I’ve always questioned two things about giving to a charity or a good cause:

1. Why give tithings or donate to charity and later claim it on your taxes to get a tax credit. Once you give it, there’s no getting it back.
2. Why announce it, is your giving in order for you to receive.

My belief is when it comes to one’s personal riches, whether you’re a “hundredaire”, a billionaire or somewhere in between, “you’ve earned it, I didn’t, do what you want with it (legally)”. Now I may view buying a $500,000 sport car or a 20 bedroom, 15 bathroom mansion for only three people a bit silly, but hey that’s just my ridiculous thinking.

You’ve heard of “The Giving Pledge”, right? The Giving Pledge is an effort to invite the wealthiest individuals and families in America to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to the philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice either during their lifetime or after their death.

With Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and 37 other not rich but wealthy individuals making a pledge to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropy; at first I thought, great, it’s theirs, they give it as they please.  But as I read short bios of the 40, I started seeing that these are some pretty serious business people who got wealthy by way of innovation, shrewd business practices, timing, knowledge, and in some cases taking advantage of others (i.e. Mark Zuckerberg). They are not stupid, and one thing I’ve learned about the wealthiest, they know how to manipulate their money and investments, remember Donald Trump filed for bankruptcy while he still sat on millions.

So call me crude but since these wealthy individuals have chosen to publicize their present and “potential” good deeds, they’ve peaked my curiosity. Where are the checks and balances? I appreciate and respect their choice to give as much as they can to a good cause, but just like so many campaigns raising money for good causes, some pledges are just that, pledges. So I say, as the great philosopher Nike said, “Just Do It”!

God bless anyone who sacrifice a part of themselves to charity, whether money or time. I just believe you should do it, shout up and receive your well deserved blessings.

If the names were top-secret and held from the public, now that would be impressive.