Originally Posted by willynilly

In my book, giving to organizations with political agendas tends to deflect some of the value. If someone gives a million dollars to a pro-life organization, that does not count for charity in my book. What about the NRA? I am a big fan of guns, but not of conservative, religious based politics that often dominates in any progun group. If you donate to a church that uses its money to throw religious stuff at the people it is helping, then there is an ulterior motive that is not exactly charitable. For example, in the middle east there are many free schools run by religious muslim organizations. These teach (pretty much boys exclusively) reading and writing, and maybe some basic skills. Most of the reading comes straight from the Koran and their interpretation of it. So the kids are getting an education, and also indoctrination into a particular set of beliefs.
Give money to the catholic church, and how much goes to promoting the tenets of the church, building its power base, and also to fighting abortion rights? I have been to a church that sent a second collection plate around to send a bus to DC to protest, but to me that is a political action, not charity.
Of course, liberals do the same thing. Donate money to an organization and some of it is probably going to end up sloughed off to a political action committee that may or may not be aligned with your goals. Maybe that's why the study claims that moderates give the least, because they don't want to inadvertantly help the fringe.