Atheist Charity

The Brofessor

I'm going to be honest. This week because of problems with money I had to go to a place in Dublin which provides free breakfast and dinner. I was bit scared going there not knowing what to expect. When I arrived I was happy to see the place was well run and not dangerous or anything to be scared of. I had two really nice meals that day.

The place was run by a religious order (to be honest I'm really clear on the details of this organisation) which was Catholic.

I felt really humbled by the experience. These people were providing free meals for anyone who came along and didn't ask any questions. I feel they had a spirit which has become so rare in the world today. I was facing going a few days without food but because of them that didn't happen, I feel so grateful.

Afterward I was thinking about the motivations of the people and volunteers who run the place. I can only think they must be motivated by their beliefs. Beliefs which are root in their religion.

And I wondered, are there any atheist organisations who run such places? Anywhere? Could there be?

I was raised a Catholic but it's been years since I was in a church and I really don't think much about religion. But afterward I thought about my situation and how in trouble I would be if it wasn't for those people and their beliefs and sense of community. I think it's important and I think it's something I must try to rebuild in myself.

If you are an atheist do you get involved in that kind of charity work? I'm just asking, I'm not trying to blame people or point the finger and condemn, I'm just asking would these places exist in an atheist world?

And I welcome finding out about any atheist organisations like that.

Thanks

job seeker

The Brofessor wrote: »

I'm going to be honest. This week because of problems with money I had to go to a place in Dublin which provides free breakfast and dinner. I was bit scared going there not knowing what to expect. When I arrived I was happy to see the place was well run and not dangerous or anything to be scared of. I had two really nice meals that day.

The place was run by a religious order (to be honest I'm really clear on the details of this organisation) which was Catholic.

I felt really humbled by the experience. These people were providing free meals for anyone who came along and didn't ask any questions. I feel they had a spirit which has become so rare in the world today. I was facing going a few days without food but because of them that didn't happen, I feel so grateful.

Afterward I was thinking about the motivations of the people and volunteers who run the place. I can only think they must be motivated by their beliefs. Beliefs which are root in their religion.

And I wondered, are there any atheist organisations who run such places? Anywhere? Could there be?

I was raised a Catholic but it's been years since I was in a church and I really don't think much about religion. But afterward I thought about my situation and how in trouble I would be if it wasn't for those people and their beliefs and sense of community. I think it's important and I think it's something I must try to rebuild in myself.

If you are an atheist do you get involved in that kind of charity work? I'm just asking, I'm not trying to blame people or point the finger and condemn, I'm just asking would these places exist in an atheist world?

And I welcome finding out about any atheist organisations like that.

Thanks

So...

Need of food = much
Need for boards = Much much more.












































jk

Don Kedick

Oh no, the atheists wont like this.

Mesrine65

Hope things pick up for you Brofessor, I've been where you're at, best of luck.

Zillah

Doctors Without Borders is non-religious. Just a bunch of people risking their lives to travel to war-zones and plague-zones to help people in need. Some of them might be religious, some of them are atheist. UNICEF is non-religious. Amnesty International, too.

Point being, you should be asking about secular charities, of which there are many. Expecting there be Atheists For the Homeless is silly. Atheism isn't a religion, that's a trap a lot of people fall into.

adocholiday

Atheists (and in fact people of all beliefs/no belief) can be compassionate and caring without needing a religious reason to do so. If they are doing it solely on the basis of their potential reward in whatever afterlife that they believe they're going to then their charity and compassion is based on false pretenses. I like to think that people regardless of their beliefs can be kind and give a helping hand because they have compassion for their fellow man.

So to answer your question OP, yes I believe that these charities would indeed exist in an atheist world.

Donkey Oaty

Geldof is an atheist, and he has devoted his life to helping the Ebolan famine victims or something.

Grayson

If you're only doing something nice because of your religion or because of a fear of God, you're a bit of a dick.

Religion can turn people into saints or jihadi. A big part is down to the person themselves.

If atheism affects a persons actions it's because atheists know that this is the only life we have. there's no second chances. Life is extra special and needs to be valued. Not just our own, but others too.

Zillah

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Geldof is an atheist, and he has devoted his life to helping the Ebolan famine victims or something.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is secular.

eviltwin

Most charities are secular, the people involved might have their own religious views but its not really central to what they do.

Don Kedick

Our religious charities are better than your religious charities because we don't have to pray!

Duck Soup

Grayson wrote: »

If you're only doing something nice because of your religion or because of a fear of God, you're a bit of a dick.

Religion can turn people into saints or jihadi. A big part is down to the person themselves.

If atheism affects a persons actions it's because atheists know that this is the only life we have. there's no second chances. Life is extra special and needs to be valued. Not just our own, but others too.

Or it can work the other way. There is no divine retribution. There is no reward in the next life. There is this. And then there is nothingness.

Grab everything you can, while you can. Your only moral metric is "Can I get away with it?".

Religion can make you a jihadist. It can also lead to a life devoted working amongst the poorest, most marginalized people in the world.

Atheism can make you value this life and the lives of others. Or it can make you utterly self-interested and materialistic.

mikemac1

Having been in your situation all I can add is Tesco instant noodles are 23c and have about 700 calories in them

It's not a healthy way to live but you can live on under a euro a day

SEPT 23 1989

what were they serving for the dinner?

jimgoose

May I recommend Freemasonry, whereby upstanding, God-fearing (whatever you conceive Him/Her/It to be) men of property and character endeavour to change the world and stand up for the poor and helpless through good works such as sitting around drinking beer while wearing funny hats. Huzzah!!

Gbear

adocholiday wrote: »

Atheists (and in fact people of all beliefs/no belief) can be compassionate and caring without needing a religious reason to do so. If they are doing it solely on the basis of their potential reward in whatever afterlife that they believe they're going to then their charity and compassion is based on false pretenses. I like to think that people regardless of their beliefs can be kind and give a helping hand because they have compassion for their fellow man.

To be fair I don't think most people believe this sort of ****e, even if they are religious.

They get sad when people die (despite them going to heaven), they give to charity because it feels good and it's a nice thing to do and they "sin" despite it supposedly damning them to hell.

In the day to day, I think only the serious loonies actually make decisions based on their religion. Most people are just people.

endacl

Don Kedick wrote: »

Oh no, the atheists wont like this.

This one does. Good people do good things. I approve. I don't care what the motivation is.

Now, on the other hand, if you want to get a good person to do a bad thing, while believing it to be a good thing, maybe you should take a cursory glance at much of our history re the obvious examples.

podgemonster

Duck Soup wrote: »

Religion can make you a jihadist. It can also lead to a life devoted working amongst the poorest, most marginalized people in the world.

Atheism can make you value this life and the lives of others. Or it can make you utterly self-interested and materialistic.

I think it's unfair to generalize that a persons religious or non-religious beliefs make them who they are and how they treat others.

My experience is that regardless of religion/race/political views some people are sound and some people are just cúnts.

endacl

eviltwin wrote: »

Most charities are secular, the people involved might have their own religious views but its not really central to what they do.

GOAL is secular? Isn't football a religion to many?

:pac:

ScumLord

The big difference is the Catholic church is an organised religion with over a billion members, they take in collections on a weekly basis, actively seek funding and have been taking in small fortunes every year for over a thousand years.

Atheists are just individuals that have opted out of organised religion. It's like comparing the state to a random selection of people from all over the world and saying "why can't these random people that have never even meet each other be as organised as a state?"

The Catholic church does some great work, I don't believe that the majority of people dedicating their time to charity work are doing it for selfish reasons just to get into heaven. A real christian that lives to a moral code without judging others, are usually very nice and genuine people.

Charity and helping other humans is something that's hard coded into the human animal, people focus too much on the wars and violence and don't notice that the rest of the time, which is 99.9% of the time people are generally nice to each other and just want to get along.

Grayson

Duck Soup wrote: »

Or it can work the other way. There is no divine retribution. There is no reward in the next life. There is this. And then there is nothingness.

Grab everything you can, while you can. Your only moral metric is "Can I get away with it?".

Religion can make you a jihadist. It can also lead to a life devoted working amongst the poorest, most marginalized people in the world.

Atheism can make you value this life and the lives of others. Or it can make you utterly self-interested and materialistic.

Which religion turned you into a glass half full guy

costadeldole

jimgoose wrote: »

May I recommend Freemasonry, whereby upstanding, God-fearing (whatever you conceive Him/Her/It to be) men of property and character endeavour to change the world and stand up for the poor and helpless through good works such as sitting around drinking beer while wearing funny hats. Huzzah!!

Freemason's don't wear funny hats, they wear aprons.
Nor do they drink beer in Masonic lodges, they usually drink tea after meetings.
Yes, they do donate to charities, and not all of them are Masonic.
If you are going to (try) to be funny, and take the piss out of an organisation, then get your facts straight first.

Hermy

ScumLord wrote: »

Atheists are just individuals that have opted out of organised religion.

Or individuals who never opted in!

A lot of religions use charity as a way of finding new recruits. Those they help are vulnerable and may be more inclined to turn to whatever god is being sold by that particular charity.

Mesrine65

costadeldole wrote: »

Freemason's don't wear funny hats, they wear aprons.
Nor do they drink beer in Masonic lodges, they usually drink tea after meetings.
Yes, they do donate to charities, and not all of them are Masonic.
If you are going to (try) to be funny, and take the piss out of an organisation, then get your facts straight first.

Leave jimgoose be, his witty repertoire amuses me no end you nasty, funny-handshake deviant.

Don Kedick

Atheism is a religion.

Littlekittylou

The Brofessor wrote: »

I'm going to be honest. This week because of problems with money I had to go to a place in Dublin which provides free breakfast and dinner. I was bit scared going there not knowing what to expect. When I arrived I was happy to see the place was well run and not dangerous or anything to be scared of. I had two really nice meals that day.

The place was run by a religious order (to be honest I'm really clear on the details of this organisation) which was Catholic.

I felt really humbled by the experience. These people were providing free meals for anyone who came along and didn't ask any questions. I feel they had a spirit which has become so rare in the world today. I was facing going a few days without food but because of them that didn't happen, I feel so grateful.

Afterward I was thinking about the motivations of the people and volunteers who run the place. I can only think they must be motivated by their beliefs. Beliefs which are root in their religion.

And I wondered, are there any atheist organisations who run such places? Anywhere? Could there be?

I was raised a Catholic but it's been years since I was in a church and I really don't think much about religion. But afterward I thought about my situation and how in trouble I would be if it wasn't for those people and their beliefs and sense of community. I think it's important and I think it's something I must try to rebuild in myself.

If you are an atheist do you get involved in that kind of charity work? I'm just asking, I'm not trying to blame people or point the finger and condemn, I'm just asking would these places exist in an atheist world?

And I welcome finding out about any atheist organisations like that.

Thanks

I know many atheists who are some of the most charitable people I know. And some religious people who are not. And then visa versa the two are unrelated.

Secular charities exists.

I absolutely applaud the work that religious charities do and have done work with some of them.

Foundation Beyond Belief is a secular charity in the states that has raised over $1,000,000 for diff charities.

I don't consider myself to be an atheist just to add. I do get involved in charities. But I know many atheists who do charity work also.

Hermy

Don Kedick wrote: »

Atheism is a religion.

Really? So what word describes someone who doesn't believe in religion and stuff about God or gods?

NotCominBack

Hermy wrote: »

Really? So what word describes someone who doesn't believe in religion and stuff about God or gods?

D'unbelievables?

Galwayguy35

Hermy wrote: »

Or individuals who never opted in!

A lot of religions use charity as a way of finding new recruits. Those they help are vulnerable and may be more inclined to turn to whatever god is being sold by that particular charity.

So you think that's the reason they give a hot meal to those that need it?

Would it ever come into your head that maybe they are trying to help people less fortunate?

Don Kedick

Hermy wrote: »

Really? So what word describes someone who doesn't believe in religion and stuff about God or gods?

They just don't believe in god. Atheists have strong beliefs in their religion and follow it devotedly.

corner of hells

Hermy wrote: »

Or individuals who never opted in!

A lot of religions use charity as a way of finding new recruits. Those they help are vulnerable and may be more inclined to turn to whatever god is being sold by that particular charity.

They do ? I work for a charity with Catholic ethos ,cant say I can ever remember anyone being recruited , previously I worked for two they ones with a religious ethos , cant say I can remember any recruiting there either.

JONJO THE MISER

What way do they serve there eggs at breakfast?
How many courses for dinner?

DEFTLEFTHAND

Many Atheists and Christians work side by side in the likes of Trocaire and the Brother Hayes Foundation.

Christy Browne

Don Kedick wrote: »

Atheism is a religion.

I suppose bald is a hair colour and not playing football is a sport now too?

Hermy

Maybe recruited is a poor choice of word but is it not part of most religions that they spread 'the word'?
Isn't that what missionary's have been doing for years?

OP is a re reg troll who has since been sitebanned.

If anyone wishes to continue the religious debate, please do so in the relevant forums.

Thank you.