Ever since their founder, Dan West, came up with the phrase “not a cup, but a cow,” Heifer International’s approach to providing global assistance to struggling countries has been characterized by long-term development rather than short-term relief.# Heifer International is a global non-profit dedicated to ending hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. After meeting the immediate needs for food, shelter, clean water, clothing and other necessities, Heifer empowers communities with the long-term economic means—such as livestock, seeds, and training—to re-establish their families, their neighborhoods, and their hope for a viable future. Although supported by a strong and diverse group of financial contributors, Heifer also works especially closely with Jewish and Christian congregations, tying the principles of Heifer projects with traditional charitable beliefs.
The mission of Heifer is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. Since 1944, they have helped more than 12 million families in more than 125 countries by providing profit-returning livestock and seeds, as well as training in animal well being, agroecology, water quality, gender equity and community development. Heifer guides communities to self-reliance by building holistic programs based on their twelve founding principles, known as the Cornerstones. Heifer relies on the Cornerstones to encourage group wisdom and personal insight, to keep people’s hearts and actions balanced, focused and productive#. Together, the Cornerstones form the acronym PASSING on the GIFTS, which mirrors the most crucial cornerstone of them all.
The first and most fundamental of Heifer’s cornerstone strategies is “Passing on the Gift.” This practice, which is what makes Heifer’s w...
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...of Heifer rings true.
There is no doubt that Heifer International consistently performs significant work across the world. Its comprehensive projects work to alleviate all forms of poverty. It utilizes many unique and innovative programs, but ultimately, the work of Heifer is not too original. It’s purpose, principles, and programs are deeply rooted in the traditional charitable beliefs of Judaism and Christianity.
Works Cited
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Heifer International. "Charitable Gift Giving that Makes a Difference | Heifer International." Pass on the Gift: Heifer International. http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.183217/ (accessed March 21, 2011).
Maimonides, Moses, and Eliyahu Touger. Mishneh Torah. 1180. Reprint: chabad.org, 2011.
As a result of, the company can help get animals adopted that are in the shelters placed into new homes. With every animal adopted, we can offer a free bag of Only Natural Pet Food
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In the article “God’s Heart for the Poor,” Dr. Jay W. Richards, a famous author, claims that Christians should have both heart and mind in order to help the poor and become a true, good neighbor. He uses some Bible verses to teach the readers about the importance of being a good neighbor and uses The Piety Myth to explain how Christians should “exercise prudence” and connects this concept to the economics.
Winthrop, J. (2008). A Model for Christian Charity. In N. Baym (Ed.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature Volume 1 (pp. 82). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
A Model of Christian Charity points us in the direction of enlightenment through the love of God based on mutual respect and adoration, never lustful or sinful, and following in the spirit of connected separate bodies. John Winthrop ask his people to love one another as neighbors, as brotherly bonds whom strengthen pure love and separate this love from carnal love on a model of affection. Winthro...
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“We take care of animals, and the animals take care of us.” (Rollin 212). The preceding phrase is a policy that American farmers in the old west lived their lives by. Modern farmers live do not live their lives anywhere near to this phrase because they own factory farms, and the whole reason for having a factory farm is to fit as many animals in a small space as possible in order to maximize profit. Factory Farms, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) first appeared in the 1920s, right after Vitamins A and D, because if animals are given these vitamins in their diets, exercise and sunlight are not necessities for the animals to grow anymore (In Defense of Animals 1). The growing number of factory farms is coupled with the decreasing population of rural areas, which means that many people are beginning to factory farm because it yields a higher profit (“Agricultural Sciences” 170). In the 1950s, the average number of chickens on a given egg farm in the United States was 100, but now the average number is a shocking 10,000 chickens (“Factory Farms” 4). The reason for the increase of chickens has to do with new and cheaper technology developed just after World War II. The new technology increased the number of chickens, while it had the opposite effect on dairy and meat cows, their numbers went in the other direction. The number of cows used for milk was cut by more than half between 1950 and 2000, because farmers discovered new and more efficient methods for milking cows (Weeks 4). Many activists for animals’ rights are concerned about the methods used by factory farmers because they confine their animals into tight spaces and since there are so many of them in a small ...
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The implementation of this new ethical paradigm allowed for Abrahamic societies to link their belief in God to common social values and responsibilities (Stark, 2001). The approach which Judaism, Christianity and Islam each take toward these common social values and responsibilities displays which values are held highest in each religion. Despite differences in each religion’s approach, common themes exist. The role of justice and forgiveness in each religion displays a common belief that man’s nature is to stray from God’s justice, but that man can ultimately connect with the divine through the contemplation and understanding of what is good and right.
Eastman, Roger. The Ways of Religion: An Introduction to the Major Traditions. Third Edition. Oxford University Press. N.Y. 1999
The Anglicans and other Christian groups viewed charity differently in the nineteenth century. Each religion had and preached its own concept. We learn that the Anglicans’ views are more in opposition to charity when Cheryl Walsh indicates that, "Through this type of religion, there was very little encouragement for the development of a social conscience—of recognition of any kind of responsibility for the welfare of fellow human beings"(353). Walsh also mentions that Anglicans "Felt neither responsible for the suffering of the poor nor called on to help alleviate that suffering"(353). The belief of not being responsible for the misfortunes of the poor and not attempting to help them in any way draws the notion that Anglicans clearly didn’t favor charitable acts. On the other hand, according to St. Paul, Christianity’s view on charity was more an act of duty than the expected one of kindness.
Kohn, Risa Levitt, and Rebecca Moore. A Portable God: The Origin of Judaism and Christianity. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Print.
There are several ethical teachings in Christianity and Islam that instruct Christians and Muslims on how they should act in everyday life. These ethical teachings often require the members of each religion to give generously to the welfare of those in need. This essay will prove that both Islam and Christianity have ethical teachings that instruct people to give to the needy. This will be proved by first defining what an ethical guideline or teaching is, by looking at the Islamic ethical guidelines that instruct Muslims to help those in need and finally through analysing the Christian ethical guidelines that teach Christians to contribute to the welfare of those in need.