[ALawPoker]

heh, I respect your posts vhawk, and was actually thinking it didn't seem like your type of discussion. That doesn't mean it wasn't worth having though. I probably didn't explain myself all that well in my first post, so it was worth hashing out.

I think we are on the same page; tithing is a little different but mostly still a good thing.

I think the best argument in your favor is that people who give a lot to religions probably think God wants this, and even though it might not be the best use of their money in this life, it can still be argued to be self-interest.

But then, you could also say that perpetuating a cause that encourages people to give is a good thing even if the giver is just motivated by getting into heaven (sort of the opposite of the "good motivations/self-interest side effect" which is also at play here). Yadee yada. So I guess it just comes down to how you want to look at it.

My only real concern was addressing the guy that said "donations to religious cults shouldn't count." I'm not a religious person, but I hate when atheists throw cheap shots like that around without putting any thought into what they're actually saying. I have no problem admitting that I see religious giving as a little less altruistic though.