How do people feel about pulling good guy (or good person) deeds as an atheist? A guy asked me at work once if atheist go to church. I said 'We don't go to church', that basically is it in a nutshell to me. I do a few things I like to do. I don't go out as an atheist, but do feel that I am member of the atheist community. It becomes more of an inner dialog with me. Most of what I see are either theologically oriented programs, or political programs.
No church for me! The church is nothing but a damn lie! Catholics, protestants, baptists, methodists are all there to divide people and I am not falling for none of it!
People are good naturally! It does not take a so called supreme being to prove it!
The reason believers need a supreme being to be good is that they think god's divine morals will guide them to heaven. Without this, they reason, what would keep you from robbing a bank. It must be forced morality at work here.
My entire moral code is simply "Be as kind as possible while doing as little harm as possible." It has nothing to do with atheism or religion. There is no correlation between religion and morality.
Ahh, I haven't created an actual 'rule'. I do try to be a good guy...most of the time anyways.
The reward for living a good life is... (Que fanfare)...Living a good life.
Simple as that, no eternal rewards or punishments, heaven/hell. You will not be reborn as a magot or an eagle. No karma, other than if you are a thoughtless prick? people will treat you as such and vice versa. The only reward you can hope for is that when you are gone, people will remember you and smile. And that is more than enough for me.
Nice.
Call me a hedonist ass, but I enjoy doing good deeds. It’s a very selfish thing.
ayyy
Me too!
I must admit I'm confused by the question. How do we feel about "pulling" good deeds as a non-theist? Huh? I feel like I'm a good person doing good for somebody else. Why would not being superstitious change how I feel about it? Maybe I should feel more proud, I'm not doing it for magical carrot or stick, I do it because it feels good to do good. Its built into us. Religion seperates us from natural and innate good.
Nailed it
I thought about it at work some today. On the norm, most of the people I meet tend to pull morality from religion or think it is where it is coming from. One of the replies wrote about a church-like setting he attended with an atheist perspective, I think that it is interesting, but I don't want to get into that kind of thing. I think that how I look at it, people I meet get all syrupy, and will say things like 'You are closer to god' kind of thing'. I usually get semi-confused with the reaction. I just do stuff because I want to. I certainly feel like I should, it makes me feel like I did good.
@becire Yes, I think moral people tend to pull from the moral parts of the Bible. And immoral people can find immoral justification from the Bible. But at its core I think carrot and stick motivated morality isn't honestly moral.
It's called being a good human! I don't help someone out and then tell them, "Hey... And I am an Atheist by the way... Please mark that down in the book!"
Do good things if you are a good person. Do bad things if you are a bad person. And, if you have no brain or leanings in either aforementioned direction... Vote for Trump!
Ha. Is that where trump supporters come form?
Good & bad
It feels good to be kind and to help others in need--no god necessary. There have been times when I have helped or given some money to someone; and, when they responded with a god bless, I let them know that I don't believe in any gods. This, I hope, helped them realize that atheists are not the evil people we have been made out to be.
"How do people feel about pulling good guy (or good person) deeds as an atheist?"
I do not classify people as good guys and bad guys, we are all a mixed bag, Thus deeds do not belong to the classes of good guys or bad guys.
How do I "feel" about doing good deeds, well good, that is a primary reason for doing them.
Does not make me a "Good Guy", but a human who did a good deed.
I live by Ethics tempered with Empathy. Thus I think the majority of my deeds tend to be good, and I am aghast at deeds with unintended negative consequences.
I think I share these traits with many humans, but not all. As that seems a reality, I and all other ethical people must be alert for those who do not care about ethics and/or lack empathy or the ability to use it. Such humans exploit others with little or no remorse.
Thanks, good answer.
You and I are different. I used to attend a Humanist "church" on Sundays. Instead of a minister giving a sermon, we had authors, philosophers, scientists and other experts give lectures on secular morality, science, critical thinking, philosophy etc. Before joining that community I went to a Unitarian Universalist church. Some UU members are openly atheist and some are not.
Today, I also belong to an Atheist community that has monthly meetings with lecturers. They do "good guy deeds" (philanthropy) such as donating blood as a group (we wear our Atheist Community T-shirts), volunteering at the local food bank and helping the homeless apply on-line for jobs. As an atheist I have been volunteering for community service several hours a week for the last 13 years. I think it is my duty as a human being to help alleviate human suffering.
I'm not ashamed of being evidence-based instead of faith-based. Faith is what children use to believe Santa Claus is real.
Thanks for your insight. I certainly am aware that there are org's out there.
"think it is my duty as a human being to help alleviate human suffering." I find interesting. I tend to be of the thinking that morality is a prevalent reaction over a taught endeavor from a religion. I have been crew lead volunteer trail treks since 2008. I go about and feed homeless people on my own. I am very open about my thinkings, but besides social sites, I tend to shy away from a group.
@becire You say two things, "morality is a prevalent reaction over a taught endeavor from a religion" and "I ... feed homeless people on my own". So is YOUR feeding homeless people due to your reaction to religion?
"How can you be a moral and good person without believing in God or going to church?" Christians who don't know me ask. I have been an atheist since age 13.
"Being a kind and good person is a series of daily decisions," I reply. "At age four, I learned when I act nice to other people, they are nice to me."
I get the greatest reward from doing work that helps other people.
Since 2006 as a volunteer, I have been helping low income, first generation students apply for college and scholarships. One of my best success stories is Brenda, who won $269,445 in scholarships in 2016.
Cool stuff.
I'm a 'well-wisher' in that I don't wish anyone any specific harm... is that good?
Wishing is a positive force , if you believe in the human spirit.
Praying is expecting a deity to do something and to me that is a waste of a good wish!
Specific harm, sure.
General harm, though... heh heh heh... It can happen anywhere. At anytime...
Ha.
@becire - Thank You, you got it... LOL.
You are all basturds. And I love you for it.
I volunteer a lot. If it comes up, I absolutely mention I am an atheist.
It usually come up when the other person says, "Oh, bless your heart. You are such a good christian giving your time."
To which I reply. "I am a good atheist giving my time."
I want folks to absolutely know that "good" is not a synonym for christian and that many, many atheists are great, helpful, caring people who share their time and skills with their communities.
Ayyy, I tend to speak up myself when a conversation heads that way.
Actually many atheists still go to church - many because they are afraid to come out to their friends or family. And, even more sadly, there are pastors and other religious leaders that are atheists that haven't come out yet. You may want to check into a "Humanist" group in your area or start something on your own.
I think 90 percent of "Christians" believers are believers in name only.
None of them..absolutely NONE know anything about the Bible, their own religion, and most only attend church to please loved ones or maybe as insurance in case there's a hell.
If Christians actually believed the nonsense being preached about god being in control of everything, they wouldn't frustrate god's will by going to doctors or hospitals when they're sick, or buying car insurance.
@birdingnut I know a few Christian's that study their bibles in depth which, you'd think, they'd realise how ridiculous, cruel and crazy their god is. Like there's no changing my mind about being an atheist, there's no changing theirs either. Frustrates the hell out of me!
@Lovemylife1 Reminds me of an old guy at a McDonald's restaurant I frequent. Every morning that I stop there a little after 6AM he's sitting at a table reading or looking at his bible.
This morning I saw him and thought, "Yeah that's what I want to be doing when I'm retired, sitting at a McDonald's at 6AM reading a bible!"
My wife and I (both avowed atheists) volunteer now that we are retired. Never thought about it being good guy deeds. We don't wear I'm An Atheist Tee shirts or anything but we also do not deny our status as non believer's if the subject comes up in conversation and we are always ready to discuss religion and atheism if asked.
I do "good" when I can, for no other reason than that it's the right thing to do.
Being an atheist has nothing to do with anything.
I don't like people all that much, so I don't look for group activities that might
serve that purpose.
Being a Christian / Muslim / Hindu etc. doesn't make you a good person. Being nice to others and respecting them makes you a good person. Good deeds are not just for the religious amongst us. I treat others how I would want to be treated by them. I've known some truly horrible religious people (as well as non-religious people, I'm not judging them!) and I've known some truly marvellous non-religious people, so it comes down to basically being a decent human being in my opinion
No church. As a decent human being and a member of society, I consider helping my fellow humans, animals, and the environment part of what keeps things on track and as safe and pleasant for everyone as is possible. Big organized community activities or small acts of kindness... it all adds up. Sometimes I can offer a helping hand. At other times, I am the one needing help. I try to pitch in whenever a need arises.
Ignorance abounds. I don't feel it is our responsibility to make people understand.
I don’t think I understand the question. I feel that I’m basically a good person that tries to have a positive impact. Sure I’m human and flawed, pedantic, sometimes clumsy and sometimes, ‘over sensitive’.
Good guy deeds are just part of life, things that we do to make the world better.
What has the church or theology got to do with it? I don’t believe in omnipotent beings seeing my actions.
The World is my Country, to do good my religion; as Mrs Emma Miller had on her gravestone.
Not everyone considers a deed done to be good. Pull a chair out for a feminist and you could get a nasty tounge lashing. Stop traffic to let a herd of buffalo cross the highway and the police might arrest you. Ask for a drinking straw in California to give a tracheotomy and the mad straw nazi will fine you.
A lot of different kinds of people in the world... that's for sure, eh?
Do something cool unlike liars in the Trump scandal!
Don't negatively generalize about feminists. As a feminist, I appreciate kind acts by men and women.
"Thank you! Chivalry is not dead," I say with a smile when someone opens a door for me.
@soobydoody607 There is an old joke about attorneys that fits all politicians.
just out of curiosity.....when did you last pull out a chair for someone? I've seen it in the movies. Never seen it done. Is it an American thing?
@MsDemeanour I have done it before just last week I held a door for a woman she gave me a gracious smile for my good deed.
@azzow2 Ah yes a door! but not a chair. I think it's good manners for whoever reaches the door first to open it and allow the other to go through. It's no longer strictly a male etiquette thing tho. Sometimes a guy will say "After you" even tho I'm standing there holding door, I'm not going to stand there arguing so I just do it and say thanks.
@MsDemeanour I do not get a lot of chances for the chair maneuver these days.
@azzow2 Perhaps I should do a poll and ask how many women have had this piece of etiquette extended, along with, if they have had a car door opened for them. And if they want it. Perhaps they do. Not me, I don't need 'looking after'. But strong, independent men don't go for strong independent women. Men say they don't want the clingy drama queen but they pick them every time. lol.
What do you need to be to help someone in need? Human. Be wary and don't get taken advantage of and don't overdo it. When you look at it the person most affected by it is you 70-90% of the time it is you who feels good about it. Dependant upon the situation those who receive it have built a life around patterns of behavior.