underthesebanners

Some questions to consider: What about the Fund gives you the greatest joy? Have you been the recipient of deputation from the Fund? How does that make you feel? Do you give to other charities? If so, how do you decide how much to give to both? If you have been a member of another religion, how do you think the Fund differs from the systems of giving in your former affiliation? What have you seen an Assembly do with money from the Fund that made you feel proud? Have you seen offerings to the Fund that weren’t strictly monetary? Do you have any stories regarding the Fund you would like to share?

Any thoughts shared here may be used on our program.

Discuss: The Fund — Under These BannersUnder These Banners

Pollwr

I am curious, what do you mean by "Have you been the recipient of deputation from the Fund?"

Napkin

Baha'i does not give money away to its needy members.

Fadl

Yet another unfounded accusation. I have personally sat on 3 different LSAa in my lifetime where we did exactly that a time or two. It may be rare because there is not much capacity or need for that within the community, but it can and does happen, and you are simply wrong. If you want to something, why not simply ask, rather than posing a question in the form of an accusation which then only makes you look foolish a moment later?


PS This thread is only for Baha'is since the person is seeking for a feeling about something that only Baha'is can participate in (giving to the Funds), so you should at least be a conscientious troll if you insist on being that.

tonyfish58

Give as much and as often as you can & more

To grow the Faith needs funds, it is up to the Baha'is to do this and Baha'is only.

This is a bounty all Baha'is no matter how wealthy they are, can join in.

IMHO - A dollar given in great sacrifice is worth more than a million dollars given with very little sacrifice.

No matter how much you give it must be given 100% free of attachment. If one does not want to give, it would be better to hold on to it I would say.

Regards Tony

Fadl

Amen, Tony!

And don't forget the Huquq which has priority over fund giving!

tonyfish58

Too right - This is very important - If you have a Huquq debt and you can not pay in full. It is wise to start paying it off in installments

Regards Tony

IndistinctDreamer

The community in which I live in has every year since I've been there donated to a charity that provides the needy with food during Christmas time.

The art of trolling lies in the ability to remain discrete. You have much to learn newbie.

Rani

Offering Huquq is a bounty we are told, and it also seems a little complicated to me.

I think I could pay it at the moment -although I'll need to check on the forever changing price of gold; But, I've asked myself whether I should purchase some items like a washing machine, television (I am still contenting myself with an old analogue one), a kindle etc, renew a passport just maybe.. yada.
If I purchase some of those it might threaten my ability to pay Huquq right away.

Do I see these things as essentials or non-essentials? I guess only I can say..

(I have a wm btw, but I don't like it -too small and seemingly rough on my clothes.

Hope this wasn't too personal of me to share..

Fadl

I will tell you a method my wife and I started recently that works well so far.

We bought a nice little decorated box to set where we always see it, and at the point of purchase of anything, we decide: needful / not needlful. If it is not needful, then we save the receipt. Every month, we tally the receipts and if the tally reaches the rate of 19 mithqals of gold, then we calculate 19% of that portion and pay it. If any portion was left in excess of the 19 mithqals amount, the sum is carried over to the next calculation period and factored in with the receipts at that time. We have a nice little notebook in the box where we record the sums and payments, etc to keep track of it all. We then intend, at the end of the year, to see what savings we have, and if applicable, pay huquq on that.

The benefits of this method are:

1. We don't get behind and build a big debt to Huquq (which would feel awful)
2. We pay it frequently, and just about when it is due (ie when it reaches 19 mithqals value)
3. We have the huquq in our mind daily, and we think about our expeneses and what is necessary or not necessary in our lives, and that is a wonderful thing.

Anyway, it is a new approach for us, and I really prefer it to a complicated end of year accounting, because I am not a good book keeper, and I lose and forget things easily and would probably not accurately calculate it if I waited for once a year. Also, if I die unexpetedly.....you get the idea.

IndistinctDreamer

Sorry a bit confused here but are you tallying the receits of the not needed things?

Fadl

I've started a new thread for this because it is so important. Would you mind posting this question there, and I will answer you?

tonyfish58

That is a very good approach to Huquq - I would say well done

It is hard when you build up a bit of a debt, so it is good to avoid that

It is also hard to calculate years after, so avoid that as well

The new Huquq compilation is good

cheers tony

Regards Tony

Napkin

Three times in your lifetime. Unless you are 2 years old, that's pretty messed up.

There is capacity for that; hey are building super mansions left and right.

There is a huge need for that; the Baha'i mansions are build with money acquired from the poorest of the poor.

tonyfish58

Napkin - You can throw insults and unfounded accusations from your keyboard as much as you want.

But consider, it achieves not a thing! Well maybe it does? There is wisdom in everything so you may be unconscionably helping someone contribute more to the Temple Funds

By the way the Baha'i rich contribute as well, as does the whole spectrum of Baha'i society.

Regards Tony

Napkin

The majority of Baha'is are in starving countries, where people dont Google. In the US there are more Baha'is than you see on this forum, they just cant afford computers.

IndistinctDreamer

I don't think he saw it the first time so here it is again

Napkin

I respect your opinion

Pete in Panama

That may be the image still seen in US television shows but real life is not something we can just decide what's happening without looking. There've been more than a few of my neighborhood young friends that live in dirt floor homes without electricity, but the kids all have facebook pages. Some of their parents can't read and yet the kids can surf. I never stop being amazed at how I'm watching a society leap centuries in one generation.


Baha'i youth in Panama are extremely diverse, some are city kids, some are rural, and others are from indigenous 'homelands' (similar to US Indian reservations). Traits they all seem to share (besides Facebook) includes an active enthusiasm for the Cause along with a serious willingness to give to the fund. I'm not saying this 'proves' some kind of point, I'm just saying that this is what is.

underthesebanners

Thanks everyone for your contributions.
We will record this section this evening, so no further comments will make it to air.