The Charity of Religion

[S.A.M.]

A substantial majority of adults engage in multiple personal responses to poverty. The most likely responses include giving material resources (such as clothing or furniture) directly to poor people (75%); donating money to organizations that address poverty (60%); giving food directly to a poor person or family (58%); spending a "significant amount of time" praying for poor people (55%); and donating time to personally serve needy people in the community (47%). Other responses include visiting institutionalized elderly or sick people who are not family members (40%); donating money to organizations that address poverty in foreign countries (31%); serving as a tutor or friend to an underprivileged child (30%); and helping to build or restore a house for a poor family (16%).

The survey showed that most Americans have similar patterns of responsiveness to poverty, regardless of their faith. Born again Christians were somewhat more likely than non-Christians to donate money to organizations addressing global poverty and slightly more likely to give food directly to poor people, but otherwise the two groups showed few differences. The only other exception is those people who have no specific religious faith they embrace. Atheists and agnostics emerged as the segment of people least likely to do anything in response to poverty. They were less likely to engage in eight of the nine specific responses measured, and were the faith segment least likely to participate in eight of the nine responses evaluated.

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrowPreview&BarnaUpdateID=273

Any comments from the atheists on this?

 

[scorpius]

maybe theists believe that by giving money to others,and or churches,,they are BUYING favors with their big Dawg upstairs

 

[S.A.M.]

And atheists simply don't care?

 

[sandy]

[QUOTE scorpious "maybe theists believe that by giving money to others,and or churches,,they are BUYING favors with their big Dawg
upstairs "]

No. It's about being a decent, compassionate, caring human being who is not all about "me, me, me."

 

[Faerynght]

"The Barna Group, Ltd. (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries."

This is an inadequate and poor study design based on small population (1003) over the telephone with specific questions relating to religious based charity. They do not list the median age, the geographic location, the gender, or the mean income of the subjects. I can not form a conclusion based on a biased research, sorry.

 

[original]

Originally posted by S.A.M.
The only other exception is those people who have no specific religious faith they embrace. Atheists and agnostics emerged as the segment of people least likely to do anything in response to poverty. They were less likely to engage in eight of the nine specific responses measured, and were the faith segment least likely to participate in eight of the nine responses evaluated.

I speak for myself, but a lot of charities have religious intermediaries and other parties that tend to take a generous share of the charitable donations. People are capable of creating wealth. So I give to those I know in need.

 

[Faerynght]

Here are some informative sites for people interested in charitable statistics:

http://nccs.urban.org/statistics/

http://www.nptrust.org/philanthropy/philanthropy_stats.asp

 

[James R]

I doubt the conclusions of the study, too.

 

[S.A.M.]

"The Barna Group, Ltd. (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries."

This is an inadequate and poor study design based on small population (1003) over the telephone with specific questions relating to religious based charity. They do not list the median age, the geographic location, the gender, or the mean income of the subjects. I can not form a conclusion based on a biased research, sorry.

Has their research ever been invalidated? Your comment is justified but I'm interested in knowing how one would gauge the validity of any such statistics.

Besides they are talking about personal involvement; I'm interested in knowing the extent of personal involvement of atheists in alleviating poverty. Since they are not affiliated with religious organisations, how do they get personally involved with the people they are helping? What kind of community programs they have? Do they visit the people in shelters and nursing homes, etc.

 

[James R]

I'm interested in knowing the extent of personal involvement of atheists in alleviating poverty. Since they are not affiliated with religious organisations, how do they get personally involved with the people they are helping? What kind of community programs they have? Do they visit the people in shelters and nursing homes, etc.

There are many organisations that are not specifically aligned with any religion. The Red Cross, Amnesty International, UNICEF, etc. etc. Besides, why do you assume that atheists do not contribute to religion-based charities? What is more important - their religion or their charity?

 

[Faerynght]

valid if they had approached the design questions differently, used a larger population base with varied geographic locations, indicated gender, median ages, and median income.
I am personally involved at VA Hospital, the institution where I work , homeless shelters(Methodist Church), soup kitchens(Catholic Charities), American Cancer Society, cancer survivor groups, Ronald Mc Donald House, etc. Just because I am an atheist it does not mean that I also do not participate in helping certain religious organizations. I may not donate money, but time, food and clothes are forms of charitable giving that require compassion and empathy. My daughter also is involved with volunteering as I believe it is important for her to participate as well. I really do not think that religion is that large of a contributing factor for personal involvement, I believe that people can be empathetic and compassionate without being religious.

 

[Jeff 152]

Is buying products and services so that jobs are created and investors and employees are rewarded count as helping the poor?

 

[original]

Sounds more like you're helping the fortunate.

 

[Carcano]

Unlike some christian ideas, I dont regard poor people to be more virtuous than anyone else.

Same holds true for the wealthy.

Blessed are the poor?

 

[Huwy]

The Australian Census has just revealed that more people claim "no religion" than ever before:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21976352-1702,00.html
""The figures, released today, revealed that 3,706,557 Australians - or 19 per cent - said they had no religion on Census night last year, which was 3 per cent more than the 2001 figure of 2,905,993.""

HOWEVER!!


"Almost one in five Australians aged over 15 undertakes voluntary work and women are leading the charge, according to the latest 2006 census.
Results from the 2006 census, released today, show 18 per cent of over-15s had done voluntary work in the year before the August 8 survey.
Most were females - 57 per cent, compared to males - 43 per cent.
It is the first time volunteerism has been measured in an Australian census. "

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,21976448-5008620,00.html

So a lower % are religious, but people are doing volunteer/charity work!

 

[SnakeLord]

Well I'll go along with it for now and say fine, I don't tend to help the poor. What was the point?

I happen to spend most of my 'donation money' on animal charities, cancer trust and other such things - and certainly more so than most theists I know who tend to think they can pray away cancer and that animals exist just to serve their needs as told by god. Does that make me a better person? Unlikely, so therefore once again...

what was the point?