JB0704
I Gots Goats
I question every day. I spent 33 years questioning it hardcore. It has nothing to do with whether I blindly accept something. Trust me...I'm likely the most skeptical person you know.
I know this was in reference to another individual, but, someitmes you confuse me. You are a "skeptical hard-liner?" Are you skeptical of people, or skeptical of religion?
I do get your point about suffering in other countries, HF. Anybody with a brain recognizes that the poorest American has it better than many Africans. My response in this thread was not in reference to the folks who go and work in Africa. My response is about folks who raise money to go to locations based on the "perks," or, the trips which are advertised based on the "perks." I have tossed out enough examples at this point.
If it is just a trip of individual enrichment, I would assume such satisfaction could also be derived from spreading the money further by staying at home, and using local resources in many, NOT ALL, circumstances.
Missions are a very good thing, and necessary, and needed. But as with anything else, people will take advantage of a situation, so we have to have our "horse apples" detector turned on when folks come asking for money. It is not ours, and the responsibility for using it wisely, spreading it to the greatest extent, falls on us. Otherwise, we are being poor stewards.