Charles F. Feeney is a billionaire I can get behind. He’s a philanthropist who is deadset on giving away his fortunes to good causes and also focused on encouraging other billionaires to do the same.
Warren Buffet calls him the “spiritual leader” to like-walleted others.
And rightly so.
Only I don’t know that Feeney does it for Yeshua or any overt religious organization. For years, he worked to give away his millions anonymously. He’s now reached a more recognizable public persona, but still doesn’t seem to wear any blinky-lighted t-shirt that screams “Look at me!”
From that evil, liberal, deceitful rag the NY Times:
Mr. Feeney, 81, a man with no romantic attachment to wealth or its trappings, said the world had enough urgent problems that required attention now, before they became even more expensive to solve.
“When you’ve got the money, you spend it,” Mr. Feeney said. “When you’ve spent it all, let someone else get going and spend theirs.”
When the last of its money has been spent and it closes its doors sometime around 2020, Atlantic Philanthropies will be by far the largest such organization to have voluntarily shut itself down, according to Steven Lawrence, director of research for the Foundation Center. (The much bigger Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to shut down 50 years after its founders die.)
If it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, Feeney appears to be sending a superiority of camels through that little hole.
So while churches, pastors and Christian-run fast food corporations grow wealthier and swim in their gold like Scrooge McDuck, guys like Feeney and Bill Gates — who have no connection to faith or Yeshua — are outshining the “good” guys a billion times over.
Two more things to point out:
He has given away essentially everything he has made, apart from decent, though not extravagant, provisions for his four daughters and one son. They all worked through college as waiters, maids and cashiers.
And:
“I want the last check I write to bounce,” Mr. Feeney said.
