...to volunteer/not volunteer in this charity shop?

[MixedBerries]

Well, not sure what to do do about this one so I'm asking for opinions...

I live in a pretty small village and there is one charity shop here. I have a 9 mo DS and am wanting to get back into the workforce and keep my CV up to date so thought it might be a good idea to volunteer there. There are other charity shops in nearby towns but, due to a medical condition I can't drive, so that would make it difficult to volunteer elsewhere whilst unpaid, especially since I would be relying on friends in the village to provide childcare for the day I might volunteer.

The issue is that the charity in question is religious. They fund missionaries in the third world and help to build orphanages. I am not religious in the slightest and do have quite a problem with the missionary movement in brainwashing those less fortunate through providing the basics of daily life and then saying it's due to god's love etc. However, I am quite aware that, under certain circumstances, something is better than nothing and they do certainly help countless people in providing food, shelter and education.

I was verging on the side of volunteering today and went along to say hello and got into a general conversation with the lady who was volunteering today. It just happened to come up that she'd had breast cancer recently and I have recently been diagnosed with very very early stage cervical cancer (which I'm hoping was removed. Waiting for the path lab results). Anyway, the lady had had chemotherapy but was saying how the lady and pastor who owns/started the charity was giving her a hard time because she didn't need medical intervention, she just needed to pray for the healing spirit of the lord.

Now then, I think that's absolutely outrageous but I kept my mouth shut apart from saying that surely if god didn't want us to help ourselves, he wouldn't have given us the intelligence to come up with medicine. I don't actually think that (I don't believe in god, but am a great advocate of science) but that's what I said on the spot.

So... AIBU in even considering volunteering for this charity seeing as they do actually make a difference to many lives in the third world or AIBU in not doing so due to our clash of religious views? (Particularly if they're preaching to people that cancer should be cured through pray alone)? I ought to add that that the lady there today who was volunteering thought her pastor was wrong and that medicine was a gift from god. My my. I really do have a huge problem with their religious message but am I cutting my nose off to spite my face on this, and in the meanwhile denying others charity?

Wow. That's a sermon in itself but would really appreciate feedback!

If you're going to challenge their beliefs then I doubt they will want you there anyway.

If you want to do it to keep your CV up to date then do it.

But try to stop judging them or you might find they won't you in their shop at all...either as a worker or a customer.

Thanks, angryfurball, but I should have said, they've already offered me a position and I'm not going there with the intention to challenge their beliefs. Each to their own.

If you do it you'll have to ignore them. They're allowed to think what they like I suppose.

I wouldn't involve myself in something I consider immoral (going round forcing religions on others) but in no way am I sure I'm right in thinking this is immoral, it's my opinion.

If you think it's ok to work there and ignore it then do it. If you don't think it's ok then don't.

You shouldn't listen to anyone but you.

If you believe in the 'each to their own' mantra....what's the problem?

I'm a bit confuddled now.

Worra she can still think 'each to their own' while also wanting nothing to do with it.

I have no intention of eating meat, I couldn't care less if anyone else does but I wouldn't go into a butchers shop.

How often will you be expected to meet with this pastor? How much do you know about how the money is actually spent, in detail?

Dozy, that's why I think she should either do it or not do it...but she needs to be prepared to not judge them.

After all there's probably more in it for the OP than for the shop.

I'm sure they'll find someone else if she decides it's not for her.

I help out at a church (with kids).....they know I wouldn't go if I hadn't been (forced to go) since I was small, they know I'm an athiest. They just tolerant, accepting and grateful- which you'd expect the Christian leader of a charity to be, really.

Well, often they can't find someone else- a local Oxfam closed last year because they just didn't have enough volunteers. It had been there for at least 10 years.

Yeah Worra only she can decide that I think. I wouldn't. But others would. The only advice that's going to come from this is
'yes do it, they're doing amazing work'

'no don't do it, it's not moral'

'yes, do it but don't judge them'

'no don't do it, they won't want you there judging them'

You don't have to volunteer in a shop to help a charity. You could do sponsored walks, help raise awareness, fundraising etc

I personally wouldn't work there purely because I wouldn't be able to help myself and would question the existence of 'God' and their ability to heal as soon as they started preaching about not using medicine. Very firm believer in science.

I no longer speak to a friend who found 'God' and preaches endlessly about how everyone needs to find 'him'

With an organisation like Christian Aid, the emphasis is very much on the 'aid' rather than the 'Christian' IYSWIM, and I wouldn't have any problem volunteering for them (as an atheist).

But you're saying the people who run the charity were criticising this poor lady to her face for having chemo for her cancer rather than praying to the lord?

That's so far off my moral compass...no. I don't think I could work for an organisation like that. I guess it depends how much you need the experience?

Apart from anything else, is their charity going to distribute vaccines for example, if they think prayer will prevent polio? Train midwives, if they believe jesus will fix shoulder dystocia?

That's right Boulevard, she was being criticised for having chemo rather than praying. So I guess, in their eyes, I was wrong to have treatment and, by that, they're judging me. But the lady who was volunteering was part of their church and didn't agree with this aspect. She thought medical help was fine so I don't know how she reconciles that with the pastor. There are also others who volunteer there who I know aren't religious. I doubt most people in the village know it's a religious charity either for that matter. They just know they build orphanages.

You're quite right in raising the issue of vaccinations etc as I really don't know their stance on this. I do need to find out. If they do withold them then that's not good. But even if they're just providing food and shelter, is that better than nothing (do they even have the chance to be vaccinated anyway)? I'm really unsure about this.

And Worra, they won't just find someone else. We're a small village. Obviously I wouldn't be pivotal to their function but I would be a huge percentage of their person-power. But you're right, I would probably stand to gain more through the experience. I don't need the experience desperately as I have a good employment history (actually was a careers advisor for 8 years) but working in the village would be almost the only option at the moment for active employment. And withoutcaution, yes I realise I can help charities in other ways. I do. I guess the issue, in that respect, is more to do with active employment rather than just donating/fundraising.

If the comments about chemo and cancer are indicative of the ethos of the place, I wouldn't volunteer there. And I'm a Christian.

Kind of reminds me of a story I once heard in church: there was a man who faith was such that he believed God would save him in all situations. There was a terrible storm and his village began flooding. A fireman waded up to his house to rescue him, but the man wouldn't let the fireman save him because his faith was in God and he knew He would save him.

The waters rose and he was forced to go upstairs. A life boat arrived but again the man turned it away. Strong his his conviction that God would save him.

The waters rose higher and he was forced to climb onto the roof. A rescue helicopter arrived and yet again it was turned away because God would save him.

The man drowned. When he got to heaven he asked God why he hadn't fulfilled his promise and saved him from the flood. God said "I sent a fireman, a life boat and a rescue helicopter. What more did you want?"
:o

^ That was in Pursuit of Happyness! such a cute kid.

It would not be my cup of tea but perhaps you could do a bit more research and find out just where the money is spent. You could always give it a trail run and see how it goes. If the lecturing happens again then you can try something else.
Depending on how expensive the shop is it may also be helping financially strapped locals.

Ok. Just found out they don't provide vaccinations for religious reasons. I won't be volunteering.

. That's a no brainer then. I am sure you will find something better.

Do they also knock on doors in twos.....

In this or other options you'd also need to think whether they'd give you a good reference. Which they might not do if you can only bear to be there for a few weeks before you leave.

Local library? School? Brownies?

Pentecostals apparently. Not Jehovah's.

IWDNBU

When I volunteered I used my local volunteer centre to find work. It was called VAM (volunteer action maidstone). Do you have a local one you could access? I ended up volunteering at a local Mencap preschool, but also showed interest in befriending a young carer and teaching life skills to asylum seekers. They had so many other volunteer placements too, such as helping out at a goat sanctuary, befriending the elderly and working on a youth offending panel.