Thursday, March 22, 2012

Begging the Question: Which Came First: Beggar or Charity?

Which came first: the impulse of compassion or the need for basic life-giving "amenities" such as food and shelter, not to mention clothing which seems to separate us from animals?

Organizations are bestowed nonprofit status by the IRS if they serve a public benefit, yet they are the ones who seek charity in the form of donations.

In my book, this is a tautology, a redundant, self-fulfilling prophesy; the charitable are in need of charity. What about the needy, the ones who are at the bottom line?

Perhaps we have to organize, a "Beggars Union" and cut out the middle man. Do we need nonprofits to frame our issues or, perhaps, is their role to tidy us up so that we are presentable to those "others" who need to exercise that compassionate impulse? When a nonprofit makes more money "defining" the issue than it does remedying it ... don't get me started!!

Begging the Question, Again. Always!


And remember,
No Matter What
Don't Forget to Ask for the Money!

2 comments:

  1. Good blog, unique idea. Did you know that the 'holy beggar' is a high level initiation?

    Best wishes to you

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your consideration. Please tell me more about the initiation. I am familiar only on the surface about the Holy Beggar being in the Jewish tradition, but imagine because of a beggar's centrality in cultures, that there are many profiles that are implied.

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