Non-Religious International Activism/Charity/Political Organizations?

liah

There's a hell of a lot wrong with the world lately, I think that goes without saying in light of recent events. And I've always been a concerned, but largely apathetic person about world events and politics. But lately, with so much going on, and so much that needs to change, I feel motivated enough to finally try and get involved.

I don't care what I get involved in, or even where, particularly, so long as I can help make a difference in one way or another. I'm interested in human rights/humanism, secularity, free speech and true democratic politics; all things I'm pretty passionate about keeping in tact. But I'm also considering doing my part in some kind of international charity, especially in lieu of recent natural disasters in places like New Zealand and Japan.

Only thing is, I don't really know where to start. I know for a fact I do not want to be involved in anything that promotes any kind of religion (mind, I don't want it 'promoting' atheism, either; just impartiality) or practices indoctrination in lieu of service (e.g. certain charities I won't bother naming).

Do any of you know any organizations along these lines in any way? What organizations I should stay well away from? And has anyone had any experience doing something similar?

strobe

liah wrote: »

There's a hell of a lot wrong with the world lately, I think that goes without saying in light of recent events. And I've always been a concerned, but largely apathetic person about world events and politics. But lately, with so much going on, and so much that needs to change, I feel motivated enough to finally try and get involved.

I don't care what I get involved in, or even where, particularly, so long as I can help make a difference in one way or another. I'm interested in human rights/humanism, secularity, free speech and true democratic politics; all things I'm pretty passionate about keeping in tact. But I'm also considering doing my part in some kind of international charity, especially in lieu of recent natural disasters in places like New Zealand and Japan.

Only thing is, I don't really know where to start. I know for a fact I do not want to be involved in anything that promotes any kind of religion (mind, I don't want it 'promoting' atheism, either; just impartiality) or practices indoctrination in lieu of service (e.g. certain charities I won't bother naming).

Do any of you know any organizations along these lines in any way? What organizations I should stay well away from? And has anyone had any experience doing something similar?

UNICEF Ireland and Amnesty International Ireland would be the first ones to spring to mind Liah. In terms of human rights.

http://www.unicef.ie/GetInvolved/Volunteer-51.aspx

http://www.amnesty.ie/fundraise

For secularity the only Irish organisations I know of are AI and HAI.

All those are free from religious motivation or promotion.


There is actually a volunteerism board on here. Might be worth posting this over there as well, they'd probably have a better idea.

Peregrinus

There are plenty of charities which have or stem from a religious motivation, but whose activities don't involve promoting religion or practising indoctrination. Oxfam would be an example, as would Concern or the Samaritans. (Some people would put Amnesty International in this category also, on the basis that its founder was motivated by religious belief.)

So you need to ask yourself are you more concerned about what the charity does, or about why they do it?

As the Amnesty example shows, if we are looking at motivation there isn't really a clear dividing line between religiously-motivated charities and those with a purely secular motivation. The motivation of those involved in a charitable organisation can change over time and furthermore the "official" stance of the organisation is not necessarily the same as what motivates all of those involved. I know people working for Catholic development agencies, for example, who have no religious belief and are generally hostile to the church, and they don't feel that what they do in those agencies is at all inconsistent with their beliefs and values, even though they are explicitly Christian agencies. Conversely there could well be people in secular agencies whose motivation for involving themselves is a religious one.

My inclination is to look at what people do, not at why they do it. But your mileage may vary.

If you're looking for agencies with (so far as possible) a completely secular background and ethos, in addition to UNICEF and Amnesty, you could consider Médecins Sans Frontières and the Irish Red Cross . There's also Save the Children and, of course, GOAL.

virmilitaris

There's a fund here by a local IT company who are sending funds to Japan. The wife and I were saving for a holiday in Europe this Summer but we decided to give most of it to this fund and save a little for a holiday locally.

strobe

virmilitaris wrote: »

There's a fund here by a local IT company who are sending funds to Japan. The wife and I were saving for a holiday in Europe this Summer but we decided to give most of it to this fund and save a little for a holiday locally.

:eek: I'd rather the holiday. Japan have plenty of money.

Memnoch

Amnesty would be my organisation of choice.

Alternatively Liberty UK (if I was over there.) Any time I've seen Shami Chakarbarthi on Question Time, she always tears the conservative philosophy to absolute shreds.

She's the only person on TV I've seen do any sort of justice to Left wing ideology and has had the special pleasure of being labelled the most dangerous woman in England by some tabloid journo.

virmilitaris

strobe wrote: »

:eek: I'd rather the holiday. Japan have plenty of money.

Oh no doubt about it they are rich but they are not that rich that means they can compensate everyone. International contributions are still very important and we ahould all do our bit.

Dades

I too would be dubious about giving money to the third largest economy in the world.

Sightsavers International has always been my conscience-settler. Actually enable somebody to see and to provide for themselves, rather than throwing money down some hole in Africa.

strobe

virmilitaris wrote: »

Oh no doubt about it they are rich but they are not that rich that means they can compensate everyone. International contributions are still very important and we ahould all do our bit.

Yeah... Like, fair play for thinking of the people and all that man (manette?) but you know the phrase 'an empty gesture' where you do a good action but you don't really mean it? Well I'd view this as the opposite of an empty gesture. You really mean it but the action is completely pointless.....

I might be wrong. (that happened once before in '97)

virmilitaris

strobe wrote: »

You really mean it but the action is completely pointless.....

I'm sorry what ?

You mean donating money to them is pointless because they have lots of it ?

strobe

virmilitaris wrote: »

I'm sorry what ?

You mean donating money to them is pointless because they have lots of it ?

.....yes.

Like if your rich neighbour broke his i-phone, so you came around to his house and gave him 20 euro towards a new i-phone even though his company was going to pay the full price for a replacement.

You certainly helped him pay for a new i-phone, but he would have got a new one anyway.

















I think what you did was great. To sacrifice your holiday, for people less fortunate, shows you have a good heart. I'm just not sure if it was necessary, in any way.










(Is this one of those things where I think my mind works like everyone else's but it turns out I'm a heartless monster?) {that happens sometimes}


[Sorry. Could a mod move any off topic stuff to another thread please? The original OP has a lot of potential and I don't want to see it dragged away from it's purpose.]

virmilitaris

strobe wrote: »

(Is this one of those things where I think my mind works like everyone else's but it turns out I'm a heartless monster?) {that happens sometimes}

No no I quite understand. I'm a heartless bastard about a lot of things myself. It's just that I have lived there and some of my wifes family are there so it hit home with us moreso than it would have if it had been another country. Japan gave a lot to me, including my wife, so I feel it's only fair that I give back.

strobe

virmilitaris wrote: »

No no I quite understand. I'm a heartless bastard about a lot of things myself. It's just that I have lived there and some of my wifes family are there so it hit home with us moreso than it would have if it had been another country. Japan gave a lot to me, including my wife, so I feel it's only fair that I give back.

Ok. I'll leave it at that.