Are religious people selfish?

[Jesster]

Lot's of interesting assumptions here. 

This is our thread. We're selfishly hogging it, so stop butting in!

[Seraphina]

Religion poisons everything, as Christopher Hitchens said, and makes people do nutty things but I won't paint every last religious person with the broad brush of being selfish.

Another way of asking your question could be are selfish people religious?

[J a c k]

I think religious people tend to be arrogant. I myself consider I was arrogant when I was a Christian. I thought I was safe from eternal punishment because I believed in the one true god while so many others believed in the wrong one. I thought I was being humble when I prayed for their salvation. Bs. Arrogance. But! I don't think ALL religious folks are arrogant. I haven't met any that aren't, but I don't doubt that they exist. I'm not being sarcastic.  

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm pretty suspicious of broad generalizations. I'm not sure at all that religious people are more selfish than the nonreligious; I think selfishness is a human trait, and as such, you'll find selfish folks in both believers and nonbelievers.

[Whateverist]

Lot's of interesting assumptions here. 

This is our thread. We're selfishly hogging it, so stop butting in!

Yeah, sharing the thread would just be so, so .. no way!

[Angrboda]

Nah. Maybe a bit entitled by their beliefs, but I don't think religious people differ that much from non-religious people.

[Godscreated]

Excuse me for butting in but this is about who I am. Christians can be selfish, I've seen it to the point of embarrassment. Yet these same people would do for others in a moment. Christians are giving people, the Southern Baptist Relief Organization is funded by the members of the church. This is one of the largest relief organizations in the world and in general are on site before governments.
To the OP duh, of course our world view is a biblical one and that means we are to be helping others. You should find out more about Christianity, like the truth, before you condemn us. Christian organizations feed more of the homeless than any other organization, in my area we have more relief for the homeless and poor than anyone else, why is this?

GC

[Jesster]

... in my area we have more relief for the homeless and poor than anyone else, why is this?

I will grant that Christians have more charities than atheists. Christians have the added benefit of being organized into Christian-specific groups, so that helps a lot. Also, numbers and funding tend to be in their grasp. When atheists do want to donate to a charity, we are often forced to go through Christian channels out of necessity. It definitely makes our numbers look smaller.

I'm not saying that Christians are not charitable, of course. I am definitely opposed to the generalization that you are just selfish. That's dumb. I think people are both charitable and uncharitable. What's the flaw in the charitable among us working together?


Wait... who let you in here, though? I thought I told your kind to scram! Fine, fine, but just this once. 

[Godscreated]

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... in my area we have more relief for the homeless and poor than anyone else, why is this?

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I will grant that Christians have more charities than atheists. Christians have the added benefit of being organized into Christian-specific groups, so that helps a lot. Also, numbers and funding tend to be in their grasp. When atheists do want to donate to a charity, we are often forced to go through Christian channels out of necessity. It definitely makes our numbers look smaller.

I'm not saying that Christians are not charitable, of course. I am definitely opposed to the generalization that you are just selfish. That's dumb. I think people are both charitable and uncharitable. What's the flaw in the charitable among us working together?


Wait... who let you in here, though? I thought I told your kind to scram! Fine, fine, but just this once. 

Thank you, and Christians worth their salt thank all atheist who donate to Christian charities. We can work together for the good of those who are in need. I do not know how many atheist do this and would be interested to know how many here do but, visiting people in nursing homes mean so mush to them, people would be amazed. By visiting someone from my church before Christmas I met her room mate she's 106 years old. This lady was born in 1911 can you imagine what all she has seen. She has a pretty good mind and I hope to have a conversation about what those early years were like.

GC

You need better guards at the back door, I walk in and no one noticed.☺

[Jesster]

Thank you, and Christians worth their salt thank all atheist who donate to Christian charities. We can work together for the good of those who are in need. I do not know how many atheist do this and would be interested to know how many here do but, visiting people in nursing homes mean so mush to them, people would be amazed. By visiting someone from my church before Christmas I met her room mate she's 106 years old. This lady was born in 1911 can you imagine what all she has seen. She has a pretty good mind and I hope to have a conversation about what those early years were like.

GC

Visiting people in nursing homes to keep them company is definitely its own reward to people who love history and a good conversation. I've learned things I could never find in books that way.