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    Vulnerable

    Just finished listening to Safran and Bob on Triple J (i get the podcasts so I’m a bit behind) and headed over to the Fr Bob site to see what’s up.
    He’s been making his own podcasts which I am yet to listen to and promoting his charity work.  I thought he had some interesting things to say about christians engaging in social justice work:

    Father Bob

    Religious people, if they’re to be trusted with vulnerable people must assume an uncharacteristic ‘discreet’ approach. I’m claiming that’s the unique contribution made by Jesus of Nazareth to the evolution of religion. Paul, the marketing supremo of Christianinty puts it: “Jesus emptied himself of divinity becoming one of us.”

    That’s an interesting idea, that christians providing welfare can have a position of power which may be abused in the name of evangelism.  Steph did a bit of time with drug arm and found it pretty ‘on the nose’ because they got all pentecostal when she was more interested in joining the streeties for a coffee and finding out what they were up against.

    Related Posts:  »Uniting Church on industrial relations »Passing Judgment on Paedophile Pete - by Rev Glynn Cardy »New Job

    Posted: March 31st, 2006 under Social Justice.
    Comments: 3

    Comments

    Comment from James the cat
    Time: 1/4/2006, 10:54 am

    the whole charity and altruism thing is more complex than at first glance.
    Why do people engage in such activity? For what purpose? Some possibilities are:
    1. for personal inner reward, to feel good about one’s self, that one is ‘making a difference’. Ok, as long as you keep focused on providing service that needs doing and not just that which purely makes one feel good.
    2. following religious or philosophical teachings, that charity is intrinsically good, for some reason. A variation on 1.
    3. Useful work which just happens to be tax deductable/ tax write-off.
    4. Useful work which shows others what good people we are, and that they should be like us, and join our religion.
    5. a good way to get grateful converts and boost the numbers (and save people from perdition etc.)
    6. a good way to use excess manufacturing capacity without having to down size a domestic industry and be seen to be doing good in the region – a government variation of 3.
    7. a way to get people dependant on you so that you will always have an important job to do.

    I suppose a variety of these motivations could be in force in any one person or agency. given that I have just finished a night shift, there are probably other motivations that I have not thought of.

    But, it is important to realise, not all charity is good (surprising as charity is from the latin Caritas, which is love (of neighbour, I think). ) Some come with hidden agendas… just like the ‘free offers’ you get in the mail… a hook to get you onto something.

    SO, Christian charity is motiviated by a number of factors. HOWEVER, using the charity as a way to make converts directly really underminds teh whole charity programme. It is a commercial transaction, merely using a differnt currency. It is cynical and debasing for all involved.

    As parish warden with an interest in mission, this is a vital point. What are we trying to acheive with our mission? How do we spread the gospel, and to what end? Do we really spread the gospel, or are we merely tring to advance our own interests…

    Christian charity is about seeing others as the image of God, and loving others as God loves them. Conversion should be immaterial to this.

    Some food for thought.

    Comment from Sheena
    Time: 3/4/2006, 9:33 am

    I agree with you James, but I want to raise 2 other possible reasons Christian people might engage in such work.

    – guilt over their affluent lifestyle and material properity and a desire to do something to redress the balance, or show God that they are grateful it isn’t them – enjoyment of the power of making a difference to someone – genuine concern at the suffering, often undeserved, of other people and righteous anger and social injustice and a desire to help

    In my current work for a charity organisation I am meeting a refreshing lack of agenda for conversion or blind obedience and a corresponding presence of a desire to do something to lift people out of a pattern of destruction. The phrase “client-centred practice” is one which is bandied around a bit and it means just that – the worker’s concentration is to be on doing things for the benefit of the client for any other reason. I believe that is how it should be, and it’s refreshing to see it here.

    Comment from steph
    Time: 15/4/2006, 6:50 pm

    Look, call me an eternal optimisist but in my social work travels I haven’t encountered much charity for means of conversion…I think the concept is very much out of vogue (although I haven’t been circulating with pentecostals since my drug arm days). There are some people that genuinely have a bit of time to spare and want to offer it to people experiencing disadvantage so they have a greater understanding of the complexity of our world.

    Story pulse

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