I strongly disagree with your opinion that the LDS church’s overriding purpose in providing aid to Haiti is to “get headlines”.
Even people in false religions believe in their religion. And if their religion teaches them that they must do good works to obtain their heavenly goal, that will be strong motivation to provide aid to those in need.
I don’t think MY church does outreach primarily, or even significantly, to get headlines. We do what we do because we think that’s what God wants us to do.
Advertising the action doesn’t negate this point. One can desire that the deeds of the church be known, without that being a primary or even significant purpose of the action.
I would argue that the church would give aid even if there was no way to advertise that they did so.
Nothing I have said should be construed as applying to the IR-USA organization.
I strongly disagree with your opinion that the LDS church’s overriding purpose in providing aid to Haiti is to “get headlines”.
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Having never been LDS, I can see why you would think that. That is how most churches operate.
However, the LDS are obsessed with PR. Every “Stake” (similar to a diocsese) has their own PR director who is in charge of making sure that newspaper articles are favorable and to get the LDS into the paper.
SLC also hires one of the top PR firms in the country.
When I was LDS, I was constantly told to “not do/say anything to make ‘the Church’ look bad. It was not about showing Christ, it was about “the Church” looking good or not looking bad.
Everytime the LDS church (especially in my stake in CA) did any type of charity, a press release was sent out.
Contrast this with my Christian church, that does much more outreach and charity (not just to members like the LDS) and NEVER sends out press releases or calls press conferences.
The LDS church is losing members at a very rapid pace (partly due to the increase of information online) and have had a very strong focus on PR especially in the last 10 years.
Even their own “welfare” system is only for members in good standing. Gentiles (non Mormons) are rarely if ever recipients of the LDS charity.
I would not be surprised in the least to discover that most of this aid to Haiti will be directed at LDS members and missionaries only.
That is based upon my experiences in the LDS church.