Anybody out there who is still zealously stuffing illustrative examples into his or her Christopher Hitchens Memorial “How Religion Poisons Everything” File is likely to feel himself or herself in proverbial “hog heaven” these days. And I’m happy to help. Consider this specimen, for example:
“Due to its global reach and long trajectory, this emergency situation is like no other. … We believe that there is hope and that the best way to cope with emergency situations is to help each other,” according to Latter-day Saint Charities.
And here’s a story from slightly more than two weeks ago, before the coronavirus seized control of most headlines:
“Elder Bednar Makes Historic Visit to Sudan”
I think that this is an excellent question:
“Jana Riess: What kind of people will Latter-day Saints be in a global apocalypse?”
And then, back to the theme of the misery that religion invariably visits upon humankind, there’s this horrific specimen, out of Singapore:
“Muslim Charity, Mosque Raise Funds for Coronavirus Victims”
And this outrage, from Scotland:
And this one, from a different area in Scotland:
“Corner Store Owner Gives Away More Than $6,000 in Free Goods to Seniors Preparing for Quarantines”
Please notice the names of the shopkeepers in these last two examples.
If you would like to learn about the organization Islamic Relief USA, you can do so at this site:
Here are some Islamic quotations on charity:
“Don’t feel ashamed when giving little for charity; that is because there is always goodness in giving no matter how little.” (‘Ali b. Abi Talib)
“Convert your wealth into good deeds that will follow you into the hereafter by just spending it as charity. If not it will leave you as you leave this world.”
“God is not unfair by making some people rich and others poor; it is God’s way of testing the fairness of those He gave more.”
“When you give someone charity, be thankful to them. You may be fixing their life in this world, but they are fixing your life in the next.”
“When the Creator blesses you financially, don’t raise your standard of living, rather raise your standard of giving and helping to needy and poor people.”
“Do not fear poverty. Rather fear of being rich because the more you have, the more you will be accountable for.”
Incidentally, a health care expert who is prominently involved in Utah’s response to COVID-19 and who is also a reader of this blog (when he can catch a moment of leisure these days) has shared with me (and other readers) his lack of enthusiasm for the two articles on the subject that I recently recommended (and sought feedback concerning). (See the comments of Sam LeFevre here.) And, separately, another reader, physician who is on the very front lines of dealing with respiratory illness in my adopted home state of Utah, has expressed cautious optimism based on his own experience of the past few days. (See the comment of baxter999 here.)
I thought that you should know.
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