Giving to religious organizations and congregations hit a record of $100 billion in 2007, according to a recent report by Giving USA Foundation.
The report estimated that religious groups took home $102.3 billion, the greatest share of charitable giving in 2007 among the nine types of charities mentioned in the study. Religious congregations received one-third of the $306.4 billion that went toward U.S. charities.
Half of individual giving, which accounts for the bulk of charitable giving, went to religious groups.
Compared to 2006 data, giving to religious groups increased an estimated 4.7 percent or 1.8 percent adjusted for inflation.
This is also the first year giving to U.S. charities topped $300 billion – a 1 percent increase on an inflation-adjusted basis over the $294.91 billion given in 2006.
The increase in 2007 can be owed to stock market performance in the first half of the year, overall growth in the economy measured by gross domestic product, and increases in corporate and personal income as reported at the end of the year, according to the report.
“Giving USA 2008 shows that a strong start to the economy in 2007 helped lift giving despite worries at year’s end from gasoline prices or the housing and mortgage crises,” said George C. Ruotolo Jr., chair of the Giving Institute.
Researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, the report examined charities related to Arts/Culture/Humanities, Education, Environment/Animals, Health, Human Services, Public-Society Benefit; International Affairs, Religion and Foundations.
Every subsector saw giving rise except for private foundations, which experienced a 11.9 percent decline in giving when adjusted for inflation.
Charity directors, however, are concerned over whether the such gains would be enough in the coming year.
Janet Valente Pape, executive director of Catholic Charities of Wichita in Kansas, told The Wichita Eagle that while the organization had a 10 percent increase in giving last year, it had more than a 30 percent increase in people seeking food assistance.
"I think the issue is going to continue to be [that] it's not anywhere keeping pace with the demand that we're all experiencing," she said.
Comments
to wbmoore - christians 'duty to help'. oh, are pastors / televangelist who can afford to buy multi-million dollar homes & luxury cars 'their duty to help' others. is that what you call 'deny the self'?
$100 billion dollars in religious giving? wow, that's why pastors & televangelist are at peace, not worried about $$$$ bec, they do not need to work, deal with a$$ki$ers & a job loss. they can 'praise the lord, be at peace for worry is a sin!'
how much does that $100 billion charity will really go to those who are in need? for pastors / televangelist get fat salaries & administrative cost. this website THE CHRISTIANPOST reported that the average salary of a pastor is $7800/ month. OH, so that is why they can afford to buy multimillion dollar homes & luxury cars!
then pastors tell you to 'deny yourself' self is a sin S I N the middle of SIN / PRIDE IS I!!
BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES
scitsonga, as to whether or not the 10 Commandments should be posted in public places I personally have no problem with that, but at the same time if we permit it then where do we draw the line. But to say several of them are no longer being adhered to is somewhat incorrect. From a national perspective I unfortunately have to agree and yet from a personal viewpoint I know of people from a variety of religious traditions who do there best to obey them. Granted slavery is no longer allowed, but that commandment when posted would not have coveting of another persons slaves on it. It would simply cite wives and possessions. And yes I know some might ask why the term husbands is cited, but most people truly understand what is intended. Plus people may put a different spin on how to interpret some of the commandments such as the observence of the Sabbath, is it Saturday or Sunday and just how strictly does one observe the Sabbath. But I guess the main reason I have for allowing them to be posted is that they are simply good rules to live by and I don't see that any of them would be offensive to anyone, not even atheists or agnostics with regards to the commandments about worshipping God since none of them require one to believe in God.
Daniel Paul:
FYI
fortunately, Many of them are no longer followed such as:
"...you shall not covet your neighbourâs wife, or male or female slave..."- slavery is now illegal.
"For six days you shall labour and do all your work"- hey, we can work on sundays now.
"But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any workâyou, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns"- I can buy beer and tools too, blue laws mostly gone now. Again, slavery is now illegal in US. I can go to work on Sundays too.
"Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy"- , I dont have to go to church on sundays.
"Do not have any other gods before me"- you no longer attached to a stockade or otherwise ostersized from society for believing in whatever or how ever many gods you want. My Hindu freinds would be in stockades if this one were to be enforced.
..so yes to answer your question, we dont want religion or ten comd. in government, the courts or public schools.
"Example: Posting of Ten Commandments -have no place in the government, courts or public schools."
Works for me as long as you take the 10 Commandments out of our laws.... Our founding fathers SAID they based our fundamental laws on the 10 Commandments. Therefore, we must remove the laws which were based on them if they have no place in society. :-)
Are you sure you want to go there?
wbmoore, I think I agree with almost everything you stated. I think people working in the government can exercise their religious views to the extent that those views do not become part of public policy such that they encroach on the rights of those that do not hold those religious views. Example: Posting of Ten Commandments -have no place in the government, courts or public schools.
scitsonga
The actual amendment goes,"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
We are not a theocracy, nor do we have a national religion. But that does not mean we are not positively influenced by Christ and the Bible.
Also, you seem to be confused. Its not that religion is not part of government, but that government shall have no part in religion - this is a distinct difference. Congress can pas no laws creating a national religion nor preventing people from freely exercising religion. This means that people can exercise their religion while working in the government.
jones "Christian Nation "
Try reading the US constitution, America is not a christain theocracy, it is a democratic republic in which the first amendment states that religion is not part of government:
".....Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion........"
pdcarver "after 7 years of Bush, we still are the most generous givers there are."
Giving, as in giving the Iraqi people a living hell, yeah I guess America still gives, just like we did in Vietnam.
How much of the so-called giving is actually helping people in need. I would say most of the giving (money) going towards building ostentatious worship palaces and all that goes with it - acres of parking lots, maintenance and up-keep costs, fat salaries for the leaders of the mega churches. Very little left over actually trickles down to help the poor and needy...........
Not bad for a Nation that the radical liberals say isn`t a Christian Nation ? BTW , What is the Muslim total for giving to "American" charities ? The aclu ?
after 7 years of Bush, we still are the most generous givers there are.
I happen to believe it is Christians' duty to help others, not the government's.
What is motivated all this giving? Genuine care for other people or the perverted prosperity gospel where they are promised 100-fold or 1000-fold return on their 'investment into the Kingdom'? UGH
after 7 years of bush economics, millions of people are needing help.