What are good ways for atheists to help those in need without religious influences?
When I have the ability to I would love to take my family and myself overseas to impoverished countries (and here Stateside as well) to help those that are genuinely in need: buy medicine, clothes, food, etc. However, as an agnostic-atheist I absolutely will not go under the banner of any religion, missionary, etc. What are some good 100% secular, non-religious organizations that would allow this to happen?
Also, given that the Red Cross derives its name from the Christian cross and Islamic crescent, is it really a non-religious organization?
2010-06-18T18:39:16Z
@ Guido: LMFAO! Are you SERIOUS?! I have to have religious beliefs to have compassion, empathy, and simple basic caring for my fellow man/woman? Wow. That speaks VOLUMES about your beliefs. If anything, this proves that morality is an evolutionary adaptation, not a divine construct. But keep on persisting in your delusional beliefs, clown.
Pangloss (Ancora Imparo) AFA2010-06-18T18:56:37Z
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Doctors without Borders and the American Red Cross are two excellent charities, but I am also a huge supporter of St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The strides that they have made in cancer treatment and research are all that matters to me, not their religious affiliation.
I will say that I stopped all donations to World Vision when they asked me for a $75 donation to help children "overcome atheism". I also wrote them a long letter just so there would be no confusion as to why they would no longer be receiving checks from me.
Guido- I donate a large portion of my income to charity. I do not give because I am hoping for a future reward (Heaven) or looking to avoid a future punishment (Hell). I also do not give in hopes of converting those receiving my donation to my belief system. I give because once you think "what if that where my child?", the point becomes obvious that it IS someone's child. Then you have no other alternative but to give.
The Red Cross has no religious affiliation now. They are also currently in desperate need of blood donations.
Of course the Red Cross is a Christian organization but they accept donations from Atheist and they extend their humanitarian services to Atheist. I am Atheist but would not hesitate to help people in need because of religious influence. To refuse aid to the needy only because it is being given by a religious organization is only selfish ideology seeking self promotion and as such you suck.
I honestly don't know man. I don't believe in God, and I still put money in the basket when I go to church with my parents, only because I believe the money will go to a good cause. Just because you disagree with peoples religions doesn't mean that the work their doing isn't worth supporting. Whether you donate your time to a religious organization, or a secular one, you'd still be doing something out of the kindness of your heart. Who cares what other people believe? Volunteer on your own terms.
If I may be so blunt, I believe people like you have bigger, kinder hearts then people who only do good things because their religion tells them to. You want to do something good because you believe its the right thing to do. I respect that. Too many people nowadays only donate to charities and do good things because they believe they will be "rewarded by god". To me, that's disingenuous. You sir are more genuine than many religious people, because many religious people have an ulterior motive when they do good deeds (to go to heaven and be rewarded by god)
i might say fake. Atheists have closed their techniques to the possibility that God purely ought to exist while a Christian needs to hold that individual to the tip that God is authentic, in actuality as Christians it is our accountability to objective and assemble people to God. Now i understand that a great style of Atheists have study the Bible, they only can not look to soak up what they have study and are available to a end that God does exist and it probable does not help that we've had the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus and not a single one in each of them have been authentic. in view that guy does not think of how that God thinks and we don't do issues the way that God does, i will work out the way it is troubling for some people to undertake a faith. quite it quite not lots that those people don't have faith, it is extra a understand that they don not decide for to alter the way that they are residing their existence, or they're afraid that their buddies will chuckle at them for turning out to be a Christian. maximum Christians that i understand, whilst asked what if once you die you detect out that God does not exist. Their answer is often alongside the strains of "nicely i understand he exists, yet whilst for some reason he does not then I quite have lost not something, I lived a stable and hassle-free existence" Now if an Atheist dies and famous out that God does exist, despite if he led a stable hassle-free existence, he has no risk at salvation. i might decide for to have faith that no one is going to Hell yet that purely isn't authentic. i might ask any Atheist to discover a homeless drug person and ask him if he believes in devil, lots of the drug consumers permit you to understand that they have seen devil many circumstances.