Do Atheists have groups that provide charities to the poor like most religions or are they too busy bashing?

Question

Alright I just asked a question and got some good answers. Although I did get bashed a lot back so I don't take back the part about bashing. Continue to do good and I will not that. But bashing me while you do it will not help.

Answer 1

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a good example.

Answer 2

I imagine they contribute to whatever charity groups that appeal to them -- the United Way, local community organizations, etc. Contrary to what a lot of my fellow Christians believe about atheists, a lot of them are decent, moral human beings who care about other people.

They're no different than any other group of people -- some generous, some selfish, and a lot somewhere in between. Just like those of us who are Christians, in other words.

Answer 3

There are lots of secular charities, hon. There's even one called "Atheist Charity." I believe it's fairly new, so I don't know much about it. Check out places on secular humanism (such as the American Humanist Association), Earthward, and positiveatheism.org for more.

Most secular charities don't put "atheist" in their name because that's not the point of them. My favorite charities are secular in that they are not affiliated with any religion, but they do not necessarily take the philosophical side of atheism

Answer 4

Check out the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for a start. Just because we don't feel the need to advertise good works like the Christians seem to need to, doesn't negate the fact that there are many non-faith-based charities. They just don't have to scream "Hey look - we're doing stuff for poor people! We're good nice folks doing God's work! Look at us! Aren't we awesome?"

Come on, now, Chuck. You're a grown-up, right?

Answer 5

Atheists, contrary to popular christian belief, are not a 'group'. We are just people who do not believe in imaginary beings. Aside from that common thread, we have individual beliefs, thoughts and preferences. Stop trying to make us like yourselves, we are free thinking people who donate to charity, usually without making as big a fuss about it as christians do. We do it because it feels good, not because we have to prove to everyone how righteous we are.

Answer 6

Of course they do. And they don't expect anything back for it (such as promising to believe in a God. Its a completely SELFLESS act)

I work in funding/charity and most funders will not give money to promoting religion. They want to give money to groups/charities who work with people because they want to. Not so that they can 'sign them up'

Answer 7

Yes many, but does it matter?

Goodness comes from people, and we're all people, right? When I donate to charity, I search for causes that I find important. I don't look at what religious affiliation the charity has.

Answer 8

Atheists give to non-religiously oriented charities like Good Will, the American Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, etc.

Answer 9

You know, most of that money that is donated to religion is not going to charities. It is making a few people very rich. If we were to strip every Church of its wealth and distribute it across the globe there would be no starving children.

Answer 10

There are many more secular/non-religious organisations than religious ones. I would imagine that some atheists at least, give to those. I don't know of any atheist organisations though, so I can't be more specific.

Answer 11

Yes, there are many secular charities, and statistically, atheists are remarkably more charitable -- there's a big section of this in Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation.

Doing good for good's sake. How novel, eh?