This years Halloween?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Funny E-mail
This was sent to me in an email and I thought you might like to see it....
"Back in 1990, the Government seized the Mustang Ranch brothel in Nevada for tax evasion and, as required by law, tried to run it. They failed and it closed. Now we are trusting the economy of our country to a pack of nit-wits who couldn't make money running a whore house and selling booze?"
"Back in 1990, the Government seized the Mustang Ranch brothel in Nevada for tax evasion and, as required by law, tried to run it. They failed and it closed. Now we are trusting the economy of our country to a pack of nit-wits who couldn't make money running a whore house and selling booze?"
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Self Scrutiny
Today I read a blog that I was introduced to by my good friend M and today's post got me thinking about what drives us to the decisions we make. The post was a follow up to a previous post where the author asked:
“let's say you're given the opportunity to donate some money to a desperate family who would use it to feed their children, but were only able to do so if you donated the same amount of money to someone you knew would use it to buy crack. Would you do it?”
My immediate thought was that I would never support drug use and instead would give food, thinking this was a slightly clever way to solve the problem as opposed to following her rules. I read some of the comments to this post (of course, my answer was there…) and people had a variety of opinions. Some felt it was a metaphor for the recent bailout or her way of pushing her liberal views onto others…
Turns out it was from an experience she had with her older brother when she was younger and he gave money to a homeless man selling roses, paying 10 times the asked amount. The post of the story was today and the comments were profoundly different: no more questions of a hidden agenda and complete approval. Most were from people who felt they should give more. So this got me thinking about charitable actions and one’s agenda behind them.
I am sure we would all like to think that we give often and unconditionally. Unfortunately I think there is always something more there. I know that many give because it makes them feel good inside and sometimes make up for other slip ups they might have in the future. I know that some give to get the recognition and approval of others (politicians anyone???). Still others give because they feel they are required to or don’t know any different. Does this make it bad?
My opinion is that it is not a bad thing to give to anyone or any cause. We all trust that it will do some good and be used it the right way. We all have to believe this because if we didn’t then we wouldn’t be charitable… and that would be a terrible thing.
I try to give when I can and would like to think that I do so unconditionally but I know this is not true. I do many things to gain the acceptance of others and be seen favorably in their eyes. This does not mean that I don’t like to give and help others, in fact I enjoy it immensely, it’s just that sometimes I feel like it makes me a bad person that I sometimes give to get something out of it. What are your thoughts?
"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave"
“let's say you're given the opportunity to donate some money to a desperate family who would use it to feed their children, but were only able to do so if you donated the same amount of money to someone you knew would use it to buy crack. Would you do it?”
My immediate thought was that I would never support drug use and instead would give food, thinking this was a slightly clever way to solve the problem as opposed to following her rules. I read some of the comments to this post (of course, my answer was there…) and people had a variety of opinions. Some felt it was a metaphor for the recent bailout or her way of pushing her liberal views onto others…
Turns out it was from an experience she had with her older brother when she was younger and he gave money to a homeless man selling roses, paying 10 times the asked amount. The post of the story was today and the comments were profoundly different: no more questions of a hidden agenda and complete approval. Most were from people who felt they should give more. So this got me thinking about charitable actions and one’s agenda behind them.
I am sure we would all like to think that we give often and unconditionally. Unfortunately I think there is always something more there. I know that many give because it makes them feel good inside and sometimes make up for other slip ups they might have in the future. I know that some give to get the recognition and approval of others (politicians anyone???). Still others give because they feel they are required to or don’t know any different. Does this make it bad?
My opinion is that it is not a bad thing to give to anyone or any cause. We all trust that it will do some good and be used it the right way. We all have to believe this because if we didn’t then we wouldn’t be charitable… and that would be a terrible thing.
I try to give when I can and would like to think that I do so unconditionally but I know this is not true. I do many things to gain the acceptance of others and be seen favorably in their eyes. This does not mean that I don’t like to give and help others, in fact I enjoy it immensely, it’s just that sometimes I feel like it makes me a bad person that I sometimes give to get something out of it. What are your thoughts?
"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave"
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