Churches are charitable often for a very cynical reason, to get converts. And I wouldn't want to live in any Muslim dominated society. The violence isn't an exception, it happens wherever Islam holds political power.
That remark reminds me of that old British TV series, The Prisoner. Our protagonist finds himself trapped in a surrealistic town from which nobody can escape. Nobody knows why they are there. Most of them are comfortable and happy and just accept their lives there, but the protagonist tries relentlessly to figure it out and to break free. Everyone has a number, our hero's is #6. The guy who is seemingly in charge, who mans the town's all-seeing control center, is #2. During the course of the series, #6 learns that #2 doesn't know why he's there either and has no idea what it's all about. He just represents #1, the creator of the weird society, the only one who knows its purpose and the reason why they are all being held there. Nobody has ever seen #1, nobody has any idea who he is, what he looks like, or what he wants. Nobody speaks to him except #2, who is seen speaking to him over the phone, and who relays #1's desires and commands. The iconic scene is where our prisoner cries out, "Who is #1???" Our own world in which we all find ourselves trapped is at least equally mysterious. The "God" who is believed to have created it and knows its (and our own) purpose is equally hidden and reclusive. But there is no end of would-be #2's, eager to be #1's mouthpiece: Popes, prime ministers, presidents, priests, politicians, professors, judges, scientists, moralists, activists, intellectuals... None of them know what it's all about, what it all means, or has any idea who or what #1 really is. But they all want to speak with his authority and have everyone else convinced that what they are doing is the equivalent of passing on his orders.
Yet those feeding and sheltering the homeless are mostly religious organizations. As for government charity, it's more about the colossal bureaucracy that is served than the actual need of the individual. I picked up a booklet at my wife's work while waiting on her. It is a resource guide for people in need. Sadly, government resources were lacking within its pages.
I don't know that they are often trying to convert as much as trying to help. My brother, his wife, my wife and I helped in the kitchen of a local church. We simply served food without any strings attached. People came and had a meal, then left. I don't know that's true for all, but my experience was pretty positive.
And as #6 says: - "I will not make any deals with you. I've resigned. I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own." - "I am not a number! I am a free man!" I guess in your analogy (if that is what it is) the Pope would be #2 within the "Catholic village" - and just as in The Prisoner the person designated #2 keeps changing. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! And as #2 once said about #6: "He's an individual, and they're always trying." Brilliantly quirky 60's series, though. Still enjoy watching it. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
The church was responsible for organizing the meal' otherwise it would have never happened. We fed maybe 50 people that Thanksgiving day.
So you need an organization of civic minded people, does that require a god? Atheists do this all the time. I volunteered for the local food bank around Thanksgiving too, and we packaged frozen green beans for a day.
Well, that's great! No, you don't need a god to be charitable, yet I recognize that the church does much in the way of helping others, and it's not just in the soup kitchen. My brother and his wife asked us to help, so we did. It was actually pretty cool.
And at least the atheists don't make homeless people sit through a sermon first. Which, if it isn't common, now, that's how it was done for a long time.
It might be a practice for some. My one experience was the opposite. I suppose talking to a homeless person who uses the services would be the best way to determine the truth. I would be interested to know what the content of any such sermon might be. If it were an uplifting message, it probably wouldn't be such a terrible thing.
I don't think there are many civic organizations to help.. God inspired people practice charity because that is one of the commandment . Most Atheist and nonbelievers are self oriented.
They can do all the good works they want, it doesn't make all the bad stuff go away. Which commandment is that?
Yes, it is. So, Spider, what is the "bad stuff" you mentioned? I'm curious and want to read your opinion on the subject.