Doing The Most Good

monster · 11-27-2008, 08:56 PM

It's the time of year when people are most likely to give to charity. So I want to know who's all in favor of the Salvation Army? 'Cause I've decided that I can finally admit to myself that they really fucking piss me off. I can't go ino any store without that damn bell ringing going on (Brits, trust me, you never want to experience this, non US/GB dwellars, have no idea if it happens there or not, sorry).

But what really gets my goat is the vans and ads with the slogan "Doing the most good". Since when is charity a competition? and that certainly doesn't seem to me to be a very Christian attitude.

Oh and... I volunteer at the thrift store to benefit the local schools. We're small, we only sell complete, clean, seasonal, working items. The SA central donation processing people turn up every morning to collect the stuff we reject ...but the local SA store round the corner thinks it's funny to tell people whose stuff is so nasty they reject it to bring it to us,

But my main gripe is this "doing the most good" thing. WTF?

/rant

Cloud · 11-27-2008, 09:00 PM

Charities have always advertised and competed for the charity dollar--this is someone's idea of a clever ad campaign.

I'd rather do Toys for Tots.

Pie · 11-27-2008, 09:05 PM

Salvation Army's pro-christian message pisses me off.

I prefer to work with Goodwill Industries.

monster · 11-27-2008, 09:10 PM

yes, they have, but to me this just seems so much beyond "the mission statement". For me, it's got them categorized alongside United Way. once charity becomes corporate, it's lost it's way and the money isn't all going where I want it to go.

monster · 11-27-2008, 09:11 PM

I'm an atheist, but I can live with a Christian message if it's truly christian.... but "doing the most good" isn't

Bullitt · 11-27-2008, 09:40 PM

I think it could be a reflection of their desire to put the most of your donation to actual services instead of just paying for overhead costs. "Do the most we can with your dollar" isn't as catchy.

Aliantha · 11-27-2008, 09:58 PM

I think the salvo's do a good job. Many other charities aren't really that charitable at all.

We always give to the salvos both when we're out and about, and when they do their door to door appeals.

I think they do 'do the most good'.

TheMercenary · 11-27-2008, 10:13 PM

They don't bother me one bit. I don't care if any organization is faith based as long as they do good with what they get. I usually drop a few buck in the bucket or pocket change if I see them. It is a small thing.

wolf · 11-28-2008, 09:57 AM

The Salvation Army's religion is pretty weird, but they do actually do good stuff.

Even if they closed down their homeless shelters in this area.

I think they have devoted more of their efforts toward supportive housing programs, though which I have seen people succeed.

I would be a lot more comfortable with their bellringers if they'd go back to the actual Salvation Army Members in uniform.

There's something skeevy about shoving your dollar in the pot when there's a (presumably ex-)junkie ringing that bell.

Aliantha · 11-28-2008, 02:31 PM

All the salvo bell ringers over here seem to be older retired type people who are definitely wearing the uniform. I think that lends a lot of credence to their efforts. They don't really ring bells here though. They just sit in chairs with their box, outside the supermarkets and large stores.

TheMercenary · 11-28-2008, 02:42 PM

I seem to recall uniformed bell ringers outside the stores in the UK, SG or Dana would have to confirm for me.

lumberjim · 11-28-2008, 03:35 PM

i wonder how much money you'd collect if you went and set up a bogus salvation army collection stand.

I wonder how much one of those buckets costs.

you can get the bells on ebay....a little paint job, and you're in business. just donate at least 15% of your take to the charity of your choice.

sugarpop · 11-29-2008, 07:57 AM

I give to World Wildlife Fund, or Defenders of Wildlife, or the Humane Society, stuff like that. I think animals need more help than people, so, I give to those charities.

sweetwater · 11-29-2008, 08:21 AM

Actually, "doing the most good" does seem to be a very Christian slogan to me - also of any other religion that attempts to gain converts with the "G-o-d loves the people of (my) Faith X more than s/he/? loves the people of Faith Y." I give them a few bucks every year, and it's a write-off. I don't know that it all goes to the specified charity or not, but giving once allows me to wave off the others I encounter.

Trilby · 11-29-2008, 08:59 AM

I give to the ASPCA.

11-27-2008, 08:56 PM	#1
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Doing The Most Good It's the time of year when people are most likely to give to charity. So I want to know who's all in favor of the Salvation Army? 'Cause I've decided that I can finally admit to myself that they really fucking piss me off. I can't go ino any store without that damn bell ringing going on (Brits, trust me, you never want to experience this, non US/GB dwellars, have no idea if it happens there or not, sorry). But what really gets my goat is the vans and ads with the slogan "Doing the most good". Since when is charity a competition? and that certainly doesn't seem to me to be a very Christian attitude. Oh and... I volunteer at the thrift store to benefit the local schools. We're small, we only sell complete, clean, seasonal, working items. The SA central donation processing people turn up every morning to collect the stuff we reject ...but the local SA store round the corner thinks it's funny to tell people whose stuff is so nasty they reject it to bring it to us, But my main gripe is this "doing the most good" thing. WTF? /rant __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

11-27-2008, 09:00 PM	#2
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Charities have always advertised and competed for the charity dollar--this is someone's idea of a clever ad campaign. I'd rather do Toys for Tots. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

11-27-2008, 09:05 PM	#3
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Salvation Army's pro-christian message pisses me off. I prefer to work with Goodwill Industries. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

11-27-2008, 09:10 PM	#4
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	yes, they have, but to me this just seems so much beyond "the mission statement". For me, it's got them categorized alongside United Way. once charity becomes corporate, it's lost it's way and the money isn't all going where I want it to go. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

11-27-2008, 09:11 PM	#5
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I'm an atheist, but I can live with a Christian message if it's truly christian.... but "doing the most good" isn't __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

11-27-2008, 09:40 PM	#6
Bullitt This is a fully functional babe lair Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,324	I think it could be a reflection of their desire to put the most of your donation to actual services instead of just paying for overhead costs. "Do the most we can with your dollar" isn't as catchy. __________________ Kiss my white Irish ass.

11-27-2008, 09:58 PM	#7
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I think the salvo's do a good job. Many other charities aren't really that charitable at all. We always give to the salvos both when we're out and about, and when they do their door to door appeals. I think they do 'do the most good'. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-27-2008, 10:13 PM	#8
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	They don't bother me one bit. I don't care if any organization is faith based as long as they do good with what they get. I usually drop a few buck in the bucket or pocket change if I see them. It is a small thing. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

11-28-2008, 09:57 AM	#9
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	The Salvation Army's religion is pretty weird, but they do actually do good stuff. Even if they closed down their homeless shelters in this area. I think they have devoted more of their efforts toward supportive housing programs, though which I have seen people succeed. I would be a lot more comfortable with their bellringers if they'd go back to the actual Salvation Army Members in uniform. There's something skeevy about shoving your dollar in the pot when there's a (presumably ex-)junkie ringing that bell. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

11-28-2008, 02:31 PM	#10
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	All the salvo bell ringers over here seem to be older retired type people who are definitely wearing the uniform. I think that lends a lot of credence to their efforts. They don't really ring bells here though. They just sit in chairs with their box, outside the supermarkets and large stores. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-28-2008, 02:42 PM	#11
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	I seem to recall uniformed bell ringers outside the stores in the UK, SG or Dana would have to confirm for me. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

11-28-2008, 03:35 PM	#12
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	i wonder how much money you'd collect if you went and set up a bogus salvation army collection stand. I wonder how much one of those buckets costs. you can get the bells on ebay....a little paint job, and you're in business. just donate at least 15% of your take to the charity of your choice. Attached Images __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

11-29-2008, 07:57 AM	#13
sugarpop Professor Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: the edge of the abyss Posts: 1,947	I give to World Wildlife Fund, or Defenders of Wildlife, or the Humane Society, stuff like that. I think animals need more help than people, so, I give to those charities.

11-29-2008, 08:21 AM	#14
sweetwater lives inside a Mobius strip Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,120	Actually, "doing the most good" does seem to be a very Christian slogan to me - also of any other religion that attempts to gain converts with the "G-o-d loves the people of (my) Faith X more than s/he/? loves the people of Faith Y." I give them a few bucks every year, and it's a write-off. I don't know that it all goes to the specified charity or not, but giving once allows me to wave off the others I encounter. __________________ I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque! - Bugs Bunny

11-29-2008, 08:59 AM	#15
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	I give to the ASPCA. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

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