[RickJWagner]

The fish I’m talking about include hungry homeless people, poor people that need clothing, and young people dealing with unexpected pregnancies. There are ministries for all of those here, staffed and funded by churchgoers.

Maybe think about it, see if there are some fish you could pick up.

[BrandoElFollito]

These are not fish specific to religious people.

Helping in these areas is what makes us human. If you need to invoque a deity to explain the action, good for you. The most important part is that help is provided.

Now, unexpected pregnancies is not the strong part of Christianity. When you start to promote teaching about sex and birth control we can talk.

[RickJWagner]

You’re right, those fish are not specific to religious people. But it is true that religious people give more time and money to them. Less religious people tend to give and volunteer less for such causes. I offer no judgement or theories about why, but the data is strong.

About the sex ed., the clinic I volunteer at offers pregnancy related information, including pamphlets that explain pros and cons of things like the ‘day after’ pill. Of course the preferred option is always ensuring good parenting for the newborn child. Clients can take video classes on parenting skills to earn reward points good for diapers, baby food and clothing. It’s really a good program, provided free to the people who need it.

[BrandoElFollito]

> But it is true that religious people give more time and money to them. Less religious people tend to give and volunteer less for such causes. I offer no judgement or theories about why, but the data is strong. You may want to look at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38407059/, a large mets-data study. Religious people give more when this is public, and vice-versa. I offer no judgment on that either :)

> About the sex ed., the clinic I volunteer at offers pregnancy related information, including pamphlets that explain pros and cons of things like the ‘day after’ pill. Of course the preferred option is always ensuring good parenting for the newborn child. Clients can take video classes on parenting skills to earn reward points good for diapers, baby food and clothing. It’s really a good program, provided free to the people who need it.

I volounteered for a long time at an organization that provided the same services. We provided information about abortion, pills, medical facts. Everything was on the table, from an abortion to raising your child.

Do your pamphlets address abortion as one of the solutions, making it at par with giving birth? I unfortunately know about "help centers" for pregnant women who were in fact driving them away from some solutions (mostly abortion). They were fortunately made illegal in France because everyone should have a neutral, unbiased access to information and help (including abortion).

For reference, Total Fertility Rate in France is 1.66 vs 1.60 in the US.

Teen pregnancy is four times lower in France - because we do serious sex ed and people have sex knowing what to expect.

[RickJWagner]

Thank you for the study that confirms the assertion that confirms “ Religiosity predicts prosociality”. We are in agreement.

What made you stop volunteering at the clinic?

[BrandoElFollito]

> Religiosity predicts prosociality

... when in public view. Vanity and all this. Non-religious people are happy to keep their generosity to themselves.

> What made you stop volunteering at the clinic?

I started to travel the world. This was also a time where I experienced first hand how religion impacts people. So far in France we were shielded from that.

[RickJWagner]

The point remains that religious people give more time and money to charitable causes than non-religious people. The motivators may be sinful (vanity, etc), but the good works are what should matter. Better to have hypocrites feeding the hungry than no food at all.

I’m glad to hear you’re getting to see the world. I hope your journeys are enjoyable.

[thrance]

Surely by now you must have noticed that the Right is completely uninterested in solving these things? Cutting social nets and criminalizing abortions will only aggravate these important issues.

Also, I don't see why caring about the homeless prevents also fighting rampant gambling addictions?

[RickJWagner]

The homeless meals and clothes closets have been in place for years. Through administrations and legislatures of all kinds. Nobody ‘solves the problem’, unfortunately.

There are limited resources. That’s why you see churches feeding the hungry and clothing the needy, but probably not fighting gambling so much. People are only able or willing to give so much.

[thrance]

I understand, but I doubt that OP meant "individual churches" when speaking of the "Christian Right". More likely, he meant the evangelical movement currently controlling all branches of government, and the people that give it sufficient mandate to tear through the social nets actually able to releviate these issues.