Charity - It's a Rope-a-Dope *****(tell the Pope)
Hey Folks,
Earlier in a Mark Twain posting ( http://www.ukuleleman.net/2006/01/twain-on-nature-of-charities.html ) I shared the author’s view of charities:
“Remember, the proceeds go to a great and free charity, and one whose broad benevolence stretches out its helping hand, warm with the blood of a loving heart, to all that suffer, regardless of race, creed, condition or color – the only charity yet established in the earth which has no politico-religious stop-cock on its compassion, but says Here flows the stream, let all come and drink!”
Now, the Pope has weighed in with his first Encyclical ( http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060125/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_pope_encyclical ).
I’m with Twain!
We’ve all been raised with warm-fuzzies regarding charity, but if we actually think about it, charity is NOT a good thing.
Our hierarchical economic system creates levels of poverty and disadvantage and then blames the victims of the system for their predicament – “anybody can be rich in America – if they’re poor, it’s their own fault.” Convenient - - for those who exploit the poor.
Then since the system actually REQUIRES these levels of disadvantage – i.e. if poverty were eliminated, much of the lop-sided distribution of wealth* would also be eliminated – poverty and disadvantage – far from being eliminated – must be maintained. One of the levers of maintenance is charity.
Although discrimination and abuse are necessary, our rulers must walk a tightrope. The people must be kept in their exploited position while they are squeezed as much as possible but WITHOUT causing an explosion. Hence “charity,” which ameliorates the situation WITHOUT really changing it. Take everything you can, and give as little as possible to keep the lid on.
Twain recognized that, and so did Oscar Wilde who said:
“We are often told that the poor are grateful for charity. Some of them are, no doubt, but the best amongst the poor are never grateful. They are ungrateful, discontented, disobedient, and rebellious. They are quite right to be so.
As for the virtuous poor, one can pity them, of course, but one cannot possibly admire them.”
Unfortunately, the Pope is all for charity and for letting government do its thing. He’s less interested in pushing for a just and humane world than he is in demanding government’s endorsement of the Church's charity WITHIN the corrupt system.
What is Jesus doing?
Turning over in his sepulcher, twisting in the stained polyester shroud he picked up at the Thrift Store for $1.29.
- Uke Man
Earlier in a Mark Twain posting ( http://www.ukuleleman.net/2006/01/twain-on-nature-of-charities.html ) I shared the author’s view of charities:
“Remember, the proceeds go to a great and free charity, and one whose broad benevolence stretches out its helping hand, warm with the blood of a loving heart, to all that suffer, regardless of race, creed, condition or color – the only charity yet established in the earth which has no politico-religious stop-cock on its compassion, but says Here flows the stream, let all come and drink!”
Now, the Pope has weighed in with his first Encyclical ( http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060125/ap_on_re_eu/vatican_pope_encyclical ).
I’m with Twain!
We’ve all been raised with warm-fuzzies regarding charity, but if we actually think about it, charity is NOT a good thing.
Our hierarchical economic system creates levels of poverty and disadvantage and then blames the victims of the system for their predicament – “anybody can be rich in America – if they’re poor, it’s their own fault.” Convenient - - for those who exploit the poor.
Then since the system actually REQUIRES these levels of disadvantage – i.e. if poverty were eliminated, much of the lop-sided distribution of wealth* would also be eliminated – poverty and disadvantage – far from being eliminated – must be maintained. One of the levers of maintenance is charity.
Although discrimination and abuse are necessary, our rulers must walk a tightrope. The people must be kept in their exploited position while they are squeezed as much as possible but WITHOUT causing an explosion. Hence “charity,” which ameliorates the situation WITHOUT really changing it. Take everything you can, and give as little as possible to keep the lid on.
Twain recognized that, and so did Oscar Wilde who said:
“We are often told that the poor are grateful for charity. Some of them are, no doubt, but the best amongst the poor are never grateful. They are ungrateful, discontented, disobedient, and rebellious. They are quite right to be so.
As for the virtuous poor, one can pity them, of course, but one cannot possibly admire them.”
Unfortunately, the Pope is all for charity and for letting government do its thing. He’s less interested in pushing for a just and humane world than he is in demanding government’s endorsement of the Church's charity WITHIN the corrupt system.
What is Jesus doing?
Turning over in his sepulcher, twisting in the stained polyester shroud he picked up at the Thrift Store for $1.29.
- Uke Man
1 Comments:
Go, Tom, go!! Just keep telling it like it is - not like they pretend it is. Good for you!! Sondra
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