When they display their righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, they wither and fall, and their sins sweep them away like the wind. ~Loose quote of Isaiah 64:6
From an ironically-titled announcement, Using God’s Word in Times of Tragedy, I have learned how one Christian group, Faith Comes By Hearing, in partnership with others, is “responding to this crisis” in Haiti.
Faith Comes By Hearing’s spokesperson:
We already have 600 Proclaimers on their way…
These portable, solar-powered Audio Bibles will be given to local pastors so people can hear God’s Word in their own language—Haitian Creole.
“Opportunity knocks,” as my mother would say.
By the way, if swinging “Good without God” is something you can do – and Christianizing savages isn’t your thang – you can contribute to Haiti by way of NonBelievers Giving Aid. Funds will only be passed on to aid organizations that do not have religious affiliations. No strings attached, in other words. In the case of Haiti, the two organizations chosen by the group are:
Giving to the groups directly is another good option.
And yet millions of other Christians open their pocketbooks and send money or food, many to the charities you have listed above.
If Christians and others of various religious persuasions continue to set themselves up as paragons and, inevitably, fall short, they will have to take their lumps when those of us who do our best without divine intervention, and without preaching at others to do better, point to the truth — that they are, after all, no better or better behaved than the rest of us.
Long sentence but I hope my meaning is clear.
It’s not good enough to say “but not all Christians cheat and lie and steal” until all of you shut up about knowing better than the rest of us.
Nance
Nance, you reminded me of a Rick Warren quote:
It’s also interesting when people argue, “Heck, if there’s no God, what’s to stop me from raping and murdering??”
Uh, thanks for the heads-up.
Poor saps. They think they’re making such profound points when they’re really just announcing to the world just how depraved and dangerous they’d be w/o “God.” It’s why we should probably keep religion around. To keep our children safe from them. ;)
Hi Sidney,
I don’t understand how your point relates to the post, which is about those who take advantage of traumatized people in dire need. I don’t think that I made the accusation, but, just to be clear, I know that not all Christians support groups like FCBH.
Yes, I’ve heard of these asshats, and similar fundy groups sending bibles. Yes… starving, wounded, dehydrated people need bibles more than anything else. *rolling eyes*
However, I will say I’m mightily impressed with the efforts of the Mennonite Central Committee in my province. The province has pledge $100K. In the same time it took the province to do that, the MCC had already raised $1M in cash for Haiti, and are now asking for donations of goods. (clothing, first aid supplies, non-perishable foods). They are pretty upfront and transparent as an organization. They don’t proselytize. They are run entirely by volunteers.
If there have to be religious groups, I wish more of them operated like the MCC. Aid in the *name* of god, not aid forcing god.
Hi Audrey, :)
That’s interesting about the MCC. Sounds like they were able to mobilize quickly, which is everything in these circumstances. I don’t know much about Mennonites, to be honest. :)
It’s good that non-believers are finally becoming more organized for giving purposes. I just hope we don’t start indulging in the same kind self-promotion as some religious groups. I understand the temptation, as the lame memes about “selfish” atheism get old and tiring, but I hope we resist it.
Well, Mennonites are Anabaptists, and an integral part of the Anabaptist creed is pacifism. I live in an area with a very high concentration of Mennonites — many of them immigrants. As a group — well, people are people, eh? I don’t know a whole lot about how their religious practices spell out in their personal lives, but, I can say there are some really admirable things about their public actions (not just the MCC, but also Ten Thousand Villages which their chain of fair trade shops, not to mention the numerous other community assistance programs they seem to routinely institute).
I’m sounding like a commercial, aren’t I? I don’t mean to. It’s just that, compared to the fundy whackjobs that make the headlines…. well… my local Mennonites are refreshing.