The difference is that secular charities don't (generally) make a huge deal of being secular. They also don't hide their books from inspection, so people get to see how much of the money actually goes to helping people.

(March 8, 2018 at 3:41 pm)Whateverist Wrote: Re: How Do Atheists Help People?

Obviously we don't and can't help people because we lack the object morals backed by the omniscience of the Christian God.[/sarcasm]

When you said "[/sarcasm]" you were being sarcastic right?

I mean, DUH OF COURSE us mere atheists are morally bankrupt, sheesh. That's why I frequently attack people anally with pineapples. They suffer, and it's great. Because I'm an atheist AND I HAVE NO GOD TO DECADE MY MORALS SO WTF AM I SUPPOSED TO DO DAMNIT?!?!?!?!

Reminds me of this:

(March 8, 2018 at 1:41 pm)Rhondazvous Wrote: My sister just published a book in which she advises young women on how to make right decisions based on their relationship with god. Of course, nothing in the book is actually useful unless you believe in god.

Caveat:
How can I criticize christian outreach when I don't know what atheists are doing to help young people, grieving people, hungry people. Religious groups help people by lying to them, but the people do feel like they're being helped. What do we do? Are there groups that give secular help without the religious strings attached to it?

https://foundationbeyondbelief.org/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/2...63925.html

http://freethoughtpedia.com/wiki/Secular_charities

Atheists are very charitable, it is just that we are a minority in America. Less religious Europe and less religious Canada are just as charitable. Our species ability to be compassionate is in our evolution, and that  includes atheists. Anyone telling you you are incapable of that because you don't believe, or claiming that a god is what makes you do that is full of shit. You don't need a god to be charitable.

Doctors without borders comes to mind.

The main causes I support are science based, because science can do so much good for improving peoples lives (medical or environmental causes are my favorites). I don't see where religion even comes into the concept of helping people and doing good?

(March 9, 2018 at 3:49 pm)shadow Wrote: The main causes I support are science based, because science can do so much good for improving peoples lives (medical or environmental causes are my favorites). I don't see where religion even comes into the concept of helping people and doing good?

Not the religion per se, but occasionally you run into people who are inspired to do good partly because of their religion (and partly because they're just nice people).  I like to occasionally support religious people who are walking the walk, and concentrate on the work rather than what they believe.

Atheists are not homogeneous group as atheism, is merely the absence of belief in gods, rather than any unifying belief, system, or traits. Personally, I don't see much need for atheists to help people as a unified force of atheists, other than to simply make it clear that the resistance to theistic absurdity is slowly, but steadily growing in this new century of a more globally-linked human consciousness. As for atheists themselves, just like theists ought to, they can help people by striving to be the most constructively progressive, morally decent, and deliberately intelligent form of humanity that they can muster in order to perpetuate better then the plate of crap we were handed.

I don't know about you, but I help people help themselves toward better every day. I do that not specifically as an atheist, but as a human being. I'm not saint and I don't do half of the ''good'' kinds of things people might think a good person should do to help others, but I do what helps people help themselves and help others in turn. That works for me because it does not send the wrong message, teach the wrong lessons, or irresponsibly cause subsequent unnecessary problems that need solving.

(March 9, 2018 at 3:41 pm)Joods Wrote: Doctors without borders comes to mind.

They were on the ground early on during the last Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. They kick ass!

(March 8, 2018 at 1:50 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: All the money saved on not building Sunday palaces and all the overhead associated with running a competitive religion is available for other uses.

Saving billions in pedophile civil judgments too . . .

Now THERE'S a thought. Exactly. As beautiful as some can be, it has always amazed me and annoyed me to no end that tons of money and assets have been out into building such lavish monuments to gods and religions and lining the pockets of the church....not to mention food that goes wasted everywhere as sacrificial offerings, even form the poor themselves.

(March 13, 2018 at 8:27 pm)Antares Wrote:

(March 9, 2018 at 3:41 pm)Joods Wrote: Doctors without borders comes to mind.

They were on the ground early on during the last Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. They kick ass!

Yes, they did good work there.

I'd have pictures but one of the locals stole my phone.