Chairity wont allow atheist to help.

[Mister Agenda]

No, you're assuming, and I'm actually researching. I quoted their website as saying that they're open to atheists, humanists, etc. They're excluding theists from membership.

Oh noes! Theists not allowed to be members of an atheist club! The horror! It's like atheists not being able to be members of a Christian church, and...that would be pretty much an exact equivalence. And you don't hear us complaining that we can't join your churches.

I've since found an announcement regarding their care package giveaway which specifically says they'll accept theist help. Call me a skeptic, but do you think it's possible that they added in this bit og hypocrisy as a CYA measure?

Given their previous cooperative charity work with theists, that seems unlikely. Too bad, that would have been really convenient for your stupid point, but I'm glad the fact that it's ungrounded speculation didn't slow you down for a second. I'd hate to start thinking you have a sincere streak so late in the game.

The earliest mention of this I can find is the Friendly Atheist post. Do you think he was contacted by the atheist group, or the soup kitchen? Unless you can find something earlier than this which was more likely initiated by the soup kitchen, the evidence indicates that it's the atheists who are publicizing this, and the soup kitchen was likely responding to a request for comment.

They're publicizing being turned down, as they should.

Actually their first offer had them wearing atheist t-shirts. When turned down, they said they'd do it without the shirts. But, they had already made it clear that getting their message out was part of their motivation.

Clearly, not a big enough part that they weren't willing to forego it as long as they could still help people. Volunteers wear t-shirts representing their churches or other civic organizations for this kind of volunteer activity all the time...and I don't believe that you're unaware of that.

Oh please, the Christians are clearly doing much, much more than the atheists in this case.

And apparently trying to do their part to make sure it stays that way. It won't work though. Organizing makes it easier to do charity, and we're equalizing things on that front. I'm looking forward to hearing what you'll spew when our rate of giving matches or exceeds the rate of theists.

If they asked if they could wear t-shirts that say Jesus Saves to your event, would you be suspicious that their intent was preaching?

Enough to ask them for reassurance they weren't going to preach. Not enough to turn them away just for that. I wouldn't even ask them not to wear their t-shirts. Want me to find an image of an atheist group and a church group working together on a charitable project, each wearing their respective t-shirts?

I disagree. Who started it is indeed a valid point. The atheists - and you -are trying to publicly make a really good charity look bad.

Because charities can do no wrong, and if they do, we should keep quiet about it.

If you think helping people is more important than differences in belief, you wouldn't do so. (Although I wouldn't be surprised if the negative publicity actually raised donations for the soup kitchen.)

I wouldn't either, so your point flies away. It seems that by speaking up, the atheist group is helping the soup kitchen get more money as well as publicizing the Upstate Atheists to people who may not have heard of them. Win-win.

Actually, yes, I would slight a Christian group for the same thing, and suggest that they should start their own soup kitchen.

Why don't you go do that little chore then? I guarantee you there will be thousands and thousands of volunteers in church t-shirts at charities tomorrow. Go slight 'em! (he says, knowing that John doesn't have enough integrity to do so, but slightly hoping to be surprised for a change)

You know, I'm not really grateful to have my negative perceptions of Christians reinforced. I get a little lift in my heart when a Christian actually treats me as they would have me treat them, but it's so rare I can't conclude it a characteristic of Christians, just a characteristic of exceptionally empathetic people.

I want your best, not your worst, so here is the best I've heard on the topic of Christians persuading atheists of Christianity:

http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-an-Athei...-Christian

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A suspicion. Whoop-dee-do. It's a charity. It's for helping the less fortunate, first and foremost...or is it?

Doesn't seem to be for you guys. If it were, you'd applaud the soup kitchen for providing 500 meals every day, rather than focus on it turning away the help of 9 atheists for one day.

Turn the other cheek? Even Christians don't do that, and they're the ones who preach it.