Would Atheists let you die?

Question

It seems as though a lot of atheists here just practice hedonism. I'm sure many will disagree :) Many atheists do good things, but proportianally I wonder whether they would go out on a limb to save someone else's life besides that of a friend or family member...

Would an atheist sacrifice themselves to save a complete stranger if they were in dire need? Feel free to chime in :)

I don't think they would, they would most likely be to concerned about themselves...

Yes, I know I can be a tad bit abrasive, there is only one other question were I will seriously goad anyone, my aplologies to the "UnPope", for you are right to a degree, truth be told.

I know that I'm a pessimest, and pessimism right now tells me that people are people, whether religious or not... So the updated question:

Would you sacrifice yourself to save a strangers life?

Answer 1

Are you suggesting that any theist WOULD sacrifice themselves for a complete stranger? Bollocks.

It is completely dependent on the situation. To suggest otherwise is self-deceiving.

Answer 2

I once read about a study about people who saved Jews from the Holocaust that examined if there was any correlation between being religious and doing that. There wasn't any. The only significant result was that the people who did that were mostly from a loving home and raised with a strong sense of ethics and humanity. I have to say that people classified as non-religious didn't necessarily have to be atheist, they could also be agnostic. But they were people who were not motivated by religion but by their care for their fellow human beings.

I hope I would have done the same. I don't want to say that certainly I would as that's easy to say and in reality very few people did it and I'm not in the situation. But I know it would be the right thing to do and I hope I would do it if I were in that situation.

Answer 3

I would hope that I would be able to put others above myself in that sort of situation. But in all truth, I probably wouldn't. Self-preservation would probably kick in.

However, one time, I was witness to a horrible accident. Everyone was just kind of standing around, staring at the scene. I jumped in, and held one of the victims' hands until the ambulance arrived, and talked to her to keep her conscious. I wasn't thinking about anything other than helping.

While that isn't the same thing, I was putting HER health above my own. I was catching the bus to go home after working almost ten hours, and I was exhausted. Staying with her meant that I missed that bus, and had to wait an hour for the next one.

I don't think myself "noble" for it...and I wasn't a Christian at the time. I was a former Wiccan who was having trouble believing in ANY God. I think any person would have done the same thing.

I still had her blood on me when I got home.

Answer 4

Whether or not someone would be willing to sacrifice themselves to save another has nothing to do with religious beliefs. It's something that has to do with courage and empathy. My husband has risked his life to help people. I haven't yet. I would risk my life to save a child if I had to, but I don't know if I could risk my life to save just anybody. I'm a mother of two small children who need me. I don't find that to be selfish. Why should I have to die and leave my two children motherless? I think it's really easy to talk big and say "I'm a Christian and therefore I'm less selfish and I would sacrifice my life for another..." but I wonder how much those words would mean if you were in a real-life situation where you literally had to risk your life to save someone. I think you'd find that you're more concerned about yourself than you like to say. In my husband's experiences (he's a war veteran and a police officer) atheists are no less selfish than Christians when it comes to helping others or self-sacrifice.

Answer 5

Wow............. there are no words for how arrogant that is.

Just as many Atheists would help others as religious would. In fact, probably more since religious think they have the right to try to force and harass others into doing what THEY think is right regardless of whether it is.

Atheists are NOT concerned with themselves. THEY know this is the only life they have and they take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming it on a god. They know that their actions will speak for them through their lives.

Religious have the equivelent of a "get out of jail free" card. Atheists do not.

Answer 6

I'm an atheist. I've also been a nurse for 30 years. What I do can be considered risky, given the exotic diseases running around. And, I do my work for strangers, too, as do all nurses. Most of the nurses I've worked with were either atheist or agnostic. The few that said they were "Christian" were usually not practicing it often. There were the one or two bible-thumpers, of course. I've known a lot of firefighters, EMTs and policemen, too, and not many of them were born-agains. They routinely risk their lives, for strangers, on a daily basis.
To contend atheists are largely hedonistic is naive, not to mention disingenuous. You're painting with a broad brush, Sparky, and slopping it around where it doesn't belong. It's gets a little tiresome when you smug, self-righteous prigs think you have some kind of corner on morality, kindness or compassion.
And just for the record: Didn't your precious Jesus tell you in Matthew not to worry about tomorrow, that it would take care of itself? That sounds pretty hedonistic to me.

Answer 7

Most atheists don't believe in an afterlife. Therefore they believe that THIS is the ONLY life you get. Depending on their other beliefs, if they believe thriving life is sacred, they would obviously try to preserve others' lives as well. And I don't see what being an atheist has to do with being 'concerned about themselves'. That's a characteristic that spans religious or non-religious belief.

Answer 8

I'm a christian also.And have never been in a situation where I had to save someone else's life.If and when that ever happens I'm sure I could.With God's help and strength to face the circumstances.It's not for me to judge an atheist whether or not he or she would help a stranger.Even an atheist has a heart.

Answer 9

Yes, in fact, I would.

I may be atheist, but I do what I can to help others. I've never been presented with an opportunity for self-sacrifice, but in the past 2 years, I've put in more than 100 hours into volunteering, off the books, in one "cause" alone. I always try to do what is right, but my religion, or rather lack thereof, causes me to be stereotyped, just as you yourself have stereotyped me.

Quite frankly, your view is rather distorted--we're not "bad people," and though I'm not sure I'd risk my own life without knowing at least the person, I'm still "nice."

You, on the other hand--hypocrite.

Answer 10

It would depend on the situation and whether or not my involvement could yield positive results.

I mean, if 15 thugs are brandishing semi-automatics and I jump in front of their intended target screaming "TAKE ME INSTEAD!!!", it's not like they'll pump me full of bullets and then forget about the person they were gunna waste before I made my bold proposal. It would've been a pointless gesture. Get my drift?

But yes, atheists risk their lives all the time in the course of their duties. There are atheist fire fighters, atheist soldiers, atheist police officers, atheist pilots, atheist paramedics, atheist surgeons (I know this doesn't sound risky, but just think about everything one might be exposed to while digging around someone elses insides), etc. etc.

I don't understand why you think the majority of atheists are so self-absorbed. That kind of gross generalization must have been pounded into your brain pretty effectively by some supposedly trustworthy source. I surely hope it wasn't your parents. It's such a shame to see hateful ignorance perpetuated.

Answer 11

I really find this question offensive. My husband is an atheist and he would just about do anything for anyone. My grandfather was an atheist and he was the same way. Shame on you for having such a closed and judgmental mind. If you haven't yet, grow up!
I think Gandalf answered your question. There are many service people who are atheists. You don't think they put their lives on the line to save someone they've known for 6 weeks?