Have you ever seen an Atheist do a kind thing?

Question

A person on R&S recently posted,
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"If there is no God there is no absolute standard for morality and it's "majority rule" or "might makes right"

Wouldn't you say?"
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This sums up something I have been meaning to ask somebody for a while. Why are atheists always framed as some sort of army of lawless thugs that have no concept of morals?
Have you ever seen a Atheist do a kind thing? I want you to think about that question long and hard.
Now, have you ever seen a Christian do a kind thing in the name of Jesus?
Why does a christian do a kind thing? Because they are promised an eternity of comfort and safety as long as they follow a few basic tenants. Now the specificity and and strictness of different Christian denominations varies a bit, but the basic outline remains.
Do good by the bible, get rewarded in the afterlife.
Now it would seem that any apparently altruistic act by a god-fearing individual would actually be in attempts to save the do-gooder's soul. In thier minds, Christians are only acting in self-interest (in the scope of eternity)
Now lets look at if an Atheist ever did a kind thing:
Athiests have no sacred laws or commandments that they are bound by. Nonetheless, most atheists I have met (and I'm sure the same applies to those YOU have met) are not ruthless scoundrels that stop at nothing to promote personal gain.Whenever an athiest acts in true charity, they very well know this is likely not result in reciprocal altruism.
Still, atheists at least occasionally act in charity. I'm not going to provide examples because I bet you all have personal ones you can relate to.

Why do atheists act kindly? Because we DO have morals. We DO have consciences. And we DO follow them, fully knowing there is no divine penalty for violating them. Therefor, Atheists are more charitable then Christians.
Ha.

Answer 1

My dear Quarble,



your pent up desire to pose all this to others reveals your feelings and self-centered imaginings regarding God's supposed non-existence and your own pride laden and self perceived triumphant, yet phony and hollow pronunciation that you are more charitable than God and His followers.



Surely you have heard that a stream does not rise above it's source. Yet, you cut off the limb upon which you sit and expect the world and tree and all other things sensible to simply fall away, and yet yourself remain supported upon your own imaginings.



Why, of course, you surely believe in Him, for after all, your deprecating talk of such a suppossed nonentity would, on any other subject, land you in a mental hospital. Imagine spending nearly as many words as you have at proving your superiority to the mentally ill patient and his hallucination.



So why do atheists unwittingly find the God that they profess so attractive as to emulate, embrace and desire and yet reject and badmouth Him all the while?



Isn't it spiritual schizophrenia? It's truly madness.

Answer 2

In a larger sense, might does make right. Sad but true... but that doesn't mean people are without compassion.



I think Christians and atheists do kind things for the same reasons. And to answer your initial question, I do nice things all the time.

Answer 3

The rather explicit scenario presented in one answer is kind and also done because it needed to be done. Some people get paid to do these things and some, like friends, don't. What I take exception to is the revealing (exploiting) of someone else's hardships to show others how kind one is. That does not stem from humilty but from the need to make known so others will know and approve/admire.

Answer 4

Interesting - - while i do agree with a lot of what you say, and i do agree that both athiests and people who follow religions can both have their own sense of morals, they have a much different motivation. Which is "right"? To each his own i suppose. The last paragraph, however - "Athiests are more charatible than Christians" - hmmm - i'm sensing a sense of bias based on stereotype. Both could be "charatible" in their own mark. (For the record, i'm an agnostic, borderline athiest.)

Answer 5

Yes, I have, myself. About the matter of that poster:

I believe that her point was to say because atheists morals are derived from society, their morals could easily go one way or another depending on how the particular society they live in dictates what is considered a moral. At least that is the way I took it.

Answer 6

every religion has some form of atheism buddhists,jains,taoists,confucianist,animism,agnosticism,etc etc and all atheist are human too they to have heart and feelings they too help people though the world is filled with hatred and ego its mainly due to religion and feelings of superiority of race have u ever noticed all people r dying bcos of religious troubles i think atheism is the best or u cud take universal humanitarian i think its the best or just stop believing just forget all religions or u will get mad just believe in urself have confidence and u cud do wonders and atheists r as diverse as normal people

Answer 7

I agree.



It does seem to be a lack of understanding on their part. Some really can not understand how we can not believe in God. Some are astounded that we have any morals and are decent human beings. I say some, because all Christians are not this way.

Answer 8

I don't know about your claim that "Atheists are more charitable then Christians," although I sure as heck don't agree with the opposite, but yes, I have seen very kind, caring Atheists in this world.



It's not religion that determines a person's compassion: it's their actions.

Answer 9

Kudos to you.



The reward of an afterlife is NOT a reason to live morally. Atheists are moral because they know they should be. They don't need some book telling them how to live their lives, which is what I admire most about them.



Christians, on the other hand, need to be told not to kill other people. That stoning is bad. If you need to be told that killing is bad, then that's just pathetic.

Answer 10

Yes, my father is an atheist and probably the kindest,most moral person I know. What about all the atrocities committed by the so called religious in the name of their religions?

Answer 11

A good friend of mine who was raised in a religion-free home is also one of the nicest people I know. Her father might be a cynical anti-religious jerk at times, but he raised a daughter that respects people and believes actions speak louder than words. She even volunteers to be our designated driver frequently, and that in my opinion, is a beautiful sacrifice for a fellow person.

Answer 12

I'm not going to say that atheists are more charitable than Christians,

because I don't see the point.



Atheism is lack of belief in a god because the evidence and

arguments made on gods behalf are not supportable.



Atheism is a statement about the truth of the universe.



It has nothing to say on questions of charity or morality.

It could never be justified using those indices, any more

than religion can be found justified because it is socially

"useful."



Of course atheists do kind things, but not because they

are atheists, but because they are kind. That is exactly

the point that believers don't ever get, that they don't

need divine morality any more than we do.

Answer 13

I'm athiest, and I give the bum in my ally 5 bucks a week, when the Super-Christian family nextdoor calls the cops on him, LOL.

Answer 14

I took care of a quadriplegic friend for five years. That included sticking my fingers up his butt to pull out the poop because he couldn't push it out himself. That meant when he was constipated I had to give him this mega laxative,put him in bed and roll him on his side so that when it did work, his butt sprayed poo and water out on me like a garden hose when you put your thumb on it to spray the water out hard. I have been doused with diarrhea literally. I give freely, I love freely, I do unto others, and if that poop story isn't kindness I don't know what is.

Answer 15

sounds like the gambler's bet



any gambler would believe in god simply for the amazing profit if it turns out to be real.







(unfortunately, reality is a little more complex then that (just a little))

Answer 16

The Godless Society at university started a charity to help people in Nigeria who get stoned and their hands chopped off and stuff in remote christian communities, where they follow the bible 'correctly'.

Answer 17

My boyfriend is the most loving, kind, sweet, and generous person I know. And he's an atheist.

Answer 18

Amen brother!

Bear in mind, buddhists are atheists too.

The Tzu-Chi buddhist organisation is one of the three largest charity groups in the world.

Answer 19

C'mon, Fundies can't demonize GOOD people, If atheists won't cooperate by being evil, then fundies only recourse is to MAKE them evil.

Answer 20

Preaching to the choir brotha.

Answer 21

Yes - many times everyday.

Answer 22

Firstly, there's nothing 'good' of itself anyway.



Secondly, atheists do what they perceive to be 'good' simply because they feel it's good, and get a feeling of 'good' from doing it...or they fear the coercive force of society.

Answer 23

Yes plenty........who said they being atheist = unkind? Thats stupid!





PS I am not an atheist. I am a Muslim. Peace to you ...

Answer 24

lol random much...well im an atheist so are most of my friends...(Y)...we do kind things coz we want to not coz we have to but christians do kind things coz they have to not coz they want to.

xx

Answer 25

"Have you ever seen an Atheist do a kind thing?" - Every day.

.

Answer 26

I'm not going to read your rant, Christian or not. I can't recall an atheist off the top of my head being nice but that doesn't mean one somewhere isn't kind.

Answer 27

I'm an atheist and I say 'Holy $hit!' and 'OH MY G0D' all the time.



I find it kinda funny.

hahahah

Answer 28

no thats satanists who are introverted and only look out for themselves.

Answer 29

i like to think im quite benevolent