Did I cover this already?

You know I write and talk about a lot of things.  Sometimes I will write something, or talk about something and a few weeks later I will again bring the topic up, discuss it or write about it again, and not recall having done it before. If I have, I am sorry, but it would be something that I feel needs to be repeated again.

So, in one of my bouts of insomnia I was listening to INSP on television.  I know, not exactly the best channel, but living as I live, there is one television, and well, I don't always control the remote.  So if someone is watching something that I dislike, I just put on some earphones, and listen to YouTube or watch something online. 

So, as I was listening to it, a religious program came on.  If you are imagining me looking like this, you aren't too far off.

Anyway, they were talking about planting a seed.  Lovely, from religion to farming.  Alright, I can deal with this, maybe.  But it wasn't the type of seed my brain was picturing.  It was a call for a donation, not just any donation.  Basically, they started parading people out who had given this ground a thousand dollars, many of whom did without, many of whom put it on multiple credit cards, and managed to get lucky.  One family said they were willing to do without food, and heat, but they gave.  Then suddenly the husband won fifty thousand dollars. 

Great luck there, I wish I would win fifty thousand dollars, but I am not inclined to play the lotto.  So as the sermon, wait it really wasn't a sermon, it was outright begging with the promise of the supernatural giving you money back.  So, as this progressed, I started looking less and less like the picture above, and more like someone in need of a good tight straight jacket. 

At this point the "preacher" jumped up and said that people should put this 1000$ donation on their credit cards, the money should come from the people, no matter how much hardship it caused them.  Look, it is not beneath me to beg for money (go to The Richardson Family Charity, give them some money if you can), but to tell people to run up credit card debt, to do without food, give their rent, money from the power bill, gas (propane, fuel oil, petrol) money is just wrong.

I mean it is beyond wrong, that comes to a point where people are putting their lives in danger, because of a 100% increase in what they give.  IE they give 1000$, they will get 100% or 1000% more in return.  I forget, the sleeping pills were kicking in, as they normally do at that time.  But as I said, it is wrong to do that to people.  Sure they might willingly be giving, and they might actually have a spare 1000$ sitting around that they were going to use for other things, but to beg off, and promise a return on that money is wrong.

People will do foolish things when they are poor.  They will make poor irrational choices.  When I solicit money, and I have a few times (even in this entry), I always ask for you to give, but only if you can.  I always ask that you take a few moments of your time, and you share the entry or share the website.  It is not so much about me getting the money, which money always helps, it is about raising social awareness of a problem.  Putting a face to it.  When I rail again Christian groups like this one, it is to point out that they are taking money from the poor, those with the least amongst us, to line their pockets.  And while I will beg off, the money doesn't come to me, it goes to the people I am trying to generate funds for.  So, yes, I am going to beg off on myself for a moment, turn off your adblocker, and have a look-see at the sides and bottom of the page, alright turn it back on, but just think about it.

I still have some shame, some dignity left.  These people do not.  People like Joel Osteen, Ray Comfort, Ken Ham, Creflo A Dolar, and others will take from any source they can, no matter how much it harms those they are taking from.  All so they can get the newest latest greatest Leer Jet.  God knows the Almighty wants them to travel quickly (Burger said "The dead travel fast"), so maybe there is truth to that.  But it also guts charity, people are so busy trying to give to people like that, ones who would say put it on your credit cards, run yourself into debt to give, that when someone like me comes along and says "I know some people who are in a mess, and I need your help to help them" I am left standing hand out stretched, while you are shaking your head, because you have nothing to give.

But you do, spread the word, give money if you can.  Ultimately, I cannot promise you a 100%, a 1000%, or even a million percent return on what I am given.  If I promised you that, I would be a liar, I would be so many things worse.  What I can promise you, the knowledge that you helped people in need.  The satisfaction that you are trying to make the world a better place.  That what you have done for the people I try and help, means the world to them.