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The general decline in standards today

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sheeplady

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I tithe. And we help when we can. But I don't think anyone is entitled to my paycheck more than my own family.

But if you tithe or give substantially to charity, aren't you saying that someone other than your family IS entitled to your paycheck? If you didn't believe that others were deserving of some of your hard earned money, you wouldn't give at all.

I don't see how paying charity first is any different than deciding in your budget that you want to make sure you afford a larger house or a new-to-you car. It's just another expense, but it's a priority expense.
 

Virginia Creeper

One of the Regulars
I believe that one should voluntarily give some of one's pay to charity. My philosophy is partially based on the idea of tithing and partially on the ideals of "alms to the poor." In other words, charity should just be something that is seen as something you plan on giving some of your income to, AND the fact that someone is always worse off than you are.

I have always done this if at all possible, even when I made very very little and was digging through dumpsters to feed myself. There were a lot of people out there far far less fortunate than me. I have always decided what I could afford based upon paying charity first. If you make giving a priority, rather than a secondary concern, I think more people would give to charity. I really really do. I have always based my financial decisions on the fact that a certain portion of my income basically doesn't exist to my family. On the flip side, by doing this we've always lived way under our means. So when issues arose for us (lay offs, health issues, etc.) we've never immediately been in a bind because we always had under-budgeted. Of course, I'm always loathe to cut giving.

It sounds as though we have very similar philosophies, sheeplady.

Coming from a country with universal health care and a fairly strong social safety net, I've never understood the argument for less of those things. I'm able to take the benefit of them for granted, and removing them seems like arguing that I should remove my pinky fingers. Most people don't really need their pinky fingers, but what purpose is achieved by not having them? [huh]

You mean there are people who aren't on facebook?
There's my brother... and nobody else. Even my parents have Facebook! :laugh:
 
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scottyrocks

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9,178
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Isle of Langerhan, NY
But if you tithe or give substantially to charity, aren't you saying that someone other than your family IS entitled to your paycheck? If you didn't believe that others were deserving of some of your hard earned money, you wouldn't give at all.

I don't see how paying charity first is any different than deciding in your budget that you want to make sure you afford a larger house or a new-to-you car. It's just another expense, but it's a priority expense.

There is quite a difference between you giving, and it being taken from you to give.
 

Gregg Axley

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Tennessee
Economics: The Dismal Science. :p

Some of us didn't get good grades in Economics.
Thankfully the government had an opening. :D
BTW I have a degree in Management, with a minor in Marketing.
BTW Matt, I was All Bran broke at one time.
Both myself and my dog (at the time) ate it.
Ran right through her. ;)
Of course if I hadn't used tobacco I would have had more money on what I made.
 
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sheeplady

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It sounds as though we have very similar philosophies, sheeplady.

Coming from a country with universal health care and a fairly strong social safety net, I've never understood the argument for less of those things. I'm able to take the benefit of them for granted, and removing them seems like arguing that I should remove my pinky fingers. Most people don't really need their pinky fingers, but what purpose is achieved by not having them? [huh]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Although i have to admit that one of the reasons *why* I have this belief is because people have been so generous to me and my family. You don't pay that back, you can only pay it forward.
 

Guttersnipe

One Too Many
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Tell me what you want the numbers to say and I will make them say it. :p

Hi

Never took a class in Economics, Econ 101 was always full. I never thought of it as a Science with a correct answer. Accounting yes, Economics nope.

later y'all

I have an undergrad degree in finance, with a minor in accounting, in addition to a graduate school education in economics. I can assure you, the above is absolutely, positively, and emphatically not true.

On the other hand, (double entry) accounting is something that was invented by people who burned witches and believed the sun revolved around the Earth . . . ;)
 

rue

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13,319
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California native living in Arizona.
You obviously only posted your situation as an excuse to complain about, not to get any real feedback. If complaining will get you where you want to go, by all means knock yourself out.
Oh, okay... and what was your feedback exactly? "Go and get a job ya lousy bum!"? Awesome... Thanks for that.

And here we go again with the bickering :rolleyes: I've only been back on here for a couple of days for God's sake.......
 

Virginia Creeper

One of the Regulars
I'm glad I'm not the only one. Although i have to admit that one of the reasons *why* I have this belief is because people have been so generous to me and my family. You don't pay that back, you can only pay it forward.

People really are very lovely creatures when given the chance to be. I'm happy to hear your family has received so much goodness and generosity.
 

vintageTink

One Too Many
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1,321
Location
An Okie in SoCal
But if you tithe or give substantially to charity, aren't you saying that someone other than your family IS entitled to your paycheck? If you didn't believe that others were deserving of some of your hard earned money, you wouldn't give at all.

I don't see how paying charity first is any different than deciding in your budget that you want to make sure you afford a larger house or a new-to-you car. It's just another expense, but it's a priority expense.
There is a huge difference between giving because I want to help, and giving to charity first because 'someone else deserves it (i.e. My paycheck) more than you do'.
Needing my help and feeling entitled to my help are two different things. No man is entitled to my paycheck, homeless or otherwise.
And rather than give people who stand at the street corner money, we buy them food. But I feed my children first.

And can work on cars, push for that one Tom. :D
I don't know if she can. She does pump her own gas though.
 

vintageTink

One Too Many
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1,321
Location
An Okie in SoCal
People really are very lovely creatures when given the chance to be. I'm happy to hear your family has received so much goodness and generosity.
Exactly! Most people will help others. Look at those who give when disaster strikes.

But I can't justify forcing others to give. You remove the joy from giving when you do that. When I feel that someone thinks they are entitled to my money I am less likely to help you.
I'm just stubborn that way. :rofl:
 
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