Religion & Liberty Online Archives

Effective Compassion

July 19, 2005

Not in Uzbekistan

Remember what I said about the relationship between charity and evangelism? Here’s a tip: Be careful in Uzbekistan. Forum 18 relates the story of a woman who runs a charity in Uzbekistan, and has been the target of harassment by the secret police. Continue Reading...
July 15, 2005

Faith makes a difference

“In the first nationwide study that specifically measures how faith relates to the organization and delivery of human service programs, initial results indicate that faith-based or religious charities do indeed conduct their operations in ways that markedly set them apart from secular organizations.” Continue Reading...
July 14, 2005

You know the ONE

“We don’t want you to give your money. We’ll just take it instead.” That commercial, the one where all the celebrities and guys in collars and habits are talking about raising your “voice” for the world’s poor, has been nominated for an Emmy award for best TV commercial. Continue Reading...
July 13, 2005

More government control of charities looms

As public policy debate about the extent of government regulation over charities, Karen Woods argues in favor of a “common sense approach” that “would look to transparency and accountability measures that are already on the books, rather than fashioning yet more regulation and mandated enforcement from public agencies.” Continue Reading...
July 13, 2005

The virtues of drink

Some caricatures of Puritans depict them as strict, severe, and stolid. H.L. Mencken’s famous definition of a Puritan is an example of this: “A Puritan is someone who is desperately afraid that, somewhere, someone might be having a good time.” Continue Reading...
July 06, 2005

‘For God’s Sake, Please Just Stop!’

A fascinating interview with Kenyan economist James Shikwati in the July 4 edition of Der Spiegel: SPIEGEL: Mr. Shikwati, the G8 summit at Gleneagles is about to beef up the development aid for Africa… Shikwati: … for God’s sake, please just stop. Continue Reading...
July 06, 2005

Why not give yourself?

A question over at the ONE Campaign blog: Why don’t these celebrities cough up their own money and stop asking for mine? Answer: First off, they are. Most of the celebs involved in the campaign give hundreds of thousands, if not millions to charity. Continue Reading...
July 05, 2005

Private aid and investment abroad

A study released late last month by the Hudson Institute found “$62.1 billion in U.S. private donations to developing countries in 2003, the last year numbers are available.” The report, cited in an op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal, goes on to argue that the formula used by the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) to judge the generosity of various countries “fails to take into account the primary way in which Americans help others abroad: through the private sector.” Continue Reading...
June 30, 2005

FBOs crucial in AIDS fight

From today’s Ecumenical News International: UN, NGOs told Faith-Based Organizations crucial in AIDS fight Geneva (ENI). Up to 40 per cent of health care in poor countries is delivered by private religious institutions according to the first systematic study of faith-based organizations and HIV/AIDS. Continue Reading...