I love how I've gotten two responses to my barb, but none to the rest of what I said, which was much more on-point.

However, I don't know that accepting remuneration for their volunteerism makes these charitable organizations unscrupulous. First, let's assume that they really are volunteers and not charitable organizations. That is, that they aren't redistributing what they receive, but that they give without receiving. I don't think that accepting thanks for that, whether it be in the form of appreciation or money makes them unscrupulous. Certainly there's probably no one on the other side of that coin, but just because they accept money that they didn't intend to get doesn't make them bad. Second, if they are charitable organizations, I don't see how accepting money from the government is any different than accepting money from individuals or non-governmental organizations, which they certainly already do. Unless there's some rider that makes them do something particular after the fact that they wouldn't otherwise do.

It just seems kinda silly to me that there might be these unscrupulous entities that are gambling that this particular, otherwise charitable, act is going to be the one to pay off big for them. It seems to me to be a little more along the line of "Thanks for helping out. I know you put yourself out for it. Here's me trying to make up for it and say thanks."

What does bother me is the implication that that sort of remuneration is restricted to religious organizations. Why should that money not also apply to the local athletic club that did the same thing? (Then again, I haven't RTFA, so I may be talking out of my ass.)