Faith Based

[KWJams]

Since many folks here profess their lack of any belief in a power greater than their own self involved interests. I was curious what you all do to support the needy or local charity's?

Is there any secular based group meetings that you participate in for fellowship?

How do you celebrate your secularism? :confused:

[Hydrok]

I dance

[KWJams]

Only for your own enjoyment?

[Hydrok]

no to celebrate my secularism

[KWJams]

Do you share this with others?

[cpwill]

what kind of dancing is it?

[Hydrok]

:rocking: the supreme potentate break dance

[cpwill]

:lol: how does that one go?

[Craig]

I live under a socialist government, so I'm always supporting the needy. I don't know of any formal secular groups, other than internet groups that are atheist and discuss atheism. I do not "celebrate" secularism, as there is nothing to celebrate; it is not faith in an ultimate divine reality, so celebration similar to the religious sort is not usually practiced.

[KWJams]

What would be the pro's and con's of a secular life?

[Craig]

I'll just give a quick response here.

Pro- You go through life like anyone else, but you are free to invest your time how you wish; that is to say, you're not tied up doing religious things and this gives you more time to do the other activities that you feel are important.

Con- You know that if one of the many religious systems is correct, you'll probably be screwed once you die.

[KWJams]

Good answers -- thanks :cool:

[cpwill]

Craig; no one forces you into the religious services; you go only if you want to.

[Anvils Hammer]

i am an athiest, i celebrate the acheiments of mankind and others around me everytime i interact with them.
i dont have any specific celebrations, as organised worship is not part of my life.

pros of being secular- i dont have to lie to myself, i am more focus on my currect life than anything that happens after death, so wil enjoy it more.
cons- same as posted, HELL!!!! if im wrong

[cpwill]

Cotton Eye Joe!

now THERE"s a song you can dance to!@!

[Secession]

Since many folks here profess their lack of any belief in a power greater than their own self involved interests. I was curious what you all do to support the needy or local charity's?

Is there any secular based group meetings that you participate in for fellowship?

How do you celebrate your secularism? :confused:

I don't celebrate my secularism. I don't feel I need to. I object to your assumption that everyone who isn't infected with religion is self-involved and selfish. I think you are wrong. Being able to see that helping your fellow man is good for you and everyone around you does not require the word of some magic spirit, only a little common sense.

[Hydrok]

cpwill, are you wasted?

[cpwill]

no,. just parehaps a bit tipsy.

[cpwill]

which you shoudlnd never be because youre' too y0oung, and deliquency in today's youth, and bladablada allt hat, stuff....

[cpwill]

:lol: okay, so yes, just enough so that when i try to type and do so without going back and fixing apparently i've been making a few grammatical errors.....:rolleyes:

[Hydrok]

yeah i got to be careful where the drugs and alchohol are concerned, they do random drug testing on me now nearly twice a week

[cpwill]

as well they sh ould, alcohol in one your age is bad enough; drugs are just plain stupid for a variety of reasons.

[Hydrok]

Don't do drugs thanks, but yeah between the military and my job... yeah you get the point.

[cpwill]

;):thumbsup:

where do you work?

[Hydrok]

all over the place, I work for a temp agency now

[cpwill]

huh, any speciality?

[Hydrok]

Electrical

[cpwill]

aie, i was always a bit more on the physical grunt labor side, myself.

[TomAZ]

Under Bush's "Faith-based" charities all U.S. taxpayers donate and not all recipients are christian organizations. Even Islam profits.

Non-christian faith based funding;Response (Compassion Capital Fund) - 05/11/2004 10:52 AM
Non-Christian faith-based groups have received Compassion Capital Fund funds. Below are a few examples, and the list is growing.

Inner-City Muslim Action Network in Chicago, Jewish Vocational Service in San Franciso, the Cincinnati Islamic Center, the Taos Jewish Center in New Mexico, Jewish Family Service in Nebraska and New Mexico, Jewish Family and Children Services in San Diego, Kennesseth Israel Congregation in St. Louis Park, MN, Chabad Jewish synagogue in Omaha, the San Jose Cambodian Buddhist Society in California, the Cambodian Buddhist Society, in Silver Spring, Maryland, Khmer Buddhist Society, in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Masjid An-Nur a Muslim mosque in Minneapolis, MN.

[Craig]

Craig; no one forces you into the religious services; you go only if you want to.

Perhaps I misphrased this. I am not just talking about religious services, but religious activities in general. That is to say, I don't go to a youth group, to church, spend time reading the bible, <insert religious activity x here>, which frees up my time to do other things. Granted, there may be some Christians who only make quick prayers during their day and do nothing more, but I think they are relatively rare. That is what I meant by freeing up more time.

[jamesrage]

I don't celebrate my secularism. I don't feel I need to. I object to your assumption that everyone who isn't infected with religion is self-involved and selfish. I think you are wrong. Being able to see that helping your fellow man is good for you and everyone around you does not require the word of some magic spirit, only a little common sense

I do not think he was insinuating that atheist are inconsiderate ****s who only care about themselves.I think he was asking how do atheists go about helping the needy and what social functions do you all enjoy that would somewhat be an equavilant to something spiratual,but not spiritaul and do you celebrate do you have celebrate non-religious holidays that might have meaning to you other than thanksgiving and fourth of july that act as some sort of rememberence to you.

Being able to see that helping your fellow man is good for you and everyone around you does not require the word of some magic spirit, only a little common sense

Actually it takes more common sense to see if that person is really in need of help or if he is just abusing people's generosity.I see panhandlers everyday where I wrok at,they come up with some B.S. story that they said a billion times to you while acting like you are not aware of services that are two blocks down the street that help them out or acting like you do not know that the only thing that is open at 12 o clock in the morning is a ****ing bar.

[MikeD4o7]

I do not think he was insinuating that atheist are inconsiderate ****s who only care about themselves.I think he was asking how do atheists go about helping the needy and what social functions do you all enjoy that would somewhat be an equavilant to something spiratual,but not spiritaul and do you celebrate do you have celebrate non-religious holidays that might have meaning to you other than thanksgiving and fourth of july that act as some sort of rememberence to you.


I can't speak for all atheists, but personally I go about helping the needy by donating money or time whenever I can (which is not much anymore) to various charities. I don't attend anything that would be the equivalent of a spiritual social function like church or anything like that. As for holidays, I pretty much celebrate every holiday that normal Americans do... the religious ones, like easter and christmas, I just focus on the traditional aspects of them that don't necessarily imply anything religious.

[KWJams]

I do not think he was insinuating that atheist are inconsiderate ****s who only care about themselves.I think he was asking how do atheists go about helping the needy and what social functions do you all enjoy that would somewhat be an equavilant to something spiratual,but not spiritaul and do you celebrate do you have celebrate non-religious holidays that might have meaning to you other than thanksgiving and fourth of july that act as some sort of rememberence to you.


Bingo!

As an example, many fair sized city's have at least two hospitals. One is usually affiliated or sponsored by the dominate religion in the area while the other is affiliated or sponsored by the government and is a secular business.
Both are equal in the service and care they provide to their community's but the secular hospital can not officially offer hope through faith as part of their care.
If there are more Catholics that live in an area than other denominations, the odds are that the hospital is called something like Saint Mary's Hospital and receives a large portion of their support from local Churches and volunteers.
The other secular hospital has it's support coming from the tax payers with little volunteer or local support in comparison with a faith based hospital.

The question that I have is, where does the motivation for good citizenship come from if you live a secular lifestyle?

[Platypus]

The question that I have is, where does the motivation for good citizenship come from if you live a secular lifestyle?
Religious ethics are not the only kind. Many moral codes have been proposed - e.g. various forms of utilitarianism - that are not based on belief in a higher power. For the most part the principles we celebrate today are not tied to such belief. Charity can be motivated by a belief that it is morally right, even for the non-religious, or it can be justified as a form of "enlightened self-interest." People who have studied game theory, for example, might give reasons having to do with system effects without even a reference to morality let alone religion. The idea that only the religious can be good citizens is a myth propagate by - surprise! - the religious themselves.

[DRMIZER]

Since many folks here profess their lack of any belief in a power greater than their own self involved interests. I was curious what you all do to support the needy or local charity's?

Is there any secular based group meetings that you participate in for fellowship?

How do you celebrate your secularism? :confused:I believe in a power greater than I but reject the dogma that "leads" to the "truth". My finances go straight to where they need to go and are not filtered through the polity of the church to be squandered. My $1.00 goes primarily to where it is supposed to go. . . ., not the .10 or .20 cents out of the dollar given to the church. I find it much more satisfying to know this. By accepting personal responsibility along these lines I am much more careful about "tithing". And, my 10% - 20% goes a whole lot further than if given to the church!! I prefer to give 80 to 90% to the cause with 10 to 20% going for expenses, etc.

I also involve myself in civic responsibilities and the giving of my time where I feel it is best used. I have a set minimum number of hours I give away each year to help someone else's life be a bit better.

Giving to the church in my case ceased due to primarily 2 reasons;
1) I was a part of a church who voted to purchase a parking lot adjoining the church property for 1.1 million. They approved the purchase while others starved within earshot of the church.

2) A "love" offering was taken for a bishop's retirement. Although the "love" offering was not sufficient for the purchase, he was presented with a new cadillac. This was conducted in Richmond, Va. where thousands go to bed hungry every night. (John Wesley would turn over in his grave if knew this is how his denomination turned.)

That's not the god I give a lot of credit to for "creating" the universe. That's a god of business and is a mockery of the God I acknowledge as the creator of the universe. We become so petty in our expressions of faith anymore I wonder how many actually believe in god at all any more.

And oh, about the tax deductions? Don't get any. As a Deist we give service without the reward of tax deductions. Hummmmm, now there's a concept.

Mr. KWJ, how do you do it?

[Secession]

I am tired of trying to explain the obvious to fat stupid Americans. When your country isn't infected with this religious bull you might be able to think. Then I'll talk. For now, goodbye.