I remember seeing several people speaking of charity, giving it or getting it, in a manner of despisement in my childhood.
"I don't give to charity."
"Charity is for the weak."
"I don't need your charity."
"If they want charity let them work for it!"
I don't remember everything they said but I remember the general tone : charity was wrong!
Strangely enough, most of them called themselves Christians and very few of them were above borrowing $20 to buy some smokes and beer for the weekend.
So, charity is wrong but giving money to pay for the bad habits of others is not. ??
I think the word charity has been over-used in an under-defined way and with that thought, I decided I'd post a bit about what it really means:
(James 2:14- 17)
14 Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if a certain one says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it?
15 If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day,
16 yet a certain one of YOU says to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,” but YOU do not give them the necessities for [their] body, of what benefit is it?
17 Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.
Main Entry: char·i·ty
Pronunciation: 'cher-&-tE, 'cha-r&-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
Etymology: Middle English charite, from Anglo-French charité, from Late Latin caritat-, caritas Christian love, from Latin, dearness, from carus dear; akin to Old Irish carae friend, Sanskrit kAma love
1 : benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity
2 a : generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also : aid given to those in need b : an institution engaged in relief of the poor c : public provision for the relief of the needy
3 a : a gift for public benevolent purposes b : an institution (as a hospital) founded by such a gift
4 : lenient judgment of others
Do we need benevolent goodwill or love of humanity? Is it only for the weak? Is generosity wrong? And is it something that should only be given once a year, at the office?
Is Christian love a bad thing? I'm not asking about "Christian" intolerance, or bartering : "I will be glad to feed you as soon as you devote yourself to God." sort of alleged love. But real Christian love as it should be, as it is described in the Bible?
I saw a man once who refused all help, but he had a family. Well, it's understandable. People do have their pride, but some people let their families starve and end up in the streets simply because of that pride - and it's not a matter of selling your morals or religious conviction that drives them there; just not wanting to be beholden to anyone.
I've seen many men, and women too yes, be that way, in fact. This particular time another man continued arguing with him over it, knocking aside all objections: you won't be beholden as I am giving it as a gift; it's not begging, I am giving it to you; I can't remember all what was said as it was a long time ago and quite an argument. I remember the end where he said "Well, I'm not doing it for you." and the other man started making objections about how he isn't there to help ease the other man's soul and about how the children are his .. both at once and the would-be giver of charity said "I am not doing it for that either. It's for the next one that comes along."
Well that stopped him a bit and he had to ask questions. So the man told him he might not be there and he expects the other man to be up on his feet and ready to help the next person or family; and apparently he'd better expect it to be a hard fight to do so.
At which point the man with the family, he took the money and whatever else help was offered. Having been set on the same level as the giver and having just been comissioned for a work.
It was pity, I say, that drove the man to make the offer. It was Christian love aka: Charity that drove him to continue arguing the point.
And yes, yes indeed my little cat-faced atheist and sundry, you can experience that sort of love without actually being Christian at the time. It's just that Christians are to cultivate it and be marked by it. So if you see a group of Christians but they are not so marked - if you observe them and do not see that sort of love, having walked amongst them, then you know they are not following the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.
Of course, that doesn't mean they never get mad, never shirk a day's work, never slip .. it's a general tone, attitude, way of life.
By the way, I was accused, last night, of saying the Bible is untrue. I'm not sure why anyone would think I meant that, but if you are out there and thinking that, please feel free to stop. I don't post things on Bible Accuracy and say there are thousands of proofs of it's accuracy, because I believe it's not! 
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