, etc., from being 'squelched' was their charitable work, yet you have the gall to put down Christian and other religious organizations?

Er...you misunderstood me. There are some great Christian charitable organizations, but that doesn't mean that every dollar given to Christian churches ends up there. A lot of the money ends up supporting the churches, themselves. That part, IMO, is more like supporting entertainment, than giving to charity.

[Kathianne]

Er...you misunderstood me. There are some great Christian charitable organizations, but that doesn't mean that every dollar given to Christian churches ends up there. A lot of the money ends up supporting the churches, themselves. That part, IMO, is more like supporting entertainment, than giving to charity.

Considering the percentage 'lost' of every dollar given to the government, I would trust more good from the dollar given to most religious based organizations than 'outreach' government programs.

[stephanie]

Well shoot ya didn't think we could have a post about the United States and Christians giving the MOST CHARITY...

United States Bad...Christians bad...

All other religions....good
All other countries...good...

[Lightning Waltz]

Considering the percentage 'lost' of every dollar given to the government, I would trust more good from the dollar given to most religious based organizations than 'outreach' government programs.

Perhaps so. But that's a different argument.

[Lightning Waltz]

Well shoot ya didn't think we could have a post about the United States and Christians giving the MOST CHARITY...

United States Bad...Christians bad...

All other religions....good
All other countries...good...

No where did I say that Christians and the US were bad...
That I won't blindly believe anything good said about Christians and the US doesn't mean that I believe Christians and the US are bad...just that I like to employ a little more critical thought than you do.