So, if you have logged onto social media in the past several weeks you have seen copious amounts of videos of EVERYONE dumping buckets of water on their head. By now, we all realize that this is about raising awareness of ALS and promoting donations to ALS research.
I am certainly glad that this horrible disease is getting so much attention as it is 100% fatal with no cure. However, as Christians we don’t just follow social trends and go along with the crowd. I have been challenged to do this multiple times at this point and have politely declined and given my reasons for abstaining. Here are some of them:
- The ALS Association is an organization that supports and performs embryonic stem cell research. While you can elect that your donation dollars not be spent to fund embryonic stem cell research (and the major study going on now is funded by a particular donor interested in such research) ALSA does state that it will not hinder future research of this type.
- Social gratification. I can’t speak for anyone else but when I was first challenged my first thought was “oh man let’s do something big so people will notice.” The whole reason it is viral is because it plays into the instant social gratification veiled as altruism.
- Dumping 5+ gallons of clean, fresh, ice water on your head is degrading to countries and people who don’t have even a single glass of clean drinking water. Our water is so abundant and free that we don’t think twice about dumping it on our heads. Now don’t get me wrong, we also water our lawns and wash our cars (while most people don’t even own a car or have a lawn). But I don’t think we should be going around making a show of it either.
As a Christian, my giving should never be fueled by emotions. Commercials can be very good at getting us to feel a certain way. Marketing is all about stirring emotions to drive an end goal. To me, my donations or charity should be done in accordance with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is HIS money after all, right? Again, I’m not saying that all of this money going to ALS research is a bad thing but I wonder how many Christians have donated to a cause simply because of a challenge without being burdened by God that they should give God’s money to ALSA (or some other foundation/organization). This isn’t just applying to ALS but to every donation I make. Everything I give should be in accordance with what God wants me to do and where God wants me to donate (whether it is money or time). My challenge to you is not to follow a social trend and make donations to the popular place but to pray and be open about what God has you to do. For me, I wasn’t lead to give to ALS research for the reasons I listed in this post.
I will tell you about a charity that I do support and that God has laid on my heart.
Charity: Water
I’m not seeking to challenge anyone into giving. I had originally included a paragraph about life in a third world country but realized that wasn’t appropriate. Pray about it. I know some of our readers do regularly give to charities that they feel strongly about. I personally have been burdened by resources in other countries and love that charity: water gives 100% of donation dollars to the projects (not administrative costs). Research charity: water and if this is something you want to support click the link below!
https://my.charitywater.org/coffee-theology-jesus
As a side note: for those that are burdened about ALS, I did find an alternative place to ALSA that conducts biblically ethical research:
http://www.jp2mri.org/capital-campaign.htm
Thanks for reading! As always if you have any comments please let us know!
Rob
Coffee, Theology, and Jesus 