I think atheists should be helping people, but not in the name of atheism. Secular and atheistic are very different things.

Edit: Thank you

No, however Christians are the only ones interested in converting the world. Also, the ideea of an "Atheist Aid Organisation" is just silly. Atheism isn't a religion. Atheists don't do things in the name of Atheism.

I did some charity work, once, and didn't see a single Canadian. Canadians make me sick.

Same logic.

- Religous people use religion to motivate them to be good people.

- Religous people can't break out of their religous mind sets and so they assume that if a name is given to a group of people it must make them some sort of organisation or a group of people with some sort of belief system in place.

First point, good job with what your doing, if someone in the world can gain some benefit from your effort, then that's great. What I don't like is when religon is used as a reason or a motivation to make that effort, I also don't like how organisations similar to the one your a part of, try and coerce people into converting. You say that is not your goal, but it is an implication just based on your organisations existence, if you were just a group of people who want to help people, then you don't need to do it in the name of God or do it based around your own personal beliefs. I'm a boxer, I go and save some bullied kid and tell him how great boxing is, that fragile kid is being coerced into taking up boxing (I just Hajime No Ippo'd this shit up!) and I just can't believe that your doing it unintentionally, like you said, you'd be happy if they did convert, which means that you already have a biased intention.

Second point, atheism isn't a belief, every atheist is different and they all believe in different things. The reason why you don't see non-religous groups is because non-religous people don't come together to create groups and they also don't have the hidden agenda of converting people to their non-existent belief. If an atheist is going to help out, then they are going to be just a bunch of random people going on these charitable exhibitions, they don't have group names, they just have themselves and the charitable group that they just happen to affiliate themselves with or create on their own.

A few examples of aid organisations would be the Afghanistan Relief Organisation, Actions Against Hunger and Random Hacks of Kindness. I've also been a part of the Fred Hollows Foundation and I've raised thousands of dollars for the charity, I helped in my own way, I didn't join a group to do it and I see similar things being done by non-religous people all the time. People without a religon don't stick to specific groups, there is no reason to create the 'Atheist of American Health Relief' organisation.

Christian or non Christian but it's kind of pointless - you are healing symptoms not cause of disease.

Those organisations should be teaching people how to grow their own food insted of being dependantt on humanitary support.

Also we should rather be protesting against Eu/US duties on importing food as protectionism of our own markets makes us responsible of denying income for 3rd world countries and a lot of poverty in the world.

While I agree that the main focus should be on making communities self sustainable I think that in quite a few situations humanitarian aid is needed. For example after natural disasters, after wars and during famine periods.

That's because we were too busy playing hockey...can't blame us. People would be better off playing hockey. The world would be a better place.

Consider the quote demolished. It was just a very emotional time seeing how those people were suffering and we were the only ones helping them. I put my emotions into the thread.

Now as for the part about Athiests not creating organisations. Their is a church of Darwin it was established last year in the United States. I see know reason why athiests could not and would not create an organisation to aid the world.

Also as Rath pointed out their are several secular organisations that do do work in countries. Sure none of them are in 170+ countries like YWAM. But Doctors without borders for example is in 60.

I do find it alittle odd that their aren't for example secular Child Sponsorship programs that send kids to school and feed them. Or organisations like World Vision? I guess Red Cross would come the closest to being like World Vision.

This thread was created to encourage people of all beliefs to step up and go on or sponsor humanitarian missions.

I would love to hear what you have to say on the subject!

Doobie, your right God does motivate Christians to be good people. But why should people have to abandon their beliefs or hide them to help others? It's not like any organisation I know of goes out and forces people to read the Bible for food or something. They simply help people and say Jesus loves them. They share their beliefs just like everyone does.

You say Athiests and secular society in someway doesn't do what Christian's do? Just look on the internet forums for a second Athiests, evolutionists, Buddhists , Muslims everyone is talking about their beliefs and trying to get others to believe as they do. Its not like Christian's are the only ones sharing their beliefs with others.

I would hardly call conversion a secret agenda if an agenda at all. Its a nice thing and everyone (Not only Christians) love to see others come to their beliefs. But its not like thats the reason Christian's or non-Christians help others. You don't have enough faith in humanity.

In the end I am very glad you are involved in charity and helping people out. That is great and exactly the kind of stuff this threads about encouraging. You are helping a humanitarian mission.

Also Non-Christian's do found organisations. Or at least secular organisations do get founded. Like Doctors without borders. I would love to see every doctor on earth do some time volunteering for doctors without borders.

Ummm yah, during my trip we visited a school and helped them learn how to take care of crops. By weeding cutting grass. The school program our team supported teaches the kids how to farm. Also sending the kids to school teaching them careers which most Christian organisations do. That is teaching them how to be self sufficient and get off aid.

If you educate the next generation in how to grow crops and do many careers , read and write. Then maybe their generation won't need as much aid as the current one does.