Christmas is the season of giving. Many charities make their year end pitch during the Christmas season. Whether you respond to their pleas or not, may depend more on your politics and religious beliefs than your wallet.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote an interesting piece on this subject last Sunday, Bleeding Heart Tightwads: (Emphasis mine)

This holiday season is a time to examine who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, but I’m unhappy with my findings. The problem is this: We liberals are personally stingy.

Liberals show tremendous compassion in pushing for generous government spending to help the neediest people at home and abroad. Yet when it comes to individual contributions to charitable causes, liberals are cheapskates.

We looked at this phenomena during the campaign in Obama doesn't spread his wealth around but wants you to and Democrat's donations key to why they think rich must pay more taxes?  Kristof's column supports what I believe to be true about generosity: Republicans give more than Democrats and people of faith give more than non-religious. The latter seems to be the more important criteria.

Arthur Brooks, the author of a book on donors to charity, “Who Really Cares,” cites data that households headed by conservatives give 30 percent more to charity than households headed by liberals. A study by Google found an even greater disproportion: average annual contributions reported by conservatives were almost double those of liberals.

Other research has reached similar conclusions. The “generosity index” from the Catalogue for Philanthropy typically finds that red states are the most likely to give to nonprofits, while Northeastern states are least likely to do so.
... 

“When I started doing research on charity,” Mr. Brooks wrote, “I expected to find that political liberals — who, I believed, genuinely cared more about others than conservatives did — would turn out to be the most privately charitable people. So when my early findings led me to the opposite conclusion, I assumed I had made some sort of technical error. I re-ran analyses. I got new data. Nothing worked. In the end, I had no option but to change my views.”

This next statement leads me to believe the real litmus test on giving is religion. 

It’s true that religion is the essential reason conservatives give more, and religious liberals are as generous as religious conservatives. Among the stingiest of the stingy are secular conservatives.

According to Google’s figures, if donations to all religious organizations are excluded, liberals give slightly more to charity than conservatives do. But Mr. Brooks says that if measuring by the percentage of income given, conservatives are more generous than liberals even to secular causes.

...

Conservatives also appear to be more generous than liberals in nonfinancial ways. People in red states are considerably more likely to volunteer for good causes, and conservatives give blood more often. If liberals and moderates gave blood as often as conservatives, Mr. Brooks said, the American blood supply would increase by 45 percent.

Charitable donations are down this year because of the economy. I suspect the decrease is also because of higher spring/summer gasoline prices and higher home heating costs now.  Those increases put strains on the family budget and possibly gobbled up the extra dollars earmarked for donations.

But some people still believe it is more blessed to give than receive, and their generosity is not based on abundance. 

...given the economic pinch these days, charity isn’t on the top of anyone’s agenda. Yet the financial ability to contribute to charity, and the willingness to do so, are strikingly unrelated. Amazingly, the working poor, who have the least resources, somehow manage to be more generous as a percentage of income than the middle class.

God doesn't love us more for giving, nor are we to give just to get. But He does instruct us to give and promises that we cannot out give Him. Luke 6:38 says, "Give and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together and running over..." In other words, He is not stingy!

 
Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

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Heart-Fire Ministries is one local charity that is sure to warm your heart this Christmas.  This is their 13th year of operating a Christmas Store that is rather unique, but they need YOUR help. The Christmas Store opens this week Tuesday, December 16th. Here is how it works:

'The Christmas Store' is scheduled for December 16 - 18, 2008. The Store is open to needy families with children who are hand picked by the organizations and churches we partner with. The Store allows families to purchase new gifts at 90% [off] of the retail price. The best part is when the children open these presents at Christmas, the parents can say with pride, "We bought these nice gifts for you!", not just receiving another hand-out. 

According to their Christmas Store web page, there are different areas you can help with: 

Volunteer

1) Work at The Christmas Store assisting shoppers, wrapping gifts, greeting & ministering to our guests (Noon - 5:00pm) [There is a web sign up list on the right side of the page. This need seems to be met, but they are taking names on a waiting list.]

2 ) Prepare & serve refreshments in the cafe [You can sign up for this job on the web page]

3) Contribute a financial gift or gift card [Maybe you received a gift card to a store that you cannot use? Put it to good use here.]
Mail: PO Box 14031, Milwaukee, WI 53214
Online: Donate online here

4) Donate new, unwrapped Christmas gifts for children ages 0 - 16
(Click here for a list of gift suggestions)

Gift Donation Drop Spots:

Elmbrook Church Child Enrichment Center
777 N. Barker Rd. (lower level)
Brookfield, Wisconsin

and

Eastbrook Church

Northbrook Church

World Harvest Community Church

Heart-Fire Ministries has been around since 1981:

Heart-Fire Ministries was birthed out of a desire to reach the lost and hurting on the streets of Milwaukee . Ray Jablonski, Executive Director, has been active in ministry for over 25 years. Ray was miraculously saved and his life was changed through a one-on-one encounter with Jesus. Returning to the streets where he came from, Ray brings a message of hope and life. From Heart-Fire Ministries’ humble beginnings witnessing to students on the UWM campus, HFM has since shared the Gospel with thousands in the central city of Milwaukee and beyond.

Renee' Lowerr told me she helped out last year. Check out the slide show and see what it is like...especially photo 20!: The Christmas Store 2007  This year Renee' is going again to wrap presents. Can you help too with a donation or your time? Like many charities, donations are down this year.

Heart-Fire is located at 817 N. 27th St., Milwaukee, WI 53208, (414) 445-9490

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

Links: 

Tis the season! The  Salvation Army Red Kettles are out and about in shopping malls and in front of local businesses.

This year, the Bluemound Pick 'n Save in the Brownstones shopping mall is again allowing the Salvation Army bell ringers to collect donations in front of their store. Thank you, Pick 'n Save! (The Red Kettle is located outside at the east entrance.)

Brookfield resident Tom Wacker* and long time bell ringer will be manning the kettle at the Pick 'n Save at various times between now and Christmas.

Tom used to be a fixture at the Elm Grove Sentry store at Christmas time, but since that store closed and became a Sendik's, they no longer allow the Salvation Army to collect at their location. (Many have tried to convince them otherwise, but they won't budge on that issue. Sendik's says they contribute to local charities through their Food magazine and in other ways.) 

Tom sent out this message to his past supporters: 

Now is that special time of the year when I look forward to sharing some Christmas good wishes and help raise funds for my favorite charity, the Salvation Army.  This past year has presented more than a few of us with some special challenges.  But I think you'll agree that they pale in significance compared to the most difficult problems encountered by those of us that the Salvation Army serves.  And as always, they deliver those services in a most caring and efficient way. 

If you care to, please join me in contributing to their fine work.  Through your generous gifts, last year I was able to "stuff the kettle" with a total of $1740 in checks from you! 

Tom is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit, so stop by, say hello, and throw something in the pot!

Open Doors is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the persecuted Christian church around the world. It was the result of a one man crusade, that began in 1955, to support the local persecuted church in Iron Curtain countries. That man was Dutch Christian, Andrew van der Bijl, better known as Brother Andrew.

Brother Andrew turned 80 this summer (pictured left), and he is still going strong.

Today, his Open Doors organization works worldwide to supply Bibles to countries closed to Christianity and help oppressed Christians there. This particular Muslim challenge involves sending Bibles to Christians in Islamic countries:

Open Doors has been offered a $100,000 Challenge Grant to provide Bibles to Muslim converts.

...There is an amazing miracle that is taking place in Muslim countries like Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Muslims… even some radical Muslims… are coming to know Christ as their Savior!

These new believers often risk everything when they turn from Islam to follow Christ.  And the one thing they pray and plead for most… to give them the courage to stand strong… is a copy of the Bible!

Today, you can be an answer to their prayers when you send them the precious gift of God’s Word.(Donate link)

I first learned about Brother Andrew through homeschooling. One of the most enjoyable things my son and I did during our homeschool years was to start our day by reading missionary biographies aloud.

They all were good, but God's Smuggler was one of the more memorable ones.

Reading about Andrew's adventures in his blue VW bug not only made us appreciate our religious freedoms but also strengthened our faith. We saw how the God of the Bible, who closed the mouths of the lions for Daniel, was still miraculously intervening in lives today. Synopsis:  

As a boy, Brother Andrew dreamed of being an undercover spy working behind enemy lines. As a man be found himself working undercover for God. His was a mission filled with danger, financed by faith, supported by miracles. Told it was impossible to minister behind the Iron Curtain, Andrew knew that nothing was too hard for God. Crossing "closed" borders, he prayed, "Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture I want to take to Your children. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see."

And they never did. For 35 years, Brother Andrew's life story has inspired millions to step out on their own journeys of faith. This young Dutch factory worker's near-incredible adventures testify of God's step-by-step guidance and hour-by-hour provision -- available to all who follow His call. Far from being over, Brother Andrew's current adventures are his most challenging yet. In a new prologue and epilogue, the Sherrills [authors] carry his story into the new millennium with an account of Andrew's work in the "closed" societies of Islam.

Andrew continued to work, risking his personal safety to bring Bibles to people in oppressed countries. His personal mission brought him to China and Islamic countries too. You can read more about Brother Andrew van der Bijl's adventures and conversion on his website or read his books. (Truth sometimes is more amazing than fiction!)

Today, other people* are risking their lives to bring Bibles to Muslim converts, and converts still risk all for their beliefs. If you are a person of faith, pray for those converts, Open Doors ministry, and help with the Muslim challenge financially if you can.

*I know of a family from Brookfield who left their very comfortable life here to become missionaries in the Middle East. Because of the risk to their safety, details are not available. 

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