Awta.
Coincidentally a teacher said to me today that most of the people in the world believe in god. Er, well I don't think 100 percent of the (approximately) billion people who have been christened catholic are devout believers, in fact I'd go as far to say a rather large percentage of them (like myself) don't even think about the fact that they've been christened catholic.
So, if I went down the street after winning a grand on a bet (Which will never happen, unfortunately
) And a catholic fund-raising event was going on and a nice old woman asked me could I spare any change would I give a donation? Well firstly there are four options for me (let's assume I wouldn't mind losing up to 100 pound) :
1) Give a good donation.
2) Give very little spare change, say 20p or something, pretending that's all I have.
3) Say I've got no money and walk on.
4) Directly Refuse
Now, options 2 and 3 do come across as quite devious and people pleasing, but again let's assume the only reason I won't pay is out of an ethical viewpoint. As for saying "I don't want to give any money to your church as I'm morally against it." I'd say that's quite cruel considering (without stereotyping too much) it is a nice old lady and a religious debate, especially with me not knowing her, could cause problems, so we'll rule out option 4.
In deciding to go with option one, I would have to do it because I think it's going to a good cause, I'd never even consider giving £100 to a charity I didn't like out of my own free will. In a sense it could be going to a good cause, it could be going to an aids research facility, humanitarian work etc at the same time it might be going towards a children's home where terrible crimes are committed or perhaps other nasty, in fact evil, underbellies of the church. And I certainly don't want to finance abuse. Although the money may go to a genuinely good cause I'm still funding what has become a very unjust organisation, I'm not trying to offend any catholics that's just how I feel.
Option two, I would be giving a donation but only a very minor one which would buy a few jellies if that, but at the same time I'm contributing to what I think is an unjust organisation. Someone might see me (a random fella) donating and feel encouraged to donate themselves and who knows? They might have ten grand in their pocket. But I wouldn't rule this out, mainly for the old woman's sake.
I'd probably say 3 is the favourite followed by 2 then (by quite a distance) 4 then 1. Polite (if slightly devious) and not betraying my moral judgement (although I'm not god so the idea of me "making judgements" is quite arrogant tstl)
Anyway, that might be slightly irrelevant, but that's my views on the church, I might amplify on this later but, me be tired.
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