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Religious contributions
Robert — (archived)

Perhaps this would have been easier for you if I'd used the word "altruism". I'm interested in what people will give without coercion and without expecting a personal benefit, which is to say I'm looking to measure altruism.

I excluded religious contributions for the very good reason that they're generally not truly voluntary. Tithing is considered an obligation, enforced by threatening one's immortal soul with hellfire and brimstone, and the assertion (strangely discordant for politically-conservative religionists) that it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to pass into Heaven.

What's of interest is what people will give to charity entirely without coercion. That was the very point of my question. Of course I excluded religious contributions.

A second very good reason for excluding religious contributions is that they're not entirely altruistic; they serve self-interest. Contributing to a church's construction projects, or maintenance and repairs, is to contribute to a facility that you yourself use. Most churches are multipurpose facilities that also host recreation and entertainment activities, so contributions to the facility have an entirely secular payoff.

Then there's the question of buying one's way into Heaven. How many donations to churches do you imagine are motivated by a desire to make points with God? How many donations are guilt money, made in the hope of balancing out a sin with a good work?

What's of interest is what people will give to charity entirely without coercion, and entirely without a self-interest to serve. Religious contributions tend to lack either characteristic of a true donation to charity.

Would you tend to apply the word "altruistic" to Conversatives? Can you do it without laughing?

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