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Permalink Reply by Grace H on January 23, 2011 at 10:57am

Wow.... that's not quite right. I for one volunteer at a local food bank and I plan to do a trip for habitat for humanity or another of those organizations. I am sure there are a lot more like me who dont believe in a god but like to help people.

You should tell him that we do nice things for people because we care, we don't need a god to makes us act nice. I hope my input helped :) 

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Permalink Reply by Allen Sneed on January 23, 2011 at 11:23am

Nelson included this link that speaks to the topic in his Sunday School post today. http://epiphenom.fieldofscience.com/2011/01/atheists-are-generous-t...

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on January 23, 2011 at 12:29pm

Sorry to be skeptical Adriana , but it's a 'team' , is it not?  How much money is given as a way for the individual members to want to see their team 'win' in the rankings , rather than just giving because they want to?  

 

I think Atheists have an agenda to let people know they are generous - but imo I have to suggest this is a possible factor (stressing the word possible) in the raw numbers - not the level of generosity.

 

But I also realize Religious people give not because they truly want to , but because it's institutionalized as a rule.  

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Laura Foster on January 23, 2011 at 2:07pm

I think Atheists have an agenda to let people know they are generous

 

Yes.  Because that's exactly what I think when I'm organizing a fundraising drive.  It's not, wow, I'm actually doing something to combat child trafficking. I'm thinking, "Boy, won't some unknown fundie's face be red when they see how generous I am."

 

That's just an incredibly assholish statement to make.  It's not "skeptical"; it's "cynical".

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on January 23, 2011 at 2:53pm

Hmm.  I say he is 'my' pastor because he is the one who hired me.  It is also easier than to say 'The pastor of whom operates the church I am the pianist for'.  Heh.  

 

To Laura's comment above , your defensive tone suggests you haven't stepped back and seen the entire picture.  We all know that human beings can give money for a multiplicity of reasons.  Humans are also competitive.  So I think my statement is still quite justified.  

 

Again , stress the 'possible factor'.  A factor is a part of something , and possible means 'a chance it exists'.  So there is a FACT that there is a small chance that some atheists are giving a bit % more because they feel they have something to prove.  

 

Adriana , I do believe all humans are selfish.  But that is not at all a negative trait.  We all do what makes us feel good.  Some people feel good by helping others and some feel good by living their lives without caring for others.  So I am in fact a little skeptical about the big difference between the atheistic / agnostic / freethinker team and the other teams ;)

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on January 23, 2011 at 3:08pm

I will tread as softly as a Jain.  ;) Thanks for the advice.  

 

Oh , if you care - Richard Dawkins is also a physicist.  He was introduced in the sermon as 'The Atheist and physicist, Richard Dawkins ... '

 

So he is no longer an evolutionary biologist and ecologist. 

 

At least the big hitting atheists are getting 'some' recognition inside churches even if it isn't positive haha.  

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Permalink Reply by Albert Bakker on January 23, 2011 at 12:27pm

I'm glad to be informed about this. Better late than never I shall think.  This will save me quite a bit of money the coming year.

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Permalink Reply by Andrea on January 23, 2011 at 12:42pm

This is hilarious as I donate monthly to the CARE organization that fights global poverty.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on January 23, 2011 at 12:45pm

Bill Gates is an atheist.

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Permalink Reply by Galen on January 23, 2011 at 12:58pm

Aaaand that's the ballgame folks.  Nice of the pastor to show up, but I think we just won.  Goodnight everybody!

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on January 23, 2011 at 2:55pm

If you consider agnostics as also atheists , then yes he is.

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Permalink Reply by Isaac on January 23, 2011 at 1:55pm

Apparently your pastor has not heard of Brad Pitt.

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