Atheists and Humanists--how important is volunteering or charitable giving to you?

Question

Do you regularly give to charities? What charities do you favor?

Do you set aside a certain amount of time each month to help at the local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, volunteer as a big brother/big sister, or do other charity work? How important is voluntary public service to you?

tjreamer: As I am a Humanist, you're wrong to assume that the question implies that atheists are less moral or less altruistic than Christians. This is a chance for atheists and Humanists to set the record straight.

Spooky: I respect that you don't volunteer your time and money for public applause. I simply thought this might be a good opportunity for atheists and Humanists to inspire more public service in their fellows, and maybe steer them toward worthy charities.

Answer 1

Setting aside a specific amount of time is too limiting. If someone needs your help you help them. It seems pretty selfish to set a quota and then consider yourself done.

I don't have a quota - it works more like this - if there's a young person with no place to live I may offer them a place to live if my house isn't too full at the time. Otherwise I give money, food, clothes and advice. If someone has no home and no coat I start by giving them my coat. I've been involved in setting up homes for people and in furnishing them. If I see someone struggling, I help.

Of course I do the regular thing and give to charities like the Juvenile Diabetes Fund, the Leukemia Foundation, the Children's Miracle Network, etc. Really whoever approaches me for money.

I'll never forget getting my first apartment, getting off the street for myself. My first thought when I was crying and realizing I had somewhere warm and safe to sleep was this, "How many other girls can I fit in here?"

You should help people because people are all you've got. No one else is going to help them so you have to. Share what you have, you don't need to set a schedule just give to all that need it.

Humanism, by definition is about taking care of each other because no one else will.

Answer 2

For a relationship between a Rationalist Atheist and a Humanist Atheist to work there will be many things to consider. First and foremost, should the children be raised Rational, Humanist, or both? In most successful marriages between people of different beliefs, all holidays from both parents are celebrated. Are there special situations involving relatives that need to be addressed? These sort of marriages are often successful, but they are sometimes very complicated. But then, that's one of the reasons why you're Atheists, right? (You can run but you can't hide!)

Answer 3

I'm an atheist. It's very important to me to help out those in need. I donate money and used clothes to charities and sometimes I do volunteer work for charities. It saddens me to know of people suffering, it makes me wish I could do more to help

There is no charity organization in particular that I favor, I try to support various causes and try to choose charities where the money actually goes into helping people rather than paying the CEO a fortune (did you know that the CEO of the American Red Cross was paid $651,957 as salary for the year ending 06/30/03... plus expenses!?).

Answer 4

I am an athiest, or whatever you want to call it. I don't subscribe to any of the world religions at all.

However, I know my place in the world and how lucky I am to inhabit it (white, middle class, professional male with UK/US citizenship).

I donate each month in a direct debt to a number of charities that i feel are relevant to me and my outlook on life:

1. Red Cross (I do not believe they are opaquely religious any more)

2. Medicens Sans Frontiers

3. Amnesty International

4. Local housing shelter


The amount i donate is enough to keep the guilt off my back for working for a large corporate bank. And for someone who is not 'obliged' to donate money through an organised religion i think i'm doing ok.

i think religion has very little to do with whether someone will donate to charity or volunteer. i think it's more about having empathy with the world around you.

Answer 5

I have little time, so I do not volunteer. However, since I began to make more money in my carreer, I have felt a need tto become philanthropic. As a result, I donate to charities regularily.

I simply avoid any faith based charities. When they come around and solicit, I explain that I do not donate to charities that force people to pray in order to receive care. So, I give to my local rescue mission. I refuse to give money to the Govt for rescue operations - Katrina was a perfect example why I dont give to the Govt....

Im guessing you think that more Christians do this than Atheists huh? I bet youre wrong...

Answer 6

Depends. I annually participate in the March of Dimes; give clothes, toys and such to different groups; worked in soup kitchens and offer my services as "father" to neighborhood kids who don't see their own too often. Being a good person has nothing to do with religion. The Faith-Based initiatives now coursing through the USG are tools of appeasement by a lame-duck politician whose disdain for true faith is evidenced by his actions, inactions, thoughts and words. Amazingly, the $8 billion promised has not and will not be delivered. Notice the rhetoric of administration officials stating "they have made funds AVAILABLE for faith-based organizations". Why not state that $8 billion is set aside in the federal budget for those organizations? Because it hasn't been and it won't be. In my own humble, and hell-bound opinion, if people belive an invisible, omnipotent being can read their thoughts and controls everything, then of course they'll believe what a politician says.

Answer 7

I give to Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, Blue Santa, Child Advocacy Center, and public radio and television. To the tune of about 500/mo, averaged out over the year. I volunteer at the school my child goes to and to the public radio station, other than that, have little time to volunteer, as I am a working mom.

Answer 8

Along with millions of other atheists I give quite a bit of time and money to charities, I also volunteer as a literacy tutor. Not believing in God does not blind us to the suffering of others. In fact we believe that doing something to help others rather than praying for them tends to have a better result.

Answer 9

I do good deeds with the understanding that I will not shout about them from the rooftops. Yes, I do my part, but it is rather personal. Sorry.

Edit: I find that doing for others is one of my greatest joys. I value it highly.

EDIT: Oh I understood your question to be sincere...please no apologies. I just prefer no commendations. As I stated, doing for others brings me immense pleasure, no matter how large or small the deed. I place volunteer work and charitable deeds at the top of my list, and I delight in knowing that one small gesture from a caring person might mean the world to someone in need.

My apologies if I came across as superior. That wasn't my intent.

Answer 10

I love to volunteer and help out others-
you don't need religion for that!

I also donate $ to charities - ONLY if there is NO religious affiliation.
I don't want a chunk of the gift being stolen instead of going to the people who deserve it!