Find out how this man gives back without being associated with the church.
Joe Rawlins is the author of the controversial book The Korihor Argument, where he discusses his journey out of Mormonism. A portion of the proceeds of each copy go to improving access to education for the children of Peru. Joe came to the conclusion that you do not need to be a member of a particular religion to give back to those in need. You can act and give on your own accord, even if you’re not associated with a huge non-profit or foundation.
Key Takeaways:
[2:50] Why did Joe lose his faith? [5:20] In 2013, Joe decided he was an atheist. [6:05] When Joe went to volunteer in Peru on behalf of the church, he felt a conflict between serving the people vs. serving the church. [7:35] Joe understands that faith has a huge part in our lives. It gives us answers, it comforts us, and it holds us up when there’s chaos or turmoil in our lives. [8:05] Religious people believe atheists are selfish, but this is a misconception. [10:55] A majority of Peruvians are Catholic, so what were the Catholic missionaries doing? They were approaching how to serve Peruvians very differently compared to the Mormon church. [16:35] Joe is focused on working with Peruvian children between the ages of 3-6. [17:45] Joe talks about Sumiko and her situation. [22:55] Why did Joe reach out to his old Mormon community to help with Sumiko’s cause? [26:50] Joe wanted to see if he could give back directly to somebody in Peru without needing a big organization behind it. [30:15] Buying local is key. Joe shares an example of how big NGOs do it wrong. [36:10] Teaching these young kids how to use technology also gives them a new way to contribute to the global economy. [41:00] What is Joe up to now? [46:00] There’s a lot of power to just having access to technology. You don’t necessarily need a computer per child. [47:50] Did you know $1 US dollar can feed 10 hungry children? [49:35] We don’t think about how important shoes really are.Mentioned in This Episode:
The Korihor Argument by Joseph L. Rawlins
The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman
Tweetables:
“Faith really gives people answers.”
“If mom can’t read and baby can’t read, it sets us off where kids don’t have opportunities in life.”
“You don’t have to have a computer for every child. It can become a shared resource.”
