Christmas=doing something good. And if you’re like me, you ain’t got time to do good; you need 99.9% of your time and energy just to keep the duct tape from flying off the thing. So how the eff are you supposed to do good when the world is bleeding and so deeply in need of help? I’m just putting 3 things on this list because, again, who’s got time to read a damn 19 point list? I’m also saving you time by cutting this intro short. Let’s do this.
- Know the facts.
It’s actually really simple math. If you’re going to break off that .1% of your time/resources available, it’d better be for something that actually works. At the moment of this writing, a devastating 429 people have been killed in the tsunami tragedy in Indonesia. Plus those injured and displaced, imagine how much money is needed to help those people. In contrast Don’t give to Anti-Vaccination research, that helps less than 0 people.
Know your facts, and cut out the bullshit. And by bullshit, I mean all of the static. We know Santa Claus is (spoilers) not real, We know that climate change is real (equal evidence for the former and latter), and we know that climate change will likely be the most expensive problem we leave to our children. We know that the border wall is not effective, do you think donating to the gofundme for it is the best way to do good on Earth? Trust in the numerical facts, and the people who need help the most becomes much clearer.
- Give to Yemen.
A population larger than Los Angeles is literally starving to death in “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.”. And I mean literally in its actual sense, not the Parks and Rec sense. Literally, starvation is solvable. There is a bipartisan bill passed for pulling out all support, direct and indirect, from the war in Yemen. It’s time to support the boots on the ground that are going there to feed the dying. If you care at all about the value of human life help the 5 million civilians who are starving this moment because of a war that has no good guys. (It’s a bloody proxy war between the Saudis and Iran).
Don’t have time to go over there and help? Fine, neither do I. Pay the dude that does. Don’t have time to research which org to donate to? I’ve done the damn research for you too. I have had the distinct privilege of meeting a Red Cross translator in Morocco who worked in the Middle East and he told me incredible stories of the organization’s neutrality and effectiveness. These folks have the connects and infrastructure on the ground and I am confident your hard earned (tax deductible) skrill will go a long way. Click here to donate now it’ll take 1 min.
- Speak up.
You must agree that we live in a time where it is much more urgent to do something about the direction America is going in. I know it’s become a bit of a trope to say it, but our democracy is literally (see #2) in trouble. Corruption, attacks on the press, and foreign meddling with our elections are severe and gashing attacks on our democracy. I know most of you are saying, “it’s not my problem”. Or “If the two sides would just start talking…” I offer this: Any excuse you could come up with for not saying something, be they valid or vapid, is overshadowed by the severity of the situation. The enemy is insidious because it uses un-truth to justify its stance. But they are not in my audience now. I am speaking to YOU.
You know what’s true, you know what’s moral, you even voted morally, maybe you’ve already donated to some worthy cause… but you didn’t speak up. You didn’t want to offend your co-workers, family members, or church friends and you kept quiet. You are not only my audience, you are also the problem. When good people are silent it empowers the bad guy, and in my opinion, it makes you culpable and complicit
I’m not suggesting you strike up the conversation over Christmas dinner with your MAGA uncle, but maybe try this instead: “Hey, I know we disagree on political stuff, but could I set up a time to hang/facetime with you, I really just want to listen and try to figure out why you believe in what you do…” This may not work, but at least you’ll be trying!
Maybe it actually is time to say the truth on social media, burning bridges as needed. I was mentored a lot by a guy named Jesus and he taught me to be bold and to call out bullshit and to risk everything to do it. (Matt 23)
Or maybe you can attend a protest with me. There is certainly a Women’s March less than an hour away from you and it’s happening on Jan 19, 2019. Is it too scary to post your views on social media? Talk to your crazy uncle? Then stand with me on the 19th and march your constitutional right with millions of other people around the world. DM me for more info.
There was a time in 1928 Germany where the Nazi party was only garnering 2.8% of votes and this whole thing could have been stopped. There were good, fact-believing citizens like you who knew the right thing they needed to do but were scared. History today reveals an embarrassingly low resistance among the Germans themselves, and that includes the Lutheran and Catholic. I believe that every true Christian should have had a basement full of Jews, willing to face the consequences. I don’t have that expectation of you, my friend, but I believe that you should at least speak up.
If this stirs you to action, please take a second to share. Thanks for reading!!
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