Why my charity dollars go to the United Methodist Church

• "This is a family foundation driven by the interests and passions of the Gates family.
  
  
• Philanthropy plays an important but limited role.
  
  
• Science and technology have great potential to improve lives around the world.
  
  
• We are funders and shapers—we rely on others to act and implement.
  
  
• Our focus is clear—and limited—and prioritizes some of the most neglected issues.
  
  
• We identify a specific point of intervention and apply our efforts against a theory of change.
  
  
• We take risks, make big bets, and move with urgency. We are in it for the long haul.
  
  
• We advocate—vigorously but responsibly—in our areas of focus.
  
  
• We must be humble and mindful in our actions and words. We seek and heed the counsel of outside voices.
  
  
• We treat our grantees as valued partners, and we treat the ultimate beneficiaries of our work with respect.
  
  
• Delivering results with the resources we have been given is of the utmost importance—and we seek and share information about those results.
  
  
• We demand ethical behavior of ourselves.
  
  
• We treat each other as valued colleagues.
  
  
• Meeting our mission—to increase opportunity and equity for those most in need—requires great stewardship of the money we have available.
  
  
• We leave room for growth and change."
  

Looks great, huh? It does to me, on the surface. I read on World Net Daily this morning that they have given Planned Parenthood $12.5 million in the last seven years. Now that Warren Buffet has given them a hefty chunk of change, Planned Parenthood will be able to expand overseas. It took a fair amount of searching before I was able to find the specific organizations to which they had contributed.

I prefer to give my donations to an organization that deals with body and soul, not just the eradication of disease. I'm sure, like most organized religions, there are people in the top positions who make decisions about where the money goes based on their own feelings and goals, and without prayerful consideration. I'm sure there are Methodist pastors out there who aren't saved and are deceiving people. I have no control over that. What I do know is that God knows what to do with my money better than I do, and by giving it to the church I know there is a chance that souls will be saved in remote regions as well as in our local area. I have no such assurance with secular foundations.

My point is that if you have money to donate to a worthy cause, do your homework. Pay attention to specifically where the money is going so you can be sure that the causes you support are being supported. Sometimes you really have to dig to be sure.