Catholic Quote by Dale Ahlquist
““He seems so frivolous and so careless, but he gives money to beggars, not frivolously or carelessly, but because he believes in giving money to beggars, and giving it to them “where they stand”. He says he knows perfectly well all the arguments against giving money to beggars. But he finds those to be precisely the arguments for giving money to them. If beggars are lazy or deceptive or wanting a drink, he knows only too well his own lack of motivation, his own dishonesty, his own thirst. He doesn’t believe in “scientific charity” because that is too easy, as easy as writing a check. He believes in “promiscuous charity” because that is really difficult. “It means the most dark and terrible of all human actions—talking to a man. In fact, I know of nothing more difficult than really talking to the poor men we meet.” (pp. 13-14)””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Ethics of Giving to Beggars” by Dale Ahlquist, 2015
Charity that directly helps those in need is morally complex; it requires confronting discomfort and personal bias.
In simple terms: Giving to beggars is hard but honest.
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncomfortable honesty in helping others.
Themes
charity
ethics
discomfort
honesty
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- street philanthropy
- personal bias
- social stigma
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
social responsibility
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- Why is it harder to give directly?
- What biases affect your giving?
A Different Perspective
Easy charity avoids real engagement with need.
![“[Hillary Clinton] is giving money to N.I.M.H. [National Institute for Mental Health] ultimately to conduct more experiments on two- to four-year-olds. What they're going to do is conduct a lot of clinical studies which actually drug two- to four-year-olds.” quote by Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ddc/peter-breggin-22000_clinicals_hillary-clinton-is-giving-money-to-n-i-m_57008.jpg)
![“The young man [Turgot] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his studies, his reading, his professors, his associates, all were combined to keep from him any results of observation or reflection save those…” quote by Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5d4/andrew-dickson-white-24254_associates_the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecc_3146.jpg)
![“Girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his [Jesus] paths by the guidance of the Gospel.” quote by Benedict of Nursia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a2f/benedict-of-nursia-29376_catholic_girded-with-faith-and-the-performance-of_6463.jpg)
