NBC report on Katrina responce in Houston

Why not? There is a need for relief efforts. People of goodwill can work together to relieve suffering despite their theological differences.

 

Scenario: Let's say that I awake one night to find that my neighbor's house is on fire. Worse yet, my neighbor, a 76-year old wheelchair-bound lady, can't get out of the house on her own (the doorway is blocked by flames). The fire department has been called, but is still 4-5 minutes away.

In the meantime, another of my neighbors & I run to get tools (axes, sledgehammers, whatever) to smash through her plate glass front window to pull her out of the burning house. At that point in time, I'm not going to care if my neighbor who is helping rescue the lady is muslim, buddhist, atheist, hindu, or a green-skinned space alien for that matter.

Now simply imagine that it's not a dire emergency (like a fire), but that my neighbor & I come to a mutual agreement that he & I will take turns cutting the 76-year old lady's lawn when it needs cutting.

Whether in a time of dire emergency, or just in times when a good deed may be much appreciated- why shouldn't we be able and willing to team-up with those who don't share our faith, when it comes to helping others in need? It may sometimes even open opportunities to share our faith with them!

 

True Larry. My neighbor boasts about not having a drop of Christian blood in her body. When she collapsed in the elevator bank 2 months ago, two Christians gave her back the breath of life. Now she doesnt rail so much about her faith anymore and is a lot more respectful towards everyone in general. I often wonder if she expected us to step over her body.

For me it isnt a question of who I would help, it is a question of when and how.

 

LarryN,

You put it very well.

 

Let's rephrase the question.

Would it be a good thing for the Baptist to do nothing, while only the Buddhist helped, because we didn't want to work with the Buddhist?