[wahern]

Somewhere between 32% and 75% of American donations are to churches or church-affiliated organizations. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/30/religious-p...

Myanmar is an exceptionally devout Buddhist society with many monasteries supported through traditional almsgiving. I suspect that's why Myanmar tops even the U.S. in the World Giving Index, which merely asks whether you've donated money or time (volunteered).

Not that faith-based giving is inferior, but different people have different notions about what constitutes philanthropy and charity.

[macspoofing]

>Not that faith-based giving is inferior, but different people have different notions about what constitutes philanthropy and charity.

I'm sure there are people who will find a way to invalidate this kind of charity. But it takes a level of dedication, discipline and a moral code to take 10% of earnings for benefit of your community and do it without legal compulsion. And it's the latter part that makes it different then those that pat themselves on the back for merely voting for higher taxes or disparage others for not voting for higher taxes.

[wahern]

> But it takes a level of dedication, discipline and a moral code to take 10% of earnings for benefit of your community and do it without legal compulsion.

Absolutely, but I think that's pretty rare among the general population. IIUC, if I drop $10 into the offertory basket at Sunday Mass I'm counted just the same as a Mormon who tithes 10% of their income.