Would you rather donate money to the church or to the poor?

I would rather give it to a poor person. Or rather, I'd rather give it to a homeless shelter or food shelf if I had the choice. I'm not particularly religious, so that's probably why I wouldn't donate to the church. And plus? I think TONS of people donate to churches and churches use it for unnecessary things like renovation and buying new bibles and stuff like that. I would just feel better about it if I helped out a person rather than a church. *shrugs*

I'll give some money to the poor and some to the church.

I'm not catholic. My church gives to the poor all the time. they also build shelters and actually volunteer in the shelters, feed the poor, house the poor..help anyone in need as much as they can. everyone encourages us, especially our pastor, to help everyone and talk to everyone as much as we can. Get to know the people in the community and keep doing God's work. I'm not sure what you mean as far as donating....just a simple donation? or do you mean offerings? I think offerings and tithes are different then a donation. Offerings are given to help God's children. But our pastor would even say to help anyone anytime anywhere...it doesn't have to go through the church. Now. the only thing i can think of for someone to refuse helping another person and excuse themselves by saying they want to save it for the church...they're just making sure they get that tax write off at the end of the year. Every time you fill out those envelopes at church, the treasurer notes it, and come tax season you will get a statement of all that you gave the church and then you can take it to the tax preparer and get a deduction. That to me is downright selfish. "Giving so you'll get" is the attitude of people. I couldn't get people to donate a few cents at a retail store i worked at because it wasn't going to be a write off at the end of the year. Oh, i don't know how much of it is true, because I'm not catholic but have catholic friends, but some catholics have said that the priest tells them that if a person is not in the church they don't deserve God's help. I guess they're considered the lost. But at the next word after lost should be sheep. lost sheep. We're suppose to gather them and bring them home. anyway. that's enough of my words. I don't think that your friend was being a true follower of Christ at that point in time. I'm not judging his soul, but his actions showed him to be a hypocrite. I hope he changes before it's too late.

I would give it to the poor. I have been giving lots of my old stuff to the Womens Shelter and they disclose exactly how much is going directly to the needy. There is no cost except for the building and one worker. Very small operation with very small overhead equals way more for those in need.

If I have plenty of money or wealth i would do both i think simply because the aim of the church mostly are to help also the poor and as well maybe I'll make some reach out programs in the community wherein not only giving of money is involved but also to give free health care, food, and guidance.

I would donate money to the poor, but not to tthe ones that are asking. I donate money to those who are poor and don't ask for money. I don't like te church. They always want more and more money.

I never really made a separation between the church and the poor, I always thought that if I give to the church, then whatever is not used for the church operations will be given to the poor. Maybe your friend is just wary of giving to beggars because there are a lot that are just pretending or syndicated. I don't give money to the beggars either, I give food if I have any with me but not money.

It is really hard to decide when you're confronted by the immediate needs of others. But for me it is much better to give it to church since we can guarantee that it will be certainly used properly. Food or clothing should be given to the poor if you're really capable of doing so. By this you won't encourage them to make a living out it. On the other hand giving food will let them know that you care for them and give them hope as well which is more important than any material things.

The church especially the Catholic one is rich, the Vatican is amongst the richest countries in the world!! i would never give money to the church! they have it! the poor lady deserved that money way more...the church is always asking its followers to donate..but...i dont see them donate much or use their money for doing good.. you did very well to do that and i would have done just the same...

I would give it to the poor. When dealing with a medium, trust can be tarnished by crooks. But if you give directly yo the people who are suffering right in front of you, then you know that the money is getting to them and that you have done your part. If I become financially rich, I wouldn't give to a charity but directly seek out the people who need the funds and find a way to give it to them myself. Some organizations are scammers and that is quite shameful.

if a church or the poor really need some money ,I will of couse,i will donate some money to those who really need some help and never hesitate to do it . i think we should help those in trouble often , we shoule make the earth a better place to live :)

It depends. It's a case to case basis. If you think the church needs it most then you donate to the church and averse. Be aware that, when you make a donation sit to it that your donation is really given to the person in need. I will give you an instance. During a flash floods in our province last January 2009, My dad donated clothes to the victims. He did not give it directly to them, instead he gave it to the people assigned in the distributions of donations. Later then, he realized that all he donated was not given to the victims. It was stolen by the people, who is responsible in the distribution. It is really frustrating. So, the lesson he learned was that the next time he donates, he gives it directly to the people in need.

I will give it to the poor directly .The money you donate to a church helps little and churches may spend the money on something useless.And it will be a waste then.No matter how much you donate to a poor,it may help him greatly,because he is the one who really needs and his needs is always easy to meet.So,why don't we just donate money to the poor?

I would have given the money to the poor woman. obviously she was more in need of it than the church. remember like the bible says' do onto others as you would have them do onto you' i'm sure God would be happy to know that you are thinking about others and besides i see it right to help the poor.

Depending on the woman, I probably would have given it directly to her. While I am cathloic and know that they prefer you to give the money in offering I also know that all of it does not stay in my local area. I also know that not all churches truly help people in need like they say they do. I am normally a pretty good judge of character and can tell if someone is really in need or not, so I just go with my gut feeling at the time.

It depends. My heart goes to the poor but it all depends on the person. I don't give money to the beggars who are still physically capable of working.

I would probably give to both. If I had to choose though, the homeless person would get the help first. The way I feel is that God will understand why the money went where it did. It always breaks my heart to think that there are so many hungry and homeless people in the country.

Definatly the women The church gets money from the goverment and millions of other people But this person will only be seen by a few So they need all the money they can get I am also highly unreligious so don't give anything to churches So the poor all the time I give money to most homeless people I see in need

It would have depended on the woman's condition. If the woman in the church was physically fit I would not have given her the money. She should work and earn. Begging has transformed in a profession now. So, before giving money I prefer to analyse whether the person's condition.The woman was poor and was in need of money didn't made me give money to her.

Is ok to donate money as long you have money to donate. Now that we experienced economic crisis many are experience hunger. Given a chance if I going to be rich I going to donate some of my fortune to the less fortunate. I'm going to donate it in church rather than in the government agencies. Sometimes we see children begging in the street I don't give them money I know that their some syndicate involve in them.