Today I am thankful for the churches. Living in an area that was wrecked by tornadoes this week as a non-believer I can't deny that the churches really stepped up helping during this disaster. We are all human. The love that I have seen in the community was heart warming.
Churches, doing randomly what FEMA should be doing consistently.
FEMA could help better, if they had the funding.
Conspiracy theory... Churches hamstring secular / government, so they can look good by comparison.
@1of5 why would you want to tax churches?
Jesus was clear about wealth...
Churches lost any claim to tax exemption when they started getting into politics.
There’s good and bad in most things. Recognizing both is an essential part of being intellectually honest.
it is good that you have loving people around. they tend to gather in their churches so that's where they are when they organize aid. it isn't really a matter of their religion, or they would be the only ones, but muslims and jews and atheists are helping elsewhere, as needed, too, and not just themselves but each other. if people tended to gather in supermarkets instead, we'd be saying, wow, those supermarkets are helping out a lot.
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If the supermarket organized a massive relief effort I would.
It is the churches that sort out food banks. However, there is a dry goods donation box in my local supermarket.
Being good makes you a good person, not what things you believe in. There are good Religious people and good atheists. There are also bad religious people and bad atheists.
Don't be thankful for churches. Be thankful for the empathy and kindness of some of their members.
us atheists really do need to step up our game in this regard. but it really is like trying to heard cats.
we should add humanism to our atheism....
The churches aren't doing anything. The people who belong to them are doing something. People can do all kinds of good things.
They are representing their chosen organization well.
@Unity Maybe. Unless they are doing it solely for that reason. Surely there must be those church members who help others not because the church says that's what they are doing, or that Jesus said they are supposed to, etc, but simply because they are people.
@Unity Also, churches often make it difficult for other groups to do volunteer and charity work because they feel that is their sole domain. I live in a very conservative area, and in the mid-'90s I was in a Star Trek club that focused very, very heavily on community service, charity, etc. More than once, church members volunteering at a same event would sneer at us for deigning to tread on their territory. It was made very clear that they were only volunteering for the attention it was bringing them, not to actually just help people. Our club didn't even try to get new members at these events, while church members were often proselytizing. Eventually our club fell apart.
I often wonder if there are Satanist volunteer groups. lol
First, I am heartbroken about the tornadoes in your area and all the others! My heart goes out to you. And thank heavens for the Churches help! Apparently, the churches here are helping in Deming after hundreds of illegals were brought here by trump’s Border Patrol. A 100 member Ladder Day Saints Church, is helping 900 people. I am guessing the other churches here are doing the same.
This is the airplane hangers where The immigrates are housed in my town.
There are many good qualities that religion sometimes brings out in people, under the right circumstances.
You're absolutely correct
key phrase 'under the right circumstances'
@AtKins Yep. Even Hitler had a gay friend.
the majority of my experience with churches has been them, collaborating to help.those in need. There are several who repair people houses from storm damage even roofs, for elderly and disabled. And helped individual needs of kids or others with coats. shoes, backpacks and many more. The Methodists have programs for free and reduced daycare for moms who have to work. I am glad you live in a tight community that helps each other. For the most part they act in a secular manner with those they help.
I am happy to see the outpouring of help. We should be able to get that from the government but the churches often are able to provide more immediate help. We could have that sort of nontheist community too.
That is true. This is the area where theist beat us by far,,,,,we need to create a community that can provide a safety net for our neighbors in times of need.
We need to practice humanism.
I agree. Despite all their mythology, which they mistake for reality, they do have some good ethics. We should all "love our neighbors as ourselves." That's the one thing I like most in the Bible.
The Ten Commandments are purely infused Psychological Reactions that have nothing to do with religion. It was humanistic conditioning that made your basic instincts be who you truly are.
There is no denying that individual people have empathy, kindness and they make efforts to help people. But please know that this is "marketing." Temples, churches, mosques and synagogues around the world offer free food, shelter and free medicine. The Gaza strip in Israel is ruled by Hamas which is declared as the terrorists organization by most Western countries. Hamas kills people. However, it is extremely popular in the Gaza Strip because they step up in local emergencies to help, offer free transport to hospitals, feed the hungry and has built free shelters. Try going to any large Indian temple in the United States, Britain or in India. You will get free food and free housing. In India, most religious places have built free hospitals.
So you wonder why the do that? The answer is simple - Keep the core message sellable. The world is now coming to know that underneath their kind appearance they have a very sinister history of injustice and cruel acts against humanity.
I for one never get fooled by their marketing.
That’s people being people thankfully. Who cares about Christian, Visnava or Jedi. All roads lead somewhere, let’s share the journey together rather than apart.