That doesn't seem reliable.

That's not my experience, but okay.

I must be a monster then!

LOL!

So basically, religious people might not give anything if it weren't for their religion. Sounds to me like religion is a mighty fine thing!!!!!

"That's not my experience, but okay. "

It's mine. While I would still give without religion, I would NEVER tithe if it weren't for religion.

Also, New, all 3 studies were based on "momentary compassion". And I think that is why most people give for non-religious reasons. It takes a cold person to pass by a bum without throwing a few bucks to him or give a crying kid some food. I know when I give "on the spur of the moment", it is almost always entirely because of compassion, and has little to do with my faith.

But making giving as part of your life, having a chunk of your check taken out every pay-check to be sent off to charity, working at a soup kitchen every week, or going down to the poorest parts of the 3rd world on a regular basis to build housing, those are certainly compassionate acts, but are generally done for relgious reasons.

Compassion is a reactive feeling and activity.

Pro-activeness is generally done for religious reasons.

I don't see anything wrong with that. I think it just makes religion seem that much more worthwhile.

How do you interpret it?

True.

I'm not sure you read the same article I did.

But on another note....you tithe? Wow, good for you. It is a goal of mine, but so far unattainable.

I certainly agree with the last part.

Oh, I don't do all of that stuff. I do tithe every other year or so. And actually, I think I'll be tithing every year pretty soon. Would like to contribute more time wise to my community, but it ain't happening yet. Those examples I gave was of a previous boss I had.

I will be brewing quite a bit of beer over the next few months to donate to a charity golf tournament, and to a seminary for the seminarians and their instructors to drink during Lent.