Essay on Comparing Loring and Hilfiker

Submitted By SMattioli
Words: 586
Pages: 3

Justice and charity are a part in everyone’s life, yet some may not necessarily know what they are. Justice is doing onto others what they deserve whether it be good or bad. It could be the act of helping those in need or punishing those who have done wrong. An example of Justice would be sentencing a criminal to jail for committing a crime for murdering someone. Charity is doing the best one can to ultimately heal those in need. An example of charity would be volunteering at a soup kitchen and feeding the homeless. After reading “Limits of Charity” and “In Defense of Band-Aids,” I have come to the conclusion that I agree more with Loring’s view of charity as it seems to be more effective and can have a longer lasting effect than justice. After reading both Articles, I agree more with Loring’s “In Defense of Band-Aids” passage. I agree that “Charity alone cannot overturn injustice, but it can create bonds that lead us to conversion.” The people that need charity are the same people that seek healing and rehabilitation and therefore need charity to start their path to recovery. Like Loring, I believe that charity is the only way people that need healing can start the recovery process. Hilfiker believes in helping others only when they deserve it whereas Loring is for helping others purely out of generosity and because of our duty to help others in need. Loring believes that “Charity is the basis of justice, and its fulfillment.” What Loring is trying to say is that charity is giving to those in need and justice is more focused on giving to those who deserve it. Unlike Loring, Hilfiker believes that programs such as Hope Health Service and the Joseph’s house are created for those who need charity. Hilfiker admits that those institutions can be considered charitable. Hilfiker’s worry with charity is that is might, “Impede the realization of justice in our society.” This means that Hilfiker doesn’t like charity because of the social effects that being a part of one has. Hilfiker explains this further when he says, “My overall concern is this: Charitable endeavors such as Joseph’s house serve to relieve the pressure for more fundamental societal changes.” Hilfiker