Comments on: When Does Drinking Coffee Become Social Justice? http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/when-does-drinking-coffee-become-social-justice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-does-drinking-coffee-become-social-justice Where The Christian Faith Meets The Common Knowledge of Our Age Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:38:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Dunham http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/when-does-drinking-coffee-become-social-justice/#comment-54530 David Dunham Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:11:09 +0000 http://www.christandpopculture.com/?p=4947#comment-54530 Excellent point, Peter! That's why I think a lot of people are getting involved in these types of organizations, because it's not just straight charity. Excellent point, Peter! That’s why I think a lot of people are getting involved in these types of organizations, because it’s not just straight charity.

]]> By: peter bartlett http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/when-does-drinking-coffee-become-social-justice/#comment-54518 peter bartlett Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:00:00 +0000 http://www.christandpopculture.com/?p=4947#comment-54518 I think this kind of charity is a step in the right direction for social justice ministry. To me, the most basic question when thinking about helping those in need is, how do I(we) best love and value people in order to point people back to God. The traditional method of simply giving money or food or gifts or whatever isn't necessarily bad, but it easily establishes you as the giver as the one who has the power over them, and they are the ones who are dependent on you. Whereas the model that Land of a Thousand Hills is using seems to empower the people that you are helping out. The first case can easily turn into, "I give you stuff so you have to listen to what I say" whereas the second seems more likely to lead to true appreciation for your help. I think this kind of charity is a step in the right direction for social justice ministry.
To me, the most basic question when thinking about helping those in need is, how do I(we) best love and value people in order to point people back to God.

The traditional method of simply giving money or food or gifts or whatever isn’t necessarily bad, but it easily establishes you as the giver as the one who has the power over them, and they are the ones who are dependent on you.
Whereas the model that Land of a Thousand Hills is using seems to empower the people that you are helping out.

The first case can easily turn into, “I give you stuff so you have to listen to what I say” whereas the second seems more likely to lead to true appreciation for your help.

]]> By: David Dunham http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/when-does-drinking-coffee-become-social-justice/#comment-54506 David Dunham Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:13:39 +0000 http://www.christandpopculture.com/?p=4947#comment-54506 Dane, I apprecaite what you're saying, but here I think the issue is slightly different. These coffee growers are, in fact, trying to sell their coffee and start a business. Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee is partnering with them to see that "dream" of theirs become a reality. So it's not charity so much. Dane, I apprecaite what you’re saying, but here I think the issue is slightly different. These coffee growers are, in fact, trying to sell their coffee and start a business. Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee is partnering with them to see that “dream” of theirs become a reality. So it’s not charity so much.

]]> By: The Dane http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/when-does-drinking-coffee-become-social-justice/#comment-54500 The Dane Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:23:33 +0000 http://www.christandpopculture.com/?p=4947#comment-54500 I like that he's doing this but I'm conflicted. I still feel weird that organizations have to trick people into charity by giving them something in return. I was struck by this most recently during KJAZZ's membership drive last week. The Long Beach <a href="http://www.jazzandblues.org/index.aspx" rel="nofollow">jazz radio station</a> is listener-supported and so it runs these quarterly or so drives in order to stay on the air and be millionaires or whatever. The thing is: when you pledge a certain about, you get goodies. And the more you pledge the cooler your goodies. $45 gets you a CD. $250 might get you tickets to a concert. $1500 and maybe you'll gets a set of signed congas. So essentially, bake-saling, selling things at an exorbitant price in order to make money for their cause. My problem is not with that but with the fact that such gimmicks are necessary. I won't give you $15 unless you give me something worth $5. Save people a lot of time and money if the middleman were cut out and I could just give you the $10 that you'd gain without you having to go out, buy the sugar and flour, and spend an hour baking goodies. I like that he’s doing this but I’m conflicted. I still feel weird that organizations have to trick people into charity by giving them something in return.

I was struck by this most recently during KJAZZ’s membership drive last week. The Long Beach jazz radio station is listener-supported and so it runs these quarterly or so drives in order to stay on the air and be millionaires or whatever. The thing is: when you pledge a certain about, you get goodies. And the more you pledge the cooler your goodies. $45 gets you a CD. $250 might get you tickets to a concert. $1500 and maybe you’ll gets a set of signed congas.

So essentially, bake-saling, selling things at an exorbitant price in order to make money for their cause. My problem is not with that but with the fact that such gimmicks are necessary. I won’t give you $15 unless you give me something worth $5. Save people a lot of time and money if the middleman were cut out and I could just give you the $10 that you’d gain without you having to go out, buy the sugar and flour, and spend an hour baking goodies.

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