Atheist Volunteers coming soon, will you help break the stereotype?
Online I'm proud to announce (early) that the Rational Response Squad will be heading up a project to help break an incorrect stereotype that atheists aren't charitable or giving. We constantly hear the ridiculous claim that not only are atheists less charitable but they're less moral, even though we have scientific stats on our side to prove quite the contrary. Since theists don't want to embrace the science, maybe they'll get the message clearer if they can actually see us at work, doing good as atheists, not just as people (which has been our preferred method of charity in the past). Our own "Tomcat" will work as Manager of the entire project. This'll be his baby, and he'll be the main man to address concerns, and our face in the media when the time comes. A big kudos and thanks to Tomcat for his strong interest and dedication to this project.
As a result of our success (thanks so much to all the donors) we have secured:
www.atheistvolunteers.org for 10 years and www.atheistvolunteers.com for 5 years
This is a longterm project for us, look forward to us to break the mold, and engage in a variety of charitable causes. And we'll want your involvement! The various chapters of the Rational Response Squad that have been popping up (more details on how to start one soon) will be getting involved in these projects. If you're a fan of this idea or have ideas to help show the world how giving and caring we really are, please strike up conversation in this thread.
Here are some things we're thinking about:
- We have shirts for our activities in public like "Atheist Volunteer" and "I do good things, and I don't believe in a God" AV STORE IS UP: http://www.cafepress.com/respondrational/2535158
- Donation drives to assist in helping victims of natural disasters (a theist must believe these atrocities are committed by a God).
- Engaging in environmental cleanups
- Hands on assistance for natural disasters.
- Clothing drives and toy drives for the needy
- Assistance at homeless shelters
- As we grow in size and find the right people, we want to go to impoverished nations to assist (hands on).
- All of our charity work will be tracked, records kept, pictures taken and available permanently for viewing.
Good ideas that have come from this thread:
- A book drive for libraries with our old books. (idea: un0)
- Donation of frequent flyer miles to soldiers so they can see their families. (idea: un0)
- YEAH!! A secular org that helps victims of war! Short video on victims (idea: Chad - philly atheist, Chad appears halfway through that virst video for a moment) Also: Abdul Hakim
- http://www.foodnotbombs.net/ (idea: Chad)
- Another plug for http://www.nomorevictims.org/projectguides.php
- your idea?
- your idea?
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KoRnYAtheist wrote:You've gotten all my idea's.Why did you post that picture? Exactly what are you trying to say by posting that?
It's in his signature. It's cool bri.
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Quote:whatever you decide to do, i want to be on record as saying that any contributing financially to any faith-based organization by the RRS is highly counterproductive, damaging, and dangerous, and in general just a really bad idea.i agree. the christian based organization my home health nurse suggested i donate my supples too required the recipients "accept jesus christ as their lord and savior." so, if you're in a third world country you can get free medical treatment as long as you convert? great.
Thats all well and good, but I'm not seeing a better option from either of you. So tell me, what do I do witht he bags of clothes, shoes, jackes, toys...etc? Throw them away?
We must favor verifiable evidence over private feeling. Otherwise we leave ourselves vulnerable to those who would obscure the truth.
~ Richard Dawkins
, however I have no assurance that they aren't run by Christians. Where do you draw your line to donate?
It would also be good to spread this idea as a unifying concept to all the established big websites as well.
Pooling money as a charity from all these groups such as Infidel Guy, American Atheists, Atheists United, FSGP, Inernet Infidels, Freedom from Religion Foundation, MAAF, and whomever else wants to pool a charitble effort under these sites you have created.
I think making a pool collection from all these sites could go to pay for collection efforts or pay to send atheists to places that need physicall help and relief, like Katrina resque.
But untill it is well funded we may have to consider sending people on behalf of atheists to established charities.
If people also in their private lives donate, do so wearing an atheist hat or shirt. I donate to Meals on Wheels. If people donate blood at the Red Cross, they could do so there too.
I think this is a great idea and way past time to show our charitable side.
Deities do not follow a "method" because imagination is a whim, not a method.
If it's one thing that atheists have an abundance of, it's books we've already read, I know I do... So I'd say one of the first things we should do is a book drive, collecting used books and donating them to small libraries. Especially high school and public libraries, the ones that are always grossly underfunded and in need of books and supplies.
Our main focus should be poverty and education. These are the two main contributing factors to religious unreason. If you look at the numbers, really deep religious faith is most prevalent in communities with poverty and education problems.
Maybe a project here and there for military benefit, donating frequent flyer miles to send soldiers home to visit family on leave. (that's a big problem, alot of us don't have the money to buy plane tickets and when we finally do get leave, we can't do anything with it but sit on base.) I mention this because of the high number of outspoken atheists that are against the war, we need to make it clear it's the war we don't support, not the troops.
This is the main reason we created a new web address for the program which will have a new site as well. We want those orgs to be able to participate even if they don't agree with other stances that the Rational Response Squad takes. I don't expect a high level of involvement from any of those orgs on this, but we welcome it and would love to have them work alongside of us on it.
We're those organizations to want to do efforts in their own name, we'd be happy to log the results on our site to be displayed in a centralized location.
Agreed. For example clothing drives in the early going may require the giver to pass through a Christian based org for giving, however people can still log what was donated and maybe take some pictures, to be stored at our site as a testament to what ATHEISTS have given. Giving to a Christian charity shows us as even more charitable, as it shows just how important we think it is to give, even if we disagree with the core beliefs of those handling our donations.
When we get the shirts made, I'd love to see people giving blood with an atheist shirt on, displayed on the site.
He's not the man he wants you to think he is. Go to The Real John McCain to learn about the double talk express. View these videos about John McCain to learn about the flip-flopping double talker. Help me get rid of a transferable credit with Southwest Airlines and you'll save $60.
You've gotten all my idea's.
Why did you post that picture? Exactly what are you trying to say by posting that?
Deities do not follow a "method" because imagination is a whim, not a method.
i don't know what to do about this....
I have spent quite a lot of time in hospitals due to a chronic illness. One of the things hospitals are known for is excessive waste of supplies. For example - a nurse brings too much of item xyz in a patients room and those unused items are then disposed of rather than re-stocked.
I've heard of few groups that gather these supplies and send them to developing countries. They are known as 'recover' programs that salvage this waste. Personally, I've collected quite a few items during my hospital stays and didn't throw most of them away thinking I could do something like this.
Just incase you're wondering, I'm talking about supplies like IV lines, packets of iodine, gauze, gloves, splints, urinals... (all unopened of course) and slightly used medical equipment (like canes).
Another way people get excess supplies, for example, is from home health. Right now I take IV antibiotics. When my course of treatment ends I will have several IV lines, alcohol swaps, etc. still in sealed packages that my insurance company has paid for but can not be returned.
This is a larger project than just one person can do (contacting hospitals asking for unused waste items, asking discharged patients for products they do not intend to use, fundraising for shipping) but it is something I have personally been interested in and an idea I wanted to toss out there.
- shel
Beltway Atheists "We're good people, just not god people."
i think this is a really bad idea. folly.
shows to whom? i'm highly skeptical that the few people that recieve the message will a) care, and b) outweigh the damage done by financially strengthening christian organizations. they will be taking the credit, after all...
i feel really strongly that we should leave the charity to the individual. i still want to listen to the show and help the RRS, but i don't want any of my money going to charity, no matter how little.
maybe you could just compile a list of non-faith-based charitable organizations and advocate donating to them.
whatever you decide to do, i want to be on record as saying that any contributing financially to any faith-based organization by the RRS is highly counterproductive, damaging, and dangerous, and in general just a really bad idea.
Fear is the mindkiller.
i agree. the christian based organization my home health nurse suggested i donate my supples too required the recipients "accept jesus christ as their lord and savior." so, if you're in a third world country you can get free medical treatment as long as you convert? great.
Beltway Atheists "We're good people, just not god people."