How do you know that Atheists don't help the world? I can think of many charitable organizations which do not have a religious affiliation - some of which I support myself. My list will inevitably be UK-centric, but there are plenty in the US. Oxfam, Red Cross, Sightsavers, Action Aid, Practical Action, Medecins Sans Frontieres are ones that I support. There are plenty more.

Actually there are many, many atheists who belong to and help out with charitable organisations (I'm one of them!). There are many more charities which are religiously-neutral than there are religious specific ones- with good reason, religion can create a bias- an neutral organisation seeks only to help those in need, whereas a religious one is often also seeking to spread the word of their own religion. I can't understand what leads you to believe that atheists "don't help the world out" as I see no evidence that Atheists are any less helpful than the religious. Many Atheists believe that one ought to good because its the right thing to do and makes the world a better place for people to live in, and to do good out of fear of reprisal from a God or gods is not "true" good at all as it has a selfish motive at its heart. Lack of religion is not equal to lack of morality.

What do you mean about complaining about religion? I don't, and I will defend anyone's right to believe or think whatever they choose. Atheists contribute to many causes, even causes that may have been started by persons who profess a "religious background". However, an atheist may choose not to donate to a cause that has a religious agenda coupled with its charitable side. I personally contribute to stem cell research, Aids research and literacy programs worldwide. I contributed to Katrina relief and Tsunami relief as well. It's inaccurate to state categorically that "atheists don't help the world out". I'm sure there are many "religious people" who don't contribute to charitable causes, just as there are surely atheists who don't.

As you can tell from some of the other responses, the consensus around here is that the viewpoint embedded in your question is uninformed and naive. But I still think you're asking a good question, because this is indeed something lots of people believe. By asking the question, you're stimulating the discussion and providing the opportunity for the truth to show up.

Atheists do help the world out, loads of charities listed by other contributors show this. Maybe the Atheists you speak to only knock YOUR religion because they are sick of your self righteous attitude, especially where Atheism is concerned.

I have to agree with the already well-stated answers above. I happen to be the sole atheist in my group of friends (at least that I am aware of, it's not a very popular thing to run around admitting to!) and guess how many of them offer to come help out when I volunteer for Meals On Wheels to help feed the elderly who are homebound or otherwise infirmed or help collect toys around the holidays to donate to Toys For Tots? None of them do. Now, I don't judge them or condemn them for this; we all interact with the world and approach things in our own ways. Another thing, to specifically address a cause you mentioned in your question, one of the most vocal and goal-oriented AIDS awareness groups, ACT UP! (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power!), was by default strictly secular, sometimes even to the point of being anti-religion, to combat the unhealthy dogma that surrounded the disease. The group was formed in the late 1980's as a response to the worlds' lack of understanding of AIDS and the situations which cause it and which it causes for people after they become infected with the virus and the lack of any real public or government funding for combat it. This lack of response has most often been attributed to religion's irrational condemnation of homosexuality (and the mistaken belief that AIDS was just a "gay disease") and ignorance of sexual education, and the subsequent and inevitable spill-over of this way of thinking into the general culture. ACT UP!, while not a stated atheist organization, was by default a secular one, such as OXFAM, Doctors Without Borders, et al. If you look at the great number of atheist/secular charitable groups that help out all over the world, and understand that these groups do so without any strings attached and that they help out regardless of who is in need or what their beliefs are, you may just be surprised. Can groups, such as the Salvation Army, say the same? They may perform some wonderful and necessary works, but they also partake in some pretty un-Christian acts: Recently, when the state of New York proposed to require businesses in the state to offer health benefits to same-sex partners, the Salvation Army threatened to close all of its thrift stores and soup kitchens across the state in protest. Now, who would that action have helped? Who would it have hurt? The same can even be said of President Bush's "Faith Based Initiatives". All you need to do is look at the riders he has attached to many of the aid packages we have sent to poverty-stricken parts of Africa. Any references to "family planning" had to be removed, because that is something that just doesn't jive with conservative Christian dogma. I think that before anyone goes around bashing anyone either for their actions or for their inactions, or questioning their charity or humanity, thought and reflection should be employed. Nothing in the world is as easy as black and white. To give a quote, of obvious religious origin, "The devil is in the details."

I did not state that correctly do to lake of characters to ask my question. I don't mean all atheists. But with most of the religous questions on here, there are replies about stupid Christian this stupid Catholics that. I have a lot of good atheist friends as well as religous friends. I already knew the answer before I asked just by the way the world is today. Its the same reason there is war. It doesn't matter if you're religous or not. There will always be a good and bad side to every group. I've said this before, this biggest problem with Christianity is Christians. And it's the same with any group. I guy with tatoos and earings(like myself) could go out and murder a number of people. Then someone sees someone like me that looks like that guy and judges me. Thank all of you for your good answers. Glad to hear about the help you guys are doing in this world.

and what of those who create vaccines & medicine? What of those who are surgeons and doctors? How many scientists do you know who are religous? Oh, almost forgot, The Gates Foundation...... Initially funded by Bill Gates with US$106 million in 2000, during the foundation's first two years, funding grew to US$2 billion., another rotten atheist, all that money and you think he'd help the world out just a bit wouldn't you.

I think the impression that atheists don't contribute to the public good is due to the fact that they don't label their endeavors with religious slogans. They do what they do simply because it is the right thing to do, not because they want to get into Heaven or because some ancient book told them they have to. It would be pointless to call your charity the "Atheist Children's Fund". So they don't get all of the publicity that Christian groups get. There also seems to be this Christian perspective that atheists are some sort of cohesive group, as though atheists were a special group of non-Christians who all hang out together and have atheists meetings. Atheism is not a grouping catagory, it is not a "religion". It is wrong to refer to them in a group context, just as it is generally pointless to examine the habits of non-bowlers or non-hairdressers.

I find this question so provocative and insulting I refuse to answer it.

I disagree strongly with your idea that Atheists do not help the world out. The reason Atheists complain about organized religions is the attempts to convert, force people to follow their beliefs, and the countless wars and other atrocities perpetrated in the name of those religions. (That kind of turns my stomach, too.)

Here are some charities that are unaffiliated with religion: American Red Cross United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Doctors without Borders (my charity of choice) Oxfam International Second Harvest United Way of America The Humane Society 4H The Sierra Club Heifer Project International American Cancer Society Amnesty International The American Foundation for AIDS Research Operation Give Operation Smile Those are just the larger charities I could come up with in a few minutes. I and many others would prefer to donate to these charities, because they focus on the health and wellbeing of the recipients. Many religious charities, I feel, are more interested in converting people than in feeding them, supporting their families and giving them adequate health care. Also, many religious charities and initiatives will prevent people from accessing care that does not match their religious beliefs. The most extreme example of this would be the "Global Gag Rule" which Bush put into law based on the urgings of religious groups, which cuts off people around the world from all forms of health care solely because they disagree with one service provided: abortion. That is certainly not in the interest of dying patients in the third world, and only helps a religious political agenda. If you say atheists don't help the world, then I'd say they help the world more effectively and with fewer strings attached than the religious.

Maybe the atheists are not so much complaining about the religion as they are about the person and people who represent the religion in a manner in which they find unacceptable! As for atheists not helping the world - that statement is flat out, point blank GARBAGE.

Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, two of the RICHEST families in the world, have donated close to a BILLION dollars to charities over the last few years. And they are all atheists. Doctors without Borders is a non-religious organization. The United Way is a non-religious organization. Just because atheists are not organized doesn't mean that they are not active. Please stop such slanderous statements. I'm an atheist and I've worked for non-profits for over 30 years.

You are guilty of tereotyping and wild assumption, many atheists are great givers!

Your point may have some validity..but the last sentence "Atheists don't help the world out." is disgusting and false. If you are a religious person you should be ashamed of that attitude.

This is in response to a test I was performing in answer bag. I do not believe that atheists don't help out. I have a lot of atheist friends. But I don't hold that against them. Neither do they hold christianity against me. I know that christianities biggest problem is christians. This question here just goes to show 1 person can ruin it for all and it happens in every culture, race, religion, ect... All of your answers were very good and I agree with them all. Thank you for your time. A special thanks for all of you, religous or not, that are helping people through out the world.

Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet? are two atheists who contribute a great deal of time and money to charity! But since they are not using their charity work to CONVERT people like Christianity does, the general public doesn't know about it! They certainly don't blow their own horns. like the religious do! What is up with the ego, folks??? Many other atheists do the same thing by donating time, and money to a lot of charities! So you should take your opinion back. as you just made an ass out of yourself by A S S U M I N G !!!! DRINK, darling

Do some research on Bill Gates (atheist) look at what he has contributed and if you match that I'll kiss your BUTT!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates#Wealth_and_investments

That is bullshit! They just don't need permission to do it

well that's the biggest load of BS that has ever been typed.

Religion is also responsible for http://tinyurl.com/5j4qnr . Religion is also (at least partly) responsible for 9/11. The Crusades. While the Nazi Party was secular, there was a religious element to it,as with the Baathist extremists. It seems to me that the best thing that can be salvaged from your argument is that religion doesn't prevent us humans from committing atrocities and in fact may CAUSE them! And think of where our science might be if we hadn't spent a few centuries trying those who dared defy the Bible with such heretical notions as Germ Theory and Heliocentricism. Imagine if the scientist of centuries past could have completed their works for us to build on instead of being driven into hiding or imprisoned or killed.

Most of the people who started wars; conducted witch burnings, crusades, inquisitions and terror attacks had religious backgrounds. Why are they so bloodthirsty? Also, religious people have this incredible pompous presumption that they are the only ones doing good. How in the world can you make the claim that atheists don help the world out?

The two greatest philanthropists on this planet, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, are atheists, for your information. The reason why religious organizations help out in poor countries is so that they can spread their doctrine along with their aid. It should also be noted that the AIDS epidemic in Africa and South America wouldn't be quite so rampant if it wasn't for the Catholic Church's ban on condoms.

Acctually there are many atheist ran organizations who help out poverty stricken communities and especially aids. For one most of those religious organizations have been proven to be scams, people using religion to guilt you into sending your money and then ripping you off. Even so when you do see the ones who claim to be 'religious' dont you think it a little funny that they're asking for your money to help the staving children or the victims of a natural disaster when the 'god' they surve is suppose to be powerful enough to keep such suffering from happening?

Really? Is that so? Well, if your argument holds water then The Inquisition, the Holy Wars, the KKK and Fred Phelps and the scores of others then all started as good samaritans then, eh? As for your other statement: stupid is as stupid does!

You don't need to be religious to help someone, they just use it as an excuse to extort money from people.

Religious organizations (especially organized ones) go to charity with a purpose. Mostly to spread their religion and make others believe in what they do. But there are several charities which work with very less overhead and with a reason other than benefits.

atheists do help people out we just don't do it because we think it will get us brownie points or get us into heaven. We do it because we think it is right or because we want to help