Religion, charity and the St Vincent De Paul Society

Those of you who know me well will be aware of my policy, held for quite a few years now, of not giving money or support to charities with strong religious affiliation. Some people have called this personal policy into question, pointing out that they're still charities, and surely they're still doing good things. Others have just shrugged and called me a curmudgeon.

I commend those people into the care of the Sydney Morning Herald, particularly this article on the St Vincent De Paul Society's real mission.

Finally the truth is out

"The primary function of the society," said St Vincent de Paul's lawyers, "is to inculcate the Catholic faith in its members."

What, really?

Oh, OK, I kid. I knew this all along, but it's very nice to see it in black and white, finally. An admission by a major Xtian charity that they don't do their work out of christian altruism, but as a means of increasing the stranglehold over their own flock and indoctrinating new members.

Is anyone really that surprised? Well, the people who've questioned my "no money to religious charities" policy might. And clearly the rather naive Linda Walsh, who the story focuses on due to the legal battle that's gone on for the last several years, was surprised enough when thrown out for not being catholic enough that she fought a case for several years.

On a personal note, someone quite close to us is a member of the Salvation Army, you know, the ones who take out adverts in New Scientist around mid december, looking all compassionate and caring, complete with battered wives and homeless children.

The main activity within this particular church (and yes, it is primarily a church and not primarily a charity) appears to be enforcing church morality, gossiping about other members, politicking about rank and rehearsing the choir. All these things are just like any other church, I'd guess, except this church generates literally millions of dollars from non-members through presenting a media image as some kind of guardian angel to the poor and needy, while actually their main focus is on keeping members entirely on-message with a secondary helping of proselytising to the people they help. The 'charitable arm' is quite large, but staffed by volunteers who are viewed as fresh meat for the church itself.

Religious groups like this are the pilot fish of the charitable world, dangling a brightly-glowing glimmer of charity and altruism to lure victims closer to the jaws of faith.

Count me out.

The only good thing to come from this blog post? I have another reference to point people to when they scowl at me for sending a religious charity on its merry way with empty pockets.

@stilgherrian gets the hat tip for the link, by way of twitter

posted @ Saturday, January 3, 2009 1:02 PM

 
 
 

Comments on this entry:

# re: Religion, charity and the St Vincent De Paul Society

Left by Dave The Happy Singer at 1/3/2009 3:53 PM
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Excellent post, and I share your policy of boycotting religious charities.

I applaud Christians for the immense amount of charity work they do. This work could be done via secular charities, so I can join in too!

Deserved applause aside, I have to temper that with the opinion that I have more respect for someone who does good for goodness' sake, and not as some kind of heavenly Air Miles scheme.

The charity work is, despite what flailing apologists claim, no argument whatsoever in defence of the Christian faith, and those who disagree would do well to digest Christopher Hitchen's challenge:

Name one good deed done or statement made by a religious person that could not equally well have been done by a nonreligious person.

Then name an evil act committed by the religious solely because of their faith.

I've yet to hear a single cogent answer to the first except 'prayer' (wut?)

The second is, of course, tragically easy.

When charities with a Christian mission masquerade as secular-style relief charities, that is (and mark my words carefully): ABSOLUTELY FUCKING DISGRACEFUL.

Not only is proselytism diverting resources from those who need them, but the donors themselves are being scammed most egregiously.

The St Vincent de Paul Society and the Salvation Army are appalling in this regard, although I have to say if you give donations to an organisation called 'Salvation Army' and expect it to be used for good, you need your head checking.

Can I chuck in a World Vision here? What vision would that be exactly? Why, one of conversion of course!

http://www.worldvision.com.au/aboutus/whoweare/philosophy.asp

DISGUSTING.

Here is a list of secular charities which is rather American in its focus, but includes many global secular charities, including Amnesty International, the Red Cross, and Médecins Sans Frontières:

http://techskeptic.blogspot.com/2007/12/atheist-charities.html

# re: Religion, charity and the St Vincent De Paul Society

Left by kathleen at 8/28/2009 4:13 PM
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Well said...my husband has just had a workplace grievance of bullying found in the favour of the bully by vinnies ...after the poor naive well intentioned chap gave ten years of his life to working for the poor. All he has to show for it is a near nervous breakdown and a furious wife who is trying to get the word out.

I did a post on it recently....your readers may or may not be stunned the depths vinnies or its senior management will go to ...even to go as far as to blame me...his wife for his not being well enough to go to work.

I sent some very pithy emails letting them know what i think of them...but its just not enough....injustice is so hard to take
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