Are there any major philanthropic organizations founded by atheists or on atheistic principles?

Question

I am not asking this to be insulting, but out of genuine curiosity. I can think of any number of humanitarian organizations founded on the principles of Christianity or of other religious beliefs, but none come to mind for atheism. Yet I know there must be some. Please inform me. Thanks.

Answer 1

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is founded by atheists, but its principles are not necessarily atheistic.

Answer 2

Sure,the Sunnen Foundation in St. Louis. They pretty much financed Roe v. Wade. At the time it was a company with a subsidiary making foam contraceptives,but they wanted to go into the abortion clinic business,which is highly lucrative. Then Old Joe died and the kids turned the company into a foundation. Nominally,it promotes "population growth issues."

Answer 3

For me, that's a controversy of danger. For a initiate all of us understand existence exists on the planet. The construction blocks for existence are scattered around the universe. If situations are appropriate, I see no reason some form of existence could no longer advance among the countless galaxies, famous man or woman systems and planets. the comparable won't be in a position to be stated of an imaginary being, no longer considered one of this is there any information for. consequently i'm atheistic in direction of gods yet agnostic in direction of alien existence.

Answer 4

Yes, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Answer 5

ONE, Brad Pitt's charity organization was founded by an atheist. Florence Nightingale was an atheist. You don't see organizations labeled "atheist" like you do church organizations, but there are many many secular charity groups.

Answer 6

There are lots of them, if you choose to really look.
There are also a lot of "secular" organizations that athiest support with both time and donations.

In my life I've worked with many charities, including:

United Way, Easter Seals, Amnesty International, Unicef, the Red Cross, Breast Cancer Foundation, War Amps, local food banks and Winter Warmth (provides winter clothing for underpriviliged kids). While none of them were "athiest", none of them required me to subscribe to any religious principles either.

Here's an interesting excerpt from positiveatheism.org

"This brings us to the most disturbing feature of religious “charities.” For they are not motivated primarily by a compassionate desire to alleviate human suffering or the generous inclination to advance the cause of human happiness. This was well shown by many of the pronouncements of one of the most celebrated of Christian charitable leaders, the late, but still revered “Mother Theresa,” who said: “I think it is very good when people suffer. To me, that is like the kiss of Jesus...” The same fundamental indifference both to human suffering and happiness is at the root of Christian groups’ opposition not only to abortion but also to birth control and assisted reproductive technologies. Nowhere is this better shown than when religious charities are forced to choose between humanitarianism and their own theological teachings. Holy spirits beat flesh and blood human beings every time.

Thus the chief motivation for Christian “charity” is not love of humanity at all. It is love of Christian dogmas and doctrines. For Christian teachings do not hold that good works are good in themselves. Rather, good works merely serve to show the inward theological correctness that Christians believe is necessary to win entry into heaven and escape damnation. Good works are merely the “signs and wonders” that prove Christianity’s divine authority. Most of all, good works are the bait to lure potential converts and the cost of being “saved.” All of which demonstrates not that the Christian religion is morally superior, but that it is morally bankrupt.

Meanwhile, it turns out that there are secular schools, hospitals, clinics, homeless shelters, and other charities that do without Christian theology and Christian “morals.” In fact, there are two varieties of them. There are those sponsored by various government agencies. And there are the previously mentioned private organizations, both non-profit and for-profit. Both public and private secular institutions have been far more successful at alleviating human suffering and promoting human happiness than any religion has ever been."

Answer 7

the Gates Foundation.

Answer 8

are there any atheist groups bombing abortion clinics or attacking entire nations for thier oil.

Answer 9

www.athiestsactivist.org

Answer 10

No.