Giving CHARITY...a human need?

[Maricel Evasco]

Is the act of giving charity to those in need a human need or a social inculcation?   I know the Judaic Christian tradition emphasizes it as an important obligation as does the public school systems nationwide. Yet, I also think the non religious are inclined to giving charity. I just wonder that if society was stripped of religious training and other groups' inculcation on the value of charitable works, would people still be inclined to be generous in helping strangers in need. Is charity intrinsic to being human?

[Snagg]

No, as chimps and other mammals in the wild have shown instances of this "human" trait.

Not that there's anything wrong with the urge to help a stranger....