Rise of Atheism, discussion of pro-atheist topics, and disavowal of the 3 abramic faiths

[dark_gh0st_b0y]

Pemalite said:

dark_gh0st_b0y said:

Op feels like a bad parody, how can you even open a topic to 'talk about the bad things that the big 3 have done' and at the same time refer to 'toxic actions' and 'open mindness'. 🤦‍♂ï¸Â

Every single human being and therefore human organization has done both good and bad things, asking to talk only about the bad things is the very definition of toxicity and close-mindness.

The same athiest defnition of politeness, well-reasoning and open-mindness that brings people like Trump and Vance to power. Enjoy!

If you are agains the church as a whole, you are also against its good and bad as a whole, and no way around it.
These are from the LDS church alone (around 1% of global Christianity), in 2023 alone:

I am against the Church. Religion isn't required to do good deeds.

But Church's are a business, they have a "store" in every single town, city, suburb... In every single state, in every single country on Earth.

Here in Australia they "steal" 40~ billion dollars of the publics money... 100% tax free... And a large % of that stays in the Church and goes towards certain members or funneled overseas or into various interests (I.E Lobby groups who are against things like Same Sex marriage) rather than genuinely helping those in need.
To put that into perspective... Our jobseeker welfare safety net costs the Australian Taxpayer about $10~ billion a year... And is a payment of about $450 per week... The Church could literally provide the unemployed $1,800 per week and solve the unemployed/homeless issue literally overnight in this nation.

During the 2019 bushfires... All charities managed to accrue almost 300~ million dollars in donations nationally.. Salvation Army got $43 million, but only spent about 20~ million helping those in need at the time.

Red Cross got $210 million and only used 110~ million helping others.

Religious charities are a business... And in my opinion SHOULD be required to pay Tax.

Bro, does that mean you support the op approach to the matter? :S

I think you missed my point entirely. The point is not that the church is needed in order for good things to happen, no one argues that.
The point is that IT DOES good things.

Do you have evidence that non-religious humanitarian work gathers more support and is more efficient and transparent?

This is what the ai says:

While both religious and non-religious humanitarian organizations play a vital role, there's no definitive evidence suggesting non-religious work inherently gathers more support or is more efficient and transparent. Both types of organizations face unique challenges and strengths in terms of funding, operational efficiency, and accountability to beneficiaries.
Studies show that individuals with religious affiliations tend to donate more to charitable causes overall, including both faith-based and secular ones. This can translate to greater financial resources for religious humanitarian organizations.

Your arguments make sense but they only take the negative side into account, which is nowhere near to the real picture.
You make it sound like everything in the church runs automatically, with no buildings and monuments to preserve, and with no human input.
The church needs money to be sustained and keep on providing mental and physical comfort to millions of people - either believers or just people in need.

Of course where there is power there is also corruption, and of course it needs to be tackled appropriately, but it is very unreasonable to condemn the organization and its work as whole.

The ai provides a much more subjective and fair overview:

The Church in Australia plays a significant, yet complex, role in humanitarian work, with some organizations raising and spending billions of dollars annually, though not all of this is directly for humanitarian purposes. While some churches engage in significant charitable activities both domestically and internationally, particularly through organizations like Caritas Australia, there are also ongoing discussions and debates about the extent of their charitable activities, the amount of money they raise, and the tax exemptions they receive.

Key points to consider:

Significant charitable giving:
Religious people in Australia, especially churchgoers, are more likely to donate to various charities, including those focused on children, homelessness, and medical research, than non-religious individuals.

Overseas aid:
Catholic agencies like Catholic Mission and Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) contribute significant funding and support to church-run initiatives in developing countries. For example, Caritas Australia supported around 1 million people directly through humanitarian efforts and other programs in 2023-24.

Tax exemptions:
Churches in Australia are granted tax-exempt status for the "advancement of religion". Some churches operate large commercial enterprises and own extensive property holdings, potentially benefiting from tax exemptions on profits from these activities.

Debate on transparency and accountability:
There are ongoing discussions about the transparency and accountability of church finances, particularly regarding the extent to which charitable donations are used for humanitarian purposes and whether all church revenue is appropriately taxed.

Estimates of church wealth:
Some estimates suggest that the Catholic Church in Australia might be worth billions of dollars, and there are ongoing debates about how this wealth is used and whether it could be used more effectively for charitable purposes.

The conclusion: The Church in Australia is a major force in humanitarian work, both through direct charitable giving and through international aid programs. However, there are also ongoing discussions about the extent of their charitable work, the amount of money they raise, and the tax exemptions they receive.