Many statistics and people say that atheists aren’t charitable people. However, they seem to miss that the nation’s largest charitable foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was founded by an atheist – Bill Gates.It was reported by the Associated Press today that several charitable groups have committed to continue charitable giving during this time of economic crisis. Among those committing to do so is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. What’s more is they have gone a step further.Though Microsoft has experienced a decline in profits, it was announced this week that the foundation is increasing its giving percentage from five to seven.
Helooooo Mr. Gates! Atheists over here… Need a bit of money to fix the country. Not very muuuuuch! A measly 10M could change things.
Just wondering; if there are fewer atheists wouldn’t that mean ther would be fewer charities?
Regardless, here is a list:
Secular Charities and Aid groups:
DonorsChoose.org
A simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack.
Kiva.org
Lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world.
The Union of Concerned Scientists
The leading science-based non-profit working for a healthy environment and safer world.
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The USA’s premier emergency response organization, over 91% of Red Cross spending is on charitable services.
American Civil Liberties Union
The mission of the ACLU is to preserve all of constitutional protections and guarantees relating to First Amendment rights, including the freedom to practice religion and the freedom not to have religion rammed down our throats, equal protection, due process, and right to privacy.
United Nations Children’s Fund
UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a “first call for children” and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families. UNICEF provides emergency and disaster relief.
Doctors without Borders
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and exclusion from health care in nearly 70 countries.
Amnesty International
AI’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.
In pursuit of this vision, AI’s mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.
Oxfam International
Oxfam International is a confederation of 12 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice. The Oxfams operate in over 100 countries worldwide working with local partners to alleviate poverty and injustice.
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the diversity of life on Earth. An environmental group that protects natural habitats and the wildlife within them. Focuses on “science-based” initiatives.
Population Connection
Population Connection is the national grassroots population organization that educates young people and advocates progressive action to stabilize world population at a level that can be sustained by Earth’s resources. Works against faith-based policies that are supported by the Religious Right.
DefCon: Campaign to Defend the Constitution
DefCon is an online grassroots movement combating the growing power of the religious right. It includes a blog on religious freedom issues, action alerts, and in-depth articles on scientific, religious, and legal issues of the day.
The SEED foundation
National nonprofit that establishes urban public boarding schools to prepare students from underserved communities for success in college.
Project Peanut Butter
Project Peanut Butter is a therapeutic feeding program for malnourished children in Malawi and Sierra Leone, on the continent of Africa. It was founded by Professor Mark Manary, M.D., a pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatric medicine at Washington University School of Medicine.
Electronic Frontiers Foundation
When our freedoms in the networked world come under attack, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the first line of defense. Blending the expertise of lawyers, policy analysts, activists, and technologists, EFF achieves significant victories on behalf of consumers and the general public. EFF fights for freedom primarily in the courts, bringing and defending lawsuits even when that means taking on the US government or large corporations.
Mercy corps
Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.
Seva
Our programs serve people who have been economically, politically, or otherwise marginalized. We change our program approach to relate to their culture and circumstances, reaching out in very different ways, for example, to nomads in Tibet, women in Tanzania, or indigenous Mayans in Guatemala. Our aim is to build a bridge of compassion between our donors and the people we serve — people around the world who have the fewest resources.
International Peace Institute
The International Peace Institute (IPI) formerly International Peace Academy is an independent, international institution dedicated to promoting the prevention and settlement of armed conflict between and within states through policy research and development.
Didn’t see one in his last post.
phreedm said:
I hope this question from phreedm puts to rest the notion that he is Dave’s sock puppet.
Here’s the whole 9 yards… geoih made a comment I felt was insulting. If he does not like my comments he can ignore them. After I realized I was an atheist I also found that I take little guff from anyone. If someone insults what I have to say, and I see it, they can expect an insult in return. Okay?
I’m pretty sure Obama has a few trillion more to go before he catches up to W’s pork barrel spending. Right phred?
jeff-r…over the past 3 years I’ve heard everything.
It’s a valid question pointing out the interpretation of events by someone AA was suppose to help…
To date neither Dave nor Mr. Ed have denied Mr. Smalkowski’s claims…
Mr. Ed…you told everyone that you read this blog….so,
1. Are Mr. Smalkowski’s claims true?
2. If so, has AA donated anything to him?
phreedm,
A couple of people here have speculated that you are actually a character Dave created to draw attention to the blog. The fact that you bring up the Smalkowski case from time to time is convincing evidence (to me anyway) that you are not Dave.
Apparently part of the settlement prevents AA from discussing the Smalkowski case. I would like to know what happened too, but I’m not a member of AA any more so it’s not really any of my business. I tend to believe what Mr. Smalkowski has said about it, but I’m going on intuition more than facts.
~ Jeff
Phreedm, you would rather recieve a free trash-can hotdog from a bum on the street than a million dollars of funding from a multi-billionare!? If I know anything about economics (and I do), then I must admire Bill Gates for fixing things, because, realistically, fixing things costs money and can’t be done with free trash-can hotdogs.
” Comment from: phreedm [Member
Comment from: barney777
Christians fail miserably in that regard.
Got an example? “
With regards to you not being able to think of an example of Christians not supporting human equality, the only hard part is figuring out where to start.
Supporting slavery, making women second class citizens, ordering people to kill anyone with dissenting beliefs, this list has been reiterated to many times on this forum to bother going on when it is simply going to fall on deaf (and stupid) ears.
Thanks, fireemblem.
I guess I didn’t point out that all of my follow-up posts were responses to the request for examples. Citing examples could become a full-time job.
Kudos to Bill Gates and the foundation. The sincerity and reach of the effort is enormous. The fact that he is an atheist is somewhat irrelevant to me. If any other organization did the same with no strings attached (for example, including religious mind control as part of the “helping hand”) I would feel the same way.
So keep up the good work Bill and Melinda. What you’re doing is grand. The fact that you can do good deeds without god being involved is just icing on the cake.
Quote from dw: “Your comment appeared to be one that was made simply because you had nothing to say.”
This whole thread is little more than ‘my dad’s better than your dad’. You’ve accepted the premise that somehow charity is a measure morality. If you really didn’t care what others thought, you wouldn’t buy into the game of one-upsmanship.
Microsoft is going to layoff thousands. Doesn’t charity begin at home Bill and Malinda?
Barney777 said:
“Besides, is there anything more charitable than acknowledging that your fellow human beings deserve equal rights? Christians fail miserably in that regard.”
To which Phreedumb challenged:
“Christians fail miserably in that regard.
Got an example?”
Well, yes I do. How about the rights of gay people to live in civil partnerships like straights? How about terminal cancer patients right to die with dignity? How about the sanity of birth control, including abortion. How about the ability to conduct government without hypocrits like Ted Haggard pushing ridiculous religious agendas. How about confronting real issues like eugenics and overpopulation without the religious bullshit. That’s just off the top of my head, do I need to go on?
If I did go on, it wouldn’t matter. You are a nematod.
NeoWolfe
geoih said this:
“This whole thread is little more than ‘my dad’s better than your dad’. You’ve accepted the premise that somehow charity is a measure morality. If you really didn’t care what others thought, you wouldn’t buy into the game of one-upsmanship.”
It may be evolutionary in nature, part of the survival of the species, but those who have often give to those who do not have. It’s compassion. It was Phreedumb who was playing one upsmanship. Morality of generosity is something you have to decide for yourself. But, if you want to single out an individual who doesn’t get it, dw was a piss poor target. I think he’s a guy with a very balanced view, for what that’s worth.
NeoWolfe