Simply Ridiculous!

Recently, there was an interesting conversation between an elderly person and a group of 'samajsevaks'. This group had approached the elderly person for collecting charity for a 'cause' for their village. Both the parties knew each other well due to their association to the village. The elderly man lives in the city now and is known to be providing a helpful hand to the fellows in the village for various purposes.
Hoping to be assured with his help this time too, this group of 'samajsevaks' approached him. The charity was being asked to be able to build a temple in the village. "The new temple will add value and bring fame to our village among those hailing from other villages", is what the samajsevaks believed!
The elderly man did not want to mock at their reasoning, but definitely did not want to donate for this cause. He only said, "There are other ways of earning fame for the village's name. Not only locally or at a national level, but also at a global level! Why don't you'll make a playground in the village instead? I am ready to donate as much as I can an also look after the administration if you'll agree to this". Those people were listening to him, but still holding their temple issue in the mind. The elderly man continued, "We can identify great talent and potential in teh faces of the village kids and lads and encourage them to get trained in different sports activities that are played at the Olympics level. There is immense talent available in rural India to be able to go far beyond the 3 medals that we earned".
To this, the group agreed to, but also wanted to get a nod for their project- temple! The most astonishing reply that they gave was, yes, we can promote sports here, and along with that those who participate in here, their parents would definitely donate some part for the temple. To this the elderly man said, "Those who will participate, will first of all be from not so well to do families. In fact, we will have to help them from our pockets! And, if you so want to build the temple, which according to you would fetch good name for the village, you can sell off your part of land that you own and build the temple out of it".
The man from the group who was told this, got offended and said it is not possible. The elderly man had just one question for him, "Do you really want the fame for the village or for yourself, as you are the one who is eager to do so. You can achieve both if you use your land for the cause".
The man had no answer to this and hopefully understood the elderly man's unsaid words.
Some people really need a reason to either cash in on other's money or jus a way to spend time in not-required stuff. What difference would the new temple make for the villagers for whom work itself it worship? And, who already have a temple in the village where they can always go to???

This is an excerpt of a real conversation that took place in marathi.